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"Preface
Leaders in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints have taught that there is nothing wrong with asking questions about Church history and policy. President M. Russell Ballard has taught, “There is absolutely nothing wrong with asking questions or investigating our history, doctrine, and practices.” So I’m hoping it's ok to ask these questions.
In asking these questions, I am not trying to shake anyone’s faith in Jesus Christ. I have no desire to do that. I believe that Jesus Christ died for our sins, Joseph Smith saw God, translated the Book of Mormon through the power of God, chiefly through the use of a seer stone, and founded the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints under the direction of Almighty God.
However, I have noticed some things which seem inconsistent in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Because of that, I am asking a few questions. I am trying only to ask significant questions. However, my view on what is significant will probably be different from anyone else’s view. So, please have patience with me.
Many people will be tempted to dismiss these questions as a narrow-minded attempt to discredit the Church and its leaders. I assure you, I have no desire to harm the Church. If a doctor is concerned with symptoms a patient is showing, is he trying to harm a patient by ordering tests and an x-ray? Some would reply that I am not the doctor so I have no right to question things.
Remember, however, that the Lord revealed in Doctrine and Covenants that “the inhabitants of Zion shall judge all things pertaining to Zion.” (D&C 64:38) This doesn’t say the leaders of Zion shall judge all things pertaining to Zion, it says the inhabitants. It also says in D&C 26:2 that all things must be done in the Church by common consent. If these are the scriptures, why don’t we as members take our God-appointed responsibility to oversee our leaders and all things pertaining to Zion seriously?
I assume that many of you will find these questions to be bad or unfaithful questions. I assure you that I am asking them sincerely. I would assume that if you find these questions to be negative that you would be worried for me. If so, you can help me by giving me specific, reasoned replies to my questions with evidence from the scriptures and other substantiated sources. I know that many of you won’t find the time for this and that’s fine.
Since I see evidence in the scriptures that the Lord knew of these issues and told us about them in a revelatory manner, I see no reason to abandon faith in God and Jesus Christ. In fact, I believe that faith in God is needed now more than ever, so please don’t take these questions as a reason not to have faith in God.
Sincerely,
Mark
Covid-19 and Vaccines
How did the members of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve know that the Covid-19 vaccines were “safe and effective”? Since the vaccines were quite a few years away from being properly tested, and the testing which was done on the Pfizer vaccine showed a substantial increase in all-cause mortality, what source of knowledge told them that the Covid-19 vaccines were safe and effective? One member of the Quorum of the Twelve I saw stated that inspiration wasn’t involved. Another member stated that “it seemed good to the Holy Ghost” that they recommend that Church members take the vaccines. Was this direction given due to divine revelation, or not?
In Deuteronomy 18:20-22 it states,
20 But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.
21 And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the Lord hath not spoken?
22 When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.
Also, there is a large and growing body of scientific and medical literature and insurance data that show that these vaccines are not “safe and effective.” In fact, the evidence is clearly showing that they are dangerous and actually make vaccinated individuals more likely to get Covid-19 and more likely to need hospitalization. Given that the data indicates that Covid-19 vaccines are dangerous and have negative efficacy, and given that the First Presidency of the Church sent an August 2021 letter in their official capacity as the leaders of the Church and on Church letterhead with the Lord Jesus Christ’s name prominently displayed urging Church members to be vaccinated, did Presidents Russell Nelson, Dallin Oaks, and Henry Eyring speak presumptuously in the name of the Lord? Did the Lord direct the Children of Israel in the passage above to pray about whether a prophet spoke in His name truly or did he tell them to trust their eyes? Many people still believe that the vaccines were “safe and effective.” What should people do when there are deep divisions over varying perceptions of reality?
Tithing and Church Finance
Why are young missionaries kept on very tight stipends paid for by themselves and their families (many of whom are struggling to make ends meet), or their local congregations (at least in the United States and Canada) when the Church pays men (most of whom were already well-off or genuinely wealthy) large stipends and other lavish benefits for their service as mission presidents, temple presidents, and general authorities? The Church has billions in reserve and has had billions of dollars a year in surplus income. Couldn’t that money be used to pay for the missionary efforts?
