The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-
Mormonism is the term historically used by both members and outsiders to refer to the religious system underlying the LDS Church. The name is derived from the Book of Mormon, a document believed by LDS members to be sacred scripture equal to, and in some aspects superior to, the Bible.
You'll see them in almost every little town, small city, or metropolitan area in
America-
No, of course they aren't the same two young men in all these places, but at times
it may seem that they must be from an "army of clones"! Although they do come in
a variety of sizes and shapes, the average pair is tall and slender, and their demeanor
uniformly cheerful but earnest. When you open your door to them, you will notice
each is wearing a name badge indicating that he is "Elder Smith" (or Jones, or whatever.)
For these young men, most of them from 18-
In more recent times, this army of male Missionaries has been joined by a comparable
corps of young women who also go out door to door two-
Up through the 1960s, this encounter at the door was often the first exposure many
people had to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-
The most recent LDS ads feature active young men and women from a variety of backgrounds chatting about what they do at work and play, “just like the folks next door,” with the punch line, “I’m a Mormon.” The denomination has admitted that their purpose is not so much to directly spread the Book of Mormon… but to change the public perception of Mormonism by emphasizing what “normal” lives Mormons lead.
If you accepted that offer of a Book of Mormon in the past, and invited those young
men or women into your home to give you their "testimony," what would you have heard?
What claims would they have made for the organization they represent, in order to
attempt to persuade you to invite them back again-
The Claims
Many religious movements with highly "unusual" practices and doctrinal ideas are
careful to avoid discussion of their more controversial practices and ideas with
brand-
Instead, at the beginning of your relationship with Mormon missionaries, you will be presented with the most "palatable" of their claims for themselves.
These may include some or all of the following claims. Please note that one of the purposes of this profile of Mormonism is to refute a number of the following claims. Therefore the wording does not indicate agreement with the claims, it merely indicates how the Mormons themselves present their view of themselves. Information later in this profile will examine these claims in detail and present documentation questioning their validity.
Mormons claim:
1. The LDS Church is a true Christian denomination. One "proof" of this is the prominent
role of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in LDS public relations. The world-
From: http://www.onlineutah.com/choirhistory.shtml
"A widely recognized institution of American culture, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir
has performed at four presidential inaugurals-
2. The LDS Church believes in the inspiration of the Bible, and accepts the King
James Version of the Bible as part of the scriptural foundation of the LDS Church.
3. The LDS Church was founded by the work of a true modern prophet, Joseph Smith
( Jr.), in the 1800s.
4. This Joseph Smith was visited by God and Jesus, and later by an angel who showed
him where to find hidden "golden plates" on which were written in an ancient language
a document equal to the Bible as true "scripture."
5. Joseph Smith was given the "gift and power of God" to translate the golden plates.
6. The document Smith translated was an ancient record written primarily by a man
named Mormon, and thus the book was given by Smith the name Book of Mormon.
7. Through this book, and further revelations directly from God to the Prophet Joseph
Smith, Smith "restored" to mankind the pure Gospel of Jesus Christ that had been
corrupted from its first century purity.
8. None of the teachings of the Book of Mormon or other revelations to the prophets
of the LDS Church contradict the Bible as it was originally written.
9. Smith and his close associates started the organization now known as the LDS Church in the 1830s. Since Smith's death, God has granted to the LDS Church a series of prophets to lead the church. Each has had the authority to declare new revelation from God. And each has unquestioned authority over all doctrine and practice of the Church, which they exercise to maintain the purity of the Church started by Joseph Smith.
The Allure
1. The LDS Church has long had a public "reputation" as having members who are clean
morally, good citizens, helpful in times of local and national emergencies, and who
have close-
Thus those individuals who value "practical
application" of religion may well be drawn to try to understand what it is about
the Mormon religion that yields such strong dedication to taking care of physical
needs and family relationships.
