By RICHARD PACKHAM
If you are investigating Mormonism (the "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints" or "LDS Church"), you are probably studying it in private meetings in
your home with missionaries from that church. Here are some of the key things
that they are probably telling you:
- Mormonism began in 1820 when a teen-aged boy in western New York named Joseph Smith was
spurred by a Christian revival where he lived to pray to God for
guidance as to which church was true. In answer to his prayers he was visited
by God the Father and God the Son, two separate beings, who told him to join
no church because all the churches at that time were false, and that he,
Joseph, would bring forth the true church. This event is called "The First
Vision."
- In 1823 Joseph had another heavenly visitation, in which an angel named
Moroni told him of a sacred history written by ancient Hebrews in America,
engraved in an Egyptian dialect on tablets of gold and buried in a nearby
hill. Joseph was told it was the history of the ancient peoples of America,
and that Joseph would be the instrument for bringing this record to the
knowledge of the world. Joseph obtained these gold plates from
the angel in 1827, and translated them into English by the spirit of God and
the use of a sacred instrument accompanying the plates called the "Urim and
Thummim." The translation was published in 1830 as The Book of
Mormon, now revered by Mormons as scripture, along with the Bible.
- The Book of Mormon is a religious and secular
history of the
inhabitants of the Western Hemisphere from about 2200 BC to about 421
AD. It
tells the reader that three groups
of immigrants settled the uninhabited Americas. They were led by God
from their original homes in the Near East
to America. The first group came from the Tower of Babel, about 2200
BC, and two other groups came
from Jerusalem just before the Babylonian Captivity, about 600 BC. They
had prophets of God who had been inspired with the gospel of Jesus
Christ, which is thus
preserved in their history, the Book of Mormon. Many of the
descendants of these immigrants were
Christians, even before Christ was born in Palestine, but many were
unbelievers. Believers and unbelievers fought many wars, the last of which
left only degenerate unbelievers as survivors, who are the ancestors of the
American Indians. The most important event during this long history was the
visit of Jesus Christ to America, after his crucifixion, when he ministered to
(and converted) all the inhabitants.
- Joseph Smith was directed by revelation from God to reestablish
("restore") the true church, which he did in 1830. He was visited several
times by heavenly messengers, who ordained him to the true priesthood.
He continued to have revelations from God to guide the church and to give more
knowledge of the Gospel. Many of these revelations are published in the
Doctrine and Covenants, accepted by Mormons as scripture, along with the Bible and the Book of Mormon.
- Joseph Smith and his followers were continually persecuted for their
religious beliefs, and driven from New York State to Ohio, then to Missouri,
then to Illinois, where Joseph Smith was murdered in 1844 by a mob, a martyr
to his beliefs. The church was then led by Brigham Young, Joseph's successor,
to Utah, where the Mormons settled successfully.
- The LDS church is led today by the successors of Joseph Smith. The
present president of the church is a "prophet, seer and revelator" just as
Joseph Smith was, and guides the members of the church through revelations and
guidance from God.
- The modern LDS church is the only true church, as restored by God through
Joseph Smith. Other churches, derived from the early Christian church, are in
apostasy because their leaders corrupted the scriptures, changed the
ordinances of the original church, and often led corrupt lives, thus losing
their authority.
- The most reliable way to determine whether the Book of Mormon is true, and whether the Mormon church is "the only true church" is by sincerely asking God in prayer.
- By accepting baptism into the LDS church you take the first step necessary
toward your salvation and your ultimate entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven
(the "Celestial Kingdom").
WHAT THE MISSIONARIES WILL NOT TELL
YOU
Until recently, the missionaries were required to
present Mormonism in six "discussions", which were a series of
memorized sales talks. They are now encouraged simply to "follow the
spirit" in their presentations. The basic message and approach,
however, is still essentially the same. A thorough, thoughtful and
balanced discussion of each of the six "official" lessons as the
missionaries formerly presented them to investigators is at http://www.lds4u.com,
together with the techniques and strategies which the missionaries are
instructed to use. (The actual texts of the discussions were also on
this site at one time, but the Mormon church threatened the webmaster
with a lawsuit, and he removed them; click on "next" at each window to
read a summary and commentary.)
Here is a summary of important facts about the Mormon church, its doctrine, and its
history that the missionaries will probably not tell you. We are not
suggesting that they are intentionally deceiving you --most of the young
Mormons serving missions for the church are not well educated in the history
of the church or in modern critical studies of the church. They probably do
not know the all the facts themselves. They have been trained, however, to
give investigators "milk before meat," that is, to postpone revealing anything
at all that might make an investigator hesitant,
even if it is true.
But you should be aware of these facts before you commit yourself.
Each of the following facts has been substantiated by thorough historical
scholarship. And this list is by no means exhaustive!
For links to articles substantiating each of these points,
CLICK on the word NOTES following the item.
- The "First Vision" story in the form presented to you was unknown until
1838, eighteen years after its alleged occurrence and almost ten
years after Smith had begun his missionary efforts. The oldest (but quite different) version of
the vision is in Smith's own handwriting, dating from about 1832 (still at
least eleven years afterwards), and says that only one
personage, Jesus Christ, appeared to him. It also mentions nothing about a
revival. It also contradicts the later account as to whether Smith had
already decided that no church was true. Still a third version of this
event is recorded as a recollection in Smith's diary, fifteen years after
the alleged vision, where one unidentified "personage" appeared, then
another, with a message implying that neither was the Son. They were
accompanied by many "angels," which are not mentioned in the official version
you have been told about. Which version is correct, if any? Why was this
event, now said
by the church to be so important, unknown for so long? NOTES
- Careful study of the religious history of the locale where Smith lived
in 1820 casts doubt on whether there actually was such an extensive revival
that year as Smith and his family later described as associated with the
"First Vision." The revivals in 1817 and 1824 better fit what Smith described
later. NOTES
- In 1828, eight
years after he supposedly had been told by God himself to join no church, Smith
applied for membership in a local Methodist church. Other members of his
family had joined the Presbyterians. NOTES
- Contemporaries of Smith consistently described him as
something of a confidence man, whose chief source of income was hiring out
to local farmers to help them find buried treasure by the use of folk magic
and "seer stones." Smith was actually tried in 1826 on a charge of
moneydigging. NOTES
It is interesting that none of his critics seemed to be aware of his
claim to have been visited by God in 1820, even though in his 1838
account he claimed that he had suffered "great persecution" for telling
people of his vision.
- The only persons who claimed to have actually seen the gold plates were
eleven close friends of Smith (many of them related to each other). Their
testimonies are printed in the front of every copy of the Book of
Mormon. No disinterested third party was ever allowed to examine them.
They were retrieved by the angel at some unrecorded point. Most of the
witnesses later abandoned Smith and left his movement. Smith then called
them "liars." NOTES
- Smith produced most of the "translation" not by reading the plates
through the Urim and Thummim (described as a pair of sacred spectacles), but
by gazing at the same "seer stone" he had used for treasure hunting. He
would place the stone into his hat, and then cover his face with it. For much
of the time he was dictating, the gold plates were not even present, but
in a hiding place. NOTES
- The detailed history and civilization described in the Book of
Mormon does not correspond to anything found by archaeologists anywhere
in the Americas. The Book of Mormon describes a civilization lasting
for a thousand years, covering both North and South America, which was
familiar with horses, elephants, cattle, sheep, wheat, barley, steel,
wheeled vehicles, shipbuilding, sails, coins, and other elements of Old World
culture. But no trace of any of these supposedly very common things has
ever been found in the Americas of that period. Nor does the Book of
Mormon mention many of the features of the civilizations which really did
exist at that time in the Americas. The LDS church has spent millions of
dollars over many years trying to prove through archaeological research
that the Book of Mormon is an accurate historical record, but they
have failed to produce any convincing pre-columbian archeological evidence
supporting the Book of Mormon story. In addition, whereas the Book
of Mormon presents the picture of a relatively homogeneous people, with
a single language and communication between distant parts of the Americas,
the pre-columbian history of the Americas shows the opposite: widely
disparate racial types (almost entirely east Asian - definitely not
Semitic, as proven by recent DNA studies), and many unrelated native languages, none of which are even
remotely related to Hebrew or Egyptian.
