Refuting Mormonism

By William Braswell

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The "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" (LDS Church), is a movement that emerged in the early 19th century in the United States. It was founded by Joseph Smith in 1830 in upstate New York. It is based on the teachings found in the Book of Mormon which followers believe to be another testament of Jesus Christ. The LDS holds that its scriptures complement and expand upon the Bible rather than contradict it. However, there are areas where LDS scriptures introduce new teachings and reinterpret biblical concepts which is conflicting with what is written in the Bible. There are some main areas where Mormon scripture (such as the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price) introduces teachings or concepts that are contradicting or add to the Bible. Some may classify this religion under Polytheism or Tritheism (the belief in multiple gods or distinct gods within the Godhead).

The Book of Mormon, a foundational text for the LDS Church, is considered by Mormons to be another testament of Jesus Christ, containing writings of ancient prophets who lived in the Americas. This claim of additional scripture is rejected by most mainstream Christian denominations, which do not recognize any ancient records from the Americas. The Book of Mormon itself asserts in Mormon 7:9 that it is another testament of Jesus Christ, alongside the Bible. In terms of the role of Jesus Christ, Mormons believe that Jesus is the literal Son of God in a physical sense and that He was the firstborn spirit child of Heavenly Father and Mother in a pre-mortal existence. This view differs from traditional Christianity, which teaches that Jesus is the eternal Son of God, co-equal and co-eternal with the Father (John 1:1-14). The LDS interpretation of Jesus as a created being and the firstborn in a physical sense departs from the Christian understanding of His divinity.

The founders of Mormonism taught that there's a plethora of planets scattered across the universe that are ruled by countless gods who were once human. On one of these planets (many eons ago), Elohim, the heavenly Father who rules with many wives on a planet near a star named Kolob called a council meeting. He and his sons Jesus and Lucifer attended to send spirit children to earth to take on physical bodies. Lucifer stood to take on the role and be a savior because he wanted the glory, control, and removal of "the agency". Jesus allegedly claimed to let them have free will like on other planets. Since everyone agreed with Jesus, he was chosen to be the savior. Lucifer then revolted with a third of the angels and was cast down to earth without physical bodies. A non-biblical practice conducted by Mormons is baptizing on behalf of the dead. The practice of baptism for the dead is a distinctive doctrine in Mormonism. It involves living individuals being baptized on behalf of deceased ancestors which Mormons believe allows the deceased to accept the gospel in the afterlife. 


Moroni was a prophet and the last prophet of the supposed Nephites, who supposedly lived in the Americas 400–421 AD. He is said to have buried the golden plates near what is now Palmyra, New York. Joseph Smith, through divine intervention, was led to these plates by Moroni, who appeared to him as an angel in 1823. Moroni is an important figure in LDS history because he guided Smith (as an angel) to the plates and helped initiate the translation process of the Book of Mormon. According to the Bible, having contact with the spirits of the dead is forbidden in Deuteronomy 18:10-12 because those spirits are demons in disguise prepared to deceive. 


The Book of Mormon claims to describe ancient historical events in the Americas while the historical and archaeological facts point to the book being an invention of Joseph Smith. There are things in the Book of Mormon that didn’t exist during Book of Mormon times in the Americas; eg. horses, chariots, goats, elephants, wheat, and steel. These animals and materials did not exist in pre-Columbian America (before European contact) in the time frames described. There is no archeological evidence for the millions of Nephites and Lamanites, even though we have evidence from smaller groups of people who existed thousands of years earlier. According to the book, these peoples were descendants of Israelites who migrated to the Americas around 600 B.C. Michael D. Coe, Mesoamerican archaeologist and Professor of Anthropology at Yale University, wrote, “As far as I know, there is not one professionally trained archaeologist, who is not a Mormon, who sees any scientific justification for believing the historicity of the Book of Mormon, and I would like to state that there are quite a few Mormon archaeologists who join this group.” Sheep, goats, horses, and elephants that the supposed Nephites raised were not found in the Americas at the time claimed, and there's still no elephants roaming. 


We cannot forget about the 116 LOST PAGES which had not been copied and were supposedly lost by Smith's scribe, Martin Harris, in 1828. Smith completed the Book of Mormon without retranslating the “Book of Lehi”, replacing it with what he said was an abridgment taken from the “Plates of Nephi”, books that have no evidence of ever existing. Joseph didn’t even use the plates to translate the Book of Mormon, he used a seer's stone. He placed the stone into a hat to block out light and then dictated the translation to his scribe. This method is documented in historical accounts, including those from Emma Smith, Joseph's wife. He also couldn’t re-translate the missing 116 missing pages which were supposedly taken by Martin Harris’ wife to test Joseph’s validity as a translator. Emma Smith (Joseph’s wife): “He had neither manuscript nor book to read from. … He would put the seer stone into a hat, and putting his face in the hat, so as to exclude the light.” — Last Testimony of Sister Emma, 1879 

David Whitmer (Book of Mormon witness): “Joseph Smith would put the seer stone into a hat and put his face in the hat, drawing it closely around his face… the sentence would appear in bright Roman letters.” 

