plural marriage - wasmormon.org

A Fig For Polygamy?

"If one portion of the doctrines of the Church is true, the whole of them are true. If the doctrine of polygamy, as revealed to the Latter-day Saints, is not true, I would not give a fig for all your other revelations that came through Joseph Smith the Prophet; I would renounce the whole of them, because it is utterly impossible, according to the revelations that are contained in these books, to believe a part of them to be divine—from God—and part of them to be from the devil." - LDS Apostle Orson Pratt | wasmormon.rg

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 …

Continue reading “A Fig For Polygamy?”

Judging Past Leaders by Today’s Standards

“Prophets in all dispensations have been "men of their times," who were raised with certain beliefs and interacted all their lives with others who shared those beliefs.” - FAIR: Faithful Answers, Informed Response for Latter Day Saints: Was Brigham Young a Racist? | wasmormon.org

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”

The LDS Church and The November Policy of Exclusion – POX 2015

"This prophetic process was followed ... with the recent additions to the Church’s handbook, consequent to the legalization of same-sex marriage in some countries. Filled with compassion for all, and especially for the children, we wrestled at length to understand the Lord’s will in this matter. Ever mindful of God’s plan of salvation and of His hope for eternal life for each of His children, we considered countless permutations and combinations of possible scenarios that could arise. We met repeatedly in the temple in fasting and prayer and sought further direction and inspiration. And then, when the Lord inspired His prophet, President Thomas S. Monson, to declare the mind of the Lord and the will of the Lord, each of us during that sacred moment felt a spiritual confirmation. It was our privilege as Apostles to sustain what had been revealed to President Monson. Revelation from the Lord to His servants is a sacred process." - Elder Russell M Nelson in 2016 regarding the November Policy of 2015 being a Revelation from the Lord | wasmormon.org

In November 2015, eight years ago, the church leaders intended to quietly institute a policy they had thought through deeply as a reaction to the United States deeming same-sex marriage federally legal in July of that year. The church had campaigned many many times against giving this recognition and civil equality to same-sex couples from …

Continue reading “The LDS Church and The November Policy of Exclusion – POX 2015”

Gordon B Hinckley on Larry King Live | Interview Transcript 1998

"The church does not become involved in politics." - Gordon B. Hinckley on Larry King Live | wasmormon.org

Transcript of Larry King Live: Gordon Hinckley – Distinguished Religious Leader of the Mormons. Remember that time Hinckley was on Larry King in 1998? Looking back at the transcript, he said quite a few surprising things on air. Hinckley claimed that when people think of Mormons when polygamy is mentioned, they do it “mistakenly” and …

Continue reading “Gordon B Hinckley on Larry King Live | Interview Transcript 1998”

Why Latter-day Saint Leaders Support the Respect for Marriage Act

"The Respect for Marriage Act did restate same-sex marriage as the law of the land, but ... the focus of the Church’s efforts was not on same-sex marriage, but on ensuring the act contained the necessary protections for religious freedom." - Elder Dallin H Oaks, LDS First Presidency | wasmormon.org

Recently the US passed an act called The Respect for Marriage Act. This act requires the U.S. federal government and all U.S. states and territories to recognize the validity of same-sex and interracial civil marriages. It also protects religious liberty. Almost surprisingly, Latter-day Saint leaders supported the act. Support is a Dramatic Reversal Taylor Petrey, …

Continue reading “Why Latter-day Saint Leaders Support the Respect for Marriage Act”

On Being a Mormon Historian from Michael Quinn

"The tragic reality is that there have been occasions when Church leaders, teachers, and writers have not told the truth they knew about difficulties of the Mormon past, but have offered to the Saints instead a mixture of platitudes, half-truths, omissions, and plausible denials... A so-called "faith-promoting" Church history which conceals controversies and difficulties of the Mormon past actually undermines the faith of Latter-day Saints who eventually learn about the problems from other sources." Dr. D Michael Quinn, Excommunicated Mormon | wasmormon.org

The late Dr. D. Michael Quinn was among the many scholars who were forced to choose between promoting church propaganda and maintaining their integrity as historians in response to Elder Packer’s controversial talk “The Mantle is Far Greater Than the Intellect,”. Quinn delivered a pointed response to Elder Packer’s remarks in his lecture entitled “On …

Continue reading “On Being a Mormon Historian from Michael Quinn”

The Mormon Church Published The Gospel Topic Essays

It was a soft roll out. There wasn’t an announcement saying “You can go to this website to learn everything weird about the Mormon church you ever wanted to learn”. - Elder Steven E Snow, Church Historian | wasmormon.org

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”

Mormon Authorities Threaten Doubters With “Don’t You Dare Bail” Messages

"Those who leave the Church are like a feather blown to and fro in the air. They know not whither they are going; they do not understand anything about their own existence; their faith, judgment, and the operation of their minds are as unstable as the movements of the feather" - Brigham Young | wasmormon.org

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”

Fanny Alger, Joseph Smith’s “dirty, nasty, filthy affair” Teen Bride

"A dirty, nasty, filthy affair of his and Fanny Alger's was talked over in which I strictly declared that I had never deserted from the truth in the matter, and as I supposed was admitted by himself." Oliver Cowdery regarding Joseph Smith and Fanny Alger

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”

The Nauvoo Expositor And More Lies From Joseph Smith

"Joseph had asked [Jane Law] to give him half her love; she was at liberty to keep the other half for her husband." Elder William Law, Mormon Apostle. Defected from the First Presidency and published the Nauvoo Expositor when his wife Jane told him she refused Joseph Smith who came in the night while he was away seeking a polyandrous relationship.

What was the Nauvoo Expositor? The Nauvoo Expositor was a four-page newspaper that only printed one issue. It reportedly printed so many vicious lies and slander about Joseph Smith that the prophet of the restoration had the printing press destroyed in retaliation or as the church claims to avoid violence. Somewhat ironic that they destroyed …

Continue reading “The Nauvoo Expositor And More Lies From Joseph Smith”

Yesterday’s Anti-Mormon “Lies” Are Today’s Church Essays

"The great irony is that yesterday's "anti-Mormon lies" are now today's church essay facts.” - Jeremy Runnells, Author of CES Letter in Letter to his Stake President | wasmormon.org

What are the Church Essays? The church has quietly published some essays discussing some hard-to-reconcile issues. There are multiple topics in these essays, such as Multiple First Vision Accounts, Rock in a Hat Translation & Mormon Institutionalized Racism, a collection of essays about Polygamy referred to as Plural Marriage & even Heavenly Mother. Haven’t heard …

Continue reading “Yesterday’s Anti-Mormon “Lies” Are Today’s Church Essays”

Profile Details