In D&C 1:24 God says that He gives “commandments…unto my servants in their weakness, after the manner of their language.” In D&C 119:4 it says that tithing is to “pay one-tenth of all [our] interest annually.” Interest doesn’t mean income after the manner of our language or Joseph Smith’s language. So why does the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints say that interest means income in this one special case? Does that contradict the word of God in D&C 1:24 and D&C 119?
It says in D&C 119:4 that “this shall be a standing law unto them forever” so is continuing revelation really an option for explaining this?
In JST Genesis 14:37-39 it reads,
And [Melchezidek] lifted up his voice, and he blessed Abram, being the high priest, and the keeper of the storehouse of God; Him whom God had appointed to receive tithes for the poor. Wherefore, Abram paid unto him tithes of all that he had, of all the riches which he possessed, which God had given him more than that which he had need.
If Abraham, a very wealthy man for his day with plenty of riches only paid tithes on his surplus (what he had more than he had need of) why does the Church require the poor to tithe on their income and not their surplus in order to have temple recommends when they don’t even have enough for their needs, let alone wants? In other words, why does the Church take bread and clothes from poor families with hungry and needy children? Isn’t that offending Christ’s little ones? What did Christ say about offending His little ones? If we believe that the Lord will bail out the poor families that pay tithing from their terrible situations, then why doesn’t this happen for most poor LDS families who faithfully pay their tithing? Why didn’t Joseph Smith require poor Church members to pay tithing before he died (except for tithes of time spent working on the temples)?
Are general church leaders required to pay tithing on their “modest” stipends? (Mission presidents are not, see page 83) If not, why not?
Doctrinal Questions
The Lord taught, “Yea, a commandment I give unto you that ye search these things diligently; for great are the words of Isaiah.” (3 Nephi 23:1) The prophet Moroni also commanded those who received the Book of Mormon to “search the prophecies of Isaiah.” (Mormon 8:23) Why, as a Church, do we study and know so little about the words of Isaiah? Do we think that God will excuse this because Isaiah is confusing to those who haven’t studied Isaiah diligently? Have you looked for something that will help you to understand Isaiah? Have you diligently studied and prayed about Isaiah?
What did the Savior mean when He taught the Nephites that “all things that [Isaiah] spake have been and shall be, even according to the words which he spake”? Does that mean that everything Isaiah wrote uses ancient people, countries, and events as symbols for our day? (3 Nephi 23:3) Is that why the Book of Mormon, which was written for our day, has so many chapters of Isaiah’s writings?
What does it mean when we promise during the sacrament to always remember the Lord Jesus Christ?
As a Church do we fear men more than God?
As a Church, do we use our money to help those in need?
Do we truly feast upon the scriptures? When we find something we don’t understand do we study and ponder it or do we label it a mystery and move on? Do we really love the word of God?
Do we as a Church despise the opinions of the world (the great and spacious building) and hold fast to the iron rod? Or, do we base our lives on the ever-changing beliefs of the world?
Christ stated, “I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect.” It says in the scriptures that “Seth was a perfect man” (D&C 107:42-43), that “[Job] was perfect and upright” (Job 1:1), and that “Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations” (Genesis 6:9). Moroni taught,
Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God. (Moroni 10:32)
Do we as a Church believe we can be “perfected in Christ” here on earth?
Do we rationalize away sin?
Why are we taught that all things must be done “by common consent in the church” but we are told that we are apostates if we do not sustain all of the decisions of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles? What type of consent can be coerced like that? Since Joseph Smith’s time, what individual policies have been put forth to the Church for their consent? The Church no longer publishes its financials (it ceased doing so in 1959) so how can we consent to anything financial that the Church is doing?
In D&C 1:38 the Lord explains that “my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.”
God said in Isaiah 46,
9 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,
10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.
Nephi taught,
6 But the Lord knoweth all things from the beginning; wherefore, he prepareth a way to accomplish all his works among the children of men; for behold, he hath all power unto the fulfilling of all his words.
