Category: Mormon Coffee Blog (2007-2019)
-
When Regret is Not a Synonym with Apology
Last Tuesday I attended the memorial service commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Mountain Meadows Massacre. The day before, I had the pleasure of meeting several of the descendants of the Fancher family in Cedar City. Suffice it to say that the memorial service was a somber occasion. Short speeches were given by both descendants…
-
Men on a Mission
A Business Wire press release dated September 10, 2007 announces an interesting new product that its creators hope will become the “must-have stocking stuffer of the year.” Mormons Exposed is producing and selling “a steamy 2008 calendar featuring twelve handsome returned Mormon missionaries who have dared to pose bare-chested in the first-ever Men on a…
-
Life is Short and Evangelism Should be Urgent
I’ve been out of town for about ten days. When Stacie and I returned to the Salt Lake City airport on Monday I stood by some newspaper vending machines and rocked little John’s stroller as my wife went to the bathroom. I glanced over and was shocked. The body of BYU student Camille Cleverley had…
-
September 11, 1857
A significant date in the history of our nation. A date marking tragedy in the history of many families. A day of mourning 150 years ago. A day of sorrowful remembrance in 2007. The Mountain Meadows Massacre is not pleasant to recall, but it should not be forgotten. There are lessons for all of us…
-
Abominable Creed
One of the oldest Christian creeds known today is the Apostles’ Creed. The Apostles of the early church didn’t formulate the creed; rather, the Apostles’ Creed, compiled later, is comprised of a brief summary of the Apostles’ teachings. This creed, as well as other Christian creeds, is sometimes recited as a formal statement of belief.…
-
The Mormon Church vs. Hollywood
Today the Hollywood movie September Dawn opens in 1000 theaters nationwide. The dramatized portrayal of the Mountain Meadows Massacre–wherein Mormon men massacred 120 emigrants as they peacefully passed through southern Utah in 1857–is unwelcome among Latter-day Saints. The film has been called “controversial” by the news media, but has received stronger condemnation from Latter-day Saints.…
-
Obeying Orders at Mountain Meadows: Would You?
Michael Medved’s criticism of the film September Dawn has garnered support from the LDS community, but many argue it overlooks historical complexities of the Mountain Meadows Massacre, questioning the motivations behind its portrayal.
-
LDS Temples Open to All
On August 8th ABC’s Nightline posted a story about the Hill Cumorah Pageant, a Mormon drama enacted each year by LDS Church members for audiences in Palmyra, New York. The sub-title to the Nightline article reads, “In Upstate New York, Mormons Re-enact Their History and Answer Questions About the Scrutinized Faith.” Journalists Dan Harris and…
-
Only Imperfect and Incomplete Repentance Brings Immediate Forgiveness
The repentance of conversion is definitive. It is the 180 degrees radical change of heart-attitude and heart-orientation away from lies and deceit toward Jesus Christ and his sure promises. The repentance of sanctification is an ongoing process. The Christian yearns for a deeper, more sincere, more authentic repentance. We want to be more aware of…
-
Authoritative LDS Teachings on Blacks and the Priesthood Designated “Folklore”
Last week Deseret News reported on a new film in the works: “Nobody Knows: The Untold Story of Black Mormons.” Three Latter-day Saints have teamed up to produce this documentary. They hope to present a theatrical release next June to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the LDS Church’s announcement lifting the ban on blacks…
-
LDS Apostle Explains the Purpose of Life
The official web site of the LDS Church has posted a transcript of the interview Apostle Dallin H. Oaks gave to Helen Whitney, maker of the PBS documentary “The Mormons” which aired earlier this year. Mr. Oaks told Ms. Whitney, “Before the close of his ministry, in Illinois, Joseph Smith put together the significance of…
-
Good Works in the Name of Christ
Over the last month Beliefnet.com has sponsored an online debate between LDS author Orson Scott Card and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary president Dr. R. Albert Mohler. As I was reading some of the debate today, one bit from Mr. Card’s argument posted on July 11th caught my attention. While acknowledging that Mormonism and “traditional orthodox…
-
LDS Student Sues Over Loss of Scholarship
The state of West Virginia offers financial aid to students via various funds and scholarships. One, PROMISE Scholarship (Providing Real Opportunities for Maximizing In-state Student Excellence), is described on its web site as “a merit-based scholarship program designed to keep qualified students in West Virginia by making college affordable.” As reported in The West Virginia…
-
Evangelicals Accused of Undermining Freedom of Religion
A couple of weeks ago the Vatican released a document which reaffirmed its belief that the Roman Catholic Church is the only true church. In the mass of media coverage following the release of this document, one Canadian newspaper column caught my attention. Paul Albers is a freelance columnist in Ottawa who also happens to…
-
Lifting the Veil of Polygamy Video Now Online
“This documentary examines the roots of Joseph Smith’s legacy, and its modern-day fruit. We follow the compelling testimonies of nine former fundamentalists, who shed light on this practice and lifestyle which has been shrouded in secrecy since the earliest days of Mormonism; but more importantly, they share the true freedom they have found in the…
-
Separate Entities, Several Gods
The Cincinnati Enquirer online recently published an article about various topics related to Mormonism. A sidebar to the article, titled “What they believe,” included this bullet point: ” There is no trinity. Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost are separate entities.” It struck me as odd that Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ and the…
-
James 1:5 — An Appeal to Scripture
I was recently reading in The Pearl of Great Price, Joseph Smith — History regarding the events leading up to Joseph Smith’s First Vision. As Joseph told the story, he talked about his confusion over which church was correct in the things they taught. Or, he wondered, were they all wrong? Joseph said all the…
-
Come to Manti in 2008
Three videos made by different ministries to encourage Christians to come help evangelize to Mormons at the Manti Pageant in Manti, UT during June 2008.
-
Fourth of July in Far West, 1838
On the 4th of July, 1838 the Mormons, gathered in Far West, Missouri, held a celebration. The following is an excerpt from former BYU historian Stephen C. LeSueur’s book, The 1838 Mormon War in Missouri, pages 49-53. Real conflict between the Mormons and the Missourians began a short time later. Three months after Rigdon’s speech,…
-
Mormonism’s Gigantic Insult to the Great Shepherd
Marvin Cowan in Mormon Claims Answered, chapter 7: The Apostle Paul wrote: “Unto Him (God) be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end Amen” (Eph. 3:21). Could that be true if there was a universal apostasy of the church for several centuries? Jesus also said, “Upon this Rock I…