Mason Allred and Mark Ashurst-McGee discuss the various historical accounts of the Book of Mormon translation process, including accounts of Joseph Smith using a Seer Stone to translate the ancient record and accounts of Joseph Smith using the Urim and Thummim in a video posted on the “Church History/Latter-day Saint History” YouTube account, the official …
Tag Archives: religion
(Page 7)Elder Uchtdorf Compares Peep Stone to His Smartphone
The church has done much to normalize the fact that Joseph Smith used a peep stone or seer stone when he purportedly translated the Book of Mormon. They have released images of the exact stone he used and have received quite a bit of pushback since in the past, the narrative was he used the …
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Research on Human Rights And Mormonism Seeking LGBTQ ExMormon Volunteers
A master’s student studying human rights in Sweden is writing his thesis on LGBTQ Rights and Religion Based on Mormonism. The research aims to see if religion has an impact on LGBTQ rights based on Mormonism and how Mormonism impacts LGBTQ people’s lives. Purpose of the project The purpose of the research project is to …
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Elder Packer’s Mantle Is Far, Far Greater Than the Intellect
Boyd K Packer gave a talk to religious educators at a symposium on the Doctrine and Covenants and Church history. The talk was given at Brigham Young University on August 22, 1981 and is titled The Mantle Is Far, Far Greater Than the Intellect. This is an infamous talk among scholars because Packer commands them …
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Other First Visions, Which are Not of This Fold
The First Vision of Joseph Smith is told today as an original exact story detailing the unique experience that sets the foundation for Mormonism and the restoration movement. We’ve discussed that even though one version of the story is canonized in Joseph Smith History as the “official” version, there are multiple versions of the first …
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Mormon Church Perpetually Gaslights Members
What Does Gaslighting Mean? The term “gaslighting” comes from the 1938 play Angel Street, which Alfred Hitchock later adapted into the film Gaslight, in which a man tries to convince his wife that she is going insane so he can steal from her. When he turns on the lights in the attic to search for her jewelry …
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Development of Mormon Tithing – From Meager Origins to Ensign Peak Billions
Members of the Mormon church are required to pay the church a tithe. This tithing is understood to be ten percent of the member’s income. This is the same for children who earn $5 for mowing the lawn to wealthy lawyers and doctors in the church. The church makes much of the sacrifice and blessings …
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The Church Leaves the Term Mormon, But Can’t Leave it Alone
The president of the Mormon church, LDS church, or as he wants it to be called The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter–day Saints had made a stand about the term Mormon. After years of the church learning to embrace the nickname and fund ad campaigns promoting members of the church as Mormons, President Nelson …
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Fanny Alger, Joseph Smith’s “dirty, nasty, filthy affair” Teen Bride
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) …
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Whistleblowing On the Mormon 100 Billion “Rainy-Day Fund”
David Nielsen, a former Ensign Peak portfolio manager, shared with his twin brother Lars about the shady practices and massive amounts of money the Mormon church, or the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have in investments. Together the brothers compiled information and reported it to the authorities at the SEC (Securities Exchange Commission) …
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Jen Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile Spotlight
Jen supported her family through trials and desperately wanted to be together forever with her mother who passed when she was a teenager. But between experiencing sexism in the church, her son coming out as gay, and her daughter struggling with the corporate sales tone of her mission it didn’t add up. She struggled with …
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LDS Church’s Misstated Filings to SEC Approved by First Presidency
For the past week, the church has been all over the news. Not for something they will want to draw publicity. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission announced that the Church has been fined $5 Million for using shell companies to obscure the size of its investment portfolio. On February 21st, the SEC issued a …
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Elder Holland’s Taffy-Pulled Devotional – Don’t You Dare Bail & Stay in the Boat!
Elder Jeffrey R Holland gave a fiery talk at a devotional in Tempe, Arizona in April 2016. Tempe Rescue This is a very dynamic address, and he’s quite emotionally charged about those who leave. Though charged, Holland does come off as more intelligent than in his BBC interview where he claims he’s neither an idiot …
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Jeffrey R Holland’s BBC Interview – Transcript and Video Clips
As a result of a believing Mormon potentially leading the United States, there was increased scrutiny of the Mormon church. John Sweeny, of the BBC, interviewed LDS Apostle Jeffrey Holland for a program called ‘The Mormon Candidate’ which aired on BBC in 2012. Holland is caught in lies during the interview and resorts to claiming he’s neither an idiot or a dodo.
What is the CES Letter? Is it True/Safe to Read?
The CES Letter is a collection of questions, concerns, and doubts about the Mormon church’s truth claims addressed to a Church Education System Director from Jeremy Runnels. Learn about the background, the effects and rebuttals and some of the contents.