Doctrine and Covenants 10 (LDS Scripture): Justifies why Joseph didn’t retranslate the lost pages and warns of enemy alteration.


The doctrine of God presented within the theological system founded by Joseph Smith stands in clear and substantive tension with the historic Christian understanding of God. This divergence is not peripheral; it strikes at the very core of who God is.

Latter-day Saint teaching affirms that God the Father possesses a physical body. Doctrine and Covenants 130:22 explicitly states that He has a “body of flesh and bones.” This assertion alone places LDS theology outside the bounds of classical Christian theism, which—on the basis of texts such as John 4:24—has consistently affirmed that God is spirit, not a corporeal being. The issue here is not merely philosophical but theological: a God who is embodied is, by definition, spatially located and therefore not transcendent in the full biblical sense.

Another key difference is the LDS understanding of the Trinity. The LDS Church teaches that the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are three distinct beings, each with a separate physical body (except for the Holy Ghost, who is purely spirit). In contrast, mainstream Christianity holds that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one God in three persons, as outlined in passages such as Matthew 28:19. This doctrine of the Trinity is a cornerstone of Christian faith, and the LDS view, which separates the three members of the Godhead, is seen as a contradiction of this central tenet. The Book of Mormon (1 Nephi 11:21-22) also portrays God the Father and Jesus Christ as separate beings, further diverging from the traditional Christian understanding of the Trinity.

The LDS Church also has a unique interpretation of the Fall of Adam and Eve. Mormons believe that the Fall was a necessary part of God's plan for humanity, bringing the opportunity for humans to experience mortality and make choices. Traditional Christianity, however, views the Fall as a tragic event that introduced sin and death into the world, as described in Romans 5:12. The LDS perspective, which sees the Fall as a "blessed" or "necessary" event, contrasts sharply with the Christian view of original sin and the need for salvation through Christ. The Book of Mormon (2 Nephi 2:25) expresses this positive view of the Fall, saying, "Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy." They also teach the pre-existence of souls, a concept not found in traditional Christian doctrine. 

According to LDS belief, all human beings existed as spirit children of Heavenly Father before they were born on Earth. This pre-mortal existence is central to Mormon theology. In contrast, the Bible teaches that human beings are created at birth, not in a pre-existence. The Book of Abraham (Pearl of Great Price) supports this teaching, describing the organization of spirits before they come to Earth.

The LDS understanding of salvation and grace also contrasts with traditional Christian views. Mormons believe that salvation requires a combination of faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism, and obedience to commandments, including temple ordinances like baptism for the dead. In contrast, many Christian denominations emphasize salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8-9). The LDS focus on works, ordinances, and temple rituals as essential for salvation differs significantly from the Christian understanding of salvation as a free gift of God's grace. The Book of Mormon (2 Nephi 25:23) mentions that salvation requires both faith and obedience to God's law, and Doctrine and Covenants 132:7 highlights the necessity of certain ordinances, such as sealing families, for salvation.

More significantly, LDS theology teaches that God is not eternally God in the absolute sense. The oft-cited couplet of Lorenzo Snow—“As man now is, God once was; as God now is, man may become”—summarizes a doctrine that is deeply embedded in early Mormon teaching. This is not an isolated idea but is rooted in the explicit teaching of Joseph Smith himself. In the King Follett Discourse, he declared:

“God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man… you have got to learn how to be Gods yourselves.”

Such statements do not merely stretch the boundaries of Christian theology; they overturn them. The God of Scripture is not a being who became God. He is God eternally. Isaiah 43:10 is unambiguous: “Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me.” This is not compatible with a system in which God emerges from a prior state or exists within a lineage of divine beings.

Joseph Smith pressed the point further in later sermons, suggesting that God Himself stands within a chain of divine parentage:

“If Jesus Christ had a Father… can we not believe that He had a Father also?”

This reasoning leads inevitably to a form of theological pluralism in which God is not unique, but one among potentially many exalted beings. Even if later Latter-day Saint theology avoids explicit polytheistic language, the underlying structure remains fundamentally at odds with biblical monotheism.

The divergence extends to the doctrine of creation. Historic Christianity has consistently affirmed creatio ex nihilo—that God created all things from nothing. By contrast, Latter-day Saint theology generally holds that God organizes pre-existing matter. This view necessarily limits God’s sovereignty and undermines the biblical teaching that all things are “from him and through him and to him” (Romans 11:36). A God who works with eternal materials rather than calling all things into existence is not the absolute Creator described in Scripture.

