When most people use their rational faculties to test their testimonies about their religious scriptures, they tend to concentrate on things like history, archeology, or …
Religious Archaeology and Evidence
I’d like to discuss both Biblical and Book of Mormon archaeology. Most people believe the Bible is on solid archaeological footing, but that isn’t actually …
Pyramids-R-US
Last week I spent a supper hour (it took that long) reading an article called “America’s Ruling Class – And the Perils of Revolution” by …
Rules, Principles, Seeds & Shells, Part I
I sometimes wonder where the 32nd chapter of Alma would rank in a list of most iconic scriptures in the entire Book of Mormon. It …
Tackling the Mormon Myth about Alice Cooper
If you’re Mormon, you’ve probably heard the myth that Alice Cooper was a Mormon. Most of you have probably dismissed the myth as complete hogwash. …
Wandering Mormons as Nephites
More than two years ago, the Holy Spirit began insisting that I re-read the Book of Mormon. Of course, I didn’t immediately recognize the impulse …
The Mormon Therapist on the Color Gray
Natasha Helfer Parker is a Licensed Clinical Marriage and Family Therapist and a member of the Church with 13 years of experience working with LDS …
Choice Seer, Spokesman, and Scribe
Guest Post by Christopher C. Smith Chris has a BA from Fresno Pacific University in Biblical Studies, an MA from Wheaton College in History of …
A Non-Historical View of the Book of Mormon
Perhaps the time has come in the church to recognize that some members want to openly espouse a non historical view of the Book of …
Book of Mormon on the Baja
When I think of the Baja California Peninsula, I think of the Baja 1000 off-road race where people take lots of vehicles and cross the …
White and Delightsome or Pure and Delightsome? (Cognitive dissonance 2)
I’m 1/16 th Chippewa and don’t even look a little Indian! I figure from my knee down is pure Chippewa and for whatever reason I …
Dueling Wordprint Studies
This is the 3rd post reviewing By the Hand of Mormon, by Terryl Givens. I’ve taken a bit on an interest in wordprint studies. Givens …
Are Mormon Academics Winning the Debate with Evangelicals?
I’ve been reading Terryl Givens book, By the Hand of Mormon. While acknowledging archaeological data isn’t as strong as other aspects of the Book of …
Dialogue Subscribers and Book of Mormon Historicity?
In 2005 Dialogue conducted research among it’s subscribers. There was over a 1,000 responses which (assuming that everyone answered every question) is a fairly good …
Is a “believing heart” really a positive attribute?
I would like to introduce Madam Curie which many of you know her by on her replies at Mormon Matters she also has her own …
In the Shadow of the Temple by Guest
A close friend of mine who wishes to remain anonymous recently saw in the shadow of the temple his story follows: In October, I was …
Temple Wedding Petition
A temple wedding petition to is being circulated to promote love and happiness in the family by changing the church’s stance on civil marriages preceding temple …
Peruvian Setting for the Book of Mormon
It’s been some time since we talked about alternative Book of Mormon geography theories. For those new to the site, you may want to see …
Similarities between Lehi and the Lemba
The History Channel has a show called “Digging for the Truth.” In season 1, they did an episode called “The Lost Tribe of Israel”, which …
Did Elder Holland Denounce or Carefully Avoid the “Inspired Fiction” Theory?
If someone can find something in the Book of Mormon, anything that they love or respond to or find dear, I applaud that and say …
On Agency and Accountability: An Inter-dependent View
Jeff Spector wrote a post on Agency a few months ago which I enjoyed alot. The discussion led me down a slightly different path and I …
Have you read the Sealed Portion of the Book of Mormon Yet?
Christopher Nemelka has published the sealed portion of the Book or Mormon and has also translated the 116 pages of missing manuscript. His website can …
Scripture Inerrancy, Literalism, and Pres Veazey
There are those (especially among Evangelicals) who believe that the Bible is inerrant and literal. For example a scriptural literalist will claim that Noah’s flood …
Hypocrisy, Thy Name Is Biblical Translation
This probably will be the shortest post I ever write, but sometimes less is more. I hope that is the case here.
