A common apologetic argument in defense of Joseph Smith is that his closest early associates—Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris—never outright denounced him as a fraud, even after they left or were cast out of the church. The logic goes: if anyone would have known the “truth” behind the origins of the Book of …
Continue reading “Why Didn’t Cowdery, Whitmer, or Harris Expose Joseph Smith as a Fraud?”
Joseph Smith, as the Mayor of Nauvoo, President of the Church, and Captain of the Nauvoo Legion, used his power to silence dissent. The Nauvoo Expositor was published, which publicized Joseph’s secret polygamous relationships and doctrines, a fact that the church does not deny. The issue is that the church or the public, or the …
On June 7, 1844, a bold and short-lived newspaper called the Nauvoo Expositor published its first—and only—issue in Nauvoo, Illinois. It was created by former Mormon insiders who could no longer remain silent. They leveled charges against Joseph Smith, including abuse of power, political tyranny, and most explosively, his secret polygamy. The Nauvoo Expositor printed …
Continue reading “Leadership Suppress Dissenfecting Light – The Nauvoo Expositor”
Today, the LDS Church no longer condones slavery, and leaders assert that the church has always been against slavery and racism, but there is a hidden history of racism and even slavery in the church. There are even instances where slaves were given as tithing to the church—the church used slave labor in temple construction. Green Flake …
Continue reading “Green Flake, The Man and Slave Labor The Church Accepted as Tithing”
Jane Elizabeth Manning James was a remarkable woman who exemplified deep faith and resilience, despite the racism and systemic exclusion she endured within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Born free in Wilton, Connecticut, in the early 19th century. As a child, she worked as a domestic servant in a prosperous white household. …
Continue reading “Jane Manning James: Faithful Servant, Denied Sisterhood, Sealed into Slavery”
In 2019, both Dale G. Renlund, LDS Apostle, and his wife, Ruth L. Renlund, gave a talk at a Worldwide devotional from BYU-Hawaii. They shared a colorful parable and other colorful images to marginalize and blame doubters for their struggles with the church’s false truth claims. They seek to demonize those who listen to common …
The church has introduced a new series of scripture stories aimed at children. There are plenty of illustrations and the simplified stories pull from the scriptures and church history. They don’t shy from one of the most troubling chapters of Mormon history, polygamy. The simplified story portrays the origin of Mormon polygamy as beginning with …
In Kinderhook, Illinois, about 50 miles south of Nauvoo, six bell-shaped brass plates were allegedly found when digging up a burial mound on a farmer’s land. He said he’d dreamt about finding treasure in the mound and organized a dig. A couple Mormons were present when some small plates with ancient-looking inscriptions were found and …
Continue reading “Joseph Smith’s Kinderhook Plates Kinder-Surprise Translation Redaction”
Reporter: In 2003 the church denounced the book Under the Banner of Heaven by John Krakauer, calling Krakauer a storyteller who cuts corners to make the story sound good. Now Krakauer’s book has been adapted for TV and is streaming on Hulu. What does the church think of the Hulu adaptation, and more generally how …
Continue reading “Church Mischaracterized Since 1830: Fact or Fiction”
Joseph Smith secretly practiced polyandry and polygamy, or what the church later called plural marriage. The church freely admits this today (when forced) whereas previously it was all denied as anti-mormon lies. A strange hill to die on since the church is well known for practicing polygamy for decades in Utah. The church was hesitant …
Continue reading “The Drawn Flaming Sword of Polygamy – Spiritual Abuse and Manipulation”
The members of the Sydney Australia Mortdale Stake received an email informing them the area had been selected for a Pilot Program named Informed Consent. The program announced two objectives: 1) to ensure that converts are fully informed before they commit to baptism, and 2) for all members to have a “short” lesson to make …
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Determining whether The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly known as the Mormon Church) qualifies as a cult hinges on various criteria. According to the BITE model, we find evidence that it meets several characteristics associated with cults. Note that the term “cult” carries negative connotations and lacks a universally agreed-upon definition, and …
Lorenzo Snow, the 5th president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was a dutiful Mormon polygamist. He jumped right into the practice and went (according to some accounts) from single to husband of four wives in just 2 days! The official lists of his marriages show he was married to 9 (at …
Continue reading “Hannah Maria Goddard, Lorenzo Snow’s Nearly Forgotten Wife”
Lorenzo Snow Lorenzo Snow was born April 3, 1814, in Ohio. He joined the church in June of 1836 at 22 years of age. In 1837, he was called on a mission, and while serving he missed the failure of the Kirtland Safety Society. He moved to Far West in the summer of 1838, and …
Continue reading “The Wives of Lorenzo Snow – Polygamous Prophet 5”
Orson Pratt, an Apostle in the Mormon church once invited others to “teach us our errors; convince us of our delusions.” He thought that the church was walking in true Christianity. This echoes a statement from Joseph Smith asking others to “convince us of our delusions,” and claiming that “we will be ever grateful for …
Early church leaders (Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, and Orson Pratt among others) allegedly had a change of heart for polygamy. At first, they reportedly resisted the practice but later on accepted it and vehemently defended it. Did they really resist in the first place or are these just retro-active stories and manipulation in order to …
Today’s church narrative tells the story of a young rambunctious yet spiritual lad of 14 who is stressed about which church to join and is absorbed in the words of the Bible. He finds the passage that if he lacks wisdom, he should pray (James 1:5). He resolves to pray and the heavens are opened. …
Continue reading “Mother Knows Best – Joseph Smith’s Mother on The First Vision”
Church members and leaders enjoy the refrain that we can’t judge Joseph Smith (and other church leaders) by modern standards. Nobody today should criticize them for living according to the cultural norms of the day. People thought and did things differently back then. This expands beyond Mormon church leaders into politics etc. There are many …
Continue reading “Judging Past Leaders by Today’s Standards”
A famous saying within the Church states, “As man is now, God once was; as God is now, man may be.” This couplet, originating from Joseph Smith’s King Follet discourse, was popularized by the fifth Church President Lorenzo Snow. Time Magazine published an article about Mormons and asked President Gordon B Hinckley about this concept …
Continue reading “Hinckley’s “I Don’t Know That We Teach It” Interview”
Joseph Smith’s early stories involve the visitation of a specific angel in his bedroom. The current narrative states that this was the angel Moroni, the same Moroni that tops all the temples. He was the last writer of the Book of Mormon. However, some records indicate that it was the angel Nephi who first visited …
Continue reading “Was it the Angel Moroni or Nephi? Both? Neither?”