2. The average young Mormon missionaries are very good "salesmen" for the religion
just by their very appearance and demeanor. They are exceptionally clean-
Thus the evident zeal and dedication to their missionary calling of
the young Mormons may spark an interest in learning what it is that is so compelling
about the belief system that could call forth such enthusiasm from young adults.
Concerns
Please note that the full name of the founder of Mormonism was "Joseph Smith, Jr." His father, Joseph Smith, Sr., was also involved in the early history of the Mormon movement. But he played a very minor role. For practical purposes, the material on this site will use simply "Joseph Smith" to refer to the Mormon founder. If occasional reference is made to his father, the full name Joseph Smith, Sr., will be used.
In light of specific claims of the LDS church summarized above, there are a number of areas of serious concern regarding the religious system of Mormonism.
The Bible
Mormons claim to base their religion on both the Bible and the Book of Mormon. They imply to outsiders that the Book of Mormon does not contradict the Bible in any way, and that they hold the Bible in the same esteem as do other denominations. The reality is, however, that within the LDS Church, they teach that the original manuscripts of the Bible were hopelessly corrupted by unscrupulous religious leaders, and changed in parts, beginning shortly after the death of the Apostles. They claim that the Bible is thus an inferior document now in comparison to the Book of Mormon.
Both the Book of Mormon and many, many of the other "revelations" to Mormon founder Joseph Smith violently contradict Biblical teachings. But this is explained away in every case by insisting that the portion of the Bible that seems to contradict the Book of Mormon must have been corrupted. For documentation on just what Joseph Smith and later Mormon authorities have taught about the reliability of the Bible, see the Mormon View of the Bible section of the Quotations page of this profile.
The Book of Mormon
While the Bible is viewed within Mormonism as defective and unreliable, the Book of Mormon is touted as "the most correct book ever written." It was alleged to have been "translated" by Smith by the "gift and power of God" that involved word by word and even letter by letter being given directly to Smith. And thus it ought to be close to "letter perfect," allowing for a few scribal mistakes when making later copies. This is not so, however. There have been many thousands of changes made to the original manuscripts of the Book of Mormon in later editions of the book. Many of them have been to correct the almost unbelievably poor grammar in the original.
In addition, the reader is expected to believe that God gave a translation to Joseph Smith in the 1800s that spoke in the language of the King James Bible of the 1600s. In fact, significant amounts of the text of the Book of Mormon are direct quotes from the KJV itself, yet they are not presented as quotations at all. They are claimed to be instances in which people in the Western Hemisphere prior to the time of Jesus used the same phraseology as Bible authors. This is even more amazing when one considers that Mormon, the individual alleged to have written the text on the golden plates, was supposedly writing in a language called "Reformed Egyptian," the Bible was originally written in Hebrew and Greek, yet the "translation" by Joseph Smith ended up using exact phrases in King James English from the KJV.
For documentation on a number of the changes in the Book of Mormon, along with descriptions of internal contradictions in the original itself and more, see the Book of Mormon section of the Quotations page of this profile.
The Role of the LDS Church
The LDS Church has complained publicly at times, including to news reporters, that
it is "unfair" of others to deny that Mormonism is a true Christian denomination.
What they do not admit publicly is that they teach within the Church that anyone
who is not a member of the LDS denomination is not a Christian. Thus it claims not
just to be "a" Christian denomination. It claims to be the only Christian denomination.
See the Mormonism-
The role of Joseph Smith
The entirety of Mormon religion stands or falls on the claims of Joseph Smith. It is absolutely impossible to establish any of the unique Mormon doctrines from the Bible. And most of them are not even derived from the Book of Mormon. They are instead a product of the "revelations" allegedly received by Joseph Smith. It is impossible to be "neutral" about Joseph Smith, and accept that he might have just been a good teacher of some good things, but just "mistaken" about others.
