Masturbation

A January 5, 1965 address at BYU by Spencer W. Kimball, ‘Love vs. Lust’: 1 “My beloved young people: While this is a grave responsibility, and not an easy one, I am eager to discuss with you some matters of grave importance. I love youth. I rejoice when they grow up clean and stalwart and … Read more

No God

On June 1, 1980 Apostle Bruce R. McConkie gave an address at BYU entitled ‘The Seven Deadly Heresies’. The text version of this talk was drastically altered from the original audio address. 1 Below is a comparison of the two versions.   Printed version Audio version I have sought and do now seek that guidance … Read more

The Seven Deadly Heresies

On June 1, 1980 Apostle Bruce R. McConkie gave an address at BYU entitled ‘The Seven Deadly Heresies’. The text version of this talk was drastically altered from the original audio address. 1 Below is a comparison of the two versions.   Printed version Audio version I have sought and do now seek that guidance … Read more

King James Bible

King James Bible passages in the Book of Mormon: 1 Note: Isaiah chapters 40+2, Malachi, and the verses from the New Testament were written after Lehi left Jerusalem in the Book of Mormon narrative. When entire verses are verbatim or near verbatim copies (as is often the case), only the references to the corresponding scriptures are … Read more

No other gift

Excerpt from ‘An Address To All Believers In Christ’, 1887, by David Whitmer: 1 “After the translation of the Book of Mormon was finished, early in the spring of 1830, before April 6th, Joseph gave the stone to Oliver Cowdery and told me as well as the rest that he was through with it, and … Read more

Civil War

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

Throw it Away

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

Locked Door

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

Of Age

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

Feminine Element

An article in the Juvenile Instructor by George Q. Cannon, ‘The Worship of Female Deities’, May 15 1895 : 1 In the days of Jeremiah the prophet the worship of “the queen of heaven,” a feminine deity, was very common. The people of Judah attributed great power to this female deity, so much so that … Read more

Law of Sarah

Excerpt from the LDS Gospel Topi Essay, ‘Plural Marriage in Kirtland and Nauvoo’: 1 The revelation on marriage required that a wife give her consent before her husband could enter into plural marriage. Nevertheless, toward the end of the revelation, the Lord said that if the first wife “receive not this law”—the command to practice … Read more

Criminal

Excerpt from the LDS Gospel Topic Essay, ‘Plural Marriage in Kirtland and Nauvoo’: 1 “After receiving a revelation commanding him to practice plural marriage, Joseph Smith married multiple wives and introduced the practice to close associates.” “Polygamy had been permitted for millennia in many cultures and religions, but, with few exceptions, was rejected in Western … Read more

More Good

From the Times and Seasons, 4:194 (1843): 1 Sir:-Through the medium of your paper, I wish to correct an error among men that profess to be learned, liberal and wise; and I do it the more cheerfully, because I hope sober-thinking and sound-reasoning people will sooner listen to the voice of truth, than be led astray … Read more

Criticism of Leaders

Excerpt from ‘The Lord’s Way’ by Dallin H. Oaks, Pub. 1991: 1 “Government or corporate officials, who are directly or indirectly elected or appointed by majority vote, must expect that their performance will be subject to critical and public evaluations by their constituents. That is part of the process of informing those who have the … Read more

Prison

Excerpt from an address given by George Q. Cannon, November 1, 1891, reported by Author Winter. Published in the Deseret Weekly News, November 21, 1891: 1 “I myself have testified before presidents of the United States before cabinet officers before judges of the Supreme Court before members of the United States Senate and House of … Read more

Give a Fig

Excerpt from LDS apostle Orson Pratt’s 1874 General Conference address: 1 “…I have heard now and then (I am very glad to say that only a few such instances have come under my notice), a brother or a sister say, “I am a Latter-day Saint, but I do not believe in polygamy.” Oh, what an … Read more

I Have Set by His Side

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

Word of Wisdom

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

Section 132

Image: Portrait of Emma Smith, wife of Joseph Smith Jr. *Post with commentary* The polygamy revelation in D&C 132 [footnote]Doctrine and Covenants 132 – LDS.org[/footnote] 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 … Read more

No Death Before the Fall of Adam

Image:Tyrannosaurus, Frankfurt Museum. Age: approximately 70 million years.  From the current (2017) publication of the LDS Bible Dictionary. Topic: ‘Death’: Latter-day revelation teaches that there was no death on this earth before the Fall of Adam. Indeed, death entered the world as a direct result of the Fall (2 Ne. 2:22; Moses 6:48). 2 Nephi 2:22: 22 … Read more

Mark Twain

Illustrated portrait of Mark Twain with a quotation criticizing the Book of Mormon, calling it pretentious, slow, and “chloroform in print,” from Roughing It (1872).

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

Young Earth

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