In 2002, the LDS Church produced a booklet titled Preparing to Enter the Holy Temple. It was written for those who are preparing to go through one of the dozens of Mormons temples located around the world (141 at the time of this writing). What is the LDS leadership telling its people about temples? Does what takes place in the LDS temples line up with biblical teaching? And do truth-seeking people need such things as temple ordinances, sealings, and baptisms for the dead?  Let's consider these questions as we review this publication.

Have you ever tried to memorize scripture but it was just too hard to remember all the words in a verse? Or have you ever been in a witnessing situation and wanted to use a particular verse--it's at the tip of your tongue--but you forgot where it was located? ("It's in the Bible...somewhere.") Consider learning snippets, which are short 4-6 words explanations of a verse and the reference. Using flashcards to build up your memory verse capability, you can have a variety of verses to use in different situations, equipping you with the ability to better share your faith. Included in this article are 70+ verses used regularly by the author in his coversations with Christians and nonChristians alike.

When the subject of salvation comes up, many Mormons use certain biblical passages to support the LDS idea that good works are necessary for a person to receive salvation. It is clear Mormonism is a religion that stresses good works. Latter-day Saints are generally good people who are known for clean, wholesome living, volunteer service, and a rabid dedication to their families.  So, when a Christian says “salvation” comes by grace through faith alone (Ephesians 2:8-9), the average Mormon bristles. “What about James 2:20?” they oftentimes say, referring to the passage possibly quoted more often by Mormons than any other.

According to Mormonism history, Joseph Smith was commanded by God to make a new translation of the Bible. Then, a few years later, these compiled changes were finished in 1833. While Mormon leaders continually cite from Smith's work, the Joseph Smith Translation (or Inspired Version) is not officially used by the church. Instead, the King James Version continues as the official version. If Smith corrected the errors in this version, it seems strange that the Inspired Version is not "official." Why not?

For many years the LDS Church has used staff artists to provide illustrations for its church manuals and magazines. Book of Mormon and Bible stories are commonly depicted, as well as historical church events.  One favorite scene for LDS articles is Joseph Smith’s translation of the Book of Mormon. For example, the front cover of the Feb. 2001 Ensign magazine shows Smith looking at the gold plates and translating them by running his finger over them. Is this really how the Book of Mormon was translated? 

In its fifth essay of a series published on lds.org meant to explain hard teachings, the issues of godhood and new worlds are discussed. "Becoming Like God" was first published on 2/25/2014, with the doctrines of preexistence and exaltation serving as the focal points. We have reprinted this entire article, with our commentary scattered throughout. Can the information in this article be supported by the Bible? Is what is written here corroborated  by other LDS leaders and manuals?

In what appears to be an attempt to deal with several vital historical issues propogated by the LDS Church throughout the years, four essays have been published on the official Mormon website (lds.org) during the past few months to reconcile historical facts with what had been taught by earlier leaders and church manuals. On February 12, 2014, Ganesh Cherian—who is currently serving as a stake high counselor in Wellington, New Zealand—wrote a very telling blog titled "A Former Bishop's Doctrinal Dilemmas." Just what did this faithful Mormon who served as a bishop for five and a half years have to say about this sudden shift?

A 24-page pamphlet titled "The Gospel of Jesus Christ" was produced by the Mormon Church in 2008. It describes the LDS gospel by using words such as salvation, grace, mercy, and baptism. What exactly does Mormonism mean by these terms? We will take a look at the entire pamphlet (the words of which are underlined) and then provide commentary to show that Mormonism's gospel is not the same as taught in biblical Christianity. 

During the week of January 6, 2014, Bill McKeever and Eric Johnson spoke on Viewpoint on Mormonism about issues related to the ban on black males to the priesthood. Here are some quotes in response to an article on www.lds.org titled "Race and the Priesthood." Is it really true that the ban was based on nothing more than "theory" and that second Mormon President Brigham Young is really to blame? Are other leaders who concurred with Young and continued to enforce the ban less culpable?