Lifting The Veil

The LDS Church claims it is “the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth” (Doctrine and Covenants 1:30) and teaches that “all men must come unto this church or be damned” (McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 136). That’s not a casual statement—it’s a bold, dangerous claim. By saying this, the Church places itself above Christ, above the Bible, and above every faithful Christian who has followed God for centuries. But the Bible is clear: God alone has ultimate authority. Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Salvation is through Christ alone—not any human institution. Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 3:16–17 that “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” The Bible alone is sufficient for faith, doctrine, and living a righteous life (Grudem, 1994; E...

The claims made by some members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) regarding their persecution, both historically and in modern times, warrant careful analysis. While it is historically accurate that early Latter-day Saints faced real hardship and hostility, particularly in Ohio, Missouri, and Illinois, some contemporary claims of persecution are often exaggerated or misrepresented. Historically, the 1838 Missouri Extermination Order did indeed declare that Mormons must be “exterminated or driven from the state,” and it was not formally rescinded until 1976 (Church History Topics: Extermination Order). This decree arose in the context of violent conflicts between settlers and Mormon communities in Missouri. Hostilities escalated due to economic, political, and religious tensions, including the fear of Mormon political consolidation and armed militias. The forced exodus of Mormons from Missouri and Illinois, culminating in the migration to Utah, was tragic but must...