Lucifer's Lantern

  I would probably say that the Book of Mormon is one of the most heavily criticized pieces of literature ever put into circulation. These criticisms go back even before it was published. From the moment Joseph Smith claimed he had access to an ancient record that God needed him to translate, people began theorizing about its origins. They criticized Joseph Smith, questioned his motivations, and doubted his inspirations. Once the Book of Mormon was published, critics finally had the text itself. Since then, it has been torn apart, analyzed, and debated for nearly 200 years. If you want to dive into these criticisms today, you face an overwhelming mountain of material to sift through. That’s where I want to narrow the focus a bit by recommending one book: Studies of the Book of Mormon by B. H. Roberts.   (affiliate link) I recommend it for three reasons. First, it presents excellent criticisms of the Book of Mormon . Second, the controversy surrounding its content and pub...

So much about who we are as individuals is tied up into our belief systems. For most of my life I identified as a Mormon. Walking away from the church, I realized that took up a tremendous part of who I was and how I identified myself as a person. I went through these phases where I struggled with the question: outside of Mormonism, who am I? What do I believe in? What are my moral standings? What are the things that I want to support, and what are the things that I don’t want to support? I don’t think I’m alone in this. The other day I was looking at my  page for reading recommendations. And as I was looked through my reading list, it hit me: every single book I was suggesting to people, (and nearly every single book I had read since leaving the church) was tied directly to Mormonism. And honestly, that bothers me a little bit... I've been keeping myself in a box. I’ve come to identify as an agnostic atheist. But here’s one of the things that’s been bothering me. When I introduce...

Christians often ask, “Without God’s word, how can you know right from wrong?” The assumption is that the Bible is the ultimate moral guide. But if you actually read what the Bible says, the picture of morality it presents is brutal. Many of the things God commands or condones are the very things most people today see as evil. Slavery “If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing. If he came in by himself, he shall go out by himself… And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free: Then his master shall bring him unto the judges… and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever.” Exodus 21:2–6 “Both thy bondmen, and thy bondmaids, which thou shalt have, shall be of the heathen that are round about you; of them shall ye buy bondmen and bondmaids… And ye shall take them as an inheritance for your children after you… they shall be y...

One of the most common criticisms about Mormonism is that faithful members believe they will “get their own planet” in the next life. Whenever this idea appears, the Church and its defenders move quickly to deny it. FAIR, the main apologetic group, calls the phrase a caricature: “Reducing [exaltation] to ruling a planet caricatures a profound and complex belief. Claims that Mormons hope for ‘their own planets’ almost always aim to disrespect and marginalize” ( FAIR, “Gods of Their Own Planets” ).  The Church’s official Newsroom FAQ also weighs in:   Church Newsroom, “Frequently Asked Questions” . On the surface these answers look straightforward. God does not hand out planets. Yet the very same sources go on to describe exaltation as receiving all that the Father has, which includes creative power. FAIR acknowledges that exalted beings “will share in all that the Father has including his creative powers” (FAIR) and even goes on the share a quote from church leadership which ex...

  Leaders explore shared structure to address decline in participation—while eyeing potential funding from the LDS Church. Chicago, August 2025 — Representatives from several major Christian denominations met last week to explore the formation of the One Church Network , a proposed collaborative structure aimed at consolidating resources and countering long-term decline in church attendance. While the framework remains in early development, organizers hope the Network could serve as a cooperative umbrella across Protestant, Evangelical, Anglican, and some Catholic communities. The goal is to streamline administration, reduce redundancies, and restore public engagement without requiring theological conformity. However, one internal discussion has sparked cautious debate: whether to seek financial support from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A Logical but Complicated Backer The LDS Church, with its extensive financial reserves, global infrastructure, and aggre...

I’ve been doing some reading lately, trying to expand my understanding a bit when it comes to the role religion plays in adolescent development. Mostly this is for my own self-awareness. A lot of the content I create generates conversations with people who grew up in religious households. Many of them come from LDS backgrounds, but there’s a pretty wide mix across different faiths. I’ve been trying to understand why people are affected by religion the way they are. Because it’s mixed. Some people say their faith-based worldview gave them the tools to handle life’s hardships. It gave them a sense of purpose, structure, and community. But, maybe because of the nature of my content, I hear a lot from the other side too. People tell me their religious upbringing made their depression and anxiety worse. That it had a serious negative impact on their mental well-being.  I came across this research article I wanted to share. It’s called Religiosity and Spirituality in the Prevention an...

Salt Lake City — August 2025 In an unexpected update to the Missionary Handbook, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has officially began allowing tattoos for full-time missionaries “when spiritually appropriate and strategically effective.” The new policy was piloted in select urban missions where traditional outreach efforts have struggled to gain traction. A press release from Church headquarters explained, “In today’s world, authenticity builds trust. If a small, intentional tattoo helps missionaries connect with those they serve, it’s worth considering.” Under the policy, tattoos are optional and require direct approval from the mission president. Final design decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the missionary’s assignment, intended message, and overall vibe. Elder Halverson, currently serving in the Seattle Washington Mission, received permission to get a small forearm tattoo featuring a verse from Isaiah. “It’s opened up mo...

I want to share a little bit about my experience going through a Mormon temple. Specifically, I’m going to talk about the expectations that were set up from a young age, what it was like the first few times I went, and how I eventually lost my faith in temple worship overall. I grew up in northern Utah. My parents were LDS, so I was a child of the covenant. I was baptized at eight and raised in church culture—Boy Scouts, Young Men’s, seminary, a mission. Basically the typical path you’d expect from a Mormon boy. The point I want to make is that the decision to attend the temple wasn’t just a spur-of-the-moment choice. You don’t just wake up one day and decide to go. At least not in my experience. I was born into the church, started attending Primary, and from that point on, I was told I’d get baptized, receive the Aaronic priesthood, receive the Melchizedek priesthood, and go through the temple. That message was repeated over and over from the time I was in Sunbeams until baptism at ...

In a formal statement released this morning, the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced that, as of today, the Church is officially and fully true. “For nearly 200 years, the Church has moved forward through continuing revelation,” said President Russell M. Nelson. “That process has brought us to this moment. As of 8:46 a.m. Mountain Time, we affirm that the Church is now doctrinally complete, organizationally aligned, and spiritually whole. The Church is true. Starting... now. ” President Dallin H. Oaks emphasized that the announcement does not deny or discredit the teachings of earlier prophets. “Everything that came before should be understood as part of what we already understood was a continuing restoration,” he said. “Today marks the point at which the gospel has officially been restored.” The Church's official newsroom confirmed that all prior doctrinal contradictions, historical complexities, and structural inconsiste...

     In his chapter “Hebraisms and Other Ancient Peculiarities in the Book of Mormon,” published in Echoes and Evidences of the Book of Mormon  ( affiliate link) , Donald W. Parry suggests that the Book of Mormon reflects ancient Semitic origins through the way names are used in the text. He highlights three main points: the absence of surnames, the lack of names beginning with the letter F, and the complete avoidance of the letters q, x, and w in all 337 proper names in the Book of Mormon. He argues that these features mirror patterns found in the Bible and that it would be unlikely for Joseph Smith to have replicated them by chance.      This claim sounds convincing on the surface, but it falls apart under closer examination. These patterns are better explained as a result of Joseph Smith’s efforts to match the tone, structure, and language of the King James Bible.       The Bible served as Joseph Smith’s template. The King Jam...

     Written by Lucy Mack Smith and first published in 1853, The History of Joseph Smith By His Mother , is one of the earliest records about Joseph Smith’s life. As his mother, Lucy offers a personal view of his upbringing, the Smith family’s struggles, and the events leading up to the founding of the Church. The History of Joseph Smith By His Mother (Amazon affiliate link)      I recommend the edition that is labeled as the complete and unabridged 1853 first edition . Later versions were edited and don’t include everything she originally wrote.      It’s not a polished history. It reads more like a collection of memories. That makes it valuable in that Joseph's story is told a bit different than how the church often tells it. Lucy talks about Joseph’s childhood illnesses, the family's money troubles, and their spiritual beliefs. Including vivid accounts of visions held by both herself and her husband.   ...

        Richard Dawkins’ The God Delusion challenges belief in a supernatural creator. The book argues that the idea of God is not only unsupported by evidence but is also unnecessary. Dawkins lays out a scientific and philosophical case for atheism and calls for a shift toward reason, evidence, and open skepticism. And while his tone can admittedly be a bit condescending toward theists at times, it can be an incredibly eye-opening book to read. The God Delusion (Amazon affiliate link) The Central Claim      Dawkins begins by defining what he calls the “God Hypothesis.” This is the belief in a supernatural being who created the universe and continues to intervene in it. He argues that this is a scientific claim because it makes testable assertions about how the universe works. Dawkins maintains that the hypothesis is extremely improbable and that natural explanations are more plausible. The book also addresses several traditiona...

     The Book of Mormon presents America as a chosen land which was set apart, protected, and central to God’s plans. From the opening chapters, the narrative places its events on a continent prepared by God for righteous people. Lehi, the founding patriarch, is told that his family is being led to a "promised land" where those who serve God will prosper and those who rebel will perish.      This idea repeats throughout the book. America is portrayed as a land of liberty and divine inheritance, meant to be free from kings and preserved for the sake of righteousness. This connection between sacred land and sacred purpose wasn’t unique to the Book of Mormon. It reflected a broader pattern in early American thinking, where many saw their national story through a biblical lens. The book,  American Zion by Eran Shalev   (affiliate link) looks at the strong influence of the Old Testament on early American thought. From the Revolution to the Civil War,...