Humans crave belonging. We find comfort in groups that validate our identity, beliefs, and experiences. But with that comfort comes a downside: we start dividing the world into "us" and "them." Psychologists call this in-group/out-group bias, and it shows up almost everywhere, from sports teams and political parties to nations and religions. In religious communities, this bias carries a moral weight. It’s not just “us vs. them.” It becomes “righteous vs. deceived.” This tribal thinking isn’t just about social division. It often leads to thinking errors that distort how people view others, and even themselves. Here are a few examples that show up regularly in religious in-groups: 1. “They left the church because they were offended.” Thinking error: Attribution bias When someone leaves a faith, members of the group often assume it’s due to a personal flaw such as pride, sin, or laziness. Rarely is it assumed that the person had good reasons or honest dou...
For nearly two centuries, critics of Mormonism have engaged in debate after debate about its doctrines. Is God a man of flesh and bone? Are there many gods? Did Jesus and Satan really start as spiritual brothers? Is there still need for prophets? Doctrinal rebuttals almost never land , because Mormon theology is internally coherent (so long as you accept its starting assumptions). And because of that, critics would be far more effective if they stopped trying to disprove Mormon beliefs and instead turned their attention to the foundation on which all of those beliefs rest: The Book of Mormon.