If Joseph Smith is what he claimed to be-
The History of the Mormon Movement and Mormon Doctrines
The actions of the current leadership of the LDS Church (along with past generations of such leaders) seem to give evidence of a deliberate attempt to keep many specific documents from Mormon history from the eyes of the general LDS membership. These documents include statements made by the early Mormon prophets and apostles that are clearly contradicted by later statements. And they include evidence of some beliefs and practices promoted by Joseph Smith and other early Mormon authorities which are considered in modern times, even among dedicated Mormons, to be ludicrous at best and evil at worst.
The most comprehensive collection of documentation regarding such changes easily available is likely that in the book The Changing World of Mormonism by Jerald and Sandra Tanner. It is available for free download from the Internet at the link shown. For a few examples from the Tanners' book, see the Changes in Mormonism section of the Quotations page of this profile.
The Unique Doctrines of Mormonism
Non-
Such assumptions would be totally in error. The Mormon religious system has precious little in common with most of the basics of Bible fundamentals. As mentioned above, the unique doctrines of the movement were not "developed" through Bible study, but were imposed directly by Joseph Smith and later Mormon prophets through claims of direct divine revelation. Some of these unique doctrines include:
1. God was once a man, existing on another planet. He died and was resurrected ,
and then came to this earth bringing one of his "spirit wives" … and the two of them
became Adam and Eve.
2. All humans who ever existed in the flesh had a pre-
3. The only way for a person to enter into the "highest reward" in the after-
4. The salvation offered by the Blood of Jesus Christ is merely a guarantee of resurrection
to "a" spirit life. Mormonism teaches that Christ's sacrifice provides resurrection
and eternal life to everyone, believer and unbeliever alike. "Salvation by grace
alone" in Mormon doctrine refers specifically to only this promise. Those who hope
to be "glorified" in the after life, and attain to true "godhood" in the same way
that they declare "God" attained to His godhood, however, must add to that grace
complete obedience to all Mormon doctrines.
5. Although the LDS Church has had to publicly restrict polygamy among its members
since the late 1800s in order to avoid problems with the US government, the doctrine
of the importance of polygamy is still in its set of doctrinal beliefs. This importance
includes the fact that the level of reward a man inherits in the Celestial Kingdom
is based in part on the number of wives he has in this life.
6. A significant proportion of the requirements necessary for exaltation in the after life are connected with the performance of secret rituals in a designated Mormon "temple." These rituals include occultic symbolism, secret handshakes, and secret words, obviously adapted in part from Masonic rites. They also include strange oaths, also obviously adapted from those used by the Masons. (Mormon founder Joseph Smith joined the Masons two years before his death, at the time he was developing the various temple rituals and symbolism that were to become a permanent part of the religion of the LDS Church.) These include vowing to never reveal the various secrets one hears in the ceremonies, upon penalty of having one's throat slit, tongue ripped out, and being disemboweled.
And then there is the matter of the "holy underwear" … (see the Glossary of Mormon Terms for details on that.)
See the Nature of God and the Polygamy sections of the Quotations page of this profile for some documentation from Mormon writings about these these topics.
Proof for the Unbeliever
Many if not most religious groups seeking to win you as a convert will encourage you to study their literature and compare it to the Bible to determine for yourself the validity of their claims for their group. Thus your decision to affiliate with a certain religious movement would normally be based on your conviction from your studies that the material was accurate and the reasoning valid.
Not so the young Mormon missionaries in your home. They will encourage you to seek the same source of "proof" which they have that convinced them that Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God, and that he truly translated the book of Mormon by the "gift and power of God." That proof is what they may refer to as the "burning bosom." In other words, you are to pray and ask God to miraculously reveal to you that He does, indeed, endorse Mormonism and its founding prophet. And that miracle will be a "burning sensation" in your chest.
Mormon Pop Culture Trivia Quiz
1. What famous singing duo were born and raised as Mormons?
2. What popular sci-
3. What Darryl F Zanuck epic movie from 1940 was based on a Mormon theme?
4. What famous hotel chain tucks a book of Mormon in the dresser drawer of every room … and why?
5. What is the oldest continuously broadcast network radio program in America? (now TV too)
Answers:
1. Donnie and Marie (Osmond) whose wholesome cuteness provided more good public relations for the LDS Church than anything since the Mormon Tabernacle Choir began performing publicly.