NOTES
- The people of the Book of Mormon were supposedly devout Jews
observing the Law of Moses, but in the Book of Mormon there is almost
no trace of their observance of Mosaic law or even an accurate knowledge of
it. NOTES
- Although Joseph Smith said that God had pronounced the completed
translation of the plates as published in 1830 "correct," many changes have
been made in later editions. Besides thousands of corrections of poor
grammar and awkward wording in the 1830 edition, other changes have been
made to reflect subsequent changes in some of the fundamental doctrine of
the church. For example, an early change in wording modified the 1830
edition's acceptance of the doctrine of the Trinity, thus allowing Smith to
introduce his later doctrine of multiple gods. A more recent change (1981)
replaced "white" with "pure," apparently to reflect the change in the
church's stance on the "curse" of the black race. NOTES
- Joseph Smith said that the Book of Mormon contained the "fulness
of the gospel." However, its teaching on many doctrinal subjects has been
ignored or contradicted by the present LDS church, and many doctrines now said
by the church to be essential are not even mentioned there. Examples are
the church's position on the nature of God, the Virgin Birth, the Trinity,
polygamy, Hell, priesthood, secret organizations, the nature of Heaven and
salvation, temples, proxy ordinances for the dead, and many other matters.
NOTES
- Many of the basic historical notions found in the Book of Mormon had
appeared in print already in 1825, just two years before Smith began
producing the Book of Mormon, in a book called View of the
Hebrews, by Ethan Smith (no relation) and published just a few miles
from where Joseph Smith lived. A careful study of this obscure book led one
LDS church official (the historian B. H. Roberts, 1857-1933) to confess that
the evidence tended to show that the Book of Mormon was not an
ancient record, but concocted by Joseph Smith himself, based on ideas he had
read in the earlier book. NOTES
- Although Mormons claim that God is guiding the LDS church through its
president (who has the title "prophet, seer and revelator"), the successive
"prophets" have repeatedly either led the church into undertakings that were
dismal failures or failed to see approaching disaster. To mention only a
few: the Kirtland Bank, the United Order, the gathering of Zion to
Missouri, the Zion's Camp expedition, polygamy, the Deseret Alphabet
NOTES. A recent example is the
successful hoax perpetrated on the church by manuscript dealer Mark Hofmann in
the 1980s. He succeeded in selling the church thousands of dollars worth
of manuscripts which he had forged. The church and its "prophet, seer and revelator" accepted them as genuine
historical documents. The church leaders learned the truth not from God,
through revelation, but from non-Mormon experts and the police, after
Hofmann was arrested for two murders he committed to cover up his hoax.
This scandal was reported nationwide. NOTES
- The secret temple ritual (the "endowment") was introduced by Smith in
May, 1842, just two months after he had been initiated into Freemasonry.
The LDS temple ritual closely resembles the Masonic ritual of that day.
NOTES Smith explained that the
Masons had corrupted the ancient (God-given) ritual by changing it and
removing parts of it, and that he was restoring it to its "pure" and
"original" (and complete) form, as revealed to him by God. In the years
since, the LDS church has made many fundamental changes in the "pure and
original" ritual as "restored" by Smith, mostly by removing major parts of it.
NOTES
- Many doctrines which were once taught by the LDS church, and held to be
fundamental, essential and "eternal", have been abandoned. Whether we feel
that the church was correct in abandoning them is not the point; rather, the
point is that a church claiming to be the church of God takes one
"everlasting" position at one time and the opposite position at another, all
the time claiming to be proclaiming the word of God. Some examples are:
- The Adam-God doctrine (Adam is God the Father); NOTES
- the United Order (all property of church members is to be held in
common, with title in the church);
- Plural Marriage (polygamy; a man must have more than one wife to
attain the highest degree of heaven); NOTES
- the Curse of Cain (the black race is not entitled to hold God's
priesthood because it is cursed; this doctrine was not abandoned until
1978); NOTES
- Blood Atonement (some sins - apostasy, adultery, murder, interracial
marriage - must be atoned for by the shedding of the sinner's blood,
preferably by someone appointed to do so by church
authorities); NOTES
All of these doctrines were proclaimed by the reigning prophet to be the
Word of God, "eternal," "everlasting," to govern the church "forevermore."
All have been abandoned by the present church.
- Joseph Smith's early revelations were collected and first published in 1833 in the Book of Commandments. God (as recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants Sections 1 and 67) supposedly testified by revelation that the revelations as published were true and correct. Because the Book of Commandments
did not receive wide distribution (most copies were destroyed by angry
opponents of the Mormons in Missouri, where it was published), they
were republished - with additional revelations - as the Doctrine and Covenants
in 1835 in Kirtland, Ohio. However, many of the revelations as
published in Kirtland differed fundamentally from their versions as
originally given. The changes generally gave more power and authority
to Smith, and justified changes he was making in church organization
and theology. The question naturally arises as to why revelations which
God had pronounced correct needed to be revised. NOTES
- Joseph Smith claimed to have received the priesthood (the only
valid priesthood recognized by God) directly from resurrected beings
(angels): the Aaronic Priesthood from John the Baptist and the
Mechizedek (higher) Priesthood from Peter, James and John. However, the
accounts of these visitations are contradictory and questionable.
NOTES
- Joseph Smith claimed to be a "translator" by the power of God. In
addition to the Book of Mormon, he made several other "translations":
- The Book of Abraham, from Egyptian papyrus scrolls which
came into his possession in 1835. He stated that the scrolls were written by
the biblical Abraham "by his own hand." Smith's translation is now accepted
as scripture by the LDS church, as part of its Pearl of Great
Price. Smith also produced an "Egyptian Grammar" based on his
translation. Modern scholars of ancient Egyptian agree that the scrolls are
common Egyptian funeral scrolls, entirely pagan in nature, having nothing to
do with Abraham, and from a period 2000 years later than Abraham. The
"Grammar" has been said by Egyptologists to prove that Smith had no notion of
the Egyptian language. It is pure fantasy: he made it up.
NOTES
- The "Inspired Revision" of the King James Bible. Smith was commanded by God
to retranslate the Bible because the existing translations contained errors.
He completed his translation in 1833, but the church still uses the King James
Version. NOTES
- The "Kinderhook Plates," a group of six metal plates with strange
engraved characters, unearthed in 1843 near Kinderhook, Illinois, and examined
by Smith, who began a "translation" of them. He never completed the
translation, but he identified the plates as an "ancient record," and
translated enough to identify the author as a descendant of Pharaoh. Local
farmers later confessed that they had manufactured, engraved and buried the
plates themselves as a hoax. They had apparently copied the characters from a
Chinese tea box. NOTES
- Joseph Smith claimed to be a "prophet." He frequently
prophesied future events "by the power of God." Many of these prophecies
are recorded in the LDS scripture Doctrine and Covenants. Almost
none have been fulfilled, and many cannot now be fulfilled
because the deeds to be done by the persons named were never done and those
persons are now dead. Many prophecies included dates for their fulfillment,
and those dates are now long past, the events never having occurred.
NOTES
- Joseph Smith died not as a martyr, but in a gun battle in which he fired
a number of shots. He was in jail at the time, under arrest for having
ordered the destruction of a Nauvoo newspaper which dared to print an
exposure (which was true) of his secret sexual liaisons. At that time he
had announced his candidacy for the presidency of the United States, set up
a secret government, and secretly had himself crowned "King of the Kingdom
of God." NOTES
- Since the founding of the church down to the present day the church
leaders have not hesitated to lie, to falsify documents, to rewrite or
suppress history, or to do whatever is necessary to protect the image of the
church. Many Mormon historians have been excommunicated from the church for
publishing their findings on the truth of Mormon history. NOTES
- Trying to determine the truth by relying entirely on the
feelings one gets after praying is not a reliable way to learn the
truth. One can easily deceive oneself into "feeling" something that is
really not true at all. The only reliable way to get to the truth is to
examine verifiable facts. NOTES
- Mormonism includes many other unusual teachings which you will
probably not be told about until you have been in the church for a long
time. These teachings are not revealed to investigators or new converts
because those people are not yet considered ready to have more than
"milk" as doctrine. The Mormons also probably realize that if
investigators knew of these unusual teachings they would not join the
church. In addition to those mentioned elsewhere in this article, the
following are noteworthy: NOTES
- God was once a man like us.
- God has a tangible body of flesh and bone.
- God lives on a planet near the star Kolob.
- God ("Heavenly Father") has at least one wife, our "Mother in
Heaven," but she is so holy that we are not to discuss her nor pray to
her.
- Jesus was married.
- We can become like God and rule over our own universe.
- There are many gods, ruling over their own worlds.
- Jesus and Satan ("Lucifer") are brothers, and they are our brothers - we are all spirit children of Heavenly Father
- Jesus Christ was conceived by God the Father by having sex with Mary, who was temporarily his wife.
- We should not pray to Jesus, nor try to feel a personal relationship with him.
- The "Lord" ("Jehovah") in the Old Testament is the being named
Jesus in the New Testament, but different from "God the Father"
("Elohim").
- In the highest degree of the celestial kingdom some men will have more than one wife.
- Before coming to this earth we lived as spirits in a
"pre-existence", during which we were tested; our position in this life
(whether born to Mormons or savages, or in America or Africa) is our
reward or punishment for our obedience in that life.
- Dark skin is a curse from God, the result of our sin, or the
sin of our ancestors. If sufficiently righteous, a dark-skinned person
will become light-skinned.
- The Garden of Eden was in Missouri. All humanity before the
Great Flood lived in the western hemisphere. The Ark transported Noah
and the other survivors to the eastern hemisphere.
- Not only will human beings be resurrected to eternal life,
but also all animals - everything that has ever lived on earth - will
be resurrected and dwell in heaven.
- Christ will not return to earth in any year that has seen a rainbow.
- Mormons should avoid traveling on water, since Satan rules the waters.
- The sun receives its light from the star Kolob.
- If a Gentile becomes Mormon, the Holy Ghost actually purges his Gentile blood and replaces it with Israelite blood.
- A righteous Mormon will actually see the face of God in the Mormon temple.
- You can identify a false angel by the color of his hair, or by offering to shake his hand.
YOUR LIFE AS A MORMON
If you should decide to become a member of the LDS church, you should be
aware of what your life in the church will be like. Although you will find
yourself warmly accepted by a lively community of healthy, active and
generally supportive people, many of whom are very happy in Mormonism and
could not imagine their lives without it,
there is another side:
- You will be continually reminded that to enter the highest degree of
heaven (the "Celestial Kingdom"), you will have to go through the endowment
ceremony in the temple and have your marriage to your Mormon spouse
"sealed." (If your spouse is not Mormon, or if you are not married, you cannot enter the highest
degree of heaven.) To get permission to have these ceremonies performed in
the temple, you must prove yourself to be a faithful and obedient member of
the church and do everything commanded by the church authorities, from the
Prophet down to the local level. You will have to undergo a personal
"worthiness" interview with the local church authorities inquiring into your
private life and your religious and social activities.
NOTES
- You will be expected to donate at least ten percent of your income to the
church as tithing. Other donations will be expected as the need arises.
You will never see an accounting of how this money is spent, or how much the
church receives, or anything at all about its financial condition; the
church keeps its finances secret, even from its members. NOTES
- You will be expected to give up the use of alcohol, tobacco, coffee, and
tea. NOTES
- You will be expected to fulfill any work assignment given to
you. These
assignments may be teaching, record keeping, janitorial work, cannery
or farm work, helping in the Sunday nursery - any job that needs to be
done. Each task you perform
successfully will make you eligible for others, with more
responsibility and
more demands upon your time. The members who perform these jobs, even
those
involving sensitive pastoral counseling, receive no formal training
whatsoever (there is no paid, trained clergy). You will be told that
God has called you to your assignments. Many Mormons find much of their
spare time
taken up with church work, trying to fulfill the numerous assignments
that
have been given them.
- You will be expected to be unquestioningly obedient to church
authorities in whatever they might tell you to do. "Follow the Brethren" is
the slogan, and it means to follow without doubt or question. Discussion of
whether a decree from above is correct is discouraged. You will be expected
to have faith that the leaders cannot possibly lead you astray. Even if
they should tell you something which contradicts what a previous prophet
may have said, you will be told "A living prophet takes precedence over a
dead prophet." NOTES
- You will be able to "vote" on those who have been called to positions of
authority over you, but the voting will be by the show of hands in a public
meeting. Only one candidate for each office will be voted on (the one
"called by God"). The voting is therefore almost always unanimous in favor of the
candidate.
- You will be advised not to read any material which is "not faith-promoting,"
that is, which may be critical or questioning of the church or its leaders,
or which might place the church or its leaders in an unfavorable light.
- You will be advised not to associate with "apostates," that is, former
Mormons. (You will be asked in your "worthiness" interview about
this.) NOTES
- If you are unmarried, you will be encouraged to marry a good Mormon as
soon as possible. When you do marry, in a wedding ceremony in the temple,
your non-Mormon family members and friends will not be allowed to attend the
ceremony, because only "worthy" Mormons are allowed to enter the temple.
- If you are homosexual, you will be pressured to abandon this "evil"
aspect of your nature. If you do not, you will probably not be fully
accepted by other church members. If you do not remain celibate, you may be
excommunicated. NOTES
- If you are a male over 12 years of age and "worthy" (that is, if you are
obedient, attend meetings, do not masturbate NOTES, etc.), you will be ordained to one of the
levels of priesthood, and, if you continue to be faithful and obedient, you
will gradually advance through the priesthood ranks. If you are female, you
will receive the benefits of priesthood authority only indirectly, through
your Mormon father or your Mormon husband. The role of the Mormon woman is
to be a wife and mother and to obey and honor her priest husband (or
father). NOTES
- If you prove yourself to be faithful, hard working and obedient, you will
eventually be considered worthy to "receive your endowment" in a Mormon
temple. You will not be told in advance exactly what to expect in this
lengthy ceremony, except that the details of the ritual are secret (Mormons
prefer to say they are just "sacred," but they treat them as though they
are secret). As part of that ceremony you will be required to swear a
number of oaths, the penalty for violation of which is no longer stated but
until 1990 was death by various bloody methods, such as having your throat
slit from ear to ear. You will be given the secret signs and passwords
which are required to enter heaven. (Although most Mormons who have not
received the endowment know very little about the ceremony, the entire
liturgy is now available on the Internet to Mormon and non-Mormon alike.)
After receiving the endowment you will be required to wear a special
undergarment at all times. NOTES
- If you should ever decide that you made a mistake in joining the church
and then leave it, you will probably find (judging from the experiences of
others who have done so) that many of your Mormon friends will abandon and
shun you. If you are unable to convince your family members to leave the
church with you, you will find that the church has broken up your family and
your relationship with them may never recover. NOTES
Consider very carefully before you commit yourself, and
remember that any doubts you may have now will likely only
increase.
Examine carefully both sides of the Mormon story. Listen to the stories of
those who have been through an unhappy Mormon experience, not just those
Mormons who may speak glowingly of life in the church.
NOTES
The Mormon missionaries are often charming and enthusiastic. They have an
attractive story to tell. At first it sounds wonderful. But remember the old
saying, "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!" Be careful not to
fall into the trap of believing something simply because you want it to be
true. Mormons may tell you that those who criticize the church are lying,
misquoting and distorting. If you examine the sources used by the critics,
however, you will discover that most of their source material is from official
or semi-official Mormon writings. You, too, should examine those sources.
Is Mormonism a "cult"? Many experts on religious cults see in Mormonism
the same fundamental characteristics as cults which have entrapped the
unsuspecting, even though most people think of "cults" only as small, unknown
groups. Use a "cult checklist" to evaluate Mormonism, or any group, before
you commit yourself.
NOTES
To get more information about the other side of Mormonism, or to see the
evidence supporting any of our statements about the church, feel free to
contact us. Our only aim is to make sure that you hear both sides. We
promise not to preach at you, but only to provide you with facts to balance
the Mormon story.
Click here
for the names and e-mail addresses of people to contact. Click here to read personal stories of people who
have left Mormonism.
For a version of this INVESTIGATOR'S INFORMATION TRACT which can be downloaded
and printed for handing out or mailing
click here. It contains
instructions on how to edit it for use as a hand-out.
NOTES AND LINKS TO MORE FACTS
DISCLAIMER: Some of the links and references
listed here, in addition to containing valuable material about Mormonism, also
contain Christian proselytizing material. Their inclusion here is not
intended as an endorsement of any religion or religious
organization.
GENERAL REFERENCES
INTERNET SITES AND LISTS OF LINKS
http://www.exmormon.org/goodsite.htm Links to other sites.
http://www.mormonismi.info/jamesdavid/table.htm An
alphabetical list, by topic, of Mormon-related links; many
articles. Originally by James David.
http://www.lds-mormon.com Articles and
links; one of the oldest and most extensive Internet sites on Mormonism.
http://www.josephlied.com Mike Norton's excellent analysis of Mormon problems.
http://utlm.org/ Many articles by Jerald and
Sandra Tanner, especially from their newsletter
The Salt Lake City
Messenger. Also several complete books are online here, including their
complete book
The
Changing World of Mormonism.
http://www.2think.org/hundredsheep/mormon.shtml Text of many early Mormon
publications, including the 1830 version of the
Book of Mormon and the
original
Book of Commandments. Curt Van Den Heuvel's site.
http://www.irr.org/mit "Mormons In
Transition," sponsored by the Insitute for Religious Research, with many
articles; Christian orientation; an on-line newsgroup, (MIT-Talk)
with evangelical basis
http://www.mrm.org The "Mormon Research
Ministry," an evangelical Christian group headed by Bill McKeever; many good
articles on Mormonism
http://www.bcmmin.org/ The "Berean Christian Ministry,"
headed by John Farkas; many articles, a useful
chronology of church history, and a long
refutation of a Mormon scholar's attempt to discredit
critics of the church.
http://www.realmormonhistory.com A collection of historical quotations from
Mormon leaders themselves which cast doubt on Mormonism.
http://www.i4m.com/think/ "Rethinking Mormonism" - an excellent site by former Mormon "Deconstructor"
http://trialsofascension.net/mormon.html "20 Truths About Mormonism" by Jim Day, Ph. D.
http://www.TheShelf.com Convenient side-by-side listing of internet articles on both sides of controversial Mormon issues - maintained by Cora Judd
http://zarahemlacitylimits.com/ "Zarahemla City Limits" - many articles and a discussion board
http://mormoncurtain.com/ "Blogging the Exmormon World" - maintained by Michael Hoenie
http://www.zaksite.co.uk/atozelph/twosides.htm
"The church is true" "The church is not true" - Chris Tolworthy's site
(formerly whyprophets.com); originally a very pro-Mormon site;
Tolworthy - now no longer Mormon - presents the arguments of both sides
Mormonism Disproved Christopher Miller's website
Mormonism - Pro and Con Online version of Ed Bliss' book (.PDF format)
http://www.helmsmansociety.com/Issues/2005/mormon052605.htm The Helmsman Society's summary of Mormonism
http://mormonthink.com/scienceweb.htm "[Mormonism's] Conflicts With Science"
WIKIPEDIA CAUTION! Be careful with articles on
Mormon topics at the popular online reference site Wikipedia! Since all
articles there are subject to editing by all comers, the Mormon church
regularly edits them to remove any information that criticizes the
church.
For a very complete list of other websites critical of Mormonism, see Google's ranked listing HERE.
BOOKS
Listed here are only a few "must read" books. There are hundreds of others.
If your local library does not own them, your librarian can obtain them for
you on interlibrary loan, usually for a very small fee. Most books listed are
linked to on-line reviews or order information.
No Man Knows My
History: The Life of Joseph Smith by Fawn M. Brodie, 2nd ed., Knopf,
New York, 1993. The most authoritative biography of Joseph Smith. Brodie is a
well recognized historian.
Mormon America: The Power And the Promise. by Richard N. Ostling and Joan K. Ostling, Harper, San Francisco, 1999,
ISBN 0-06-066372-3. A well-balanced and reliable overview of Mormonism's past and present.
Mormonism:
Shadow or Reality by Gerald and Sandra Tanner, 5th edition, Utah
Lighthouse Ministry, 1987, Salt Lake City. The Tanners have done extensive
research on early Mormon
history and made many rare publications available by publishing photocopies of
them at a low price. This book is a good summary of the contradictions and
problems of Mormonism. Available from
Utah Lighthouse
Ministry, where a catalog of their publications is available. Also
published in a slightly smaller version as
The Changing World of
Mormonism, Moody Press,
Chicago, 1981 (now
online).
Inventing Mormonism: Tradition and the Historical Record by H.
Michael Marquardt and Wesley P. Walters, Signature Books, Salt Lake City,
1994. A detailed examination by historians of Mormonism's origins.
Joseph Smith and the Origins of the Book of Mormon (Second edition) by David Persuitte, McFarland & Co., 2000
Farewell to Eden: Coming to Terms With Mormonism and Science by Duwayne R. Anderson, Authorhouse, 2003 - a scientist and former Mormon examines Mormonism's scientific claims
Losing a Lost Tribe: Native Americans, DNA, and the Mormon Church by Simon G. Southerton (DNA scientist, former Mormon bishop), Signature Books, 2004
An Insider's View of Mormon Origins
by Grant Palmer (Mormon, retired instructor in the church's educational
system); a frank disclosure of many aspects of early Mormon history.
The Pattern of the Double Bind in Mormonism by Marion Stricker; the psychological bondage of Mormonism and how to recognize and escape it.
Mormonism Pro and Con by Ed Bliss (individual chapters are online here:
http://www.mormonism-proandcon.org/
For Any Latter-day Saint: One Investigator's Unanswered
Questions by Sharon I. Banister, Star Bible Publications, Fort Worth, 1988.
Over 600 problematical questions about Mormon history and
doctrine, very clearly presented, with many photographic reproductions of the
relevant Mormon books and diaries. (See my review
here.)
(As of May 2007 this book is out of print; click here for availability of used copies)
REFERENCES TO SPECIFIC TOPICS
THE "FIRST VISION"
http://www.irr.org/mit/fvision.html The official version, and why it is a fiction
http://www.i4m.com/think/intro/must_believe_vision.htm The church insists that belief in the validity of the "First Vision" is the basis of Mormonism
http://www.irr.org/mit/First-Vision-Accounts.html
All of the early (and contradictory) accounts, from Mormon sources
http://utlm.org/topicalindexc.htm#First Vision
http://www.mrm.org/multimedia/text/first-vision.html
http://www.bcmmin.org/firstv.html and
http://www.bcmmin.org/firstv2.html
http://www.irr.org/mit/inventbk.html (a review of the book
Inventing
Mormonism)
THE 1820 REVIVAL
The question of whether there was a revival in 1820 matching Smith's story has
been hotly debated by Mormon and non-Mormon scholars. See the exchange
between Richard L. Bushman (Mormon) and Wesley P. Walters (non-Mormon) in
Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, (Spring 1969) 4:1:58ff. A
summary of the opposing points of view (by a Mormon scholar) is Marvin Hill,
"The First Vision: A Critique and Reconciliation,"
Dialogue: A Journal
of Mormon Thought, (Summer 1982) 15:31-46.
http://utlm.org/onlinebooks/mclaims1.htm
http://www.xmission.com/~research/about/index.htm (Michael Marquardt's
site)
The following three links are about Marquardt's book
Inventing
Mormonism, a scholarly investigation into Mormonism's early years:
http://www.xmission.com/~research/about/contents.htm
http://www.xmission.com/~research/about/summary.htm
http://www.xmission.com/~research/about/reviews.htm
JOSEPH SMITH AND THE METHODISTS
For Smith's connection with the Methodists, see
Inventing Mormonism, pp 54-55, citing Turner,
History of
Phelp's and Gorham's Purchase, p. 214, which relates that Smith was an
informal "exhorter" at Methodist camp meetings before 1822; Pomeroy Tucker,
The Origin, Rise and Progress of Mormonism (NY 1867), p 18: Smith
joined the "probationary class" of the Methodist church; there was no
Methodist church in Palmyra until
July 1821 (
Inventing Mormonism, p 60 n 41);
http://utlm.org/topicalindexc.htm#Methodist Church
JOSEPH SMITH AND "MONEYDIGGING"
http://www.xmission.com/~country/reason/ny_js.htm The report of Smith's 1826 arrest and court appearance for being a "glass-looker"
http://www.saintsalive.com/mormonism/necromantic.html
http://utlm.org/topicalindexc.htm#Money-Digging and Magic
BOOK OF MORMON "WITNESSES"
http://www.irr.org/mit/bomwit1.html
http://www.saintsalive.com/mormonism/testimonyof3.htm
http://www.exmormon.org/file9.htm
http://www.irr.org/mit/address1.html The book by David
Whitmer,
An Address To All Believers in Christ, testifying that
God revealed to him that Joseph Smith is a fallen prophet.
(Also at
http://utlm.org/onlinebooks/address1.htm
http://www.xmission.com/~research/about/docum4.htm (Martin Harris
interview in Tiffany's magazine)
http://www.carm.org/lds/unveiled2.htm Affidavits of Lucy Harris and Abigail Harris about Martin Harris
http://utlm.org/onlineresources/anthon.htm (Martin Harris' visit to Professor Anthon with a copy of characters from the gold plates)
http://www.mormonthink.com/witnessesweb.htm More on the witnesses, including pro-Mormon arguments
METHOD OF TRANSLATION OF THE BOOK OF
MORMON
http://www.irr.org/mit/address1.html (David
Whitmer's
Address
To All Believers in Christ; see p. 12, 30)
http://utlm.org/topicalindexa.htm#Black hole The significance of
the 116 pages of lost manuscript for testing the authenticity of the book
http://www.mormonthink.com/lost116web.htm More on the 116 lost pages
Martin Harris,
Millennial Star 6 Feb 1882, cited in Robert N.
Hullinger,
Joseph Smith's response to Skepticism, p 9-14, Salt Lake
City 1992, said that the plates were not needed, also quoted by John Clark,
Gleanings By the Way, 1842, p 228, cited in Hullinger p 11, n
23.
http://www.mormonthink.com/transbomweb.htm More on the method of translation, with specific responses to Mormon arguments
For an official Mormon admission about Smith's use of the "seer stone" in his hat, see
"Speaking Today: A Treasured Testament," by Elder Russell M. Nelson,
Ensign, July 1993 Volume 23 Number 7 page 61
BOOK OF MORMON ARCHAEOLOGY
http://www.irr.org/mit/bomarch1.html
http://www.saintsalive.com/mormonism/bomproblems.htm
http://utlm.org/topicalindexa.htm#Archeology
http://www.bcmmin.org/bomarch.html
http://www.lds-mormon.com/bomquest.shtml
http://www.mormonthink.com/bomweb3.htm Good summary of problems, with specific responses to Mormon arguments
http://www.mindspring.com/~dwright/BOM/survey.htm
"Book of Mormon Lands Survey" - Daniel Wright's survey of professional
(non-Mormon) archaeologists and their views of Mormon claims.
http://mormonscripturestudies.com/bomor/twm/lamgen.asp
Recent study by DNA expert Tom Murphy, for which he was threatened with
excommunication from the Mormon church, showing that the American
Indians are not Semitic
Losing a Lost Tribe
by Simon Southerton, former Mormon bishop and professional DNA expert;
excellent book explaining the science and how it disproves the
Book of Mormon
"Answers to Apologetic Claims
about DNA and the Book of Mormon" by Simon Southerton
http://www.lhvm.org/dna.htm More on DNA studies, including a video about DNA's relationship to the
Book of Mormon's claims
Who Are The Lamanites?, a four-part article by Kevin Mathie examining the pro and con arguments
http://www.nowscape.com/mormon/zindler1.htm "How Do You Lose a Steel Mill" by Frank R. Zindler
http://www.mormonthink.com/bomweb3.htm Summary of problems with the
Book of Mormon, including Mormon responses
JEWISH LAW AND THE BOOK OF MORMON
Salt Lake City Messenger, Issue #74, February 1990, available from Utah Lighthouse
Ministry
http://lds-mormon.com/feast.shtml "Feasts in the Book of Mormon"
BOOK OF MORMON CHANGES; OTHER
CHANGES
http://www.saintsalive.com/mormonism/bomchanges.htm
http://www.bcmmin.org/bmchg.html
http://utlm.org/topicalindexa.htm#Changes Changes made in
revelations after their first publication, to reflect Smith's changes in
doctrine.
The original texts of the
Book of Mormon 1830
edition and the 1833
Book of Commandments (predecessor to the
Doctrine and
Covenants can be found at
http://www.2think.org/hundredsheep/
PRESENT MORMON DOCTRINE CONTRARY TO BOOK OF
MORMON
http://packham.n4m.org/bomvslds.htm A concise listing, with references
http://www.mrm.org/multimedia/text/test.html
http://www.bcmmin.org/bmchg.html
http://www.mrm.org/multimedia/text/birth.html On the Virgin Birth, how Jesus was
conceived.
http://www.irr.org/mit/CHANGOD.html The changing concept of God.
http://www.bcmmin.org/bcm2.html Changing
doctrines of Mormonism.