The Book of Mormon and the Prosperity Gospel
So, it seems that some of the other sites in the Bloggernacle have already sidebarred something about this little article from the New York Times …
The New CES Book of Mormon Institute Manual: Part 2
The Church have just published (although I wrote this from a draft that I had access to before it was published) the new CES Book …
Apostate = someone who fails to honor his own conscience
The third ward verses the seventh ward. Us verses them. Insiders verses outsiders. My buddies and I were third warders. We were full of ourselves. …
Dancing Through the Sidebar
Comment on any of the following articles – or anything else from the sidebar – or any other article of interest to this forum that …
The Word made Flesh: Poetry, Spirituality and Scripture
I find some poetry immensely moving and even spiritually satisfying. Even though I am not ‘well read’ I still sense that there is a vast reservoir of literature that could provide other channels of communication with God. For me poetry has been one of those channels, especially when it comes to considering my fear of death, I have found it helpful and liberating (check out ‘Aubade’ by Philip Larkin). In addition I have discovered a changing relationship with God through poetry.
Japanese: A Modern Case for Reformed Egyptian
One of the common complaints about and arguments against the Book of Mormon is the claim that it was written in “Reformed Egyptian” – a …
Alma 32, A Thought Experiment
Actually, we will begin with verse 28, but I don’t want to copy and paste everything…so I assume you all have scriptures (or can follow …
Trying to Understand My Friends Who Didn’t Leave the Faith
Here is a modified excerpt from a 60-page writing that I made for close friends and family members when I decided to leave the church …
What Bothers Me, and Why I Still Believe
I am an active member of the church, and a believer. I am well aware of most of the controversial issues (Book of Abraham, DNA, …
A South American Setting for Book of Mormon
A few weeks ago, we had quite a discussion on the Malay Theory. While I heartily acknowledge that Mesoamerica is the most widely believed setting, …
Interfaith International British DJ
OK Paul technically isn’t exactly an international DJ, not unless you consider that you can listen to his interviews on line.
Debunking the Spaulding Theory
In my previous post about Unconventional Book of Mormon Geography Theories, Doug G made a comment claiming that the Book of Mormon is related to …
Are we going to be Eunuchs after this life?
My home teacher (who is very cool) came by yesterday to drop off some starter cables for my car and as one does in that …
Joseph Smith and Wealth Redistribution
This article by a guest blogger originally appeared at Gospel Doctrine Underground. We want to thank the author for allowing us to re-post it here. …
Unconventional Book of Mormon Geography Theories
It’s been over a year since someone posted something on Book of Mormon geography, so I think it’s about time. Most of you believe that …
Scripture Study: What’s Expedient?
I’d like to start a new feature showcasing stuff I read in the scriptures and getting your opinions on what the heck you think it means. …
Mainstream acceptance of the Mormons’ Easter Story?
Around Easter 2004, National Geographic produced a documentary titled In Search of Easter. The producers interviewed a wide range of scholars about the Resurrection story …
The Untold Story of Black Mormons by Guest
When I served a mission in eastern Canada in the early 90s, there were many things I was grateful for (warm boots, wool suits, fairly …
Filtered Visions by guest Reuben Collins
I’ve been thinking about Levi Peterson’s The Backslider lately (SPOILERS AHEAD).
Bad Apologetics, Meet Bad Polemics
polemics: The art or practice of disputation or controversy, especially on religious subjects; that branch of theological science which pertains to the history or conduct …
Where would you go?
A few posts on MormonMatters got me thinking once about my relationship with other faith groups. For instance, a recent post on why it seems …
The Purposes of God Cannot Be Frustrated
The title is from DC3:1. Today’s guest post is from Bouvet and is in reference to this year’s Doctrine & Covenants manual, Lesson 4 is Remember …
The Curious Case of Solomon Spaulding
For years now I’ve heard people offhandedly dismiss the Book of Mormon as a known plagiarism of “the Solomon Spaulding manuscript.” I’ve finally gotten around …
Horus Bible Parallels
Recently I saw Religulous here and he touched on Horus here and a few of the parallels between the story of Horus and Jesus. Many …
The Age of (Un)Accountability
NOTE: This is the first post for a new Guest Author – The Faithful Dissident. We look forward to many more to come. Growing up …
Can you be a Unitarian and a Mormon at the Same Time?