2. Battlestar Galactica. Producer Glen Larson admittedly built into many of the plots Mormon doctrines and practices. For details on some of the parallels, see the following weblinks.
http://endtimesjournal.tripod.com/mormonsinspace.htm
http://web.archive.org/web/20060716211919/http://www.proaxis.com/~sherlockfam/art5.html
3. Brigham Young, with Dean Jagger as Young, Vincent Price as Joseph Smith, and also starring Tyrone Power, Linda Darnell, and Mary Astor, Brian Donlevy and John Carradine
4. The Marriot Hotel Chain, as founder J. Willard Marriot is a devout Mormon.
5. "Music and the Spoken Word," a program featuring selections by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, along with short dissertations by Mormon leaders on "inspirational topics". It first aired in 1929 via NBC affiliate KSL in Salt Lake City.
Nuggets of Truth
Mormonism as a theology-
The most admirable of these has possibly been the emphasis on self-
Examination
The single most helpful source of information and commentary regarding concerns about
Mormonism is the 1980 book The Changing World of Mormonism. (See Bibliography details
below.) Authors Jerald and Sandra Tanner provide 591 pages of detailed information,
documentation, commentary and resources regarding every aspect of the Mormon movement.
Both were former dedicated members of the LDS organization, and Sandra is a great-
The full text of this excellent resource is now available for immediate download free of charge on the Internet at:
http://www.utlm.org/onlinebooks/changecontents.htm
The Brief overview of the early history of the Mormon movement on this Field Guide site was compiled from information gleaned from the Tanner's book as well as the many other books listed in the Bibliography at the end of this profile and a number of Internet websites linked in the Documentation section below.
As with most religious groups, Mormons have a set of words describing various aspects of their beliefs and practices which may confuse outsiders. See the Glossary of Mormon Terms for definitions of some of these terms.
A number of items of documentation in this profile are attributed to a variety of Mormon leaders and others influential in the history of Mormonism. To get quick information on when these individuals lived and how they fit into Mormon history, see Who's Who in the History of Mormonism.
The Book of Mormon is not the main source of the unique doctrines of Mormonism. The Mormons have several documents considered "scripture." See Mormon Scriptures for a short overview of these documents.
Science and Social Science and the Book of Mormon
One of the areas of serious concern brought up by critics of the claims for the Book of Mormon to being a true account is that of the archaeology, anthropology, social, and biological history of the Western Hemisphere.
For instance, the Book of Mormon claims that the peoples it describes brought with them from the Middle East all sorts of domesticated animals such as cows, asses, horses, swine, and even elephants, using them during a period of many centuries in various parts of the Western Hemisphere. Yet there is absolutely no evidence historically that any of these animals existed in the Western Hemisphere until they were introduced much later by European immigrants in the great historical ages of exploration and settlement. At the same time, the type of animals actually prevalent in the Western Hemisphere during the times and places allegedly covered by the Book of Mormon, such as llamas and turkeys and deer are not mentioned at all.
Likewise, the crops described in the Book of Mormon, such as wheat and barley, were not those indigenous to the Western Hemisphere at all. And the crops that were historically present in areas where the Book of Mormon peoples supposedly sojourned, such as maize and chocolate and tomatoes are never mentioned.
And finally, in spite of over a century of enthusiastic attempts by amateur and professional Mormon archaeologists digging throughout Northern and Central America, backed by a total of no doubt millions of dollars in expenses, there has never been any tangible evidence found substantiating any alleged fact of the Book of Mormon story. Mormons have been unable to identify the location of any of the events of the story, have never found any ruins or inscriptions which can be attached to any portion of the Book of Mormon.
