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» In July 1974, the NAACP filed a suit against the Boy Scouts of America on the grounds that in LDS troops ... the deacons quorum president was automatically the patrol leader, meaning that an African-American Scout could not gain patrol leader experience. When the church realized the inappropriateness of such restriction ... it dropped the policy and the court dismissed the suit. President [Spencer] Kimball had been subpoenaed to appear for deposition and bring "all church records and writings concerning the policy and position of the church regarding blacks." He felt greatly relieved at avoiding that burden and the...

SALT LAKE CITY --SNIP Harper, an assistant professor of church history at BYU and a volume editor of the Joseph Smith Papers, spoke at the University of Utah on Jan. 28 on "Memory and the First Vision."... "I think we've been quite narrow-minded in the ways we have thought about Joseph's accounts. And I mean that both by believers and non-believers, by those who accept the accounts as divine narratives and those who are critical of them as nonsense," Harper said. SNIP Memories are subjective and personal. One person's memory of a Jazz basketball game will be very different from...

"And they did fall down at the feet of Jesus, and did worship him." (3 Nephi 11:17) The Old Testament word usually translated as "worship" has a sense of to depress, as in to prostrate, especially in homage to royalty or God; to bow down; to stoop; to fall down flat. The New Testament word is essentially the same, with the added sense of reverence and adoration. In English, the word "worship" means to honor or adore as divine or sacred, especially with rituals or ceremonies; to offer prayers to God; to regard with extreme respect, devotion or love; to...

Joseph Smith was a terrible writer. While that statement might sound foreign to members, considering his testimony and revelations have been spread around the world in more than 160 languages, it should come as no surprise when you realize the Prophet had no more than a third-grade education. "We can't underestimate the significance of all these scribes," said Alex Baugh, professor of church history and doctrine at Brigham Young University. "Their contributions are incalculable." Why did the Prophet call the men he did to transcribe his largely oral revelations? The answer to that question depends on whom you ask. SNIP...

  The Book of Mormon vs MormonismBy Richard Packham           Most people - Mormons and non-Mormons alike - assume that the Mormon religion is based on its holy book, the Book of Mormon and that by reading that book one can learn what Mormonism is all about.   Mormon missionaries usually try to get prospective converts ("investigators") to read it as soon as possible, implying that by doing so the investigator will get an accurate idea of Mormonism.           Although the publication of the Book of Mormon in 1830 was the impetus...

To say he simply is a rising Democratic star might be a perversion of astronomy. Ben McAdams is an internationally seasoned securities lawyer with Wall Street cred. He has orchestrated the advance team's global itinerary for two U.S. presidents as well as for Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. He moonlights as a university professor but maneuvers daily as Salt Lake City's most effective - maybe ever - legislative lobbyist. And the former University of Utah student body president has just taken his oath as a state senator... As such, the devout Mormon -- with his unapologetic progressive politics --...

There are many wondrous components of the gospel for Mormons to focus their study on rather than the unsubstantiated details and rumors of the church's history, said Elder Bruce C. Hafen of the First Quorum of the Seventy...............   -SNIP- Elder Hafen related his remarks specifically to anti-Mormon literature found on the Internet, and stated that too many people of faith let initial curiosity give way to feelings of dismay and betrayal when they come across unfamiliar arguments against the church. -SNIP-   Elder Hafen said there is much discussion out there regarding the methods through which Joseph Smith...

When the Mormon pioneers headed West under duress in 1847, they had reason to feel bitter at their treatment by the world's foremost liberal democracy. For years, Americans had chased, robbed, beaten and killed them. Joseph Smith, seeking redress for his people, earlier had gone to Washington, D.C. The towering statesmen of the day who received him acted like, well, Washington politicians. According to Smith, the legendary Henry Clay said, "You had better go to Oregon." The revered John C. Calhoun counseled, "It is a nice question, a critical question, but it will not do to agitate it." And the...

KITCHENER, Ontario -- Every Christian church shares the objective of helping people to find faith in Jesus Christ. At this interdenominational "fireside" hosted by the Kitchener Ontario Stake, local clergy from the Mormon, Catholic, Lutheran and Mennonite faiths come together to share how the teachings and practices of their respective traditions help to fulfill that mandate. Helping to show how Christians of divergent traditions share the common ground of faith in Jesus Christ, Kitchener Ontario Stake President James A. McBride, the Rev. Lloyd Oakey of Calvary Mennonite Church in Ayr, Ontario, Father Wayne Lobsinger of Blessed Sacrament Roman Catholic Church...

Earthquake relief efforts are crossing all boundaries and fostering all sorts of unique cooperation. Such was the case Wednesday afternoon at the Petionville Ward LDS chapel, where hundreds of Haitians have taken up nearly every available square foot of space on the grounds. -SNIP- Following the two into the church's gated grounds was a half-dozen members of the U.S. Army's 82nd Airborne in two Humvees and a supply truck.   -SNIP- Soldiers also offered to load a half-dozen of the most seriously injured individuals into the church's SUV. The Army then provided an armed escort, complete with the two Humvees...

