Author: Aaron Shafovaloff
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Gospel Principles 2009 as a Significant Perpetuation of Traditional Mormon Theology
My research article on Gospel Principles now online at UTLM. I put a lot of work into it (comparing a bunch of Gospel Principles editions took forever, and my wife is glad it’s over!), and I hope it’s helpful to others. To get your started: “Outsiders learning Mormon theology afresh are better suited starting with…
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Daniel Peterson Isn’t Sure if Muhammad Was a False Prophet
Apparently for Daniel Peterson—Mormonism’s most prominent living apologist who is also the leading LDS scholar on Islam—denying that Jesus is the Lord and Savior who died on the cross and rose from the dead isn’t enough to make one a false prophet. He writes, “I’m not sure whether Muhammad was a prophet or not.” Yes, he really…
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CNN Drops Embarrassing Educational Bombshell: Roots of Mormon Polygamy and Continuation in the Afterlife
The article is here. “Among those revelations recorded in 1843 in the Doctrine and Covenants, a book of Mormon scripture, were teachings about plural marriage [link to D&C 132).” Section 132 actually wasn’t added until 1876. Until 1876, then-section 101 (removed in 1876) actually forbade polygamy. In 1843 the “revelation” was still secret, and Smith was vehemently…
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Patience and Evanjellyfish
A Mormon writes, I am a Mormon. I found your video regarding stereotyping of Mormons interesting. It is true that we don`t all agree. We are a very intellectual body. Our Sunday services are more like intellectual discussions or seminars than a long sermon. I am the type of Mormon who is generally true-blue; but…
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ACLU of Utah Letter to Manti City Council
The LDS Church wants to shut down the main free speech forum traditionally used during the Manti Pageant. I assume there are some other more legitimate reasons they have for attempting to purchase the land, but I doubt they are sufficient to make the sale reasonable. Or anything less than upsetting. You can download the…
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The Priesthood of Joseph Smith
(I believe this article was authored by Johnny Stephenson, aka grindael) LDS History of the Church Vol. 4 (pp 571-81) includes an editorial Joseph Smith, Jr. submitted to the Times and Seasons newspaper. “Try the Spirits” was written in response to “occurrences that [had] transpired amongst” his congregation. In the article, Smith identifies a spiritual…
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Jesus is My Temple Recommend
By Aaron Shafovaloff As Christians, our “temple recommend”, our access to the holy of holies, to the most precious things of all, is not a piece of paper with a bar code. Rather, the person of Jesus Christ himself is our temple recommend. Our relationship with him grants us access to everything God has in…
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The Other Gods of Deuteronomy
An LDS man who wanted to convince me that the Bible validates the notion of multiple gods used Deuteronomy 32:8 as a proof text. In the RSV (the translation he wanted to use for this verse) it says: “When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of men,…
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Church-Owned Deseret Book Stops Publishing McConkie’s “Mormon Doctrine”, Claiming “Low Sales”
Church-owned Deseret Book stops publishing & shelving McConkie’s Mormon Doctrine, claiming “low sales”, and gets caught lying by a local news organization (HT: Rob Sivulka of MormonInfo.org). Bill McKeever observes: Though hardly a scientific analysis, it is curious to note that on Amazon.com Mormon Doctrine still enjoys a moderate sales ranking of 209,180. This is…
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Do the Mormon Gods Belong to Multiple Godheads?
If God the Father has a Father, and if the concept of “Godhead” isn’t infinitely expandable to include all Gods, then our Father belongs to two Godheads, one of which Jesus is not a part of. If God the Father does have a Father, and if the Godhead is infinitely inclusive of all exalted Gods,…
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Martin Luther and Mormonism
Written by Unknown Author In the early 1500’s, a man named Martin Luther figured out something important — the Roman Catholic Church, of which he was a devout member, was abusing its power. Among other things, the church was selling — for money — forgiveness and passes to heaven. Luther could see that the Church…
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Forget Delegated Priesthood Authority
God speaks, and galaxies BURST into existence. God speaks, and storms STOP. God speaks, and the dead COME ALIVE from their graves. God speaks, and the lame WALK and the blind SEE. God speaks, and hearts CHANGE. God speaks, and sins are FORGIVEN. God speaks, and his people are instantly given authority to GO and…
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Testimony of L.T.
At this point, it is hard for me to remember the past without comparing it to the present. But, I think, maybe a series of anecdotes will help pull together a story of how I came to leave Mormonism, and why. When I was 5 years old, I remember getting into a fight with my…
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2009 Gospel Principles Criticizes the “Pagan Beliefs” of Those “Called Christians” in “False Christianity”
The Gospel Principles 2009 manual essentially calls classical Christianity “false Christianity” and its theology of God “pagan” and its adherents those who are “called” Christian. If we talked about Mormon beliefs and Mormonism and Mormon members this way, we’d get priesthood-slapped. Yes, you heard me right. Let me explain. In chapter 16 it implicitly taps…
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The promise to Abraham came by grace through faith, not by personal righteousness
“Because of Abraham’s righteousness, the Lord made a covenant with him and his descendants.” (Gospel Principles, ch. 15) Paul disagrees: “For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith… That is why it depends on faith,…
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Mormon Neo-Orthodoxy Found Wanting
Some neo-orthodox Mormons want it both ways: They want to celebrate small steps of theological change in Mormonism, especially steps taken by BYU professors and a few General Authorities, but then they want to avoid publicly acknowledging that change is even needed, particularly if it requires naming names since doing so would challenge church leadership.
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With Him it’s impossible to exaggerate
“You should have seen it! It will go down as epic in Church ball.” “I was THERE and it was pedestrian, man.” “WHAT?! No way. Everyone had the jaw on the ground!” “You’re full of exaggerations today.” “If there’s anything that can’t be exaggerated, it’s what happened on the court.” “Yeah, right. You can exaggerate…
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The Mormon Gospel
As has been demonstrated here on Mormon Coffee, it is difficult to pin-down LDS doctrine with references to LDS scriptures or quotes from LDS authority figures. Because of “continuing revelation”, what was true before is not necessarily true now. Thankfully, the LDS church has an official website, www.mormon.org, where a person can find accurate, consolidated,…
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Celebrate Christmas by Rejecting Mormon Leaders Who Have Rejected the Virgin Birth
As a Mormon said on CARM’s Mormonism forum: “Mary was no longer a virgin after having sex with God the Father. Jesus was born of a virgin, a virtuous young woman, who up to that point, did not have sex with any man.” Or as an ex-Mormon wrote on the same forum: “I was LDS.…
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Bible Verses on Truth and Discernment
Myth as scripture Hougey on authority Tolkien among prophets? True and false prophets Ten lies Feelings Historicity vs.