Isaiah taught,
8 ¶ For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
The Lord Jesus Christ fasted and communed with God for 40 days and 40 nights. Afterward, the Lord was, of course, very hungry. Satan thought to tempt the Jesus while He was hungry and told Him, “If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.” The Lord answered, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”
The Lord repeated this in D&C 98,
11 And I give unto you a commandment, that ye shall forsake all evil and cleave unto all good, that ye shall live by every word which proceedeth forth out of the mouth of God.
The Lord taught His disciples during the Last Supper,
13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. (John 16:13-14)
In D&C 84:46 the Lord taught,
46 And the Spirit giveth light to every man that cometh into the world; and the Spirit enlighteneth every man through the world, that hearkeneth to the voice of the Spirit.
47 And every one that hearkeneth to the voice of the Spirit cometh unto God, even the Father.
Elder Allen Haynie taught something different from these scriptures when he said in April 2023 General Conference,
President Russell M. Nelson has testified that “God’s long-established pattern of teaching His children through prophets assures us that He will bless each prophet and that He will bless those who heed prophetic counsel.” So the key is to follow the living prophet. Brothers and sisters, unlike vintage comic books and classic cars, prophetic teachings do not become more valuable with age. That is why we should not seek to use the words of past prophets to dismiss the teachings of living prophets.
How is this different?
First, Elder Haynie said that the key is to follow the living prophet. However, God has never taught this in the scriptures. Instead, the Lord taught that the key is to follow the Lord by following the Holy Ghost because the Holy Ghost “will guide you into all truth” and that by hearkening “to the voice of the Spirit [we come] unto God, even the Father.”
Next, Elder Haynie inferred that the words of Christ through past prophets are not as valuable as the words of Christ through the current prophet when he said, “Prophetic teachings do not become more valuable with age.” However, the Lord taught, “My word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled.” The Lord also stated that “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” and Nephi taught that God “knoweth all things from the beginning.” So, how is it that the words of current prophets outrank the words of past prophets? Can current prophets contradict other prophets who spoke as “moved upon by the Holy Ghost”? (D&C 68:3-4) If so, wouldn’t that cause the words of God to be of “none effect”? (Mark 7:13)
Why does it say in D&C 85:7 that the Lord “will send one mighty and strong” “to set in order the house of God”? Why would the house of God need to be set back in order if it cannot be misled by the President of the Church?
Prophets and Apostles
Why is President Russell M. Nelson a member of the Brotherhood of Death? Why were Apostles Robert D. Hales and Marvin J. Ashton also members of this organization? (as were many, many other prominent members) The Brotherhood of Death referred to is the University of Utah chapter of Skull and Bones. They are a chapter of the same organization as Yale University’s Skull and Bones. Is this “brotherhood” a secret combination? Is it appropriate for the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints to be a member of such an organization (2 Nephi 26:22-23 or Ether 8:19-29)?
Why did Isaiah write,
[The Lord’s] watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter. Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and to morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant. (Isaiah 56:10-12)
Who are the Lord’s watchmen to which this refers? Why did Isaiah call them blind, ignorant, greedy dogs which cannot bark? What wine and strong drink is Isaiah alluding to? In other words, what besides alcohol makes people drunk?
Where does it say in the scriptures that we are to follow the prophet? What does it say, exactly?
What does it mean in the prophetic parable in D&C 101:46-51 where the Lord explains “[His] will concerning the redemption of Zion” when it states,
46 Now, the servants of the nobleman went and did as their lord commanded them, and planted the olive trees, and built a hedge round about, and set watchmen, and began to build a tower.
47 And while they were yet laying the foundation thereof, they began to say among themselves: And what need hath my lord of this tower?
48 And consulted for a long time, saying among themselves: What need hath my lord of this tower, seeing this is a time of peace?
49 Might not this money be given to the exchangers? For there is no need of these things.
50 And while they were at variance one with another they became very slothful, and they hearkened not unto the commandments of their lord.
51 And the enemy came by night, and broke down the hedge; and the servants of the nobleman arose and were affrighted, and fled; and the enemy destroyed their works, and broke down the olive trees.
