Category: Mormon Coffee Blog (2007-2019)
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Mormonism’s Restoration Revokes Changes Wrought by Christ
Christian theologian John Piper wrote about “How Christ Fulfilled and Ended the Old Testament Regime.” Dr. Piper noted, “with the coming of Christ virtually everything has changed.” He listed five specific elements found in the Old Testament that the coming of Christ changed. Interestingly, the “Restoration” — that is, Mormonism — reinstituted many of the…
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I Looked out the Window and What Did I See?
Two months ago I had the amazing opportunity to visit Switzerland. What an inspiring display of God’s creativity! Deep blue water, soaring snow-topped peaks, brilliant green-carpeted valleys…and, of course, happy cows everywhere. One morning I watched out the window of our tour bus as we headed away from the incredibly beautiful village of Interlaken. As…
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Mormonism’s View: The Bible We Have Today “Is Rather Incomplete.”
Mormonism has always held to the position that the Bible we have today has been corrupted. In 1st Nephi 13 the Book of Mormon talks about the “many plain and precious things taken away from the book”; that is, the book identified in the Book of Mormon Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual as the Bible (see…
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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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General Conference: Mormons Told To Get Past Joseph Smith’s History and Move Forward
During last weekend’s General Conference of the LDS Church (3-4 October 2015), Mormon apostle Neil L. Andersen spoke on the topic of faith, and the importance of keeping it burning brightly. He said that faith does not come by chance, but by choice. Mr. Andersen talked about faith challenges that result from “honest questions,” emphasizing…
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How to Help Mormon Missionaries
I’m a mom. I get it. Mormon blogger and author Mette Ivie Harrison wants people to be kind to her kids as they serve their LDS missions. In a recent article at Huff Post Blog, “How to Manage Mormon Missionaries,” Dr. Harrison notes, “…as a mother whose daughter recently returned from the Houston, Texas mission,…
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Sexual Morality in Old Mormon Nauvoo
Sexual morality in early 1840s Nauvoo, Illinois, the City of Joseph [Smith], was enough to make most people blush. John C. Bennett, who had for 18 months been a member of Joseph Smith’s inner circle and close confidante, left the Mormon Church in May of 1842. He subsequently exposed “Joe Smith as the seducer of…
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Messing with the Gospel doesn’t make you wrong…
…it makes you an evildoer. In this sermon on Philippians 3:1-3, Christian Pastor Troy Dobbs examines the Apostles Paul’s warning to watch out for “the dogs” –religious people who “mess around with the Gospel.” “Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is…
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Praise to the Man: Joseph Smith
The September issue of the Ensign magazine includes an article celebrating the 30th “birthday” of the LDS hymnbook, Hymns (74-75). Even though the Ensign clearly states “there are no plans at this time for a new edition,” rumors are circulating to the contrary. Why the Mormon community would think a new edition is in the…
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When Moroni’s Promise is Broken
Most people who have experienced Mormon proselytizing are familiar with “Moroni’s Promise” found in the Book of Mormon: “And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a…
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From the Mailbag (17 Points of the True Church)
Please pray for me as i am trying to leave mormonism. My husband is very active in church and he sent me this. What do you think. Thank you.Connie FROM THE BIBLE: 17 Points of the True Church of Christ [1] Christ organized the Church (Eph 4:11-14)[2] The true church must bear the name of…
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Mormons, Take Courage
In February 2015 a small Facebook group of former Mormons was asked, “What is the #1 or main reason you left the LDS Church? What started your journey out of Mormonism?” This is what they said: “Discovering that it was false. I actually watched a speech by Lyndon Lamborn which opened my eyes.” “Going to…
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Theosis: “The Mormon View Is Altogether Different.”
This has been going on for far too long. BYU Professor Robert Millet, as part of his continuing apologetic for the Mormon doctrine of exaltation (i.e., faithful Mormons becoming Gods), perseveres in asserting that this doctrine did not originate with Mormonism, but was taught by the early (Christian) church fathers. Dr. Millet said as much…
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The Indefensible Book of Mormon
Evangelical professor and author Philip Jenkins, in addition to teaching and authoring books, blogs at The Anxious Bench. He has published an interesting series of articles over the past few months that examine the Book of Mormon as a historical text. The series began when he used the Book of Mormon as an illustration of…
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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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Mormonism hurts
The topic of the Mormon Church and race has been in the news again this summer. The June anniversary of the Church’s 1978 lifting of the priesthood ban passed mostly unnoticed, but a week and a half later, when the Church announced plans to index the records of 4 million freed slaves, people started talking.…
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Mormon Church-Approved Outreach
Mormon missionaries have been responding to the Broadway show, “The Book of Mormon,” all across the country. The Fresno Bee recently explained that Mormon missionaries stand outside of the theatre before and/or after the show to answer people’s questions and hand out copies of the actual Book of Mormon. This news story stood out to…
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Joseph Smith’s Gold Plates
Joseph Smith, the first Mormon Prophet, claimed he was divinely guided to a set of gold plates that were buried near his home in the state of New York. After taking possession of these plates, according to the official LDS account, Joseph translated the ancient writing they contained, which resulted in the Book of Mormon.…
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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…
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