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Mormons are known for proselytizing other faiths, rather than being the subject of being proselyted. I hadn’t considered why Protestants get upset at Mormon missionaries, or even why Mormons get so upset when evangelicals try to proselyte during General Conference weekend. I also hadn’t considered Mormons proselyting or getting upset as being a double standard. There was an interesting exchange in Season 3 of Sister Wives. (I know that there are at least 6 seasons, but I don’t have cable and have refused to pay for episodes when I have Netflix already. Netflix has recently added season 3, so I...

(I received this the other day. It's written by Pastor Tom Brock) -Today I walked through my old alma mater, Luther Theological Seminary in St Paul, Mn. It is known as probably the most conservative of the ELCA seminaries. You wouldn’t know it from the number of gay/lesbian bumper stickers in the parking lot. Upon entering the main building a sign was up promoting a new book at Luther’s Bookstore, “Pastrix” by ELCA Pastor Nadia Bolz-Weber. She was a favorite speaker at the ELCA Youth Assembly and a few months ago spoke at the historic Central Lutheran Church in downtown...

In 2001 I was serving a Mormon mission in Guayaquil, Ecuador. As you might know, missionaries are paired up in twos and are called companionships. My particular companion at this time was a young guy from Chile. We lived in a little two level home made of cinder blocks and cement just on the outskirts of a small town near Guayaquil. We lived on the lower level. My companion had lived in this home for a couple of months before I moved in, and at this time, I had moved in 2 months prior. As you may know, missionaries have...

As most know, I truly believe in Sidney Rigdon's participation in the creation of the Book of Mormon. But, what I'd really like to touch on is the character of Rigdon. His own grandson said he was a religious "crank," and I'd agree. He went from one group to another (Baptist to Campbellite) seeking someone who would promote his personal beliefs, and when he found Joe Smith he thought he had an answer to his long quest. Sidney Rigdon, however, was an occultist, someone who practices magical arts which are forbidden in the Scripture. We all know that "spiritism" or...

People who have died are very important to members of the Mormon Church. The dead are a very important aspect of the Mormon gospel. The sixth President of the Church, Joseph F. Smith, taught, “We will not finish our work until we have saved ourselves, and then not until we shall have saved all depending upon us; for we are to become saviors upon Mount Zion, as well as Christ. We are called to this mission. The dead are not perfect without us, neither are we without them [see D&C 128:18]. We have a mission to perform for and in...

Latayne Colvett Scott wrote about her experiences in being "proxy baptized" on behalf of the dead when she was a Mormon teen. And even though the process is quite mechanical, activity at Mormon temples can range greatly from the mechanical to the mystical, where, Scott wrote: "This sort of mechanical processing of proxies goes on daily in the...temples around the world. Literally millions of dead persons have had proxy baptisms done for them in this assembly-line fashion...the righteous dead can intermingle with and teach those who have not received the Gospel in mortal life." (Latayne Colvett Scott, The Mormon Mirage:...

...Former LDS historian D. Michael Quinn...Quinn's meticulous research, enriched by his access to LDS historical archives, paints a very different picture of Joseph Smith than that recounted by church elders. According to Quinn, Smith was a man deeply influenced by the Renaissance "magic worldview" imported from Europe and kept alive in America through the folkways of British and German immigrants. Quinn, who has since been excommunicated from the LDS, argued that the legend of the discovery of the golden plates reflected the practices and lore of early American dowsers. Had he, rather than Elder Mitchell, escorted me through the visitors'...

SEVERAL YEARS ago the Sons of the Pioneers, a Mormon fraternal organization permitted me to accompany them as the only nonmormon on a re-enactment of the original mormon trek from Nauvoo, Ill. to Salt Lake City. Our seven day trip was made in simulated Conestoga wagons, modern cars rigged up with rounded canvas tops and life-sized oxen carved out of plywood firmly clamped on each side of the hood. We followed the original Mormon trail which led over prairie roads and mountain passes -- 1600 miles over which the intrepid pioneers had trudged on foot, pushing their two-wheeled handcarts, defying...

I was once married to a bona fide, white-shirt-and-tie, bike-riding, garment-wearing Mormon missionary. And not just any Mormon missionary—a master soul-winner for this Christianesque cult. Of course, I had no idea when I met him that he was even a Mormon. All I knew was he had just returned from a two-year mission to Europe, he never said an unkind word about anybody and he had a sweet heart. He seemed righteous enough—more righteous than me. But I wasn’t born-again and I didn’t know the difference between a false religion that incorporated Jesus into the mix and true Christianity. My...

