Lifting The Veil

Let’s be honest—when most people hear “Mormon Church” or “Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,” they think of wholesome families, missionaries, or Utah. But dig a little deeper, and you see a faith with origins, practices, and structures that are deeply troubling from a biblical standpoint. It all begins with Joseph Smith in the 1820s, a young man from upstate New York who claimed he had visions of God and Jesus, and later, visits from an angel named Moroni. This angel allegedly revealed golden plates containing the history of ancient American civilizations, which Smith translated into the Book of Mormon. No one else ever saw the plates, and the translation involved a seer stone in a hat—hardly what you’d call straightforward or verifiable. The early church also practiced secret polygamy, with Joseph Smith marrying dozens of women, some as young as 14, and founded the Kirtland Safety Society, a bank that failed and financially harmed members. The secrecy, extraordinary claims, ...

By now, you’ve probably noticed a pattern in Mormonism: secret rituals, authoritarian leadership, social control, and doctrines that deviate from biblical teaching. These are exactly the reasons scholars and critics classify it as a cult rather than a traditional Christian denomination. A key factor is authoritarian control. The top leaders—the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles—hold nearly absolute power over doctrine, finances, and member behavior. Members are expected to obey without question, and dissent is often discouraged. This mirrors the classic characteristics of high-demand religious groups described by sociologists and religious scholars. Another reason is exclusive claims to truth. Mormons believe that salvation and exaltation depend on temple rituals, secret ordinances, and adherence to church authority. This places the church, rather than Christ alone, at the center of salvation—a major departure from biblical teaching that salvation is by grace throu...

If you think Mormonism’s challenges were only in the 19th century, think again. The church has faced a number of historical and modern controversies that reveal ongoing concerns about doctrine, leadership, and social policies. From a Christian perspective, these controversies further underscore why critics label it a cult. One major issue was the race and priesthood ban. Until 1978, Black men were not allowed to hold the priesthood or participate fully in temple ordinances. Although the church officially lifted this ban, its legacy continues to raise questions about racial equality and divine revelation in Mormon theology. Another area of concern is the treatment of LGBTQ+ members. The church has historically opposed same-sex relationships and, in some cases, encouraged conversion therapy. These policies have caused emotional harm to many members and contradict biblical principles of love, justice, and compassion (Micah 6:8, NLT). Financial transparency has also been controversial. The...

When you look at the Mormon Church today, one of the things that stands out is its highly centralized authority. From a Christian perspective, this structure raises concerns because it puts immense power in the hands of a few leaders rather than emphasizing God’s guidance through Scripture and the Holy Spirit. At the top of the hierarchy are the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. These leaders make decisions that affect doctrine, daily life, finances, and discipline for millions of members worldwide. Local congregations have little autonomy, and members are expected to follow instructions without question. This structure reinforces loyalty and obedience to human authority over personal discernment in light of biblical teaching. The church also exercises strict discipline through excommunication and shunning. Members who question doctrine, leadership, or policies can be formally disciplined, and in some cases, ostracized from their community. This type of social con...

If you thought the origins of Mormonism were surprising, wait until you hear about the secret doctrines and temple rituals that keep members deeply invested in the faith. From a Christian perspective, these practices raise serious concerns because they replace or obscure the centrality of Jesus Christ and Scripture. Joseph Smith introduced temple ceremonies in the 1840s, long after the church was founded. Members enter these temples for rituals such as washings, anointings, and endowments, which are designed to prepare them for exaltation. One of the striking features is the secrecy—members are instructed not to reveal details of these ceremonies to outsiders, even family. This level of secrecy is unusual for a Christian faith, where transparency and shared teaching of Scripture are central. Another critical element is the Mormon doctrine of eternal marriage and exaltation. Members are taught that only through temple sealing can families be united for eternity, and that faithful adhere...

So, let’s talk about the beginnings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—what most people call the Mormon Church. If you’ve ever wondered why some Christians and scholars refer to it as a cult, it really helps to start at the very beginning. The story kicks off in the 1820s with a young man named Joseph Smith in upstate New York. According to his own accounts, he had a series of visions. First, he claimed that God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to him. Then an angel named Moroni supposedly visited him and told him about golden plates buried in a hill, which contained the history of an ancient American civilization. Smith said he translated these plates into what we now know as the Book of Mormon. The early 19th century in America was marked by the Second Great Awakening, a period of religious fervor, revivalism, and new sects. Joseph Smith’s claims fit into a broader trend of charismatic leaders emerging with new religious movements. This era also included intense d...

In the early 1840s, the Mormon community in Nauvoo, Illinois, tried to protect itself by forming the Nauvoo Legion—a militia under the command of Joseph Smith, who was not only their spiritual leader but also the city’s mayor. While self-defense is understandable, the way the Mormons wielded this power crossed lines and escalated tensions with their neighbors, ultimately leading to violent conflict and tragedy. The Nauvoo Legion was far more than a simple militia. It was one of the largest and best-armed in Illinois, effectively serving as a private army loyal to Joseph Smith and his followers. This blend of religious, political, and military authority gave the Mormons outsized control over Nauvoo and bred fear among non-Mormons. Many outsiders saw the Mormon leadership as authoritarian, using their power to impose their beliefs and silence opposition. A clear example of this misuse of power was the destruction of the Nauvoo Expositor printing press in 1844. The newspaper had published...

In a world filled with ghost stories, fantasy novels, and near-spiritual experiences, our culture is increasingly drawn to the idea that the dead linger among us, offering guidance or comfort. Popular media—from Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings to The Spiderwick Chronicles and Goosebumps—normalizes communication with spirits, ghostly visitations, and magical knowledge of the unseen world. But while these stories are fiction, a deeper concern arises when such spiritual ideas form the foundation of a real-world religion. This is precisely what we find in the origins of Mormonism. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) was founded by Joseph Smith, a man deeply involved in folk magic, divination, and the use of seer stones. Smith practiced “glass-looking”—placing a stone in a hat and peering into it to find buried treasure. Historical documents show that he was charged in court for fraudulent activities related to this practice (Vogel 2004, Quinn 1998). He used the sam...

It’s common to hear members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) say they’re Christians just like anyone else who follows Jesus. They believe in His atonement, His resurrection, His teachings. And they’re sincere in saying so. But sincerity isn’t the same thing as truth. When you really dig into what Mormonism teaches—especially about who God is, what salvation means, and the authority of Scripture—it becomes clear that this religion, while borrowing Christian language, ultimately denies the core of biblical Christianity. According to official LDS doctrine, all of Christianity fell into total apostasy after the death of the original apostles. That’s right—every church, every tradition, every believer was supposedly misled for nearly two thousand years until Joseph Smith restored the “true church” in 1830. That claim isn’t just historically implausible—it’s theologically offensive. Jesus Himself said in Matthew 16:18 (NLT), “I will build my church, and all the powers...