Why did the Lord’s servants not build the watchtower in this parable? What does it mean when it says that the Lord’s servants argued that the Lord’s money should be given to the exchangers? Is there any example of the Lord’s money being given to exchangers from our day? What is the result of the servants’ slothfulness? Does the description of the Lord’s servants here match the description Isaiah gave in Isaiah 56 in any way?
Why did the Church support the Respect for Marriage Act when it seems, based upon the recent decision concerning Roe v. Wade, that the Supreme Court decision mandating same-sex marriage might be reversed in the future? Doesn’t that act make it so that states have to accept same-sex marriages from other states, even if the Supreme Court does reverse its previous ruling and returns this question to state jurisdiction? Doesn’t the Third Article of the Bill of Rights already guarantee that the Church can’t be forced to perform or recognize same-sex marriages? Doesn’t this show support for same-sex marriage? Wasn’t same-sex marriage considered apostasy just seven years ago in the Church? Why are Church leaders now supporting same-sex marriage? Isn’t encouraging Congress to pass this law supporting or affiliating with organizations that oppose Church doctrine? Shouldn’t our leaders lose their temple recommends for supporting this law? Wasn’t Sonia Johnson excommunicated for supporting the Equal Rights Amendment so why should Church leaders be exempt from discipline for something that egregiously violates the Lord’s written word?
What does it mean in Isaiah 28:12-15 when the leaders of Ephraim said, “We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves”? What are the leaders of Ephraim lying about?
In D&C 64:35-40 it states,
35 And the rebellious shall be cut off out of the land of Zion, and shall be sent away, and shall not inherit the land.
36 For, verily I say that the rebellious are not of the blood of Ephraim, wherefore they shall be plucked out.
37 Behold, I, the Lord, have made my church in these last days like unto a judge sitting on a hill, or in a high place, to judge the nations.
38 For it shall come to pass that the inhabitants of Zion shall judge all things pertaining to Zion.
39 And liars and hypocrites shall be proved by them, and they who are not apostles and prophets shall be known.
40 And even the bishop, who is a judge, and his counselors, if they are not faithful in their stewardships shall be condemned, and others shall be planted in their stead.
Who are the liars and hypocrites who are not apostles and prophets? Since verse 40 is referring to the presiding bishop isn’t verse 39 also referring to apostles and prophets in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints? So, who are they? Are the “rebellious [who] shall be cut off out of the land of Zion” and “are not of the blood of Ephraim” rebelling against the leaders of the Church or against God?
Jesus taught in JST Mark 9:44-46,
44 Therefore, let every man stand or fall, by himself, and not for another; or not trusting another.
45 Seek unto my Father, and it shall be done in that very moment what ye shall ask, if ye ask in faith, believing that ye shall receive.
46 And if thine eye which seeth for thee, him that is appointed to watch over thee to show thee light, become a transgressor and offend thee, pluck him out.
Who is appointed to watch over the Church to show it light? Is this consistent with Wilford Woodruff’s claim that the Lord would not allow the president of the Church to mislead it? Why did Jesus teach that we are to stand or fall by ourselves and not trusting another?
Sexual Abuse and Satanic Activity in the Church
President Nelson’s daughter and son-in-law were accused of helping to run a satanic sex abuse ring in Bountiful, Utah. President Nelson called for a social media fast on the exact weekend that a civil suit was filed concerning those allegations. At least one man from this alleged ring was convicted of child sex abuse.
Then-Second Counselor in the Presiding Bishopric Glenn Pace wrote a memo to the First Presidency detailing what he believed to be widespread and real organized satanic sex abuse happening among prominent members in the Church.
President Gordon B. Hinckley has been publicly accused by multiple witnesses of being involved in organized sex parties involving underage prostitutes. Darrell Clegg, a man involved in the private investigation into Hinckley’s activities claims that he witnessed a Church representative offer Bill Claudin, the producer of the films accusing Hinckley, money to deny the accusations (scroll to the bottom of the article).
A doctor in Rexburg, Idaho, Lavar Withers, was accused by hundreds of women and girls of sexually abusing them during medical examinations. He was convicted of sexual abuse, but in spite of this Withers only spent 2 months in jail and was only given probation as Church discipline by his stake president.