We should gather all the good and true principles in the world and treasure them up, or we shall not come out true Mormons. Joseph …
Temperance Movement and The Word of Wisdom
For almost two centuries the Word of Wisdom is solid proven evidence to many members that the Church is true.
Should we have listened to BH Roberts?
BH Roberts predicted that if church leaders did not address the historical problems of church origins and possible anachronisms in the Book of Mormon, these …
President looks at church history with fresh eyes
While I was much more than casually aware of church history previously, since becoming president of the church I have engaged in an extensive study …
The Book of Mormon’s Doctrine of Deity
I am fascinated by the Book of Mormon’s teachings (i.e. doctrines) about deity. I am almost equally fascinated with the many scholarly attempts to force …
Deconstructing the Book of Mormon — the four things to never do
The Book of Mormon states: 2 Nephi 27:31 For assuredly as the Lord liveth they shall see that the terrible one is brought to naught, …
First Families: BOM and Restoration
There are some interesting parallels between the first family of the Book of Mormon and the first family of the Restoration (the Smiths). Coincidence? Or …
The Book of Mormon: A 20th Century Text
There are many positions on which century the Book of Mormon originated in, but most seem to fall into two general camps: the book was …
Feeling Guilt: Repentance or Excuse?
Here is an idea that has been kicking around in my head for many years. I thought I would see if I could really articulate …
Is Pride the Only Sin?
Can all sins be reduced to just one sin: pride? Is pride essentially the root cause of all sins?
Common Scriptures in Review: Mosiah 3:19
Mosiah 3:19 was the subject of a post recently about how we view our children in the Church. I wanted to comment more extensively in …
How Active Are You? How Orthodox Are You? A Self-Assessment
Take this assessment and find out: (Taken from D. Jeff Burton’s For Those Who Wonder : forthosewhowonder.com. Similar to a Correlation Department survey on Religion …
Virtual RS/PH #16: Revelation & the Living Prophet
Finally, a lesson that really makes you think! This is probably my favorite JS lesson this year (no one dies or has to move to …
Common Scriptures in Review: The Only True and Living Church
D&C 1:30 As the resident parser, here goes: First, here is verse 29: And after having received the record of the Nephites, yea, even my …
Obedience: Virtual RS/PH #13
Welcome to the second virtual co-ed 3rd hour. This week’s lesson is a topic that is often a seething hotbed of Mormon Matters controversy: “Obedience: When …
Common Scriptures in Review: Remembering
As I’ve said previously, although I truly enjoy intellectual analysis, what grounds me are my experiences – things that are so vivid and unexplainable that …
Evidences and Reconciliations (6/30/08)
And when the priests left their labor to impart the word of God unto the people, the people also left their labors to hear the …
Common Scriptures in Review: “God Would Deliver Them”
Something I have mentioned before is that I believe many members don’t really understand what the Book of Mormon actually says about many things – …
The Bright Night of My Soul
Andrew wrote a beautiful and moving post recently – “Dark Night of the Soul“. In reading that post and the subsequent comments, I had an …
Our Foundation Stories Part IV: The Book of Mormon Translation
Was the Book of Mormon translated? Was the Book of Mormon revealed? Was it inspired? Was it all three, or a combination of the above? …
The Book of Mormon: Would You Regularly Study Inspired Fiction?
I’m intrigued by those on the bloggernacle that see The Book of Mormon as fiction but inspired by God. It’s common to hear someone that …
Our Foundation Stories Part III: The Book of Mormon Comes Forth
As a child, the story of Moroni visiting Joseph Smith seemed familiar to me, but I couldn’t put my finger on just why. Only later, …
The Book of Mormon: For Our Day
Ezra Taft Benson taught that “the Book of Mormon … was written for our day. The Nephites never had the book; neither did the Lamanites …
Through the Ears of a “Gentile”
“I’m so glad I was born in this, the one true church of God.” “Please bless the party leaders tonight [of the Republican Party] that …
The Mormon Urge to Glurge
glurge (GLURJ) n. A sentimental or uplifting story, particularly one delivered via e-mail, that uses inaccurate or fabricated facts; a story that is mawkish or …
God’s Hit List in the Book of Mormon
One of the most unseemly and disturbing images in the Book of Mormon is when Nephi is commanded to cut the head off of Laban who …
What if Joseph Smith Published the Book of Mormon Last Year?
