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 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...