Emma didn’t feel right or safe at church. She struggled with the dissonance until she stumbled on ex-Mormon creators and community and knew she’d finally found her people! I was born into the church. I left the church in 2020, after taking a hiatus from church for about a year. I decided I didn’t want …
Continue reading “Emma Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile Spotlight”
We have not one, but three recent senior leaders and Apostles of the church endorsing this imagery (and metaphor) of defending the faith (or the church and its policies) with musket fire. A musket is a gun, and as the story goes, some pioneer Mormon builders once needed to defend themselves (not as much defending …
Continue reading “Mormon Apostles, Muskets, and The LGBTQ Community”
Brigham Young was the second leader of the Mormon church. He wanted no dissension among the ranks and taught that members who openly disagree with church leaders are cursed. He said that any who reject Mormon doctrine or the absolute authority of the church leaders are apostates. He shared what he thinks of an apostate. …
Elijah Abel was an early African American member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commonly known as the Mormon Church. He is notable for being one of the few black individuals ordained to the priesthood before the church implemented a policy that restricted black men of African descent from receiving the priesthood. …
Continue reading “Elijah Able, Early Black Mormon Received Priesthood via Joseph Smith”
The authors of the fascinating book about Emma Smith, Mormon Enigma were reprimanded for publishing it. They weren’t excommunicated, but they were forbidden to speak in meetings and firesides. Elder Oaks spoke with Linda Newell (one of the authors of Mormon Enigma) as she recounted in her talk at the 1992 Pacific Northwest Sunstone Symposium called “The …
The First Vision is a foundational event in the history and theology of the Church. It refers to an experience Joseph Smith claimed to have had as a young man. In the spring of 1820, he seeks guidance and religious truth. In later accounts, he described going into a grove of trees and praying to …
Continue reading “Timeline of the First Vision Story and Development”
After receiving the Faith Crisis Report, the church leaders commissioned and started quietly publishing what they call Gospel Topic Essays. These essays, for the most part, are the first time the church has published an official stance on many of the topics. They were published quietly and buried deep within the church site of materials. …
Continue reading “The Mormon Church Published The Gospel Topic Essays”
There are myriad warnings against dissension and apostasy by church leaders. Church leaders are afraid of those who leave the church behind. Those who leave have the gumption and the gall to stand up for what they believe in, rather than believing what they are told to believe. Those who leave have the courage to …
Continue reading “Mormon Authorities Threaten Doubters With “Don’t You Dare Bail” Messages”
What Happened between Fanny Alger and Joseph Smith? As a young woman, Fanny Alger was a servant in Joseph Smith’s house. She lived with the family for a time while also serving as a maid. Joseph Smith and Fanny got very close. Multiple accounts exist of Emma Smith, Joseph’s wife catching Joseph celestializing (sexually involved) …
Continue reading “Fanny Alger, Joseph Smith’s “dirty, nasty, filthy affair” Teen Bride”
Joseph Smith purportedly knew he was going to be killed, and said the following, which is now canonized in the D&C scriptures as the dominant narrative of the church. I am going like a lamb to the slaughter; but I am calm as a summer’s morning; I have a conscience void of offense towards God, …
Continue reading “The Joseph Smith “Like a Lamb to the Slaughter” Narrative is Myth”
![“Not one of the Three Witnesses [Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, or Martin Harris] ever denied his testimony of the Book of Mormon.” - Michael R. Morris, The Last Witness of the Three Witnesses, The New Era, January 2020 | [Oliver Cowdery] arose and addressed the audience present, admitted his error and implored forgiveness, and said he was sorry and ashamed of his connection with Mormonism. | “Smith, having become worldly and proud, has been forsaken of the Lord, and has become a knave and impostor.” - Martin Harris | “If you believe my testimony to the Book of Mormon; God spake to me again by his own voice from the heavens, and told me to separate myself from among the Latter Day Saints.” - David Whitmer | wasmormon.org](https://i0.wp.com/wasmormon.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Not-one-of-the-Three-Witnesses-denied-his-testimony-Cowdery-sorry-and-ashamed-Harris-JS-a-knave-and-imposter-Whitmer-if-you-believe-my-testimony.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1)
![[He] chose to be a perpetual doubter. As one concern was resolved, another one was found. “Church history whack-a-mole.” The children’s game where a mole pops up from a board and as soon as you hit it, another mole pops up in another place. - Dale G. Renlund, LDS Apostle, and Sister Ruth L. Renlund, Worldwide Devotional for Young Adults • January 13, 2019 • BYU–Hawaii - Church History whack-a-mole | wasmormon.org](https://i0.wp.com/wasmormon.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Dale-G-Renlund-church-history-whack-a-mole-08-one-concern-resolved-another-is-found.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1)
