Equipping Saints • Engaging Culture • Examining Claims
Photo: Google Gemini imagines Joseph Smith in a modern setting, “translating” a copy of the King James version of the Bible on the office copy machine. Questions of religious truth are ultimately matters of faith as well as evidence. But faith that is unwilling to examine evidence is not strengthened faith but rather faith that…
A Scholarly Examination from Inquisitive and Historical Perspectives Introduction to the Golden Plates and Their Significance The golden plates represent the foundational artifact claim of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), serving as the purported ancient record from which Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon between 1827 and 1829. According…
Plural Marriage in Mormon Doctrine: A Critical Theological and Historical Analysis I. Introduction: The Origins and Motivations Behind Mormon Plural Marriage The introduction of plural marriage into Mormon doctrine represents one of the most controversial and consequential developments in American religious history. While faithful Latter-day Saint (LDS) narratives have traditionally portrayed this practice as a…
Photo: On an April morning in 2008, law enforcement vehicles encircled the main temple rising from the dusty plains of the Yearning for Zion Ranch near Eldorado, Texas. The sprawling compound served as the heart of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, a secretive sect that had retreated from the outside world…
A Behavioral Analysis Examining Personality Traits, Motivations, and Discrepancies Between Official and Independent Accounts Prepared Using Accepted Psychological Methods of Personality and Behavioral Analysis January 2026 INTRODUCTION Joseph Smith, Jr. (1805-1844) stands as one of the most consequential and controversial religious figures in American history. As the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, Smith…
A Theological Analysis from the Traditional Christian Perspective Introduction The question of spiritual discernment has been a concern for the Christian church since its inception. From the apostolic era onward, believers have been exhorted to “test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”…
Origins, Development, and Comparison with Orthodox Christianity A Theological Analysis 1. Introduction to the LDS Belief in Demons The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) holds distinctive theological positions regarding the nature, origin, and function of demons that significantly depart from historic Christian orthodoxy. Central to this belief system is the doctrine of…
Photo: Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld – Bibel in Bildern. Woodcut for “Die Bibel in Bildern”, 1860. Public Domain. The Infinite Regress of Divine Origins A Philosophical Inquiry into the Ontological Problems of Latter-day Saint Theology Questions Worth Asking Series Introduction: The Question That Cannot Be Avoided Among the most distinctive claims of Latter-day Saint theology…
Photo: James Tissot, Woe unto You, Scribes and Pharisees, Brooklyn Museum. This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published (or registered with the U.S. Copyright Office) before January 1, 1931. Whitewashed Tombs: Matthew 23 and the Structural Parallels Between Pharisaic Judaism and Latter-day Saint Religious Culture A Theological…
From Examination to Declaration: A Major Revision What began as A Critical Examination of Joseph Smith’s Restoration Claims in Light of New Testament Theology has undergone a comprehensive revision — and with it, a new title that says exactly what the evidence demands: The Gates Did Not Prevail: A Biblical and Historical Case Against the LDS Great Apostasy…