Author: Sharon Lindbloom
-
Selected Testimonies of the Book of Mormon
LDS Church News published an opinion piece yesterday (4 August) that notes a few “Testimonies of the Book of Mormon” wherein people “witnessed the power of God working through” Joseph Smith during the book’s “translation” process. Included are the testimonies of: Each of these testimonies are subjective in nature: Emma held the opinion that Joseph…
-
Why Don’t Christians Accept the Book of Mormon?
At a meeting in Baltimore, Maryland in 1998, then LDS President Gordon B. Hinckley said, “I can’t understand why those of other faiths cannot accept the Book of Mormon. One would think that they would be looking for additional witnesses to the great and solemn truths of the Bible.” (The Ensign, 6/00, p. 18) President…
-
Mormon Children on the Path to Heavenly Father
The July issue of Friend, a magazine for children published by the LDS Church, includes an activity for children titled, “Your Path to Heavenly Father.” Presented as a board game, the instructions explain, “Your path back to Heavenly Father has some necessary steps. It also has other experiences that are not necessary but that help…
-
The Transfiguration of Brigham Young: Mormon Folklore?
For a two-part Viewpoint on Mormonism that aired July 21-22, 2016, click here Part 1 Part 2 When Joseph Smith died in June of 1844, the Mormon Church faced a succession crisis. Mormon historian Richard S. Van Wagoner explained, “Despite frequent kidnapping and assassination attempts, Joseph Smith established no firm policies regarding presidential succession in the event…
-
Trouble in Paradise: Thomas Marsh Takes a Stand
Thomas B. Marsh was the President of the Quorum of the Twelve [LDS] Apostles in 1838. Over the years, he had proven himself a loyal and faithful supporter of the Prophet Joseph Smith. Joining the Mormon Church in 1830 and called as an apostle in 1835, Marsh stood with Joseph Smith through thick and thin…
-
Mormon Missionary Strategy Gone Wrong
On June 11th (2016) The Salt Lake Tribune reported an odd Mormon-related story. Four LDS missionaries got in trouble with local authorities in Mexico for attempting to baptize three young brothers (a 9-year-old and 11-year-old twins) without their parents’ permission. Even stranger, the boys didn’t want to be baptized. The Salt Lake Tribune explained, “…the…
-
Mormon Leaders and Imperfections
Last week a “Defending the Faith” column by Daniel Peterson appeared in the Deseret News: “Are you looking for a church with perfect leaders?” In the article, Dr. Peterson argues that Mormons should not expect perfection from their leaders because they are mortal humans who are “going through the same mortal probation, the same learning…
-
Fundamentals of Mormonism
Morgan Scalley, the defensive coordinator for the University of Utah’s football team, addressed single adult Mormons last week, urging them to “master the fundamentals of the gospel” in order to achieve success. “What are the fundamentals of the church?” he asked rhetorically. “They are everything you’ve been taught since you were a [3-year-old] Sunbeam [in…
-
“The Mormon Jesus Is Not Our Jesus”
On May 23, 2016 One News Now published a short article noting that “Seminary leaders disagree about Mormons’ beliefs.” The seminary leaders in question are Richard Mouw (who thinks Mormonism is approaching orthodoxy), and Richard Land (who disagrees). The One News Now article merely summarizes the essence of this disagreement, using barely 200 words to…
-
Jeffrey Holland and the Determination of God
A couple of weeks ago LDS Apostle Jeffrey Holland addressed a Mormon congregation in Tempe, Arizona, telling them “don’t cut and run” when membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gets tough. Mr. Holland assured his listeners that “every promise will be honored…This is the Church of the happy endings” [3:10; 19:25]…
-
Mormon Apostle “Furious” with People Who Leave the LDS Church
On April 26th LDS Apostle Jeffrey Holland addressed a Mormon congregation in Tempe, Arizona. The theme of his talk was “God loves broken things.” Making it clear that everyone and everything is broken, Mr. Holland urged his listeners to hang on, persevere, and stay with the Church, assuring them that eventually, every promise will be…
-
Temple Tourism
I was puzzled by an article that recently came across my desk. Published by Pulse Nigeria, journalist Onnaedo Okafor provided readers with a list of “7 ancient temples around the world every culture enthusiast should visit.” The list included four Buddhist temples, one Sikh temple, and one Baha’i temple, most of them familiar as well-known…
-
Murky Waters Spin Around the New LDS Push for Transparency
In recent years the LDS Church has been working to change its image of being an organization that tightly controls and artfully spins historical issues to its best advantage. In what has been called a “push for transparency,” the Mormon Church has published several essays online that reveal some of Mormonism’s sordid history, framed in…
-
Forever Families?
Check out a two-part Viewpoint on Mormonism series airing August 24-25, 2020. Part 1 Part 2 Last week (3/22/16) Mormon blogger and author Mette Ivie Harrison answered the question, “Do Mormons Still Practice Polygamy?” Her “short answer” was “No.” But she followed up with another 1,000 words explaining that, in some cases, the answer is…
-
Mormon Apostle Urges Gaining a Sound and Sure Knowledge of the Atonement
In preparation for Easter, the LDS Church’s March Ensign magazine includes a “Gospel Classic” article titled, “The Three Gardens of God.” Originally titled, “The Purifying Power of Gethsemane,” this was a General Conference address delivered by LDS Apostle Bruce McConkie in April 1985. The March 2016 Ensign article is significantly shorter than Mr. McConkie’s original…
-
LDS Leaders Speak More of Jesus
Mormon blogger Jana Riess at Flunking Sainthood interviewed Gordon and Gary Shepherd regarding their research into the themes presented at the LDS Church’s General Conferences. The Shepherd brothers have performed a detailed analysis of all past General Conference talks and published their findings in a newly updated book, A Kingdom Transformed: Early Mormonism and the…
-
The Mormon Amazon Challenge
March 1, 2016 The LDS volume of scripture, the Book of Mormon, is available on Amazon.com. As with all things for sale at Amazon, the book is open to reviews. The Book of Mormon had apparently not been faring well enough, receiving too many negative reviews. According to KUTV.com in Salt Lake City, local LDS…
-
Joseph Smith is Triggering Faith Crises Among Mormons
The Salt Lake Tribune recently conducted a survey, asking readers (Mormons) “if they have experienced a faith crisis, what triggered it and how they resolved it.” The newspaper received just over 1700 responses. The demographical breakdown was roughly in thirds: no longer members (538), inactive members (637), and still active members (532). The faith-crisis triggers…
-
Mormon Rebels and Eternal Punishment
On February 4, 2016 the Huffington Post published an article by Mormon author and blogger Mette Ivie Harrison: “Do Mormons Believe in Hell?” She writes, “The short answer to this is simple: No.” Ms. Harrison goes on to explain that though the Book of Mormon speaks of Hell, it is “largely metaphorical.” She says, “But…