In June of 2022, an investigation into satanic ritual child sex abuse by the Utah County Sheriff's Office was made public. A few days later, Utah County Attorney David Leavitt held a press conference to deny that he was involved in satanic ritual child sex abuse, murder, and cannibalism even though he had not been publicly accused by the Utah County Sheriff’s Office of those things. In September 2022, David Hamblin, a therapist at the center of the allegations, was arrested by Utah County deputy sheriffs and reports have surfaced that there are tapes of Hamblin’s confession and a substantial amount of corroborating witnesses. The written account of the abuse by one of Hamblin and Leavitt’s alleged victims gives hundreds of details of her alleged abuse at the hands of a large, organized, and high-level satanic ring. This video covers additional, ironclad, horrific evidence alleging the infiltration of the Church by these Luciferian cultists.
Adam Steed was a young man who helped bring down an Eastern Idaho Boy Scout camp director, Brad Stowell, who had been molesting boys for some time. Brad Stowell had been caught before, referred to a bishop, and continued molesting children. His father, a former CES instructor, worked on getting the statute of limitations on the sexual assult of children in Idaho from five years and was fired for his efforts. Elder Harold Hillam personally interfered with Adam Steed’s life after he reported these offenses to the police and sued the BSA.
An AP news story about LDS abuse cases in Arizona and West Virginia and the role of an LDS abuse hotline that went to Church-contracted-lawyers at the law firm of Kirton McConkie raised questions about whether the Church is using its influence and the Church abuse hotline to hide cases of child sex abuse in the Church and prevent the Church from being sued. Each night, the lawyers shred all of their notes from each call that they take. There are thousands of other allegations of similar abuse among LDS people.
In light of these allegations, many of which have substantial supporting evidence, is there an institutional issue with child sex abuse in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints that is kept hidden? If so, how would the Lord Jesus Christ feel about this?
Church Member Issues
Why did Isaiah write that the daughters of Zion would be condemned and strongly punished for their haughtiness, flirtations, and worldly clothing and accessories? Are the daughters of Zion, in general, haughty, flirtatious, and worldly? (Isaiah 3:16-24 or 2 Nephi 13:16-24)
Why did Isaiah write that the men of the House of Israel would fall in war? Is that because of our consumption of pornography, our love of money and material things, our desecration of the Sabbath, and our worldly attitudes? (Isaiah 3:25 or 2 Nephi 13:25)
As a Church, we are warned against joining Babylon. How does one join Babylon?
Moroni taught this about the gifts of God (commonly referred to as the gifts of the Spirit or miracles),
24 And now I speak unto all the ends of the earth—that if the day cometh that the power and gifts of God shall be done away among you, it shall be because of unbelief.
25 And wo be unto the children of men if this be the case; for there shall be none that doeth good among you, no not one. For if there be one among you that doeth good, he shall work by the power and gifts of God.
26 And wo unto them who shall do these things away and die, for they die in their sins, and they cannot be saved in the kingdom of God; and I speak it according to the words of Christ; and I lie not.
Do we work by the power and gifts of God? If not, what does that mean according to Moroni?
Do we as a Church look forward to establishing Zion, or fear losing the things of the world that we’ve gathered such as wealth, material things like books, movies, social media, music, clothes, gadgets, cars, homes, etc., and worldly prestige, positions, and learning?
Do we as a Church believe God can turn us if we are willing, away from all of our sins and heal all our infirmities, or do we think that same-gender attraction and gender dysphoria are immutable aspects of our eternal beings?
Miscellaneous
Why did the statue of the Angel Moroni on the Salt Lake Temple drop its trumpet? Was this symbolic like the veil of the temple in Jerusalem being ripped from top to bottom when the Lord was crucified? If not, why not?
Why does the Church logo have an image of Christ? Is this a graven image?
Why does President Nelson tell us not to use the nickname, “Mormon Church” when the Melchizedek Priesthood is so named because its true name, the Holy Priesthood, after the Order of the Son of God, is not used “out of respect or reverence to the name of the Supreme Being, to avoid the too frequent repetition of his name”? (Doctrine and Covenants 107:3-4)
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