There is a moment in every conversation about faith when words run out. Not because we lack information, but because information was never going to be enough. The story of William—a young man preparing for his Mormon mission, armed with arguments and fortified by years of religious training—illustrates this truth with striking clarity. Here was…
Category: Latter Day Saints
Prophets and Apostles in the Latter-day Saint Tradition
A Comprehensive Biblical and Theological Analysis Examining LDS Prophetic Claims Against Traditional Biblical Standards 1. Introduction The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) rests upon a foundational claim that distinguishes it from the traditional Christian tradition: the assertion that God continues to speak through living prophets and apostles who possess the same…
Joseph Smith: Failed Polygamist.
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…
Absence of Scriptural Precedent for Latter-day Saint Temple Rituals
Temples Without Biblical Foundation: A Theological Analysis of the Absence of Scriptural Precedent for Latter-day Saint Temple Practices Introduction The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints places extraordinary emphasis on temples and the rituals performed within them. These magnificent structures, numbering over 200 currently dedicated worldwide, serve as the locus of Mormonism’s most sacred…
The Most Prominent Latter-day Saint Defectors: Who? Why? Where?
Who Are They, What Happened, and Where Are They Now? The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, with its approximately seventeen million members worldwide, has long projected an image of unity, doctrinal certainty, and divine mandate. Founded by Joseph Smith in 1830 in the Burned-Over District of upstate New York—a region so named for…
LDS Doctrine and Covenants: A Critical Examination of Scripture, History, and Textual Changes
THE DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS: Including an Analysis of the Utah Lighthouse Ministry Document “Changing the Revelations” INTRODUCTION The Doctrine and Covenants holds a unique and pivotal position within the scriptural canon of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Unlike the Bible, which believers hold to be an ancient compilation of inspired writings, or…
Do the LDS Prophets Speak for God?
An Academic, Historical, and Traditional Christian Analysis of LDS Prophetic Claims Introduction In examining the role of prophets within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, one must first understand the foundational belief that these leaders are divinely appointed representatives of God. The LDS Church maintains that prophets have guided God’s people throughout biblical…
The Life of a Mormon Missionary
A Comprehensive Examination from a Traditional Christian Perspective Introduction The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), commonly known as the Mormon Church, operates one of the most recognizable and prolific missionary programs in the modern religious world. With over 74,000 full-time missionaries and 31,000 service missionaries serving worldwide as of 2024, the…
A Comparative Theological Analysis of Traditional Christian and Latter-day Saint Perspectives on Angels
THE ANGEL MORONI AND CHRISTIAN ANGELOLOGY: A Scholarly Examination of Divergent Doctrines Introduction: The Golden Figure on Temple Spires His likeness adorns the steeples of many Latter-day Saint temples, a gleaming golden figure with a trumpet raised to his lips, symbolizing the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the earth. He was the…
Schism in the Desert: The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and Mainstream Mormonism
A Comparative Analysis of Doctrinal Divergence and Historical Development Introduction In the vast, sun-baked landscape of the American Southwest, two religious communities claim spiritual descent from the same prophetic founder. Yet, their paths have diverged so dramatically that their relationship has become one of the most complex and contested in American religious history. The Church…