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 …
One of the most well-known teachings of Jesus comes from the Sermon on the Mount. As part of this sermon, Jesus declares, “I never knew you” to those who profess to follow Him in word but not in deed. This powerful statement appears in the King James New Testament book, Matthew 7:23, and is repeated …
Continue reading “Sermon on the Mount in Book of Mormon vs Joseph Smith’s Inspired JST Revisions”
There was an email sent in the Mortdale Stake referencing a pilot program of informed consent. It was dismissed by the stake as a fake email, and their system had been hacked, but the email contained many troubling facts that members struggle with, similar to the CES Letter. This post highlights a point in the …
Continue reading “Anachronistic Quotes from The Book of Mormon”
For most of the 19th century, the Mormon Church preached polygamy—referred to by leaders as “the new and everlasting covenant,” “the principle,” or “celestial marriage”—as a divine commandment. It wasn’t just a lifestyle; it was taught as a requirement for exaltation in the highest level of heaven. Church leaders claimed they stood immovable on God’s …
Latter-day Saint apologetics—through institutions like FARMS, FAIR, and now the Interpreter Foundation—have largely operated on a defensive crouch, crafting arguments not to generate genuine conviction, but simply to keep belief from crumbling. Their aim isn’t to persuade the outsider or satisfy the seeker; it’s to keep the disillusioned member tethered, just barely. But Farrer warns …
Jim Palmer, a former pastor turned spiritual critic and trauma-informed coach, outlines 16 stark observations in his piece How to Let Religion Sabotage Your Life. For those deconstructing Mormonism, these steps feel less like satire and more like a checklist of lived experience: 1. Begin with the premise that there is something hopelessly and incurably …
Apologists for the LDS Church have proposed a theory, the Catalyst Theory, to explain the translation of the Book of Abraham. This theory suggests that the Egyptian papyri Joseph Smith obtained were merely a spiritual trigger, or “catalyst,” for receiving inspired scripture. In other words, the physical texts weren’t actually translated in the traditional sense; …
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?”
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 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 …
Mike’s journey is one of breaking free, finding hope, and discovering a faith that truly heals. A former soldier and lifelong member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he faced the deep wounds of war—PTSD, depression, and self-doubt—while struggling to find peace within the church that had shaped his life. Therapists offered …
Continue reading “Mike Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile Spotlight”
Joseph Smith’s claims about the discovery of the gold plates and the translation of the Book of Mormon are at the core of the founding narrative of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. According to Smith, in 1827, he found (or was led by an angel to) gold plates buried near his home …
Continue reading “Reformed Egyptian The Caractors on the Anthon Transcript – Deformed English”
Richard Bushman concedes to many points Jeremy Runnells brought up in the CES Letter in a discussion on the CES Letters podcast. CES Letters has no affiliation with the CES Letter, but is the latest attempt to debunk it. Richard Bushman is asked a series of questions stemming from the CES Letter, and responds to …
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 …
There are many reasons someone might decide to quit the Mormon Church, often stemming from a deep desire for authenticity, integrity, and personal freedom. For some, the decision arises after discovering inconsistencies in the church’s foundational narratives, such as the lack of evidence for the Book of Mormon or the troubling aspects of Joseph Smith’s …
A stake in Utah offers a course in ‘How to avoid a Faith Crisis’. It looks like this is a series of lessons and though the handout formatting is so horrible some are hard to read, it looks like the topics each include a scripture reference and are as follows: Faith Crisis Avoidance Course Examination …
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”
Evil speaking of the Lord’s anointed is a phrase used in the Mormon Church to discourage criticism of church leaders. The term implies that speaking negatively about church leaders—considered “anointed” or chosen by God—is a form of disrespect or rebellion against divine authority. Members are taught that such criticism weakens faith, sows division, and leads …
The Book of Mormon Translation Gospel Topic Essay references an article in Footnote 31 from an Evangelical Magazine titled Mormonites. The essay cherry-picks comments from Oliver Cowdery about the translation process: The principal scribe, Oliver Cowdery, testified under oath in 1831 that Joseph Smith “found with the plates, from which he translated his book, two …
