Lifting The Veil

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...

Let’s be perfectly clear: claiming moral or spiritual superiority because of warm feelings toward every religion is not only misleading—it is spiritually dangerous. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) presents itself as tolerant and universally benevolent, but tolerance without truth is moral relativism. Warmth toward error is not love; it is deception. Scripture repeatedly warns that the world hates Christ and His followers because of truth, not because of coldness (John 15:18). If friendliness toward falsehood were proof of holiness, the Bible itself would be irrelevant—and that is the lie the LDS Church propagates. The Book of Mormon presents itself as a “second testament” of Jesus Christ, claiming equal authority with the Bible (Mosiah 18:9). This is blasphemous. The Bible is clear: God’s Word is complete, sufficient, and final. Deuteronomy 4:2 commands, “You must not add anything to what I command you or take anything away from it.” Revelation 22:18–19 repeats th...

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 question of salvation is indeed central to Christianity, and it is true that various Christian traditions differ on how salvation is received. However, when examining the core teachings of Scripture, there are essential truths that transcend denominational debates and provide a firm foundation for understanding salvation through Jesus Christ. First, salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone, not by any human ordinance or ritual, though God’s ordained means often include such ordinances. Ephesians 2:8-9 (NLT) declares, “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast.” This clearly teaches salvation is a gift from God, received by faith, not earned by baptism or any other act. Baptism is important as a public declaration of faith and obedience to Christ (Matthew 28:19-20). Jesus Himself was baptized (Matthew 3:13-17), and the ea...

Let’s talk about the golden plates Joseph Smith said he carried—the ones that supposedly contained the Book of Mormon. According to descriptions, these plates were roughly 7 by 8 inches and about 6 inches thick, made of gold. Given gold’s density, they would weigh over 1,200 pounds. Yet Joseph and his witnesses claimed to carry and even lift these plates with ease. That just doesn’t add up. This kind of inconsistency is a big red flag. The Bible’s miraculous events always align with God’s nature and power—not with physical impossibilities or contradictions. Unlike Mormonism, biblical miracles have clear context and purpose, and God’s Word never contradicts natural laws in a way that defies common sense without explanation. The Bible warns us to test claims carefully: “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God” (1 John 4:1). When a foundational story of a religion clashes with facts and reason, it’s worth questioning its authenticity. Th...

In Mormonism, there’s this teaching that at the time Adam was created, only God the Father had a physical body—implying that Jesus and the Holy Spirit didn’t have bodies yet. But the Bible says something interesting in Genesis 1:26: “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” Why “our” and not “my”? That’s not just a grammatical quirk; it reveals a deep truth about God’s nature. The Bible consistently shows God as a Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—all fully God, existing together eternally (Matthew 28:19, John 1:1–3, John 10:30). They work in perfect unity. That plural pronoun “us” in Genesis is a hint at the plurality within the Godhead, a divine council or the triune nature of God. Mormonism’s view separates the Father from the Son and Holy Spirit in ways that don’t line up with this biblical revelation. It teaches that Jesus and the Spirit came to have bodies later, which contradicts the eternal, unchanging nature of God described in Scripture (Hebrews 13:8, John 17:5)....

Let’s be real: if the Book of Mormon is truly inspired and God-breathed, why has it undergone thousands of changes since the first edition in 1830? Gerald and Sandra Tanner have documented over 3,900 edits—not counting punctuation changes. Verses like 1 Nephi 11:21, 19:20, 20:1, and Alma 29:4 have seen notable revisions. That’s a lot of shifting, especially for a book claiming divine perfection. The Bible, by contrast, is God’s Word preserved through the centuries with remarkable consistency. Yes, small copyist differences exist, but the core message has remained intact. Scripture itself assures us that God’s Word is perfect and endures forever (Psalm 12:6–7, Isaiah 40:8). The Holy Spirit inspired the Bible (2 Timothy 3:16) and continues to preserve its truth in all languages. The fact that Mormonism’s key scripture needs so many corrections exposes its human origins. The Bible warns seriously against adding or subtracting from God’s Word: “If anyone adds to these things, God will add ...

Here’s a big inconsistency that often gets overlooked. Mormon Article of Faith #8 says, “We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.” Notice the phrase “as far as it is translated correctly” only applies to the Bible, not the Book of Mormon. That’s puzzling—because when you look closely, the Book of Mormon has way more issues with changes, additions, and translation inconsistencies than any Bible translation. Early editions of the Book of Mormon show dozens of edits and corrections, while the Bible’s text has been preserved and refined over centuries through thousands of manuscripts and translations guided by careful scholarship and the Holy Spirit (2 Timothy 3:16). The Bible warns against adding or taking away from God’s Word: “If anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book” (Revelation 22:18). That applies equally to any scripture claiming divine origin. Morm...

Within Mormonism, a striking double standard is evident: while the movement criticizes Christianity for having tens of thousands of denominations, it overlooks the fact that Mormonism itself has splintered into numerous factions, each claiming exclusive authority from Joseph Smith. From the mainstream LDS Church to the Community of Christ, Fundamentalist LDS groups, and other smaller sects, the pattern is clear—authority is claimed, fractured, and disputed. This raises a simple question: if Mormonism’s critique of Christianity’s diversity is valid, shouldn’t it apply equally to the movement itself? For a faith that claims to restore the “true church of Jesus Christ,” how can internal divisions be reconciled with the idea of divine guidance and unity? The inconsistency is glaring. While Mormon leaders emphasize obedience to the chain of authority, they ignore the historical fact that these very claims have led to dozens of competing organizations, each asserting their version of Smith’s...

It’s hard to ignore the strong similarities between the Book of Mormon and View of the Hebrews—a book published in 1823, seven years before Joseph Smith’s Book of Mormon, and not far from where his family lived. These parallels in content and structure suggest that the Book of Mormon might have drawn from contemporary ideas rather than divine revelation. This highlights a key problem with Mormonism: its origins don’t line up with the biblical pattern of divine inspiration and prophetic authenticity. The Bible, inspired by God (2 Timothy 3:16), is consistent, prophetic, and stands the test of time. It wasn’t written under suspicious circumstances or borrowed from local folklore. The Bible warns us to test teachings carefully: “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God” (1 John 4:1). When we do, we find that Mormonism’s historical context and sources raise serious doubts about its divine origin. Biblical truth is grounded in God’s eternal...

Here’s the deal. Mormonism claims that only the original English translation of the Book of Mormon is inspired by God. So what happens when that book is translated into French, Spanish, or any other language? How can anyone be sure those translations are accurate or inspired? They can’t, and that’s a big problem. The Bible, on the other hand, doesn’t rely on one single translation or secret inspiration tied to a single language or person. The original manuscripts were written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. Over centuries, God preserved His message through careful copying and widespread use. The Holy Spirit guides the Church in understanding God’s Word across languages and cultures (John 14:26). More importantly, the Bible is consistent, internally coherent, and backed by a long history of manuscripts and translations verified by countless scholars and believers (2 Timothy 3:16). Its authority doesn’t depend on the language but on the Spirit who inspired it. Mormonism’s reliance on only...

Let’s keep it simple and straight from the heart. If you're a Mormon and you truly care about what God says, then I ask you this with all sincerity: would you read the Bible cover to cover—with no filters, no outside commentary—and just ask God to show you whether it’s complete? Just you, God's Word, and prayer. Mormonism teaches that the Bible is incomplete, that parts are missing or corrupted, and that the Book of Mormon is needed to restore “truth.” But here’s the problem: the Bible doesn’t agree with that. In fact, it directly contradicts it. Scripture says “All Scripture is God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). Not some Scripture. All. It also says God’s Word is pure and needs no addition: “Every word of God proves true... Do not add to His words” (Proverbs 30:5–6). Jude 1:3 tells believers to “contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.” That means it was already complete—no ext...

Here’s the straight talk: if the Nephi Plates were real and truly from God, why were they taken back to heaven? Shouldn’t something so important stay here on earth—especially if, as Mormonism claims, those plates are the foundation of restored truth? Now compare that to how God handled His Word in the Bible. When He gave the Ten Commandments to Moses, they were written by His own finger (Exodus 31:18). And He didn’t take them back. He told Israel to keep them, store them in the Ark (Deuteronomy 10:1–5), and pass them down from generation to generation. God doesn’t give truth and then hide it. He makes it known. That’s the problem with the Mormon story—it’s not biblical. The Bible says truth must be confirmed by witnesses (Deuteronomy 19:15), and when Jesus rose from the grave, He showed Himself to over 500 people (1 Corinthians 15:6). God doesn’t rely on secret visions or hidden artifacts to prove who He is. He reveals Himself clearly and publicly. Mormonism claims Joseph Smith transla...

I have often encountered members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who speak passionately about a “Great Apostasy” — the belief that the true Church of Christ completely fell away from the earth after the time of the apostles, leaving a void that necessitated a restoration through Joseph Smith. This teaching, I have learned directly from my Mormon friends, is central to their faith. Yet it is a misunderstanding that twists the clear testimony of Scripture and misrepresents the enduring faithfulness of God’s covenant people. Let me be clear from the outset: I am not claiming there was a full apostasy in the sense of a complete, universal falling away from the true Church. According to Scripture, apostasy means a willful rebellion against God, a renunciation of the faith once delivered to the saints. The Bible warns us about this kind of apostasy: “Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until there is a great rebellion against God” (2 Thessal...

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...

In many circles today—including among Latter-day Saints—there’s an assumption that heaven is a place where faithful people will rule their own kingdoms, receive crowns, and even become gods and kings over worlds. It’s a central tenet in LDS theology—that exalted men will reign as gods, with spirit children and dominion, just as Heavenly Father supposedly did before us. But that idea simply isn’t found in the Bible. It’s not Christian doctrine. It’s not something Jesus taught. It doesn’t reflect the eternal Kingdom described in Scripture—and it’s why I must tell you plainly: those who cling to false gospels like the one Joseph Smith preached will not reign in heaven. In fact, without trusting in the real Jesus—the eternal Son of God, not the spirit-brother of Lucifer—you won’t enter heaven at all. Let’s be clear. Scripture does say that true believers will reign with Christ. Paul writes in 2 Timothy 2:12, “If we endure, we will also reign with Him.” And Revelation 20:6 speaks of those w...