Personal Mormon Faith Crisis Report – Faith Crisis Profiles
This faith crisis report next lists many anonymous faith crisis profiles each detailing the exit story of the member (along with precious statistics and demographics the church cares deeply about such as household income). Not to be confused with the actual faith crisis profiles shared on wasmormon.org.
Personal Mormon Faith Crisis Report – Introduction and Overview
The Personal Faith Crisis Report was presented to Elder Uchtdorf in 2013 by Elder Jensen so leaders could better understand what is happening and take appropriate measures to address members leaving the church as a result of a faith crisis. The gospel topic essays were part of the response to this study by the church.
Jean Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile Spotlight
Jean was impressed with the ‘true religion’ as taught by the missionaries and joined the church with her young family. After serving faithfully for a long time and even serving a senior mission to South Africa, she collected a few issues onto her shelf. She questioned why she and the other missionaries weren’t better protected …
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The Problems with Joseph Smith and Peep Stone Translations
Anyone who was raised Mormon, or even attended the church for any length of time knows the Urim and Thummim story. Joseph Smith is portrayed as having translated the Book of Mormon with some special seer stones which were found with the gold plates. The Book of Mormon translation was possible with this Urim and …
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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.](https://i0.wp.com/wasmormon.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/William-Law-Joseph-Smith-sought-polyandry-with-Jane-Law.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1)
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 …
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Dominant Narrative of Church is Not True
Prominent LDS historian Richard Bushman and famed author of Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling notes, “I think that for the Church to remain strong, it has to reconstruct its narrative. The dominant narrative is not true; it can’t be sustained. The Church has to absorb all this new information or it will be on very shaky grounds …
More Church Myths – Thomas B Marsh and Milk Strippings
The church wants us to leave the church alone. Do they leave “apostates” alone? Have they ever left apostates alone? The church tells stories about those who leave to discredit them and instill fear into their congregations. They are seeking to control members and keep them “in”. Plugging holes in a leaking ship. They will …
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Truth Behind The Book Of Mormon Stories
Based upon the song, Book of Mormon Stories. Numbers in parentheses indicate gestures performed at that point in the song. Gestures are listed following the lyrics. Here’s the tune (so you can sing along): Book of Mormon (1) stories that my teacher told to me Were about the Lamanites (2), but lack historicity Long ago the …
Jude Was a Mormon, an Exmormon Profile Spotlight
Jude found the absurdity when BYU instructors ridiculed him for now fully grasping mormon theology and dove in deep. “when I went to BYUI for my sophomore year of college, I got CALLED OUT by my accounting professor who spent like 80% of our accounting class preaching. How dare I not know the answers to …
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BYU honor code dress and grooming standards – Mormon Facial Hair
The church is famous for strongly pressuring members to follow a dress and grooming standards and whenever possible requiring it. They suggest that members follow the grooming standards but require every volunteer missionary who are paying their own way (or at least their parents are in many cases), every volunteer temple worker, and every student …
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LDS Church Growth Declining
While the church continues to grow, the number of baptisms has been declining. Here are some charts created from the publicly available membership records. LDS Church Membership in Millions. Just over 13 millions in 2007 and up to 16.5 million in 2020. Looks like growth, but let’s look at the actual growth. LDS Church Missionary …
Abbreviated Mormons
What type of Mormon are youWhat do you call your brand If the name is too long-winded It will be written in shorthand Mos. stood for MormonsUntil we were notifiedThe name was a trick of SatanThat Rusty Nelson rectified Ortho-Mos. are orthodox Mormons They believe what the prophets have saidAnd when the prophets do conflict They abandon the ones …
Canonized Lies About Charles Anthon
The Book of Mormon is purportedly “translated” from the gold plates which Joseph Smith discovered in the hill Cumorah. These writings of the gold plates were in “Reformed Egyptian”. At the time no Egyptian language was translatable, but Joseph could translate them with his seer stone in a hat. In order to prove that the …
Evolution of the Word of Wisdom – Stories We Tell
The Word of Wisdom is the health code that today is required for full participation in the church. Filled mainly with restrictions on what latter-day saints should eat or drink: no alcohol, tobacco, tea or coffee as every primary child learns. The church uses many stories to encourage members to live this word of wisdom, …
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Murder Among the Mormons, Mark Hofmann fooling the Mormon Church
The latest Mormon-related Netflix hit is live and trending. Murder among the Mormons discusses Mark Hofmann and his selling of forged historical documents. The documentary also covers Hofmann being guilty of making pipe bombs and using them to murder Steve Christensen and Kathy Sheets in 1985. Hofmann feels trapped by his own forgeries and is …
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