SALT LAKE CITY -- Joseph Smith recorded several different accounts of the First Vision. On Jan. 28 Steven C. Harper, an assistant professor of church history at BYU and a volume editor of the Joseph Smith Papers, will use the latest scholarship on memory to analyze these different accounts. Harper's lecture, "Memory and the First Vision," will be 7 p.m. Jan. 28 at the University of Utah campus in the Carolyn Tanner Irish Humanities Building, Room 101. The Salt Lake Mormon Studies Student Association hosts the event. There is no cost to attend. For information, go to saltlakemormonstudies.wordpress.com.

It has become fashionable in recent years to make doomsday predictions about the future of the LDS Church based on the recent decline in convert baptisms. Of course, this analysis is grossly oversimplified and demonstrates an entirely underdeveloped sense of history. Convert baptisms have risen and fallen in the past due to a variety of factors: wars interrupting missionary service in the '40s and '70s, 18-month missions in the '80s, et cetera. To predict the extinction of Mormonism or the failure of missionary work based on a relatively short trend of declining conversions is short-sighted. If you want to accurately...

It is urgent to witness to Mormons because they worship a false god. To many Christians this sounds like an extreme position; after all Mormons profess faith in Jesus Christ and have incorporated his name into the name of their church. Yet the majority of LDS doctrine contradicts the truth of the Bible. There are few simple comparisons of doctrine that illustrate the great gulf between Mormonism and Christianity more clearly than the LDS doctrine of godhood. This doctrine states that the LDS god was once a man and that if a Mormon is faithful to the LDS church he...

Definitions of biblical terms are presented with a Mormon and a Christian definition. For a downloadable copy of the Christian Mormon definitions, go to the Additional Resources area of this Web site. Atonement - Mormon: (1) Used almost exclusively as a reference to Jesus' conquering physical death for all people. By conquering physical death, Jesus made it possible for all people to enter again into the presence of Heavenly Father - if for no other reason than to be judged by him. In other words, they are again 'at-one' with him (atoned). This will happen at Judgment Day. Those who...

PROVO, Utah -- Placed near the center of Brigham Young University's history-rich exhibit "Education in Zion" is a statue of the Savior encircled by a small flock of sheep. The sculpture's location isn't merely an element of design. The entire exhibit and its celebration of eternal learning is anchored in Christ. Its stories, histories and images seem to branch out from the Lord's love and admonition to learn and share wisdom.. "As Latter-day Saints, we believe Christ is the foundation of truth," said Ann Baier Lambson, the exhibit's curator. Indeed, Christ's truth and light define the foundation of this permanent,...

After Diane Gordon's husband died in a motorcycle crash in 2004, a million-dollar insurance settlement allowed her to stop working as a housekeeper. For help in managing her money, she turned to a financial adviser, Kurt Barton. She'd met him through their Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints congregation west of Austin. Their common spirituality, she said, made her trust him; eventually, she placed all of her savings with Barton's company, Triton Financial. Three weeks ago, the company was taken over by state and federal regulators, who described Triton's finances as a $50 million "shell game." Now 57 years...

Elder Boyd K. PackerOf the Quorum of the Twelve ApostlesElder Scott, we welcome you to the quorum. Elder Richard Scott is a man in whom the Spirit is, and he is sustained by his lovely wife, Jeanene, who is not one whit less a spiritual power.And to these four brethren who have joined the First Quorum of the Seventy we say, your fellowship will be enjoyed and your help very much appreciated.A neighbor once told me that as a missionary in earlier days he and his companion were walking along a ridge in the mountains of the South. They...

His supporters say the book will show Romney is more thoughtful than Sarah Palin. BY KENNETH T. WALSH Friends of Mitt Romney say his upcoming book, No Apology: The Case for American Greatness, is a lengthy and detailed explanation of his philosophy and should be a fitting prelude to a 2012 presidential campaign if Romney decides to run. The book, which comes out March 2, seems designed to position Romney as a thoughtful conservative who has ruminated carefully about the major issues of the day, ranging from the global economy to national security. Romney supporters say it will serve as...

PROVO -- A former Brigham Young University employee pleaded guilty Thursday to theft charges for stealing computers and selling them online. Allen Scott Harris, 40, pleaded guilty to two counts of theft and two counts of communications fraud, both second-degree felonies. An additional six felonies were dismissed as part of a plea deal. He faces a sentence of one to 15 years in prison for each charge when he is sentenced March 11. Judge James Taylor advised Harris of his rights and reminded him that he has the discretion on Harris's sentence and could choose to run the sentences on...

Utah Senate Majority Leader Sheldon Killpack, a proponent of tough drunken-driving laws whose father was killed by a drunken driver, was booked into jail Friday morning on suspicion of driving under the influence. The incident is a blow to one of the state's brightest Republican stars, who had made a rapid rise through the Senate leadership, become the public face of the GOP majority, and had been widely discussed as a potential candidate for governor. It remains to be seen if Killpack can hold onto his leadership position or his Senate seat -- or if he will even try. "There...