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?”
In the complex history of Mormonism, few documents expose the tensions between prophetic revelation and institutional survival quite like John Taylor’s 1886 revelation. This revelation, written in Taylor’s own hand, declared that the divine commandment of plural marriage would not and could not be revoked. Yet for over a century, the Church of Jesus Christ …
Continue reading “The 1886 Revelation Denial and the LDS Church’s Longstanding Dishonesty”
The modern LDS Church presents the restoration of priesthood authority—first the Aaronic Priesthood by John the Baptist on May 15, 1829, and then the Melchizedek Priesthood by Peter, James, and John—as pivotal, well-documented events in church history. However, early sources and the timeline of doctrinal development tell a much murkier story, one that raises serious …
Continue reading “Did Sidney Rigdon Influence the Priesthood Restoration?”
During Brigham Young’s presidency, if one aspired to the highest level of heaven, one would have needed both polygamy and an eternal sealing. Brigham Young declared, “The only men who become Gods, even the Sons of God, are those who enter into polygamy.” “The only men who become Gods, even the Sons of God, are …
Continue reading “The Only Men Who Become Gods Enter Into Polygamy”
In the spring of 1978, 47 years ago to the day, there was a “Days of ‘47” parade for Pioneer Day in Salt Lake City. At the time the parade was planned, the church continued its unpopular priesthood ban on black members of the church. The ban was lifted weeks before the parade occurred, but …
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 …
A BYU Studies article, Priesthood Restoration Documents (BYU Studies, Volume 35, Number 4, 1996), attempts to compile and legitimize the historical claims surrounding the restoration of the priesthood in Mormonism. While the compilation appears scholarly on the surface, the conclusion it draws is apologetic rather than academic. The piece says one thing, but the data …
Continue reading “Priesthood Restoration Apologetics = Retrofitting and Narrative Engineering”
The church narrative states the priesthood was restored to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdry in 1829. There are a few Revelations used to tell this narrative. There are problems with these priesthood restoration claims, and specifically these revelations, they aren’t contemporary to the stories, and the few that are the closest, have been changed. Doctrine …
In Rough Stone Rolling, respected Mormon historian Richard Lyman Bushman examines the origins of the Mormon priesthood narrative. What he says should give every faithful truth-seeker pause. The church teaches that in 1829, Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery were visited by angelic messengers and ordained to the priesthood, first by John the Baptist on May …
Continue reading “Bushman on Holes in The Priesthood Restoration Story”
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches that in May 1829, Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery were busy translating the Book of Mormon and were curious about the authority to baptize. They went to ask God and were visited by a heavenly messenger, John the Baptist, who conferred upon them the Aaronic Priesthood, …
Continue reading “Retroactive Mormon Priesthood Restoration Problems”
Different members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (or any religious community, really) approach it through different philosophical lenses. These lenses often help explain why some members stay committed, some begin to struggle, and others eventually leave. A helpful way to understand these varying perspectives is to group them into three general …
Biddy Mason’s life is a powerful testimony of perseverance, resilience, and quiet resistance. Born into slavery in Georgia in 1818, she was never given a choice about the course of her life—but she made powerful choices when finally given the chance. Her story intersects with the early Mormon Church in a way that many today …
Continue reading “Biddy Mason – From Enslaved Mormon Pioneer to Free Philanthropist”
In 1857, just as tensions with the U.S. government were escalating toward the Utah War, a dark and largely forgotten episode of Mormon frontier justice played out in Manti, Utah. It involved a young man named Thomas Lewis, potentially an unnamed teenage girl, and Warren S. Snow, a high-ranking Mormon bishop and militia leader. What …
Continue reading “Bishop Warren S. Snow’s Teenage Brides and The Castration of Thomas Lewis”
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”
LDS Apostle Dallin H. Oaks spoke to the global church about pornography. He warned that pornography was evil, that it “impairs one’s ability to enjoy a normal emotional, romantic, and spiritual relationship with a person,” and “erodes the moral barriers that stand against inappropriate, abnormal, or illegal behavior,” and patrons find their “conscience is desensitized” …
Continue reading “Oaks, On Young Women Becoming Pornography”
On June 13, 2015, a special multi-stake fireside or devotional was held in Boise, Idaho, featuring Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and Assistant Church Historian Richard E. Turley Jr. The event, now colloquially known as the “Boise Rescue,” was organized in response to a wave of local concerns over …
Continue reading “The 2015 Boise Rescue Transcript: An Attempt to Rein in Apostasy”
In recent years, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has leaned hard into its carefully staged imagery—photos designed to communicate power, legitimacy, and divine authority. But the more tightly the Church clutches at these symbols, the more glaringly artificial the whole display becomes. From white-suited prophets mimicking the image of Christ to manufactured …
Continue reading “White Suites, Stolen Keys, and Fried Chicken”
Remember that time when Mormons called out marriage laws for being narrow-minded, bigoted laws. The Mormon church complained about laws that defined marriage as between one man and one woman. This was in the days of plural marriage, so in other words, these laws were against Polygamy and the plurality of wives. They called them …
Continue reading “Irony of Mormon Church Complaining of Bigoted Marriage Laws”
Sexism, Patriarchy, and the Lingering Legacy of Polygamy in the LDS Church Two statements made by high-ranking LDS church leaders reveal more than just outdated social attitudes—they expose the deeply entrenched gender roles and patriarchal frameworks that continue to shape the church’s view of women. In a devotional, President David O. McKay once said, “Even …
Joseph Smith’s various accounts of the First Vision provide a window into his evolving theology, particularly regarding the nature of the Godhead. The changes in each version, when looked at as a narrative through a lens to understand the thinking of church leadership at the time, show ideas developing and how these changing ideas were …
Steven’s story is one of resilience, self-discovery, and finally—freedom. Raised between worlds, with a non-religious mother who distrusted the church and grandparents deeply embedded in it, Steven was surrounded by conflicting messages about Mormonism from a young age. His early life was marked by both devotion to the church and personal trauma, making his eventual …
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This Q&A from the 2007 New Era is a revealing example of how the LDS Church attempts to control the flow of information to its members—particularly the kind that might prompt questions or critical thought. The recommendation is clear: if you find literature critical of the Church “disturbing,” it’s a sign you shouldn’t read it. …
Continue reading “Church Reveals What To Do With Disturbing Anti-Mormon Literature?”
At a recent stake-level women’s conference in California, LDS Apostle Dale G. Renlund addressed gender inequality in priesthood ordination. Note that while we’re a full report or transcript of his actual talk is not available, we have the following summary from the Salt Lake Tribune. Renlund addresses gender equality Speaking at a women’s conference this …
In 2014, the church published a series of “personal essays” from then Mission President and rising black LDS leader, Ahmad Corbitt. Admittedly, Corbitt says he was “asked to write this paper” on the “topic of the priesthood and African peoples.” This followed the church publishing the Gospel Topic Essays, and his paper specifically mentions the …
Continue reading “Book of Mormon Most Racially and Ethnically Unifying Book on Earth”
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 to marginalize and blame doubters for their struggles with the church’s false truth claims. They claimed to be prompted to share this message and that they’d been …
Continue reading “Renlund’s Boat Parable – Showcase of Demonizing Doubters and Dismissing Concerns”
Mary Kathryn’s journey out of Mormonism is one of transformation, resilience, and self-discovery. A devoted believer, she followed the prescribed path—attending BYU, marrying young, and having eight children by age 35. She dedicated herself fully to the faith, shaping her identity around the church’s teachings on womanhood, family, and service. However, as life unfolded—with personal …
Continue reading “Mary Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile Spotlight”
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 …
Kendall grew up in a loving LDS family in Texas, embracing his faith because he had no reason to question it. Like many devout members, he served a mission, married in the church, and dedicated himself to his callings. But beneath the surface, troubling questions about church history, doctrine, and racist teachings gnawed at him. …
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Intuition is one of the most powerful tools we have as human beings. It guides us, protects us, and helps us navigate the complexities of life. It is that inner voice warning us of danger, confirming truth, and pushing us toward growth. The church first convinces us that our own intuition is unreliable, then tells …
Continue reading “The Church Steals Our Intuition And Sells It To Us As God’s Will”
Dallin H. Oaks introduced a new concept during the October 2024 General Conference. He states that while some commandments are permanent, others are temporary. He then provides a few examples of each before moving on in his talk and not returning to the subject to conclude that we must forgo contention, be peacemakers, and avoid …
Continue reading “Oaks’ Temporary Commandments and The Shifting Sands of “Permanent” Laws”
![“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)
!["The Salt Lake Chapter of the NAACP will enter a float in the Days of '47 parade on July 24 [1978]. The decision was made after considerable debate at their regular monthly meeting Monday. Some members of the organization felt by having a float in the parade it would be a means of recognition for the blacks who came across the plains with, and before the pioneers. One member said people of the state would see that blacks were early settlers and realize blacks had had an impact on the area." - SLC NAACP Eyes ’47 Parade Float, Salt Lake Tribune, April 4, 1978 | wasmormon.org](https://i0.wp.com/wasmormon.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/naacp-elijah-abel-float-1978.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1)
![“I heard Joseph tell his experience of his ordination [by Cowdery] and the organization of the church, probably, more than twenty times, to persons who, near the rise of the church, wished to know and hear about it. I never heard of Moroni, John, or Peter, James and John.” - William E. McLellin, Former LDS Apostle, 1870 Letter | wasmormon.org](https://i0.wp.com/wasmormon.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/William-E-McLellin-1870-on-priesthood-restoration.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1)
![“The laws against the plurality of wives, we believe to be unconstitutional, growing out of the narrow-contracted bigoted customs of Apostate Christianity. If the [saints] wish to enjoy the privileges granted by the word God, and by the glorious Constitution of our National Republic, let them depart from under the jurisdiction if these illiberal State laws, and go to Utah where religious liberty is tolerated, and where every people and sect have the right to worship please, and marry as many wives as they please.” - Orson Pratt, LDS Apostle, The Seer (1853) Criticizing "bigoted" monogamous marriage laws forbidding his preferred plural marriage. wasmormon.org](https://i0.wp.com/wasmormon.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Orson-Pratt-laws-against-plurality-of-wives-unconstitutional-narrow-contracted-bigoted-customs-go-to-Utah-where-people-have-the-right-to-marry-as-many-wives-as-they-please.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)