The following links provide documentation on these areas of concern:
The chapter on "Archaeology and the Book of Mormon" in The Changing World of Mormonism by Jerald and Sandra Tanner is available online at:
http://www.utlm.org/onlinebooks/changech5c.htm
A summary of the questions raised by Book of Mormon culture, metallurgy, animals, crops, and geography is available at:
http://www.lds-
Quotes
Because the LDS Church leadership has tended to shield the average member from some
of the documentation in support of criticism of the movement, many Mormons are unaware
that such documentation exists. Thus when critics quote actual Mormon historical
sources to establish their concerns, loyal Mormons may discount the claims as only
hearsay. In response, many of the most effective commentators on the movement have
collected actual photo-
The LDS Church has diligently retained in its archives originals or early copies
of almost all relevant writings of its founder and early leaders, including printed
newspapers and booklets and books, and hand-
See Revealing Quotes from the History of the Mormon Movement on this Field Guide site for a collection of quotations taken directly from such original source documents.
Other flavors of Mormonism
The focus of this profile is on the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-
There are at least 50, and likely many more, other much smaller church organizations
which trace their history to the teachings of Joseph Smith and his Book of Mormon.
Some use the name Latter-
The largest of these is the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-
They have traditionally shared many, but not all, of the doctrines of the Utah LDS
group. In recent years there has been a liberal element in the denomination that
has been attempting to steer the group toward more mainstream Protestant beliefs.
The tension between liberals and hard-
http://religiousmovements.lib.virginia.edu/nrms/rlds.html
One of the smallest of the rival organizations, with about 3,000 members, is the
Church of Christ (Temple Lot). Before his death, Joseph Smith had designated, by
an alleged revelation, a spot in the Independence, Missouri, area as the site of
the Return of Christ. And he laid the northeast cornerstone for a temple to be built
there in preparation for Christ's return. But shortly after that the Mormons were
driven from the area. Many continued to believe that some day the prophecy would
be fulfilled, and that there would be a re-
After the largest contingent of Mormons aligned themselves with Brigham Young and moved west, small splinter groups remained in the east. And one tiny group of them quietly returned to Independence. By 1877 they had bought the actual lot on which the cornerstone sat, as well as several lots surrounding it. They incorporated as the Church of Christ (Temple Lot). And in 1929 they actually attempted to start construction of a temple. They found the original northeast cornerstone with an inscription still on it, as well as a matching southeast cornerstone. After excavating a basement area, the financial devastation of the Depression left them without funds to continue the project. They eventually filled in the hole, and have since been in a holding pattern, waiting for the finances and some sort of sign from God that it is time to build the Temple.
The Utah LDS Church has a large, lovely Visitor's Center next to the Temple Lot.
The Reorganized LDS group has it's World Headquarters Building right in sight of
the same spot. And the Church of Christ (Temple Lot) has its own small building right
on the property that surrounds the site for the Temple. The Utah LDS and the RLDS
would have the money to build an impressive Temple, but they have no access to the
site. The COCTL has the site, but no money. It is a perpetual stand-
The Church of Christ (Temple Lot) has a small website.
Evaluation
From: "Divine Authenticity of the Book of Mormon," Orson Pratt (Mormon Apostle),
Liverpool, 1851, pp.1-
The Book of Mormon claims to be a divinely inspired record.... If false, it is one
of the most cunning, wicked, bold, deep-
If, after a rigid examination, it be found an imposition, it should be extensively published to the world as such; the evidences and arguments on which the imposture was detected, should be clearly and logically stated....
But on the other hand, if investigation should prove the Book of Mormon true ... the American and English nations ... should utterly reject both the Popish and Protestant ministry, together with all the churches which have been built up by them or that have sprung from them, as being entirely destitute of authority.
This profile of Mormonism provides the "evidences and arguments" for which Pratt called. The LDS Church now claims over 11 million adherents. The Book of Mormon has, indeed, deceived millions.
Joseph Fielding Smith (who later became the tenth President/Prophet of the LDS Church), noted in 1959 (highlighting added):
Mormonism, as it is called, must stand or fall on the story of Joseph Smith. He was either a prophet of God, divinely called, properly appointed and commissioned, or he was one of the biggest frauds this world has ever seen. There is no middle ground.