17 For these angels did not abide my law; therefore, they cannot be enlarged, but remain separately and singly, without exaltation, in their saved condition, to all eternity; and from henceforth are not gods, but are angels of God forever and ever.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:07:53 — 46.6MB) Clay hosts with a discussion with Amy and guest panelist, Dennis, about the Mormon approach to demons, possession, and exorcism. References Saints of Sage and Saddle—Austin Fife Newel Knight Exorcism–1830 An Address to all Believers in Christ—David Whitmer, p. 64-65 Heber Kimball’s mission experience(…)

SNIP Section 50 Historical background ...The Prophet Joseph Smith observed: “Soon after the Gospel was established in Kirtland, and during the absence of the authorities of the Church, many false spirits were introduced, many strange visions were seen, and wild, enthusiastic notions were entertained: men ran out of doors under the influence of this spirit, and some of them got upon the stumps of trees and shouted, and all kinds of extravagances were entered into by them; one man pursued a ball that he said he saw flying in the air, until he came to a precipice, when he jumped...

"...and the truth shall make free" said the real Jesus, the Jesus of the Bible.

Who was Joseph Smith? Was he a fraud or a prophet? Was he a charlatan or a chosen seer of God? Was he a conscious imposter or a deranged visionary? The Joseph Smith of history is vastly different from the common Mormon perception and the current LDS Church presentation of him. He has been cleaned up and somewhat sanitized in some present biographies. Some of his false predictions and erratic behavior have been deleted or changed in contemporary histories. Yet, many of the original records in the LDS archives have been copied by their scholars and reproduced for us to...

A Voice from the Dust 67 Isaiah saw the coming forth of this record as the voice of one that has a familiar spirit whispering out of the dust: 67 Woe to Ariel, to Ariel, the city where David dwelt! add ye year to year; let them kill sacrifices. 67 Yet I will distress Ariel, and there shall be heaviness and sorrow: and it shall be unto me as Ariel. 67 And I will camp against thee round about, and will lay siege against thee with a mount, and I will raise forts against thee. 67 And thou shalt be...

I have recently been in conversation with some LDS bloggers on the topic of modern revelation. One of the bloggers expressed concern when I brought up the issue of demonic spirits having the ability to masquerade as deity or angels of light. He pointed out that if this were true how could anyone be sure that their personal revelations were of God? He expressed precisely the concern that evangelicals have regarding the place of revelation in LDS theology. The contention of evangelicals has consistently been that modern revelation should not be exactly backwards from previous revelation. If it is, we...

The Church completes 100 million endowments for the dead (August) Ezra Taft Benson urges members to flood the earth with the Book of Mormon [Source: Madsen, Truman G., The Presidents of the Church]

Yes Grant Wilson is the co-founder (with Jason Hawes) of The Atlantic Paranormal Society (TAPS). TAPS is based in Warwick, Rhode Island. He is also the co-star and co-producer of "Ghost Hunters", a Syfy channel reality program that follows a group of people as they investigate paranormal phenomena and hunt for ghosts. Wilson recently left the TV show. He is married and has three sons. He is also a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

I need to find a good Mormon monster — one that seeks out non-tithe-payers or feasts on those who drink Diet Coke. A Zion zombie, perhaps, that eats the brains of, you know, the pure in heart. Zombies are really popular this year. “The Mormon Munsters — have you been invited to their family home evening?” Or “The Addams Family with special guest Eve. The mother of all wants you to clean your room.” How about a well-placed mummy — not the kind that makes you do laundry, but the dry, dusty Egyptian variety. After all, Egypt has ties to...

“Spirit Release Therapy” is...a type of therapy where people are “cleaned” or “depossessed” of outside/foreign “energies”, spirits... The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints/Mormon Church believes in many things that “add up” or “fit in” with Spirit Release Therapy (though others don’t). While LDS may scoff at the idea, especially since Spirit Release Therapy is often thought of as a “New Age” thing, the following might be noted. SNIP Are there spirits right here? Are they just in heaven and hell? Brigham Young taught that the Spirit World was taught to be right here, on this earth, and similar...