Category: Mormonism
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“Because Joseph Smith was a prophet…”
Mormonism was in the news a lot last weekend. Saturday and Sunday were the days of the LDS Church’s October General Conference. During the Church’s semiannual conferences, leaders of the Church are understood to encourage, challenge, and educate Mormons with inspired spiritual talks. Last Saturday morning the talk by Craig C. Christensen (of the…
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Mormonism’s “Near Deification” of Joseph Smith
Mormon blogger Mette Ivie Harrison posted an intriguing article on August 23rd at Huffington Post. She titled it, “Do Mormons Worship Joseph Smith?” In the article Ms. Harrison expressed her dismay that some non-Mormons might misunderstand the way modern Mormons feel about the faith’s first prophet and wrongly conclude that Mormons worship Joseph Smith. Latter-day…
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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…
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“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…
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Book Review: From Baptist Preacher to Mormon Teacher
From Baptist Preacher to Mormon Teacher Springville: Cedar Fort (2015) By Wain Myers Former Christians who end up joining Mormonism are cherished in many Mormon circles. For those who once served as Christian leaders or pastors, this is doubly true. Intentional headhunting of Christian leaders by Latter-day Saints has been in vogue for many years.…
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The Possibility of Idolatry
Peter Leithart at First Things recently addressed the oft-heard claim that “Christians and Muslims worship the same God but understand God in partly different ways.” He explains, “Muslims and Christians indeed share certain beliefs, and it is, of course, possible to believe different things about the same person… “Yet the common beliefs of Muslims and…
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Do Most Mormons Now Support the Ordination of Women to the LDS Priesthood?
Surveys and polls have been conducted among Mormons in recent years regarding the controversial question of whether or not women should be ordained to the all-male Mormon priesthood. LDS Church leadership has been resistant to the idea, explaining that the issue is a doctrinal one (which implies that a revelation would be required to open…
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Our Relationship with the Lord, by Bruce McConkie
Speech given by Mormon Apostle Bruce R. McConkie on March 2, 1982 at BYU. I shall speak of our relationship with the Lord and of the true fellowship all Saints should have with the Father. I shall set forth what we must believe relative to the Father and the Son in order to gain eternal…
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The Great and Abominable Church
In the March 2015 edition of Ensign magazine, Mormon Apostle Dallin Oaks discusses the topics of atheism, moral relativism, secular humanism and the “great and abominable church.” The article, titled, “Stand as Witnesses of God,” was a devotional address he gave in February of 2014. On page 30 he likens atheism to the teachings of…
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This is a Test: Joseph Smith and Deuteronomy 13
It had been a long forty years of wandering in the wilderness. God’s people Israel were finally nearing their Promised Land. Moses’ life was drawing to a close and the people were about to enter a new way of life under the untried leadership of Joshua. They needed to be prepared for what lay ahead.…
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Gospel Topics Essay: Joseph Smith’s Teachings about Priesthood, Temple, and Women
Gospel Topics Essay: Joseph Smith’s Teachings about Priesthood, Temple, and Women To see an introduction to the Gospel Topics essays, click here. The entire essay is printed below, underlined, with my commentary included throughout. Because I will try to be short and to the point as much as possible, a number of sites (many from MRM) to…
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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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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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Richard G. Scott Obituary (1928-2015)
Richard G. Scott, an apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, passed away on September 22, 2015, at 86.
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Is the Mormon Priesthood Really of Ancient Origin?
The authority of the priesthood is so important to the Mormon that without it, male members are not enabled “to act in God’s name for the salvation of the human family” (Gospel Principles, p. 67). Those without this authority are unable to perform any ordinances, as Apostle James Talmage explained: No one may officiate in…