"If Joseph Smith was a deceiver, who wilfully attempted to mislead the people, then
he should be exposed; his claims should be refuted, and his doctrines shown to be
false,... I maintain that Joseph Smith was all that he claimed to be" (Doctrines
of Salvation, 1959, vol.1, pp.188-
This profile maintains that Smith was not what he claimed to be. Perhaps the most
telling evidence of this is the matter of the "translation" of the so-
This will, of course, not likely happen. But each person thus inoculated by the evidence presented here, and in the many books and websites challenging the claims of Mormonism, would mean one less person caught in the web of Mormon deception.
Personal from the Webauthor
A few years ago, after I had been studying the Mormon movement for quite some time, a couple of young Mormon women missionaries showed up at my door one day. I decided to cheerfully invite them in and listen to their presentation as part of my ongoing research. When they had finished telling me a bit about the story of Joseph Smith, with each sharing her individual "testimony" that she knew these things to be true, they asked if I'd like to continue to study with them.
I was honest with them, and explained I had been studying their church's history and doctrines for some time. I admitted I would like to hear more from them, but not via their usual "canned lessons" since I was already familiar with most of the material they would cover. I asked them if they would be willing to just sit down with a Bible and discuss their claims in the light of what it said.
The young woman who was the obvious "head missionary" of the two had been a lifelong
Mormon. The other young woman was a recent convert in the past year or two. The new
convert smiled broadly and said she would love to start such a study because she
had always wanted to be able to prove her faith from the Bible. The old-
By about the third visit, I began pressing them for answers to some of the sort of controversial questions brought up in this Field Guide profile. As I suspected, they knew little or nothing of any of these matters, including the startling evidence regarding the Book of Abraham papyri. But they bubblingly assured me with grins that even though they had no answers for my questions, their local bishop would. So they agreed to take some photocopies of puzzling documents I had to him for his answers.
I did not provide them with my strongest contrary evidence, just some items from the tip of the iceberg. They returned with what they believed to be satisfactory answers to my questions the next week. I explained to them that the answers they had were inadequate to answer the full range of questions involved … and at that point provided them with copies of some of the most damaging evidence against Joseph Smith's claims. I didn't explain what was in the material, just handed it to them to peruse later. They agreed once again to take the material to their bishop, who would no doubt be able to answer all my questions.
I never saw or heard from them again! A few weeks later, some young Mormon men showed
up at my door, appearing to not realize that my house had already been "canvassed."
I asked them about the young women who had been assigned my territory only weeks
before, and were surely due to be in the same place for a year or more. Oh, explained
the young men … those young ladies had been unexpectedly re-
I was.
I thanked the young men for their time, but noted that their bishop probably wouldn't want them to spend time in my home. They were puzzled at my comments, but thanked me and left.
Web Documentation
Websites useful for research regarding Mormonism:
Recovery From Mormonism
Self-
The purpose of this site is to let people who are or were in Mormonism know they
are not alone in their feelings and experiences in their quests to regain their lives
after years in this religion. We have e-
The Recovery From Mormonism site particularly has an excellent collection of "ex-
http://www.exmormon.org/goodsite.htm
Mormon Origins
http://www.xmission.com/~research/about/
Self-
The purpose of this Web Site is to make available historical information and/or documents relating to Mormon origins.
Joseph Smith at lds-
http://www.lds-
A large collection of documentation on the life and teachings of Joseph Smith, including the text of Fawn Brodie's biography of Smith, No Man Knows My History, recommended by many as the most comprehensive, objective and useful biography of Smith to date. Also includes Smith's own diaries, journals, and collections of "revelations," material discussing Smith's polygamy, a biography of Smith's first wife Emma, and a "Psychobiography" of Smith in which "Psychiatrist Robert D. Anderson looks at Joseph Smith's early life and how the events that transpired made it into the Book of Mormon narrative."
