“Oh way what is truth? Tis the fairest gem”
Joseph Smith wrote a coherent and well-worded letter in 1829
The most common defense of The Book of Mormon is that Joseph Smith was too “ignorant and unlearned” to be able to write a book that complex, thus it must have been of divine origin. As evidence a quote by Emma Smith: “Joseph Smith could neither write nor dictate a coherent and well-worded letter, let…
This is a list of references to seer stones in the Latter Day Saint movement history.
The role and understanding of seer stones in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has shifted throughout its history.[1] References to the Urim and Thummim (Latter Day Saints), spectacles, and interpreters are also included, as the term has been conflated at times with the term seer stones.[2] Am I missing any? Let me know in the comments.…
The Sacred Curse
How Native American DNA Exposes Mormonism’s Lamanite Myth by Simon Southerton This pdf is posted with permission from the author (“I’m happy for it to be distributed freely however you like.”) The destruction of Native American and Polynesian culture is one of humanities greatest tragedies, and continues to this day. We must come to grips…
Changes to the Relief Society Minutes
On Thursday, March 17, 1842, in the second-story meeting room over Smith’s Red Brick Store in Nauvoo, the Relief Society was organized. Eliza R. Snow took meticulous minutes of the meeting. These minutes were published in the Deseret News in 1855, but with significant (sometimes egregious) changes made by George A. Smith and three scribes. When Heber C.…
Repenting of Racism is “Well Doing” – A Response to Elder Cook
“Brigham Young also said things about race that fall short of our standards today. Some of his beliefs and words reflected the culture of his time. During this period, Brigham also taught, with respect to race, ‘Of one blood has God made all flesh.’ ‘We don’t care about the color.’” Elder Cook said Brigham Young…
A Letter to my Family
Introduction Truth is a light that brightens our path in life. I want to live with a loving God in the Celestial Kingdom, surrounded by my family and posterity, ever increasing in truth, power, knowledge, and perfection. Could anything be more wonderful? I love the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I owe so…
Why there are no U.S. Gringo Missionaries in Venezuela
…it wasn’t just because it was dangerous This is a crazy story of illegal missionary border crossings, arrests, document destruction and jailing. This is a story of ethical fading. It is a common belief that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints pulled its North American missionaries out of the country in 2005 due…
Did the April 10th Day of Fasting Work?
Many aspects of religion are required to be taken on faith. Elements of the religion are inherently untestable or unmeasurable. The call by President Russell M. Nelson of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for a worldwide day of fasting and prayer provides a rare opportunity to measure the impact that faith has…
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Oh Say What is Truth? 