Tag Archives: question

Inquiry. Church discourages questioning leaders.

“Beware of the many voices—whether out of the Church or inside it—that humanize Joseph Smith by calling into question any aspect of his character. These voices come from those who ‘lift up the heel against [the Lord’s] anointed, and cry that [he has] sinned when [he has] not sinned before me, saith the Lord, but [has] done that… which I commanded [him].’ As the Lord warned, they ‘cry transgression… because they are the servants of sin, and are the children of disobedience themselves.’” - Jayson Kunzler, Business Management Faculty Member, BYU Idaho, 2015 | wasmormon.org
“Beware of the many voices—whether out of the Church or inside it—that humanize Joseph Smith by calling into question any aspect of his character. These voices come from those who ‘lift up the heel against [the Lord’s] anointed, and cry that [he has] sinned when [he has] not sinned before me, saith the Lord, but [has] done that… which I commanded [him].’ As the Lord warned, they ‘cry transgression… because they are the servants of sin, and are the children of disobedience themselves.’” - Jayson Kunzler, Business Management Faculty Member, BYU Idaho, 2015

Millions Shall Worship Brother Joseph Again But Don’t Google Us

In his BYU–Idaho devotional Millions Shall Know Brother Joseph Again, Jayson Kunzler urges students to reject any information—inside or outside the Church—that might “humanize” Joseph Smith or acknowledge his flaws. He warns that those who study inconvenient history “serve the wrong master” and risk their eternal standing. He insists that members can only truly know …

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A Loving God?

When deconstructing religious beliefs, examining whether the God we’ve been taught to worship and admire is indeed as loving as we think is on the table for many. Christianity teaches that “God is Love,” but examining scriptural narratives reveals inconsistencies in this portrayal, especially concerning God’s actions as a parental figure. Here are several examples …

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Religion and Tribes

The LDS Church is Just Another Man-Made Religion One of the hardest truths to face when stepping back from Mormonism is this: The LDS Church is just a man-made religion, no more divinely authoritative than any other. That sentence alone might feel heavy, especially for a “true believing Mormon” (TBM). It cuts directly against the …

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Joseph Smith’s Polygamy Denials: Carefully Worded Lies, Loopholes, and Lasting Damage

One of the most unsettling aspects of Mormon history is the secret practice of polygamy. Joseph Smith publicly denied practicing polygamy while secretly marrying between 30 and 40 women, including teenagers and other men’s wives, as the church’s published essay confirms (in a footnote). The exact number of women to whom he was sealed in …

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Nathanael Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile Spotlight

Meet Nathanael, whose story demonstrates the profound courage required to choose integrity over comfort, even when it means dismantling the very foundation upon which you’ve built your life. As a descendant of Mormon pioneers with deep ancestral roots in the faith, Nathanael’s journey represents one of the most authentic and thoughtful deconversion stories we’ve encountered. …

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I was anticipating marriage and family. As a 26 year old, I felt (wrongly) that I was getting old and didn't want to be a single LDS woman for the rest of my life. There was the temple sealing I had long been looking forward to, but not a single member of my family was allowed in the temple, and I had another question on the back burner: Surely there's a way to include non-member and inactive family members at a temple wedding? And don't get me started on the Endowment ceremony. Could it be any weirder? That back burner was starting to get crowded. - Christi's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/avilabeach77/
I was anticipating marriage and family. As a 26 year old, I felt (wrongly) that I was getting old and didn't want to be a single LDS woman for the rest of my life. There was the temple sealing I had long been looking forward to, but not a single member of my family was allowed in the temple, and I had another question on the back burner: Surely there's a way to include non-member and inactive family members at a temple wedding? And don't get me started on the Endowment ceremony. Could it be any weirder? That back burner was starting to get crowded. - Christi's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/avilabeach77/

Why Didn’t Cowdery, Whitmer, or Harris Expose Joseph Smith as a Fraud?

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 …

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Joseph Smith’s Twice “Inspired” Translation of Matthew: Two Versions and Considerable Differences

Joseph Smith claimed to be a prophet, seer, and revelator—one uniquely gifted by God with the power to translate ancient scripture by divine means. Among his translation projects was the “Joseph Smith Translation” (JST) of the Bible, also known as the Inspired Version. But a close look at this work raises serious questions about the …

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Did Sidney Rigdon Influence the Priesthood Restoration?

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 …

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Elijah Abel, the NAACP, and the Abandoned Float That Helped Pressure for Change and Revelation

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 …

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Priesthood Restoration Apologetics = Retrofitting and Narrative Engineering

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 …

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Retrofitting the Priesthood Restoration into the Doctrine and Covenants Revelation

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 …

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The racist behavior and malicious leanings of many members in Utah made me question my belief in the "religion" and God. How could a God just sit there and watch all the injustice, racism, and misleading information (done in his name) and do nothing? Discussions about those topics went nowhere and many just provided mental gymnastics. Those apologists puzzled me. They made me realize that "truth" was never the goal. - Luis' "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/elnene/
The racist behavior and malicious leanings of many members in Utah made me question my belief in the "religion" and God. How could a God just sit there and watch all the injustice, racism, and misleading information (done in his name) and do nothing? Discussions about those topics went nowhere and many just provided mental gymnastics. Those apologists puzzled me. They made me realize that "truth" was never the goal. - Luis' "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/elnene/