Excerpt from a New York Times Opinion article published August 18, 2012, ‘Why Race Is Still a Problem for Mormons’: 1 The church could begin leaving those problems behind if its leaders explained that their predecessors had confused their own racist views with God’s will and that the priesthood ban resulted from human error and … Read more
Excerpt from the 2011 Gospel Principles manual, Chapter 31: Honesty: 1 There are many other forms of lying. When we speak untruths, we are guilty of lying. We can also intentionally deceive others by a gesture or a look, by silence, or by telling only part of the truth. Whenever we lead people in any … Read more
The Nulification Crisis, Wikipedia: 1 The Nullification Crisis was a United States sectional political crisis in 1832-33, during the presidency of Andrew Jackson, which involved a confrontation between South Carolina and the federal government. It ensued after South Carolina declared that the federal Tariffs of 1828 and 1832 were unconstitutional and therefore null and void … Read more
Joseph Fielding Smith, Answers to Gospel Questions, Vol. 5:112-117, ‘Organic Evolution and the Age of Man’: Question: “Since reading your book, Man: His Origin, and Destiny, I have been troubled by your difference in view of organic evolution and the age of man and the teachings of some of our most outstanding scientists who maintain … Read more
From the Salt lake Tribune via AP:1 In this photo taken April 22, 1980, Mark W. Hofmann, left, and LDS Church leaders N. Eldon Tanner, Spencer W. Kimball, Marion G. Romney, Boyd K. Packer and Gordon B. Hinckley examine the Anthon transcript in Salt Lake City. Back in October 1985, when Hofmann killed two people … 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
“A Sample of Pure Language,” [Hiram Township, OH, between ca. 4 and ca. 20 Mar. 1832]. Featured version copied [between 26 Apr. and ca. Aug. 1832] in Revelation Book 1, p. 144: 1 A Sample of pure Language given by Joseph the Seer as copied by Br Johnson1 Question What is the name of God … Read more
Excerpt from Alexander Campbells ‘Delusions an analysis of the Book of Mormon‘, Pub. 1832: 1 “This prophet Smith, through his stone spectacles, wrote on the plates of Nephi, in his book of Mormon, every error and almost every truth discussed in N. York for the last ten years. He decides all the great controversies — … Read more
Excerpts from BYU Journal of Book of Mormon studies, ‘A New Artistic Rendering of Izapa Stela 5: A Step toward Improved Interpretation’, by BYU Mesoamerican archaeologist John E. Clark (August 1 1999): 1 “In the 48 years since Jakeman first concluded that Stela 5 represents Lehi’s dream of the tree of life, major advancements have … Read more
Excerpt from Studies of the Book of Mormon by B. H. Roberts, pg. 240: 1 “Did Ethan Smith’s View of the Hebrews furnish structural material for Joseph Smith’s Book of Mormon? It has been pointed out in these pages that there are many things in the former book that might well have suggested many major … Read more
Michael D. Coe (born 1929) is a U.S. archaeologist, anthropologist, epigrapher and author. Primarily known for his research in the field of pre-Columbian Mesoamerican studies (and in particular, for his work on the Maya civilization, where he is regarded as one of the foremost Mayanist scholars of the latter 20th century), Coe has also made … 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
Excerpt from the Oxford Journal of Heredity, ‘Iberian Origins of New World Horse Breeds’: 1 “Fossil records, archaeological proofs, and historical documents report that horses persisted continuously in the Iberian Peninsula since the Pleistocene and were taken to the American continent (New World) in the 15th century….The genus Equus evolved in North America, and during … Read more
Footnote 31, ‘Translation and Historicity of the Book of Abraham’, LDS Gospel Topic Essay: 1 “31. John Whitmer, History, 1831–ca. 1837, 76, in Karen Lynn Davidson, Richard L. Jensen, and David J. Whittaker, eds., Histories, Volume 2: Assigned Historical Writings, 1831–1847, vol. 2 of the Histories series of The Joseph Smith Papers, edited by Dean … Read more
Excerpt from a 1977 General Conference address by Gordon B. Hinckley: 1 “The so-called Mormon code of health, widely praised in these days of cancer and heart research, is in reality a revelation given to Joseph Smith in 1833 as a “Word of Wisdom” from the Lord. (D&C 89:1.) In no conceivable way could it … Read more
Image: The Venus of Willendorf is an 11.1-centimetre-high (4.4 in) statuette of a female figure estimated to have been made between about 28,000 and 25,000 BCE.(Venus of Willendorf) From The Doctrine and Covenants section 77. Question and answer session regarding the revelations of St. John: 6 Q. What are we to understand by the book … Read more
Image: Screen capture from a production note of The Days of Harmony LDS church videoScreen Caps of the editing of The Days of Harmony In a 2015 LDS church production, titled The Days of Harmony, the editors were instructed to ‘paint out the hat’ from the scenes depicting the translation. The video, currently showing in … Read more
Image: Richard Lyman Bushman (born June 20, 1931) is an American historian and Gouverneur Morris Professor of History emeritus at Columbia University. He was the Howard W. Hunter Visiting Professor in Mormon Studies at Claremont Graduate University from 2008 to 2011. He also serves as one of three general editors of the Joseph Smith Papers. … Read more
Image: Title page of The Late War Between the United States and Great Britain, by Gilbert J. Hunt A single example out of hundreds between The Late War (published 1816) and The Book of Mormon (Published 1830). The Late War Between the United States and Great Britain, by Gilbert J. Hunt – 34:10 But it … Read more
Image: George Albert Smith, LDS Prophet. LDS First Presidency, letter to Virgil H. Sponberg (critic of the anti-black ban), May 5, 1947: 1 “Your ideas, as we understand them, appear to contemplate the intermarriage of the Negro and white races, a concept which has heretofore been most repugnant to most normal-minded people from the ancient patriarchs … Read more
LDS First Presidency (George Albert Smith), letter to Virgil H. Sponberg (critic of the anti-black ban), May 5, 1947:1 “From the days of the Prophet Joseph even until now, it has been the doctrine of the Church, never questioned by any of the Church leaders, that the Negroes are not entitled to the full blessings … Read more
It is estimated the LDS church pulls in between 5 billion dollars annually in tithing revenue alone, sans additional for-profit enterprises. 1 From a Dallin Oak (LDS Apostle) 2016 address on religious freedom at the University of Oxford:2 “Care for the poor and needy is not optional or incidental in our Church. We do this worldwide. … Read more
Image: Facsimile #3 from the modern printing of the Pearl of Great price with corrective translations by Egyptologists handwritten in. From Gospel Principles, Chapter 31, Honesty:1 “There are many other forms of lying. When we speak untruths, we are guilty of lying. We can also intentionally deceive others by a gesture or a look, by … Read more