Lucifer's Lantern

 A recent update to the Church’s global handbook introduced new guidance on how members should approach difficult religious and historical questions. The revision, released without a formal announcement, blends pastoral reassurance with a caution against what it calls “unproductive or destabilizing inquiry.*” *Refer to the 14 Fundamentals  and Stand Forever for further guidance  The new section opens with familiar spiritual language. “God loves His children and desires their peace,” the handbook states. “Sincere seekers will find comfort through faith, study, and personal revelation.” Immediately afterward, the update shifts toward a more restrictive tone. Members are advised to avoid “sources or discussions that may complicate testimony unnecessarily” and to refrain from pursuing “lines of questioning that disrupt faith-promoting environments.” Sources close to the handbook committee say the change reflects ongoing concerns about the volume of historical and doctrinal...

We need to talk about the current apologetics attempting to downplay the Lamanite curse. Nephi Sees Our Day Nephi claimed to see everything until the end of time. In preparation for my next topic, I was reading 1 Nephi 13:15 , where Nephi sees a vision of the future for his own civilization and the European conquest of America. This passage stuck out to me: And I beheld the Spirit of the Lord, that it was upon the Gentiles, and they did prosper and obtain the land for their inheritance; and I beheld that they were white, and exceedingly fair and beautiful, like unto my people before they were slain. This is in direct contrast to 1 Nephi 12:23 : And it came to pass that I beheld, after they had dwindled in unbelief they became a dark, and loathsome, and a filthy people, full of idleness and all manner of abominations. You might notice that there is ample ambiguity in both passages, but in juxtaposing these two peoples, we see a contrast that I just can’t reconcile if the curse is only ...

 This came to us through our Letters from Lazy Learners form. The writer described growing up in a home where Mormon standards and family expectations were used to shame, control, and silence her. She talked about feeling punished for normal development, blamed for her own trauma, and pressured to appear obedient instead of cared for. She tried to follow the rules. She tried to open up. She tried to stay connected. But every step seemed to shrink her world. Her parents dismissed her pain, tightened control when she needed support, and wrapped their reactions in religious duty. She left wondering why a faith that claimed to protect families left hers feeling so conditional and unsafe. Letter From a Daughter I was raised Mormon When I was younger it wasn't problematic. I was being celebrated and praised when I did the things they wanted me to do, so I craved doing them. Then little things as I got older slipped up.  The first thing I remember that caught me off guard was wh...

  This came to us through our Letters from Lazy Learners form. The writer shared an account of what it felt like to move from one painful ward experience straight into another. She describes years of gossip, exclusion, and spiritual harm.  She tried to serve. She tried to connect. She tried to stay.  But every attempt left her feeling smaller, ignored, and blamed for her own mistreatment.    Letter from a Sister Who Tried to Be Enough  I wrote this while I was still active in the church. This is long, but just one tiny drop in the bucket. Imagine this… For 5 years you live in a ward where you are repeatedly gossiped about, falsely accused, betrayed, and belittled by your bishop and RS (Relief Society) presidents and develop PTSD from their spiritual and emotional abuse. You keep going thinking that it has to get better, and after being yelled at for an hour in your house by your RS president who tells you that you are using your calling to seek revenge (...

   In 1980, Ezra Taft Benson delivered a devotional at BYU that outlined what he called the “ 14 Fundamentals in Following the Prophet. ” The message spread widely within the church and shaped how Latter day Saints came to understand prophetic authority. Even if someone never read the original talk, the ideas appeared in lessons, leadership trainings, and casual conversation across generations. The fundamentals build a system that places the prophet above every competing source of guidance. When read together, they create a model of obedience and hierarchy that rests on the idea that one man speaks for God. 1. The prophet is the only person who speaks for God in everything  This first principle elevates one individual above all other voices. If only one man speaks for God, then any disagreement with him becomes a spiritual issue rather than a difference in interpretation. The structure relies on absolute trust in a single leader. 2. The living prophet is more important than script...

This series looks back at how early critics of the church reacted to the rise of Mormonism. Some mocked it, others warned against it, and a few tried to make sense of it. Each post features a historical excerpt and some quick context to show how critics viewed the new faith as it was unfolding. Part 1 can be read here In 1830 a man by the name of Abner Cole published a criticism of Joseph Smith called the Book of Pukei in the Palmyra Reflector, published under the name "Obadiah Dogberry Esquire".   Cole had access to Grandin’s print shop and saw early pages of the Book of Mormon before the public did. His reaction took the form of a mock scripture that rewrote Joseph Smith’s story into a  joke. That choice wasn’t random. He was simply recounting the events surrounding Joseph smith in a pseudobiblical style, Cole shows us that he likely recognized the Book of Mormon as part of that same genre. Events Parodied in The Book of Pukei     1. Angel Moroni – Cole rewr...

The First Presidency released a formal statement this week addressing the use of artificial intelligence among members. The letter expresses concern that digital tools have already weakened personal testimony across the church, and that AI may increase the problem if members are not “spiritually careful” with how they use it. According to the statement, leaders have watched a steady rise in faith crises that begin online. The document points to search engines, forums, and social media as the primary sources. AI is now categorized as “the next major risk,” since it can provide quick, direct answers that bypass official materials and approved explanations. To counter this, members are encouraged to use AI only for what the letter calls “uplifting and faith supporting inquiry.” The statement defines this as asking questions that reinforce existing beliefs, assist in preparing devotionals, or help explain doctrines in a positive light. Leaders warn against asking AI anything related to hi...

In 2012, Jeremy Runnells was struggling with questions about LDS history that he couldn’t reconcile with what he had learned growing up. He had served a mission, gone to BYU, and lived his life inside of Mormonism, but the sources he was reading didn’t line up with the version he’d been taught. When he spoke with a Church Educational System director about it, he was asked to write his concerns in one place so they could review them together. He sat down and did exactly that. He pulled notes, checked references, and laid out the issues in a document that ended up more than eighty pages long. He sent it back expecting a follow-up. The follow-up never came. That unanswered list of questions eventually became known online as the CES Letter. In April 2013, he shared his document to reddit on r/exmormon under the title “Letter to a CES Director.” The file spread fast because it pulled together problems that members usually encounter one at a time. Runnells later said he wrote it to underst...