Utah Lighthouse Ministry
Self-
Utah Lighthouse Ministry is a Christian non-
Originally founded as Modern Microfilm Co. by Jerald and Sandra Tanner, the company
was reorganized as a non-
Jerald and Sandra Tanner were raised in the LDS faith, both with a strong Mormon
family history. Jerald is the great-
As teenagers, before they met, Jerald and Sandra were challenged by different people and events to examine the origins of Mormonism. Soon after their introduction, they jointly began researching Mormonism and became engaged. Both accepted Christ during these early years of study and have left the Mormon church. They are both active members of a local Christian church in Salt Lake City.
The Tanners are authors of over forty books on the subject of Mormonism. They are well known for their extensive research into Mormon history and doctrine. Utah Lighthouse Ministry provides these books and research, as well as photocopies and reprints of original Mormon documents to the public.
The Utah Lighthouse Ministry site described above includes the complete text of a
number of books regarding Mormonism. This includes the whole 590+ pages (including
a hyper-
http://www.utlm.org/navonlinebooks.htm
Mormons in Transition
An excellent site providing extensive documentation and commentary that covers the concerns raised in this Field Guide profile of Mormonism.
Bibliography
The following books, among many others books, articles, websites, and other sources of information, were consulted for information regarding the history, activities, and beliefs of the Mormons. All are in the webauthor's private collection. Those wishing to do more extensive research on any of the topics covered may find this list useful as a starting point. Most of these books include extensive bibliographies of other books related to their specific topic.
A number of these books are still available new from Amazon.com, and some that are temporarily or even permanently out of print are still available through Amazon.com's used book services.
Also, some of these, both new and old, may be available to borrow through your local
library via the "Inter-
Beyond Mormonism: An Elder’s Story
Spencer, James R.
Fleming H. Revell, Old Tappan NJ
1984
Author Spencer was a convert to Mormonism, and active as an elder, teacher and more for ten years. He then became disillusioned with the doctrines of the Church, and eventually was disfellowshipped. He later became a pastor in an evangelical church. This volume is a very chatty, informal description of that spiritual journey and the trauma he and his family experienced around the time of his disfellowshipment. (179 pages)
By His Own Hand Upon Papyrus: A New Look at the Joseph Smith Papyri
Larson, Charles M.
Institute for Religious Research, Gr. Rapids, MI
1985, revised 1992
The complete text of this book is now available on the Internet for free download at:
http://www.irr.org/mit/Books/BHOH/bhoh1.html
In 1835, Joseph Smith and the early Latter-
The Changing World of Mormonism
Tanner, Jerald and Sandra
Moody Press, Chicago IL
1980
This book, written by former dedicated Mormons (Sandra is a great, great granddaughter
of Brigham Young) is an exhaustive investigation into the history of Mormonism and
the many changes in doctrine within the organization made in recent decades. Many
teachings which were formerly touted to be established by direct divine revelation
to LDS founder Joseph Smith and later Prophets of the Church have been changed without
any explanation how God could have changed His mind. The Tanners provide extensive
documentation regarding these matters including photo-
Complete text available for free download online at:
http://www.utlm.org/onlinebooks/changecontents.htm
The Maze of Mormonism
Martin, Walter
Vision House Publishers, Santa Ana CA
1962, 1978
A concise overview of the history of Mormonism, along with detailed documentation and commentary on a number of the specific doctrinal areas in which Mormonism differs from Protestantism in general.
The Mormon Corporate Empire
Heinerman, John and Shupe, Anson
Beacon Press, Boston MA
1985
From the back cover of the book: "[The authors] have looked behind the public image of the LDS Church to find a tremendously powerful financial empire with a distinctly authoritarian ideology. The authors document carefully how the Mormon Church has sought to extend its economic, political, and theological influence into nearly every sector of American life, from communications to the CIA, from government to the military. The Mormon Corporate Empire is a thorough examination of Mormonism as a corporate entity that influences the lives of all Americans."
