Author: Aaron Shafovaloff
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Adam’s Road: A Timeline to Tragedy
We have been devastated by the news of long-standing sexual immorality within Adam’s Road. It is with sadness that we publish the following timeline. It establishes a credible, documented history. Our goal is to bring clarity and demonstrate transparency.
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Why Still Use the Shorthand, “Mormon”?
A commenter asks, “Why don’t you guys start calling us latter-day Saints instead of Mormons? oh wait, it’s because you don’t respect us.” Most of the time it’s just easier to use two syllables. It’s not out of disrespect. There are also plenty who still don’t mind being called Mormons. This was culturally acceptable only…
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Is Divine Revelation Like Milk That Spoils?
Aaron critiques Allen D. Haynie’s view that ancient prophets are not superior to modern ones, emphasizing that for Christians, the teachings of ancient prophets, rooted in God’s unchanging and inerrant word, grow sweeter over time, in contrast to Mormonism’s fluctuating and evolving doctrines.
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On David Alexander, Evangelical Convert to Mormonism
David Alexander claims to have found true spiritual authority in the LDS Church after years of seeking it within evangelicalism, but his views on authority, the Bible, and faith reveal a fundamental misunderstanding of Christian doctrine.
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John D. Nutting and the Utah Gospel Mission
John D. Nutting (1854-1949) was an evangelist to Mormons and the founder of Utah Gospel Mission. Works Light on Mormonism A quarterly publication edited by John Danforth Nutting and the Utah Gospel Mission. “In view of the fact that Light on Mormonism is composed almost entirely of matter having permanent value, we have from its beginning reserved 500 copies…
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Dilemmas of Mormon Exaltation
Consider the following in light of both halves of the Lorenzo Snow couplet: “As man now is, God once was: As God now is, man may be.” 1. Subordination vs. independence between gods (a) If we will forever be dependent on and subordinate to our God, then it stands to reason that God himself remains…
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Does Mormonism Agree That God Created All Things?
Limited dominion, diminished meaning When Mormons say they believe God “created all things”, this is often because: In other words, for the Mormon gods to “create all things” is to re-arrange things they did not create, and to do so in a relatively small corner of the universal sandbox. Essence, existence, and potential To create…
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Quotes from the McConkie Papers
The McConkie Papers are “various files containing personal writings of Bruce R. McConkie that have never before been available to the public.” (mormonlinks.io) They were uploaded in 2017. “Even the fact of resurrection was earned.” “It is in fact inherent in the whole eternal scheme, and nature itself teaches us, that all blessings come by…
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Conversational Pathways With Mormons
Created July 1, 2021 Starters Have you ever… What would you say… Would you mind… Explanation Probing questions Have you ever… Have you heard about Ending
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Evangelical Dissertations and Theses on Mormonism
These are often available on TREN, ProQuest, or WorldCat. Created June 30, 2021 Last updated July 1, 2021 Baker, Kirk. “Living By The Rule Of Ones: An Evangelism Training Manual For Highly Mormon Populated Communities.” D.Min., Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2012. Bass, Justin W. “A Different Jesus: Contemporary Mormon And New Testament Understandings Of Christ…
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An Evangelical Bibliography on Mormonism
Created June 24, 2021 Updated June 29, 2021 Please send additions or corrections to aaron@mrm.org. § Ahmanson, John. 1984. Secret History: A Translation of Vor Tids Muhamed. Moody Press.Anderson, Einar. 1956. Mormonism: A Personal Testimony. Moody Press.———. 1968. I Was a Mormon. Zondervan Publishing House. ———. 1973. Inside Story of Mormonism. Kregel Publications. ———. 1981. History and Beliefs of Mormonism.…
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Debate: The Miracle of Forgiveness
Aaron’s Debate Notes 1. The woman caught in adultery Spencer Kimball wrote in the The Miracle of Forgiveness (Bookcraft, 1969): “In my childhood, Sunday School lessons were given to us on the 8th chapter of John wherein we learned of the woman thrown at the feet of the Redeemer for judgment. My sweet Sunday School…
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Review of “Our Father, Our Mentor” from June 2016 Ensign
By Michael Rabus The June 2016 issue of the Ensign magazine, which is the official magazine of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, contained a short article by the Second Counselor in the First Presidency; President Dieter F. Uchtdorf titled “Our Father, Our Mentor. It made sense that the June issue would contain…
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Who Supplied the Y-Chromosome in Jesus’ Conception?
Christianity: The Spirit created it by an effortless, touchless, omnipotent act. “That which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 1:20; cf. Luke 1:35) 100% of the DNA was mortal, and none of the DNA was transferred from any divine being. 20th century Mormonism: Heavenly Father (Adam’s spirit father) did via natural…
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Does Romans 8:17 Support Becoming Worshipped?
“… and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” Romans 8:17 Three reasons why our inheritance in Christ does not imply equality with Jesus or a future of being properly worshipped by others: 1. Since our inheritance in…
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The God of Isaiah vs. Gods of Mormonism
Isaiah 55:8-9 reads: For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. Here are some reasons why, in the context of the book, I don’t…
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Yahweh needs no Asherah
Yahweh needs no Asherah. He says to none, “You complete me.” He needs no partner. He needs no permission. He needs no counsel. He needs no counterpart. He needs no complement. He creates, not by sexual union or cooperation, but by the effortless, self-sufficient, raw power of his word. “I am the LORD, who made…
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Jesus Wasn’t Married in Cana
Updated on March 12, 2018 Mormon leaders Orson Hyde and Joseph F. Smith taught that Jesus was married at the “wedding at Cana in Galilee” in John 2.1 This is a foolish interpretation for at least ten reasons: 1. John introduces the wedding with a kind of “there happened to be” kind of attitude: “On the…
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Matthew for Mormons
For those confused about relevance: Every single point in that presentation is an “implicit polemic” against Mormonism. It contradicts Mormonism in all the major points. In short: 1. Contra Mormonism’s priesthood authority, the authority of Jesus was typically exercised by the mere word of his power, not by any priestly system of ritual or bestowing…
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Eternal Progression: Mormonism vs. Christianity
I think Christians see eternal progression with bigger potential and glory than Mormons realize. Let me explain. Traditional Mormonism has followed Orson Pratt’s model of eternal progression, which holds that when we achieve full godhood we will cap out in knowledge and power, having become equal with God in all divinity, subsequently only progressing in…