THE 1825 BOOK View of the Hebrews by Ethan Smith
http://www.irr.org/mit/Books/View-Hebrews/viewhe1a.html (text of
View)
http://www.2think.org/hundredsheep/voh/voh.shtml (text of
View)
http://www.2think.org/hundredsheep/bom/written.shtml Could Joseph Smith have
written the
Book of Mormon?
http://www.lds-mormon.com/voh.shtml Parallels between
View
and the
Book of Mormon.
http://www.irr.org/mit/bhrobert.html B. H. Roberts'
conclusions.
FAILURES OF GOD-INSPIRED PROJECTS
Failure of the Kirtland Bank:
http://utlm.org/topicalindexc.htm#Kirtland Bank
Gathering of Zion:
http://packham.n4m.org/prophet.htm
Polygamy - see notes at:
#POLYGAMY
Deseret Alphabet:
http://www.omniglot.com/writing/deseret.htm
http://packham.n4m.org/byoung.htm#PROPHECIES
THE HOFMANN MURDER SCANDAL
The Mormon
Murders: A True Story of Greed, Forgery, Deceit, and
Death by Steven Naifeh and Gregory White Smith, Weidenfeld & Nicolson,
New York, 1988. The role of the Mormon church leadership in this scandal is
carefully documented here.
A
Gathering of Saints: A True Story of Money, Murder and Deceit by
Robert Lindsey, Simon and Schuster, New York, 1988. Another book on the
Hofmann scandal.
Salamander: The Story of the Mormon Forgery Murders by Linda
Sillitoe and Allen Roberts, 2nd edition, Signature Books, Salt Lake City.
http://utlm.org/topicalindexb.htm#Hofmann, Mark
"Masterminds: The Anthon Forgeries" Excellent video on the Hofmann forgeries.
THE MORMON TEMPLE CEREMONY (THE
"ENDOWMENT")
http://packham.n4m.org/temples.htm: "Mormon Temples and Temple Rituals" - a detailed overview of this most secret part of Mormonism.
The next five links contain the actual text of the ceremony in the various
forms it has had since the early days of the church.
1931 Version: http://packham.n4m.org/endow31.htm
1984 Version: http://packham.n4m.org/endow84.htm
1990 Version: http://packham.n4m.org/endow90.htm
2005 changes: http://packham.n4m.org/endow05.htm
(See also
http://i4m.com/think/temples/temple_ordinance.htm for a discussion of the significance of the 2005 changes)
http://www.lds-mormon.com/veilworker/endowment.shtml
http://utlm.org/topicalindexc.htm#Temple Ceremony
http://i4m.com/think/temples/ Several articles on temples
http://www.mrm.org/multimedia/text/garments.html A description of the sacred
undergarment which Mormons are required to wear after receiving the endowment.
http://www.nowscape.com/mormon/undrwrmo.htm More on
"garments"
http://www.mrm.org/multimedia/text/temple-ceremony.html
http://www.nowscape.com/mormon/mormcr1.htm
http://www.saintsalive.com/mormonism/templechanges.htm
http://www.lds-mormon.com/veilworker/recommend.shtml The questions that are
asked in the "worthiness interview" to determine whether a member is worthy to
receive admission to the temple.
MASONIC INFLUENCE ON MORMONISM
http://www.masonicmoroni.com Paul Graham's
comprehensive site, with many links from all points of view
http://www.mormonismi.info/jamesdavid/masendow.htm
http://www.mormonismi.info/jamesdavid/masonry.htm
http://www.irr.org/mit/masonry.html
http://utlm.org/onlinebooks/changech4.htm#Joseph Smith's Magic Talisman
Joseph Smith's magical talisman
http://www.saintsalive.com/mormonism/nohelp.html
http://www.mrm.org/multimedia/text/masonic-influence.html
THE "ADAM = GOD" DOCTRINE
http://www.mrm.org/multimedia/text/theory.html
http://www.bcmmin.org/adamgod.html
http://www.bcmmin.org/evolut4.html The changes in the Mormon
doctrine about God.
http://www.mrm.org/multimedia/text/adam-god.html (Text of Brigham Young's 1852
sermon)
http://packham.n4m.org/byoung.htm#ADAMGOD More statements by
Brigham Young
A good discussion, with photocopy of Bruce R. McConkie's private admission
that Brigham Young did teach the doctrine, is in Tanner,
LDS Apostle
Confesses Brigham Young Taught Adam-God Doctrine, available from
Utah Lighthouse
Ministry.
Similar material is in Banister's book
For Any Latter-
Day Saint
http://www.mrm.org/multimedia/text/mcconkies-letter.html The text of McConkie's
letter admitting that Brigham Young did teach that Adam was God
See also:
Adam is God??? by Chris A. Vlachos, pamphlet available from
Utah Lighthouse
Ministry
POLYGAMY ("CELESTIAL MARRIAGE")
http://www.irr.org/mit/enigma.html A review of
Mormon Enigma:
Emma Hale Smith, by Linda King Newell and Valene Tippett Avery,
University of Illinois Press, 1994; a biography of Joseph Smith's first wife,
relating the development of Smith's ideas on polygamy and her opposition to
it.
In Sacred Loneliness:
The Plural Wives of Joseph Smith by Todd Compton, Signature Books
http://www.wivesofjosephsmith.org/home Biographies of all of Joseph Smith's wives
http://utlm.org/topicalindexb.htm#Polygamy
http://www.nowscape.com/mormon/polyg.htm
http://www.mormonismi.info/jamesdavid/denpract.htm Smith's
public (and untruthful) denials of the rumors about his practice of
polygamy.
http://www.mormonismi.info/jamesdavid/menwives.htm
Documentation of Smith's seduction of other men's wives.
http://www.xmission.com/~country/reason/clndest2.htm An early and
generally unknown revelation about polygamy
Mormon
Polygamy: A History by Richard S. Van Wagoner, Signature Books, Salt
Lake City. An excellent history of its theory and practice, reviewed at
http://www.lds-mormon.com/polygamy.shtml.
The Works of Abraham: Mormon Polygamy Sources on Its Origin, Thought, and Practice by B. Carmon Hardy, 2007
http://www.i4m.com/think/history/joseph_smith_sex.htm "Did Joseph Smith have sex with his [polygamous] wives?"
http://www.signaturebookslibrary.org/essays/mormonpolygamy.htm Comprehensive essay on polygamy
http://www.polygamy.org Home page of
Tapestry of
Polygamy, a group of formerly polygamous women who are exposing its evils
as practiced by some Mormon groups today.
http://mormonthink.com/polyweb.htm - responses to Mormon arguments and claims
http://www.i4m.com/think/polygamy/utah_census.htm
"U. S. Census numbers and Mormon Polygamy" Refutation of the
claim that polygamy was practiced because of a shortage of men in early
Utah
http://www.mrm.org/multimedia/video/lifting-veil-polygamy Video documentary on Mormon polygamy
THE "CURSE OF CAIN": THE CHANGING DOCTRINE ON SKIN COLOR
http://www.saintsalive.com/mormonism/africanamerican.htm
http://utlm.org/topicalindexa.htm#Blacks
http://www.exmormon.org/blacks1.htm
http://www.lds-mormon.com/racism.shtml
http://packham.n4m.org/byoung.htm#NEGRO Brigham Young's
Doctrines on the Black race
http://www.mormonthink.com/blackweb.htm Summary of pro and con views
http://www.religioustolerance.org/lds_race.htm History of racism in Mormonism from the "Religious Tolerance" organization
http://jhuston.com/Documents/1978.htm Background information on the 1978 "revelation"
THE DOCTRINE OF "BLOOD ATONEMENT" AND THE DANITES ("AVENGING
ANGELS")
http://www.saintsalive.com/mormonism/bloodatonement.htm
http://utlm.org/topicalindexa.htm#Blood Atonement
http://www.exmormon.org/bloodatn.htm
http://www.exmormon.org/violence.htm
http://www.saintsalive.com/mormonism/murder.html
http://www.irr.org/mit/faulring.html
http://www.mrm.org/multimedia/text/blood-atonement.html Mormons often deny that the doctrine was taught, but they still believe it.
"Blood Atonement" a short video on the origin and present practice
The role of violence in Mormonism is the subject of
Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith by Jon Krakauer, Doubleday, 2003; this book was on the best-seller lists for a number of weeks.
The authoritative work on the Mountain Meadows Massacre has been
Juanita Brooks,
The Mountain
Meadows Massacre, Univ. of Oklahoma Press,
1991.
Brooks is now supplemented by new evidence in Will Bagley,
The Blood of the Prophets: Brigham Young and the Massacre at Mountain Meadows, Univ. of Oklahoma Press, 2002.
See also Sally Denton's book
American Massacre: The Tragedy at Mountain Meadows, Knopf 2003.
J. F. Gibbs's complete book
Mountain Meadows Massacre is online
at
http://utlm.org/onlinebooks/meadowscontents.htm
Film treatments of the Mountain Meadows Massacre:
"Burying the Past" (documentary):
http://www.buryingthepast.com
"September Dawn" (fictionalized, but based on fact):
http://www.septemberdawn.net
THE BOOK OF COMMANDMENTS
http://www.2think.org/hundredsheep/boc/boc_main.shtml The complete text of the Book of Commandments, showing the revisions made to them in the Doctrine and Covenants
RESTORATION OF THE PRIESTHOOD
"Priesthood Restored or Retrofit?" by Lane Thuet
THE BOOK OF ABRAHAM
http://www.irr.org/mit/boapage.html The complete book
By His Own Hand Upon Papyrus by Charles M. Larson
http://www.mrm.org/multimedia/text/abraham.html
http://www.mormonismi.info/jamesdavid/index.htm
http://utlm.org/topicalindexb.htm#Book of Abraham
http://www.xmission.com/~research/about/abraham.htm
http://www.xmission.com/~research/about/alphabet.htm The text of Smith's
so-called
Egyptian Alphabet & Grammar
http://www.bookofabraham.com Comprehensive site, with message board, about the
Book of Abraham
An hour-long video about the
Book of Abraham: "The Lost Book of Abraham" at
http://www.mrm.org/multimedia/video/lost-book-abraham
THE "INSPIRED REVISION" OF THE BIBLE
The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, (RLDS, now renamed "Community of Christ") has long
used the version by Smith.
http://utlm.org/topicalindexc.htm#Inspired Revision of the Bible
THE KINDERHOOK PLATES
http://www.mormonismi.info/jamesdavid/indekind.htm
http://utlm.org/topicalindexb.htm#Kinderhook Plates
http://www.nowscape.com/mormon/kindrhk/kindrhk.htm
http://www.mormonthink.com/kinderhookweb.htm Good summary of both pro and con views
JOSEPH SMITH'S PROPHECIES
http://packham.n4m.org/prophet.htm A listing of many of Smith's
unfulfilled prophecies
http://www.saintsalive.com/mormonism/falseprophetjs.htm
http://www.mrm.org/multimedia/text/civilwar.html Joseph Smith's famous prophecy
of the Civil War
http://www.lds-mormon.com/civilwar.shtml Another
article on the Civil War prophecy
http://utlm.org/onlinebooks/changech13.htm#Rocky Mountain Prophecy Joseph
Smith's
prophecy about the Mormon move to the Rocky Mountains
http://www.mormonthink.com/prophetsweb.htm Lack of prophecy in the modern church
For some of Brigham Young's failed prophecies, see:
http://packham.n4m.org/byoung.htm#PROPHECIES
JOSEPH SMITH'S DEATH
http://www.solomonspalding.com/docs/exposit1.htm The text of the
Nauvoo
Expositor, the opposition paper which Smith destroyed, thus leading to his
imprisonment and death. It contains all the
true
accusations which Smith wanted suppressed
http://utlm.org/onlinebooks/changech17.htm#Destruction of Expositor The
destruction of the
Nauvoo Expositor
For a detailed discussion of Smith's political ambitions, his title "king" and
his secret government, see the book by D. Michael Quinn,
The Mormon
Hierarchy: [Volume 1] The Origins of Power, Signature Books, Salt Lake
City, 1994. (Quinn was excommunicated from the Mormon church for his
historical researches, but remains a believer)
MORMON FALSIFICATION OF MORMON HISTORY
http://www.xmission.com/~country/reason/mormhist.htm D. Michael Quinn's
Talk "On Being A Mormon Historian" in which he urges the church authorities to
be more open in telling the entire history of the church, without coloring it.
Rather than follow his advice, the church excommunicated him.
http://www.xmission.com/~country/reason/legacy1.htm An
evaluation of the propaganda film
Legacy, produced by the church.
http://www.bcmmin.org/persecutor.html An
evaluation of the church's claim that it was persecuted.
http://www.xmission.com/~country/reason/dunn.htm The
uncovering of the lies told by a high-ranking Mormon official
http://www.xmission.com/~country/reason/mantle.htm A speech by Boyd K.
Packer, a high-ranking church official, on how the church
justifies its distortion of its history. Also discussed at
http://www.exmormon.org/disease.htm
http://www.xmission.com/~country/reason/purge.htm The recent purge of
Mormon historians who told too much
http://www.exmormon.org/lying.htm A discussion of speech by Dallin Oaks, a
high-ranking church official, on the need for withholding the whole truth.
http://www.exmormon.org/apology.htm
http://www.lds-mormon.com/lying.shtml
http://packham.n4m.org/gbh-god.htm The present "prophet" Gordon
B. Hinckley lies about church doctrine in two interviews for the news media.
http://packham.n4m.org/lying.htm More examples of Mormon lying.
A good example of the church's distortion of history is its long cover-up
of the Mountain Meadows Massacre. See Juanita Brooks,
The Mountain
Meadows Massacre, Univ. of Oklahoma Press,
1991.
PRAYING FOR TRUTH
"Testimony and Spiritual Witness" - discussion about the reliability of spiritual witness
http://packham.n4m.org/prayer.htm - prayer is not for obtaining information
http://packham.n4m.org/satan.htm - how Satan can deceive
UNUSUAL DOCTRINES
- God was once a man like us: http://packham.n4m.org/gbh-god.htm
- God has a tangible body of flesh and bone: D&C
130:22
- God lives on a planet near the star Kolob:
Book of Abraham 3:3-16
- God has at least one wife, our "Mother in Heaven": Joseph Fielding Smith,
Man, His Origin and Destiny, p 348-355: "All men and women are in the similitude of the universal Father and Mother..."
(More citations in
The Changing World of Mormonism, Chapter 7)
- Jesus was married: This idea is consistent with the
Mormon doctrine that marriage is required for godhood; see citations
from early church leaders at
Changing World of Mormonism, Chapter 9. The church denies that this is a doctrine of the church
here.
- We can become like God and rule over our own universe.
http://packham.n4m.org/gbh-god.htm
- There are many gods, ruling over their own worlds:
Citations in
"http://www.utlm.org/onlinebooks/changech7.htm#From%20One%20to%20Many">
The Changing World of Mormonism, Chapter 7
- Jesus and Satan ("Lucifer") are brothers: D&C
76:25, Moses
4:1-4
- Jesus Christ was conceived by God the Father by having sex with Mary: Citations in
The Changing World of Mormonism, Chapter 7
- We should not try to feel a personal relationship with Jesus:
"Our Relationship With The Lord" by Apostle Bruce R. McConkie
- "The Lord" ("Jehovah") in the Old Testament is the same
being named Jesus in the New Testament, but not the same as "God the
Father": D&C
110:2-4; Bruce R. McConkie,
Mormon Doctrine, article "Jehovah";
1 Nephi 19:10
- In the the highest degree of the celestial kingdom some men will have more than one wife: D&C
132:63
- "Pre-existence": See Joseph Fielding Smith,
Doctrines of Salvation, Vol. 1, ch 4, esp pp 60-61
- Dark skin is a curse from God:
1 Nephi 12:23,
2 Nephi 5:21,
Alma 3:6,
Jacob 3:8,
3 Nephi 2:15,
Morm 5:15.
- The Garden of Eden was in Missouri: D&C
116:1; see also D&C
107:53.
- Animal resurrection:
http://packham.n4m.org/animals.htm
- Rainbow:
http://packham.n4m.org/prophet.htm
- Satan rules water: D&C
61
- Sun's light is from Kolob:
Book of Abraham Facsimile
# 2, Explanation of Fig 5
- Gentile blood is replaced:
History of the Church 3:380,
Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith p. 150
- Seeing face of God: D&C
97:16; see also
93:1 and
88:68
- False angel hair color:
Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith p. 214; handshake: D&C
129:1-9
PROHIBITION ON COFFEE, ETC. (THE "WORD OF
WISDOM")
The text of the Word of Wisdom is in the Doctrine and Covenants Section 89
http://www.xmission.com/~country/reason/w_wisdom.htm Problems and
inconsistencies with this revelation.
http://utlm.org/onlinebooks/mclaims8.htm#The Word of Wisdom
TITHING, CHURCH WEALTH
http://www.mrm.org/multimedia/text/tithing.html
http://www.mormonismi.info/jamesdavid/tithing.htm
On the wealth of the church, see: Anson Shupe,
Wealth and
Power in American Zion, Lewiston NY 1992, or John Heinerman and Anson
Shupe,
The
Mormon Corporate Empire, Beacon, 1988.
OBEDIENCE: "FOLLOW THE BRETHREN"
http://www.xmission.com/~country/reason/cannon.htm Excerpts from
Under The Prophet In Utah by Senator Frank J. Cannon, showing how
the church leaders exert power over members.
http://www.i4m.com/think/leaders/mormon_loyalty.htm Many statements by church leaders emphasizing loyalty to the church
http://www.zionsbest.com/fourteen.html A speech by Ezra Taft
Benson, a recent prophet and president, instructing members to obey the
prophet without questioning and without checking his advice against scripture.
http://www.lds-mormon.com/mothink.shtml
http://www.lds-mormon.com/thinking.shtml A critical
article on the church's mind control.
http://www.xmission.com/~country/reason/purge.htm The recent mass
excommunications of intellectuals and historians who questioned church
authority.
http://www.zionsbest.com/heresies.html Bruce R. McConkie on the heresy
of evolution.
HOMOSEXUALS, MASTURBATION
http://www.affirmation.org The
website of
Affirmation, an organization for Mormons with homosexual
leanings. Much information about the church's stance on sex.
http://www.affirmation.org/learning/steps_in_overcoming_masturbation.shtml
A talk by Mormon apostle Mark
E. Petersen, on how to prevent masturbation.
http://www.affirmation.org/learning/we_see_what_we_believe.asp A critical
article by Jeffery R. Jensen, M.D., on the harm done by the church with its
stance on homosexuality.
http://www.affirmation.org/learning/homosexuality_a_psychiatrists_response.asp Another article
by Dr. Jensen, criticizing the church's department of social services
http://www.zionsbest.com/only.html A speech by Boyd K. Packer on the
evils of masturbation in young men, and how to prevent it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilZt88Kt50k Video interviews with young Mormon homosexuals about their treatment
http://www.affirmation.org/learning/in_gods_name.shtml "In God's Name" by Terry Hiscox - a survey of Christian and Mormon treatment of homosexuals
POSITION OF WOMEN IN THE CHURCH
Books by two exmormon women describing their difficulties with the church's
treatment of women:
Deborah Laake,
Secret Ceremonies, Dell, 1993
Sonia Johnson,
From Housewife to Heretic, Doubleday, 1981. Johnson was
excommunicated for her activism in favor of the Equal Rights Amendment.
http://www.exmormon.org/mormwomn.htm A woman's viewpoint.
http://www.lds-mormon.com/lying.shtml How the church misrepresents
its stance on the role of women.
"Mormon Women, Prozac, and Therapy" by Kent Ponder Ph.D. explores the causes for so many Mormon women being on anti-depressant medications.
http://members.shaw.ca/blair_watson/ "The Psychological Effects of Mormonism" by Blair Watson
PERSONAL STORIES BY FORMER MORMONS
http://www.exmormon.org/ has the personal stories of over six hundred people who left the church and their many different reasons for doing so.
For briefer comments from former Mormons, see
http://packham.n4m.org/voices1.htm
See also these longer accounts:
Mary Ann Benson (granddaughter-in-law of Ezra Taft Benson, president of the church):
http://www.exmormon.org/mormon/mormon146.htm
Steve Benson (grandson of Benson, Mary Ann's husband):
http://www.lds-mormon.com/benson2.shtml and also
http://www.exmormon.org/mormon/mormon418.htm
http://twincentral.com/site/pages/articles/doctrines/alt/LDS/stevebenson.htm Transcript of the Bensons' interview with two Mormon apostles
Ken Clark (former teacher in the Church Educational System):
http://www.exmormon.org/whylft149.htm
For longer (booklength) accounts, see:
Suddenly Strangers:
Surrendering Gods and Heroes by the Morin brothers.(
http://suddenlystrangers.com - click on "Excerpts")
Beyond Mormonism:
An Elder's Story by James R. Spencer, who converted to Mormonism and left it to become a Christian minister
Martha Beck (daughter of Mormon apologist Hugh Nibley),
Leaving the Saints, Crown, 2005,
ISBN 0609609912
IS MORMONISM A CULT?
The following links are to checklists and other guidelines, to help you to
evaluate whether any group (not just Mormonism) is a "cult."
http://www.csj.org/infoserv_cult101/checklis.htm
http://www.csj.org/infoserv_cult101/cult101.htm
http://www.freedomofmind.com/ The home page of Steve Hassan, an authority on
cults and brainwashing.
"[Hassan's] BITE Model Applied Toward Mormonism"
http://www.caic.org.au Jan Groenveld's Cult Awareness
Centre
http://www.factnet.org FACTnet, resources on psychological coercion and mind control
http://www.neopagan.net/ABCDEF.html Isaac Bonewits' cult checklist, with 18 items and worksheet.
A 12-minute video on cults in general:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnNSe5XYp6E
http://members.shaw.ca/blair_watson/ "The Psychological Effects of Mormonism" by Blair Watson
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