Confirmation bias refers to the cognitive tendency of individuals to interpret or seek out information in a way that confirms their preexisting beliefs or hypotheses. When someone experiences confirmation bias, they are more likely to notice, remember, and give greater weight to information that supports their existing beliefs, while disregarding or downplaying evidence that contradicts …
Tag Archives: study
(Page 2)Moroni’s Promise – A Lesson in Confirmation Bias and Elevated Emotions
In the Book of Mormon, Moroni offers a promise often cited by members of the LDS Church to confirm its truthfulness. This promise is foundational for many Mormons, providing a personal spiritual confirmation of the church’s teachings. Moroni encourages readers to ask God with a sincere heart and real intent if the Book of Mormon …
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Mormon Truth Claims Crumble With Changing Church History Narrative
The Church is built on specific claims. The church claims that Joseph Smith met God and Jesus, received ancient plates from an angel, translated them, and had priesthood authority restored by heavenly messengers. Church leaders even state that if the events didn’t occur, the church would fall apart. This is the danger in the church …
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Mormons Call the Church President the Prophet But Haven’t Always
There has been a significant cultural change within the Mormon Church, shifting from church leaders predominantly being referred to as “President,” to being esteemed as “Prophet.” This change evolved gradually over several decades. Initially, references to the church leader as “Prophet” were reserved exclusively for Joseph Smith, the church’s founder, and prophets from biblical and …
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Joseph Smith’s Failed Attempt At Raising the Dead
The Mormons had a revival in Ohio on June 4, 1831. Joseph Smith led the meetings and there were quite a few spectacles in the meetings. The conference received a lot of hype in the area because many were converting to the church. There were rumors that there would be miracles performed at the conference. …
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Sustaining Leaders Takes Unshakable Faith
Henry B. Eyring had a moment of vulnerable honesty. He states that in sustaining the church leaders, church members promise God that you will sustain the leaders no matter what they do. He might know something of the future after all, because he says that keeping the promise will take unshakable faith that the Lord …
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Gift of Crisis
The tumult of a faith deconstruction, especially in the Mormon faith, has been termed as a crisis, it’s often referred to as a faith crisis. There are podcasts focused on this, even books written about it. BYU did a study on the social media impact on a faith crisis which defines how the church views …
Joseph Smith’s Story Parallels his Mother
Joseph Smith has some interesting points in his history that stand out. Upon reading his mother’s own biography, a few of the same points stand out. Could it be that Joseph’s own story borrows from those of his mother? Could he borrow from both of his parents? We can see that he already integrated his …
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President Oaks Fibbing For The Lord Again – Prompt and Public Disavowal of Racism?
The church celebrates its own decision to stop the racially discriminatory practice of banning the priesthood from anyone of African descent in 1978. To show that they are not racist, they wanted to point out that it has now been 40 years since they stopped being racist. There was a big self-congratulatory spectacle planned for …
Church Leaders on Power and Authority Broadly Given To Women
During the Worldwide Relief Society Devotional and Testimony Meeting on March 17, 2024, President Russell M. Nelson and the Relief Society General Presidency spoke to the members of the Relief Society and Young Women. The event was a 40-minute video production. The remarkable part is the claim J. Anette Dennis, First Counselor in the Relief Society …
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Lilik Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile Spotlight
Growing up in Indonesia within a Muslim community, Lilik navigated poverty and familial expectations from a young age, leaving school at 14 and working as a nanny away from home, in Singapore, and later in Hong Kong. Amidst the challenges of her early years, Lilik’s encounter with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints …
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LDS Giving Machines: Charitable Fascade GasLighting The World
The Giving Machines are a charitable initiative by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Giving Machines are vending machines that allow people to “purchase” items such as food, clothing, and hygiene products, which are donated directly to those in need through other charities. People can select specific items from the machine, pay for …
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The Scary Dangers of Mormon Doubt
A member of the LDS Quorum of the Seventy, Hugo Montoya, shared a message in the Ensign, the church magazine, in June 2017. He is among the top leadership of the religion. He adds to the Mormon paranoia of doubt. The church demonizes doubt and uses fear to scare members from questioning their authority or …
Don’t Pray About A Mission! Dumb Question!
Elder Kevin W. Pearson gave an address as a “Rising Generation” fireside in Bountiful, Utah where he made a respectable of himself spouting nonsense. He shouted at the young men the advice “Do NOT pray about whether or not you should go on a mission!” calling this a “Dumb Question!” Is he worried about the …
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Church Claims Activism a Tactic of Satan and Gaslights Members
Brother Ahmad S. Corbitt, the then First Counselor in the Young Men General Presidency, gave a talk to LDS Chaplains, on October 4, 2022, in which he teaches against activism directed towards the church. He doesn’t want members getting any ideas that they can influence or change things the church does by criticizing, complaining, or …
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Mormons and Interracial Marriage
President Spencer W Kimball, as president of the church gave a speech at BYU about Marriage and Divorce in 1976. This talk is currently referenced frequently, nearly 50 years later, in church lesson manuals and by church leaders. In this talk, he spoke against interracial marriages. He advised against marriages between those from differing economic …
What is ‘Letter For My Wife’
Letter For My Wife is a document aggregating questions and doubts about the Mormon church written by a questioning Mormon to his wife. The letter is meant to discuss the questions and concerns with the church’s truth claims or truth crisis and this man’s testimony. The letter was started as a document in 2009, when …
Do LDS Mission Presidents Get Paid?
General Authorities and top leaders of the church are compensated or paid for their work, though technically they claim they are not on salary. The church claims over and over that there is no paid clergy and that the church runs on volunteers. But we can see that they are choosing their words carefully at …
Shane Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile Spotlight
Shane’s journey unfolds as a poignant narrative of resilience, love, and profound self-discovery within the intricate tapestry of faith, family, and personal identity. A stalwart member of the LDS Church, Shane’s commitment to his beliefs and his family is evident in every chapter of his life. From the vibrant memories of a South Korean mission …
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Doubt is Not the Opposite of Faith; Certainty Is
Doubt is frequently cast as the opposite of faith. Doubt is frequently shunned, and sometimes, outright condemned. Mormon leaders today demonize doubt and admonish members to doubt their doubts, to stop rehearsing their doubts with others, researching doubts is not going to provide answers and even that research itself is not the solution to doubt. …
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Censoring ‘The Gospel and the Church’ Talk
In the October 1984 General Conference, Elder Ronald E. Poelman of the First Quorum of the Seventy gave a talk that many who saw, heard, or witnessed live thought was an amazing talk that addressed many things that had thus far remained unsaid regarding the relationship between the Mormon church and the Mormon Gospel. The …
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I Know The Church Is True
Nearly every speaker in a testimony meeting says “I know the church is true.” This is a nonsensical statement, but considering the Illusory Truth Effect we can see what the church may be after. We know that repetitions don’t make statements any more true, but psychologically we do tend to believe things we’ve heard repeatedly. …
How Could Mormonism Not Be True?
The church published a video on YouTube and other social media channels making seemingly outrageous and impossible-to-fake claims about the Book of Mormon with the conclusion “How can it not be true?” Here is the content of the video: Imagine writing a book: How can it not be true? This mirrors the famous Hugh Nibley …
Unwritten Rules Are A Foundation Built On Sand
Mormonism Is a Religion of Unwritten Rules Mormonism as a religion and a culture relies heavily on unwritten and even unspoken rules. The religion judges members on these rules and judges everyone for adherence to the unwritten rules. There are theological assumptions that are entirely based on some of these rules and the religion has …
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Jarad Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile Spotlight
Jarad was born and raised in the Mormon Church and in the Mormon Corridor in Utah. He reached a point where he experienced doubts and eventually chose to leave the LDS Church. Despite putting in extra effort to study the church doctrine and history, and engage in faith-promoting activities, Jarad found that his doubts not …
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BYU Counsels Divorcees to “Fill the holes that were once filled by sex”
The Covenant Intimacy Conversations discuss the challenging transition individuals may face when moving from a state of being sexually active to sexually inactive due to divorce or the death of a spouse. It states that while it may not be possible to fully replace the aspect of sexual intimacy lost through such life changes, individuals …
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Boyd Packer’s Unwritten Order of Things
Boyd K. Packer gave a BYU devotional on 15th of October 1996 called The Unwritten Order of Things in which he discusses the unwritten rules and cultural standards of Mormonism. He states “The things that I shall tell you are not explained in the scriptures.” “The things I am going to tell you are not …
How Much Are Mormon Church Leaders Compensated?
The church makes a big deal about having no paid clergy. They proclaim that the church is led by a lay ministry of volunteers and no one is compensated for their work or service in the church. Church Led by Volunteer Service The missionaries are taught this fact, and all the missionaries are required to …
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Do What Is Right Let the Consequence Follow
We are taught in the church from a young age to do what is right, no matter the consequences. We even learn to sing, “do what is right; let the consequence follow” from the old protestant hymn that the church has adopted and number 237 in the current hymn book. Do what is right; let …
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Bednar’s Faith To NOT Be Healed
David A. Bednar, Mormon Apostle, visited the University of Texas and spoke at a devotional for young adults. He shared a story in which a friend he calls “John and Heather” faced a serious health challenge, prompting a discussion about faith and healing. Bednar surprisingly asked when about to give John a blessing, if John …