Author: Sharon Lindbloom
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Mormonism’s Apostasy Predicament
In 2006 an article in the Salt Lake Tribune made waves when it called attention to the fact that “Less than a third of those baptized [in Chile] stays in the Mormon fold.” The article noted that the LDS Church reported its number of members in Chile at over four times the number reported in…
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Mormon Professors Confuse Doctrine and Rumor
If I want to know what Mormonism teaches about human beings becoming Gods and creating worlds, should I ask a Mormon? Last month (October 2011) New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd asked the planet question of two Mormons: Richard Bushman, the Visiting Professor in Mormon Studies at Claremont Graduate University, and Kent P. Jackson, associate…
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Nauvoo Women: An Overlooked History of the Mormon Relief Society
This year (2011) Mormon ladies have been learning about the history of the Church’s Relief Society, said to be “the Lord’s organization for woman.” Julie B. Beck, the Relief Society general president wrote that “understanding our history is not only important but essential” (Ensign, January 2011, 7. Emphasis in the original). Ms. Beck gave several…
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Mormons Want People to Ask Questions
In an article published last week in The Tennessean (31 October 2011), the journalist interviewed Latter-day Saint Emily Halverson. Emily told the reporter that in middle Tennessee, far outside the so-called Book of Mormon Belt, people are curious about Mormons but reluctant to bring up the subject. Emily and her husband, Jared, have talked about…
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Is Jesus “The One” in Mormonism?
In an article for Tabletalk magazine author and pastor Kevin DeYoung wrote, “There is one foundational question each of us must face…This question is so important that if you get this one wrong, you are going to get most everything else that really matters wrong. The foundational question is the famous query Jesus posed to…
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Mormons Yawn at Christian Heaven
Mormons look forward to an eternity–a Heaven–characterized as a sort of divine extension of their lives on earth. Calling mortal marriage “a laboratory for godhood,” the LDS Achieving a Celestial Marriage Student Manual states, “In the relationship of husband and wife and parent and child we begin to approach the divine calling of godhood. Our…
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Who Thinks Mormonism Is a Christian Religion?
Is Mormonism a Christian religion? Though we have discussed this question here so many times, here we go again. Because of the flap Pastor Jeffress caused in publicly identifying Mormonism as a “theological cult” on October 8 (2011), it seems that everybody is talking about where Mormonism fits into the religious landscape. Non-Christians and Mormons,…
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Why Are Non-Mormons Uncomfortable With Mormonism?
On October 10 (2011) LDS blogger Joanna Brooks posted an interview with Patrick Mason, author of The Mormon Menace: Violence and Anti-Mormonism in the Postbellum South (Oxford University Press, 2011). The topic of the interview: “Why Do Southerners Call Mormonism a Cult?” Dr. Mason said that before the Civil War, “…wherever Mormonism went, anti-Mormonism followed.…
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Mormon Official Equates Christianity with “a false cult”
Mormons believe that in 1820 a young Joseph Smith went into the woods to pray. In answer to that prayer, they believe, Joseph was visited by God the Father and Jesus Christ. Today this is called the First Vision. As Joseph reported this vision (in the version that has since been named “official”), he asked…
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The “genius” of the Book of Mormon
During a General Conference talk on October 2 (2011) LDS General Authority Tad Callister spoke about the Book of Mormon being “A Book from God.” Church News reports: “The genius of the Book of Mormon is there is no middle ground, declared Elder Tad R. Callister of the Presidency of the Seventy. ‘It is either…
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Five Basic Principles of a Mormon Testimony
A very popular new book (# 2 at this writing) found in the LDS bookstore chain Deseret Book is The Testimony Glove. According to the Testimony Gloves blog, “Testimony Gloves are a tool to help children understand the basic principles of a [Mormon] testimony.” This testimony is comprised of five points of knowledge: God is…
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Murder Among Mormons
“On October 15, 1985, a pipe bomb wrapped with nails exploded in the hands of Steve Christensen, a young Salt Lake City businessman. Two hours later, a similar bomb shattered the calm of a quiet cul-de-sac in one of the city’s most exclusive neighborhoods…The next day, as the city reeled in panic, the unthinkable happened…
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Why I’m Not a Mormon
Today’s Top 10 List (from LDS Scripture)
Part 2 of 2Continued… “…if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you…” The Bible calls God’s grace a gift; but Mormonism claims it must be merited: “…it is only after a person has so performed a lifetime of works and faithfulness—only…
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Why I’m Not a Mormon
Today’s Top 10 List (from LDS Scripture)
Part 1 of 2“…king Mosiah had a gift from God…” (current edition); “…king Benjamin had a gift from God…” (1830 edition). This illustrates just one of many substantial changes made to the original Book of Mormon (the original was said to have been revealed and translated by the power of God, see History of the Church 1:54-55). A…
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Romney’s and Huntsman’s “Pastors” on Historic Christianity
Last week Deseret News published an article titled, “Michele Bachmann’s pastor on Mormonism.” The article notes that outspokenly Christian presidential-hopeful Michele Bachmann has not said what she thinks of Mormonism (the religion of two of her political opponents), but the pastor at her new church home has. In July of 2007 Bob Merritt, pastor of…
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Proverbs 8 and the Mormon Doctrine of Preexistence
Don and Rayola Larson are Latter-day Saints who have served in various leadership roles in the Mormon Church. They have been teachers at two Church-owned and operated schools, and completed two proselyting missions. Of their mission to England, they write, “We began holding classes and taught groups of people…It soon became apparent that some of…
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Mormon Leaders Worthy of Hire
The Mormon Church and its members seem to take pride in the fact that the Church has no paid clergy. This pride also extends to include the strong sense of volunteerism within the Church. Virtually every active adult Mormon receives a “church calling” – a responsibility like teaching children’s Primary, working in a temple, or…
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Mormons Believe A Study in Scarlet is Inaccurate
Following the complaint of a student’s mother, the Sherlock Holmes story, A Study in Scarlet, has been reviewed and removed from a Virginia school district’s sixth-grade reading list as age-inappropriate. It isn’t because the archaic writing style may prove difficult for sixth-graders. It isn’t because of the stalking and graphic murders of the two main…
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A Royal Priesthood
The Priesthood is a big deal in Mormonism. At Mormon.org it is defined as “The power and authority of God, given to men on earth to act in all things for the salvation of God’s children.” Fifteenth LDS President Gordon B. Hinckley said, “Without [the Priesthood], we have nothing.” (Ensign, Aug 1998, 72) The April…
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The Transfiguration of Brigham Young
When Joseph Smith died in June of 1844, the Mormon Church faced a succession crisis. Mormon historian Richard S. Van Wagoner explained, “Despite frequent kidnaping and assassination attempts, Joseph Smith established no firm policies regarding presidential succession in the event of his death. The resulting confusion threw the prophetic transition into turmoil. He simply had…
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