The Mormon Papers: Are the Mormon Scriptures Reliable?
Ropp, Harry L.
Intervarsity Press, Downer’s Grove IL
1977
From the back cover of the book: "Harry Ropp discusses the Mormon teachings on God, Christ, salvation and the Bible. But he concentrates on the evidence and the theories for the origin of the Book of Mormon. He cites internal inconsistency and the absence of archaeological evidence to question its credibility. Then he demonstrates the inauthenticity of key Mormon documents by uncovering Joseph Smith's spurious translation from the Egyptian papyri. A final, practical chapter makes the book valuable for those who wish to encourage Mormons to examine the basis for their own faith."
Mormonism 101: Examining the Religion of the Latter-
McKeever, Bill & Johnson, Eric
Baker Books, Gr. Rapids MI
2000
From the back cover of the book: "In this accessible, informative introduction to
Mormonism, [the authors] compare the main points of Mormon theology to orthodox Christianity.
How do Mormon beliefs about God, man, Scripture, salvation, and revelation differ
from those of Christianity? The authors' point-
Mormonism, Mama & Me
Geer, Thelma
Christian Literature Crusade, Fort Washington PA
1979, 1984
From the back cover of the book: "… Thelma Geer's great-
Mormonism Unmasked
Roberts, R. Philip with Davis, Tal & Tanner, Sandra
Broadman and Holman, Publishers
1998
From the back cover: "Based on years of research and study, this detailed and accurate resource clearly explains the Mormons' basic beliefs, then soundly refutes their subtle heresies while exposing secrets that Mormon authorities don't want you or even many of its own followers to know about. After walking you through the Mormon's confidential evangelistic strategies, Mormonism Unmasked then provides specific techniques on witnessing to Mormons, giving you the tools and the confidence you need to effectively and lovingly defend the Christian faith."
Secret Ceremonies: A Mormon Woman's Intimate Diary of Marriage and Beyond
Laake, Deborah
William Morrow and Co., New York NY
1993
From the book's flyleaf: "Always lyrical and often unexpectedly funny, Secret Ceremonies
is a compassionate but brutally honest insider's look at modern Mormon society. It
describes the mystery of the rituals, the beauty and rigor of the theology, and the
traditions of one of the fastest growing Christian churches. It is also a complex
rite-
Laake was born into Mormonism, attended the LDS's Brigham Young University, and married in her teens in the strange secret ceremony of the Mormon Temple. Some of the content of this book is quite sexually explicit and reader discretion is advised.
What's Going On in There? -
The Verbatim Text of the Mormon Temple Rituals
Annotated and Explained by a Former Temple Worker
Sackett, Chuck
Sword of the Shepherd Ministries, Thousand Oaks CA
1982
In 1990, the LDS leadership quietly revised certain portions of the historical secret
Mormon temple rituals. Included with this book is a "News Update" explaining and
evaluating the impact of those changes-
Where Does It Say That?
Witte, Bob
Gospel Truths, Gr. Rapids MI
No copyright date listed
This book is now available on-
http://www.irr.org/mit/WDIST/Where-
From the back cover: "In the pages of this volume, the reader will find a wealth
of information taken almost exclusively from primary Mormon historical sources. There
are almost 200 actual photo-
… when Mormons see some of these "unbelievable" statements made by their leaders, they will often dismiss them by saying, 'That is obviously out of context or misquoted!' In most cases they have never even seen the original source material themselves and what they really mean is, 'I cannot believe that my founding prophets and apostles could have meant what they said!'
Thus the whole purpose for the existence of this volume is to make actual photo-
Unless otherwise noted, all original material on this Field Guide website
is © 2001-
Careful effort has been made to give credit as clearly as possible to any specific material quoted or ideas extensively adapted from any one resource. Corrections and clarifications regarding citations for any source material are welcome, and will be promptly added to any sections which are found to be inadequately documented as to source.
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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints