Affidavit by seventeen year old Martha Brotherton published in the newspaper, ‘Quincy Whig’ August 06 1842, Pg 2: 1 Martha H. Brotherton’s Sworn Testimony ST. LOUIS, July 13th, A. D. 1842. Gen. John C. Bennett. DEAR SIR: — I left Warsaw a short time since for this city, and having been called upon by you, … Read more
Excerpt from the Mormon Newsroom, Topic – Polygamy: 1 “Today, the practice of polygamy is strictly prohibited in the Church, as it has been for over a century. Polygamy — or more correctly polygyny, the marriage of more than one woman to the same man — was a part of the teachings of The Church … Read more
A Discourse by President Brigham Young, Delivered in the Bowery, Great Salt Lake City, September 21, 1856: 1 “Before I sit down, I shall offer a proposition to the congregation; though I will first say a few words concerning our religion, our circumstances, and the circumstances of the brethren and people generally that inhabit these … Read more
A Discourse by President Brigham Young, Delivered in the Bowery, Great Salt Lake City, September 21, 1856: 1 “Before I sit down, I shall offer a proposition to the congregation; though I will first say a few words concerning our religion, our circumstances, and the circumstances of the brethren and people generally that inhabit these … Read more
A Discourse by President Brigham Young, Delivered in the Bowery, Great Salt Lake City, September 21, 1856: 1 “Before I sit down, I shall offer a proposition to the congregation; though I will first say a few words concerning our religion, our circumstances, and the circumstances of the brethren and people generally that inhabit these … Read more
Excerpt from a lecture ‘Latter-day Saints and Freemasonry’ (2005): 1 Q: Wouldn’t it be more correct to say that Masonry came out of the endowment? KEARNEY: It would be if you believed that Freemasonry has a continuous historical line from King Solomon’s Temple to the current. Unfortunately, there is no historical evidence to support a … Read more
Excerpt from History of the Church, Vol. 4 Pg. 550 (March 15, 1842): 1 “In the evening I received the first degree in Free Masonry in the Nauvoo Lodge assembled in my general business office” Excerpt from History of the Church, Vol. 4 Pg. 552 (March 16, 1842): 2 “Wednesday, March 16.—I was with the … Read more
Excerpt from a lecture by Dallin H. Oaks, “The Popular Myth of the Victimless Crime”, pub. Brigham Young University Press, 1974: 1 “First, I believe in retaining criminal penalties on sex crimes such as adultery, fornication, prostitution, homosexuality, and other forms of deviate sexual behavior. I concede the abuses and risks of invasion of privacy … Read more
Excerpt from an address by Brigham Young, made in the Great Salt Lake City Bowery, July 8, 1860 (JoD v. 8, p. 115):1 “While brother Joseph was referring to the providences of God, I was led to reflect that there is no act, no principle, no power belonging to the Deity that is not purely … Read more
Excerpt from an address by Brigham Young, delivered in the Tabernacle, Great Salt Lake City, October 9, 1859 (JOD Vol. 7, Pg. 289): 1 “Joseph Smith holds the keys of this last dispensation, and is now engaged behind the veil in the great work of the last days. I can tell our beloved brother Christians … Read more
Excerpt from a 2000 BYU paper by Joseph Fielding McConkie (Professor of Ancient Scripture, BYU) and Craig J. Ostler (Assistant Professor of Church History and Doctrine, BYU) titled ‘The Process of Translating the Book of Mormon’: 1 “Spanning a period of twenty years (1869-1888), some seventy recorded testimonies about the coming forth of the Book … Read more
Excerpt from the Journal of Discourses, Topic on LDS.org: 1 “The Journal of Discourses is not an official publication of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is a compilation of sermons and other materials from the early years of the Church, which were transcribed and then published. It included some doctrinal instruction … Read more
Excerpt from a 2017 YSA Face to Face with Russell Ballard and Dallin Oaks:1 MALE HOST:“…we have a lot of questions in the YSA about their friends dealing with doubts. A question from Utah asks what advice/guidance would you give for answering tough questions about church history when we are asked about them by someone … Read more
Topic: Hill Cumorah Cave … From Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, 17 June 1877: 1 “Oliver Cowdery went with the Prophet Joseph when he deposited these plates. Joseph did not translate all of the plates; there was a portion of them sealed, which you can learn from the Book of Doctrine and Covenants. When Joseph … Read more
Excerpt from Church News, 1 January 2012: 1 “The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints recently announced the call of Elder Steven E. Snow of the Presidency of the Seventy as Church Historian and Recorder, a role previously filled by Elder Marlin K. Jensen of the Seventy.” Excerpt from … Read more
Excerpt from the LDS Race and the Priesthood 2014 essay: 1 ‘In 1850, the U.S. Congress created Utah Territory, and the U.S. president appointed Brigham Young to the position of territorial governor. Southerners who had converted to the Church and migrated to Utah with their slaves raised the question of slavery’s legal status in the … Read more
On February 4, 1852 an ‘Act of Relation to Service’ was passed in the Utah territory, making slavery legal. 1 Several weeks later, the ‘Act for the Relief of Indian Slaves and Prisoners’ was passed on March 7, 1852, specifically dealing with Indian slavery. 2 … A speech by Governor Brigham Young in Joint Session … Read more
September 11th marks the anniversary of the Mountain Meadows Massacre. A five day siege that culminated in the slaughter of some 120 California-bound immigrants in 1857, at the hands of Mormon militiamen (reinstated Nauvoo Legion) from Parowan, Utah.1 A month before the emigrants departed Arkansas on their journey west, Parley P. Pratt (LDS Apostle) was … Read more
Image: Portrait of Emma Smith, wife of Joseph Smith Jr. *Post with commentary* The polygamy revelation in D&C 132 1 has been a ‘hot potato’ the LDS church has had to constantly juggle. Discard it—you lose a pillar of celestial marriage doctrine. Keep it—you canonize an abusive practice. This year’s (2017) official Sunday School lesson … Read more
Image: George Albert Smith, President of the LDS Church, May 21, 1945 – April 4, 1951 1 Excerpt from ‘Statement of the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’, August 17, 1949 “The attitude of the Church with reference to the Negroes remains as it has always stood. It is not a … Read more
Image: Kerry Muhlestein is an associate professor of ancient scripture at Brigham Young University.1 Defending Exclusive Truth Claims: LDS Apologetics video. 2 The Book of Abraham and Unnoticed Assumptions, 2014 Fair Mormon Conference:3 Crash Course: The Book of Abraham and Unnoticed Assumptions, 2014 Fair Mormon Conference (video) – Fair Mormon Defending Exclusive Truth … Read more
Image: National Geographic image. A Canadian archaeological dig finding evidence of a viking outpost dating to around 1000 AD. Evidence of Viking Outpost Found in Canada The Smithsonian Institution’s letter “Statement Regarding the Book of Mormon“ Pg. 1 Your recent inquiry concerning the Smithsonian Institution’s alleged use of the Book of Mormon as a scientific guide … Read more
Joseph Smith Jr. From the LDS Gospel Topic Essay, Plural Marriage in Kirtland and Nauvoo found on LDS.org. ‘The youngest [of Joseph’s brides] was Helen Mar Kimball, daughter of Joseph’s close friends Heber C. and Vilate Murray Kimball, who was sealed to Joseph several months before her 15th birthday.’ Teen Brides of Joseph Smith Jr. … Read more
Image: Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910), better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American writer, humorist, entrepreneur, publisher, and lecture. In Mark Twain’s book titled Roughing It (1872), he gives a review of the Book of Mormon: All men have heard of the Mormon Bible, but few … Read more
A unique doctrine that was taught for decades in the early church is that of Adam-God. In essence, the doctrine teaches that Adam was once a mortal man who became resurrected and exalted. From another planet, he came as Michael to form Earth. Adam brought Eve, one of his wives, with him to Earth, where … Read more
Image: Brigham Young, LDS Prophet Prophet Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses:1 “Shall I tell you the law of God in regard to the African race? If the white man who belongs to the chosen seed mixes his blood with the seed of Cain, the penalty, under the law of God, is death on the spot. This … Read more
Image: Brigham Young, LDS Prophet Prophet Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses v.13 p. 271, excerpt: ‘I will tell you who the real fanatics are: they are they who adopt false principles and ideas as facts, and try to establish a superstructure upon a false foundation. They are the fanatics; and however ardent and zealous they … Read more