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Mormonism in the News Media articles about Mormonism with commentary from

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A listing of the newest articles on our site

Behind the Zion Curtain

News events affecting the religion known officially as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Was Joseph Smith a Martyr? 

This week marks the 175th anniversary of Joseph Smith’s death at the Carthage Jail in Illinois. Though it was not justified for his killers to take his life, Smith was been viewed as martyr by many Latter-day Saints in the same light as James, Paul, Tyndale and Wycliffe. Was he? Click here. (Photo at right of guns Smith had, including one he used, housed at the LDS Church History Museum in Salt Lake City)

“We have to be clean”: Does Mormonism offer a biblical solution?

Seventy Allen D. Haynie gave a talk at the October 2015 General Conference titled “Remembering in Whom We have Trusted.” It was originally published in the November 2015 Ensign on pages 121-23. Apparently his church’s leaders thought highly of this talk because it was condensed into one page and then published on page 80 of the April 2019 Ensign magazine in a column titled “Until We Meet Again.” To hear Eric Johnson’s perspective on this article, click here.

Did Jesus believe “families are forever”?

One of the things that LDS leaders have emphasized throughout their religion’s history is the importance of the earthly family unit and the hope of being reunited with their family members in the celestial kingdom. Yet is this what Jesus taught? For more, see here.

The Bible and the Practice of Polygamy

Nobody doubts that polygamy played a vital role for the second half of the nineteenth century in the religion of Mormonism. Because the practice sounds unnatural, many Latter-day Saints are very protective of this teaching. A common tactic that is used is to utilize the Bible to show how the biblical saints married multiple women. Is this a good argument for why the LDS Church leaders practiced plural marriage in the 19th and early 20th centuries? For more, see here.

Plural Marriage and Joseph Smith: A PR Nightmare in Mormonism

Publicly mention the religion of Mormonism and the first thought to come to mind is “polygamy” or, as it is also called, plural marriage. This common perception linking Mormonism with the practice of one man marrying two or more women has caused the public relations department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS, Mormon) great consternation over the years, even though this doctrine officially ended in 1890. While many Latter-day Saints may know that Brigham Young and other nineteenth century men in the LDS religion took multiple wives, they may not realize that Joseph Smith, their beloved founder, was Mormonism’s first polygamist. (An article from the 2015 Christian Research Journal), Vol. 38, #5.) Click here.

Mormonism, the Afterlife, and Striving After Godhood

Most religions have clear teachings on what happens to a person after death. For example, Eastern philosophies such as Hinduism and Buddhism explain how one’s behavior in a previous life (karma) affects the next life. Muslims are supposed to observe the Five Pillars of Faith and Muhammad’s teachings in order to qualify for Paradise. Jehovah’s Witnesses are taught that only 144,000 people go to heaven, with the rest of the faithful membership filling Paradise Earth; those not worthy for either destination cease to exist. The teachings advocated by leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (hereafter LDS, or Mormon) have similarities with each of these religions. With that as our background, let’s take a closer look at Mormonism’s view of what happens after death.  (An article from the 2017 Christian Research Journal, Vol. 40, #1). Click here.

MRM’s 40th Anniversary Video

If you missed the 40th anniversary evening celebration held on May 9th, 2019, then you have a second chance to attend by watching the video from that night. Speakers were MRM’s Aaron Shafovaloff and Bill McKeever as well as UTLM’s Sandra Tanner. MRM’s Eric Johnson emceed. Click here to watch.

The Photo of the Statue of the Apostle Peter and LDS President Russell M. Nelson

First it was on an LDS Church website the week after the Rome temple was dedicated. Then it was gone. The story of a photo of a statue and the president of the LDS Church that appears to have gone AWOL. Click here.

Will the LDS Church overturn the ban on hot drinks?

There has been plenty of Internet speculation during the past few weeks concerning a possible change in Mormonism that would allow coffee and tea. According to the rumor mill, LDS Church leaders will make an announcement at general conference this weekend allowing hot drinks, including coffee and tea, formerly all banned in the Word of Wisdom. Imagine the rejoicing of the establishments such as Starbucks and Beans and Brews throughout Utah, Idaho, Arizona and Wyoming if the current ban is lifted. Nobody will be able to get a cup of coffee without waiting two hours in line! For more, see here.

Are Rome and Salt Lake City on the same page?

They say a photo is worth a thousand words, and certainly this photo from the Vatican is worth double that amount. With Pope Francis of the Roman Catholic Church looking on, the LDS First Presidency presented a Christus statue at the Vatican in Rome, Italy on Saturday, March 9, 2019. The occasion for the LDS leaders being in Rome, along with all twelve apostles, was the dedication of the new LDS temple in Rome that took place on Sunday, March 10, 2019. What message did the LDS leaders attempt to give by requesting an audience with the pope? Is this consistent with the traditional message of Mormonism? See here.

Suicide and Mormonism

Suicide is a growing problem in American society today. Many people have been greatly affected in one way or another by this issue, having lost a friend, family member, or coworker who, for whatever the reason(s), decided to end their life. In this article we will take a closer look at the issue of suicide in relationship to the religion of Mormonism. We will consider the statistics on suicide in Mormon-dominant states as well as search the unique scriptures and teachings of the LDS Church to see if there is a consensus on the eternal fate of those who commit suicide. Click here.

The Boasts of Joseph

The founder of Mormonism, Joseph Smith, once said that “the followers of Jesus ran away from Him; but the Latter-day Saints never ran away from me yet.” He along with other prominent LDS leaders have made a number of additional claims that border on the blasphemous. Were these claims really made? Or are Smith’s enemies making these things up. Read this article here.

Check out the categories for hundreds of articles, podcasts, and videos at MRM!

Why do some Mormons become atheists?

The question as to why some Mormons become atheist is being asked as many Latter-day Saints are leaving their church. But just because Mormonism isn’t true does not mean that God doesn’t exist, that Jesus didn’t come to save His people from their sins, and that there is no such a thing as ultimate truth. Click here.

Sharing The Good News with Mormons Official Website

Sharing the Good News with Mormons officially released with Harvest House Publishers in June 2018. This official website is housed by MRM and contains a number of helpful tools, including bonus chapters, helpful links, and more! We invite you to get the book and have this site as an additional resource. Click here.

Take the Mormonism IQ test!

How high is your understanding of Mormonism, including its history and doctrines? See how well you do on this 11-question quiz! Click here.

How important is the Trinity in Christianity?trinity

To that question, we believe that accepting the Trinity is a cornerstone of the biblical Christian church. Unfortunately, Mormonism’s leaders have not only denied this belief but even mocked it. So just what is the Trinity? Is the teaching even understandable? Check out our new page that offers articles, YouTube videos, blogs, and podcasts. If the Trinity is true, it needs to be defended by the Christian who has questioning friends and neighbors. Click here to see what’s available.

Which painting of Joseph Smith translating the gold plates should you trust?

Two church art paintings of Joseph Smith translating the gold plates, two different issues of the Ensign magazine. Both have an agenda. Which one should you trust? Why has the church changed its mind about what it wants the membership to believer?  Click here.

The Gospel Topics Essays–Introduction and Links

In an attempt to deal with several vital historical issues propagated by the LDS Church throughout the years, the Mormon Church has been producing essays since late 2013 under its “Gospel Topics” section of its lds.org website, attempting to reconcile the facts with what had been taught by earlier leaders and church manuals. To see these links to the LDS Church website along with MRM’s responses, click here.

This week’s Viewpoint on Mormonism podcasts

To access all the podcasts, visit here. For an organized catalog, go here.

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