Many of you may have heard about a man named Joseph Smith that recently claimed to have found some plates of gold, shown to him …
The Greek and Roman Testaments: A Scriptural Analogy
One of the interesting panel discussions at last weekend’s Restoration Studies Symposium was entitled “The Future Status and Use of the Book of Mormon in …
A California Mormon visits the other Zion
By Joe Geisner (guest blogger) No I am not talking about Utah. I left Sam Brannan’s Zion for Joseph Smith’s Zion on April 11, 2008. …
Putting Away Childish Things: My Evolving View of God
When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a …
Drop it! Who’s Worthy to Take the Sacrament?
Is it ever appropriate to intervene when someone “unworthy” is going to take the sacrament? What level of “unworthiness” makes such intervention justified?
“The Whole Church is Under Condemnation”: The Talk that Changed the Church
April 1986: President Benson presides over his first General Conference. Did anyone listening to his humble little talk, called “Cleaning the Inner Vessel,” realize that …
Deconstruction and the Book of Mormon Part 3
Orson Scott Card has written some on King Mosiah, but I’ve got another point. He flees the land of their first inheritance. He arrives in …
“Anti-Nephi Lehies”: A Possible Explanation? A New Church Folk Doctrine?
There seems to be a lot of head scratching over the converted Lamanites suddenly taking the name “Anti-Nephi-Lehies” in The Book of Mormon. (Alma 23:17) …
Gathering God’s Words to “All Nations”: When, Where, How, and Who Cares?
At a recent General Conference, Elder Oaks reiterated the Book of Mormon prophecy that “the Lord will eventually cause the inspired teachings He has given …
The Jagged Little Pill We Call Mormonism
. . . . there I was writing my ex-wife a letter trying to explain what a Temple Marriage and Sealing is and what it …
The Unfinished Restoration: A Global Vision
Mormons tend to think of the Restoration as a discrete series of events that began with the First Vision and concluded with the Martyrdom. Because …
My Open Letter to Glenn Beck
Well, I’m back after a bit of an illness. I don’t know if this post will generate any interest, but I thought I’d share it. …
Bookends #2: Book of Mormon Studies–Orson Pratt
Today’s post is by Terry Foraker. Ever since its initial publication in 1830, the Book of Mormon has been the subject of countless studies. This …
Lost Hemisphere: A Traditional Book of Mormon Geography
When I was 6 and my sisters were 5 and 3, we read the Book of Mormon with my parents as a family. I was …
Deconstructing the Book of Mormon, Part Two
Deuteronomy 15:12-15 “in the seventh year, you shall let him go free from you …” or 16-18 “be your servant forever”
The Book of Mormon: Paving the Way for the Doctrine & Covenants
In my last post I discussed one possible view of the Book of Mormon as a basic doctrinal text and thus a foundation for Mormon …
The Book of Mormon: Keystone
A few months ago I decided to try an experiment as part of my Sunday School lesson in Gospel Principles. This was a fairly advanced …
Deconstructing the Book of Mormon, Introduction
While in law school I had the chance to talk with Jack Welch about the kingmen in the Book of Mormon. From that discussion in …
Whose Record is 4th Nephi?
In the latter part of the Book of Mormon, we see a resurgence of the name “Nephi.” First, we have Helaman’s son, Nephi (Helaman 3:21) …
LDS Myths about Reorganized Latter Day Saints
My uncle emailed me the other day. The bishop in his ward gave a talk about the Kirtland Temple and explained how the LDS church …
“Sorceries, and Witchcrafts, and Magics”
By about 325 A.D. the Nephites had reached this point: “And it came to pass that there were sorceries, and witchcrafts, and magics; and the …
Episode 17: Book of Mormon Introduction, Lamanites and Native Americans
Recently, the LDS Church made a change to the introduction page of the Book of Mormon that has garnered much press. The change seems to …