Continue reading “Mormonites Footnote on Book of Mormon Translation Gospel Topic Essay”
Church leader Lawrence E. Corbridge, an LDS Seventy, gave a BYU Devotional that addresses how to properly deal with questions. Corbridge explains that he’s read all the anti-Mormon literature out there, but was successfully able to put all his questions on the shelf because he was able to convince himself that his questions don’t matter …
Continue reading “Mormons Expected to Stand Forever – Despite Questions”
Traditionally, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon or LDS Church) depicts Joseph Smith translating the Book of Mormon in a manner that implies a reverent, direct reading of ancient golden plates. Today, church leaders are shifting this narrative to reflect the more historically accurate manner of translation. In reality, Joseph Smith barely …
Continue reading “Joseph Smith’s Rock in Hat Translation of the Book of Mormon”
Lynn G. Robbins, LDS Seventy and Elder, spoke at General Conference in April 2005. He emphasizes that even the poorest members of the Mormon Church should pay tithing, regardless of their financial hardship. While Robbins likely intended to encourage strong faith and commitment, his approach creates a predatory framework that pressures the financially vulnerable into …
Continue reading “Tithing—a Commandment Even for the Destitute”
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 …
Continue reading “Email to Sydney Australia Mortdale Stake: Pilot Program – Informed Consent”
When members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints leave the church, they are often met with oversimplified explanations from those who remain. The common refrain is that people leave for one of three reasons: they were offended, they wanted to sin, or they were simply lazy. This narrative is pervasive among both …
A few years ago, Russell M. Nelson revealed how Joseph Smith would translate by using a rock in a hat a few years ago. Suppose, for a moment, that he could know this technique from experience. What if President Russell M. Nelson knew more about the translation process? What if he used the same technique …
In 1983, Gordon B. Hinckley, then Second Counselor in the First Presidency, but later President of the Church spoke to students at the Salt Lake Institute of Religion. An edited version of this address was then given as the First Presidency Message in the October 1984 Ensign. The message, God Hath Not Given Us the …
Continue reading “Why Worry about Different Versions of the First Vision”
Victim blaming occurs when the victim of a crime or harmful action is held partially or fully responsible for what happened to them. This mindset shifts the blame away from the perpetrator and can further harm the victim by suggesting they could have prevented the incident. Church leaders and materials are known to place blame …
Continue reading “The Church and Victim Blaming Victims of Abuse”
Corbin Allred is an American actor best known for his roles in film and television, particularly within the Mormon community. Born into the church in Salt Lake City, Utah, Allred was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), and his faith played a significant role in some of his …
Doc Bob’s journey is one of deep involvement in the Mormon Church, from a small-town Mormon upbringing to significant leadership roles, including serving as a Branch President and on the High Council. His faith was shaped by personal interviews with high-ranking apostles and a mission to Mississippi. However, as Doc Bob delved into church history, …
Continue reading “Doc Bob Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile Spotlight”
![“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)
![[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)
![[Joseph Smith] was again arraigned before a bar of Justice, during last Summer, to answer to a charge of misdemeanor. This trial led to an investigation of his character and conduct, which clearly evinced to the unprejudiced, whence the spirit came which dictated his inspirations. During the trial it was shown that the Book of Mormon was brought to light by the same magic power by which he pretended to tell fortunes, discover hidden treasures, etc. Oliver Cowdry, one of the three witnesses to the book, testified under oath, that said Smith found with the plates, from which he translated his book, two transparent stones, resembling glass, set in silver bows. That by looking through these, he was able to read in English, the reformed Egyptian characters, which were engraved on the plates. - Mormonites, Evangelical Magazine and Gospel Advocate, April 9 1831 - Footnote 31 in Gospel Topic Essay on Book of Mormon Translation | wasmormon.org](https://i0.wp.com/wasmormon.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Mormonites-Olivery-Cowdery-statement-under-oath-about-seer-stone-trial-showed-book-of-mormon-brought-by-same-magic-power-Joseph-discovered-hidden-treasures.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1)