At points, even LDS philosophical reflection has acknowledged this limitation. Some Mormon thinkers have described God as operating within eternal laws or realities rather than possessing absolute, unconditioned power. Whatever nuance is applied, the result is a conception of God whose authority is not ultimate in the classical sense.

Historical developments within early Mormonism further complicate the matter. The so-called “Adam–God” teaching associated with Brigham Young (though later rejected) demonstrates that even foundational questions about the identity of God were, at one time, subject to significant variation. Such doctrinal instability is difficult to reconcile with the claim of restored, divinely revealed truth.

The cumulative weight of these teachings leads to a clear conclusion: the God of Latter-day Saint theology is not the God of historic Christianity. The differences are not merely linguistic or cultural; they are ontological. Scripture presents God as eternal, uncreated, and without equal:

“From everlasting to everlasting you are God” (Psalm 90:2).

“Who has known the mind of the Lord… For from him and through him and to him are all things” (Romans 11:34–36).

In contrast, the LDS framework presents a God who has progressed, who exists among other divine beings, and who does not stand as the sole, self-existent source of all reality.

For this reason, the claim that Latter-day Saint theology represents a restoration of original Christianity cannot be sustained at the level of the doctrine of God. The disparity is too fundamental. What is presented is not a restoration, but a redefinition and one that departs in essential ways from the God revealed in Scripture.

Let's not forget how immoral this so-called prophet really was... Joseph Smith married 33 women, many of whom he wed without Emma’s consent, which was explicitly forbidden in the Doctrine and Covenants. Emma Smith, Joseph's first wife, was aware of some of the marriages, but she was not always supportive. In fact, there are accounts indicating that Joseph Smith married women without Emma's consent, which led to tension in their relationship. The specifics of Emma's knowledge and consent vary by marriage. Emma’s consent was not explicitly required in the early doctrine on plural marriage, and the issue was a point of contention in the Smith household. Eleven of these women were already married, some of whom were unaware of Joseph’s actions. Additionally, Joseph married some of his own foster daughters including Helen Mar Kimball, who was the daughter of one of Smith’s close associates, Heber C. Kimball. She was 14 years old when she married Smith, which is particularly controversial and was considered shocking even in the 19th century. To persuade women to marry him, Joseph employed a range of coercive tactics, including promises of eternal life, threats of damnation, and even claims that he himself was under threat from an angel wielding a flaming sword. There are accounts (including testimonies from Lucy Walker and Heber C. Kimball) that Joseph Smith claimed that an angel with a flaming sword threatened him with damnation if he did not continue the practice of plural marriage. Despite these actions, President Gordon B. Hinckley publicly stated that polygamy is not doctrinal, in contrast to the teachings of numerous early church leaders, including Brigham Young, who taught that polygamy was essential for exaltation. In a 1998 Larry King Live interview, LDS President Gordon B. Hinckley said: “I condemn it, yes, as a practice, because I think it is not doctrinal.”This contradicts early LDS teachings, especially those of Brigham Young, who taught that plural marriage was required for exaltation in the highest degree of heaven (cf. Journal of Discourses, vol. 11, p. 269).


Brigham Young taught Adam-God theory at a general conference and as part of the temple endowment ceremony. This doctrine is now disavowed by the church. Journal of Discourses, vol. 1, p. 50: “When our father Adam came into the garden of Eden, he came into it with a celestial body...He is our Father and our God.” Brigham Young taught blood atonement, (now also disavowed) this doctrine factored into the events which led up to the Mountain Meadows Massacre, where church leaders murdered over 100 pioneers traveling through Utah. Not to mention they promoted RACISM towards black people for 150 years and did NOT let anyone into their temples, hold positions of power, or even get married. Their beliefs stem from the story of a rebellion in heaven between Lucifer and the council of the gods. One group sided with Lucifer, another with the council, and the third was neutral. The neutral group was punished by God the Father to be born with black skin on earth. Official LDS justification was linked to the "curse of Cain" and pre-mortal neutrality deeply racist theological ideas. The 1978 Official Declaration 2 reversed this policy, but without apology or explanation for the long-standing ban. Coincidently, the revelation of black equality did not happen until BYU decided they did not want to lose their tax-exempt status. Until 1978, the LDS Church barred men of Black African descent from holding the priesthood and from participating in temple rituals. On June 8, 1978, church president Spencer W. Kimball announced a revelation that the priesthood would now be available to "all worthy male members," regardless of race. This is known in LDS canon as Official Declaration 2. Here's the short story, in the 1960s and 70s, BYU was increasingly targeted for protests and boycotts due to the LDS Church’s racial policies. Several college sports programs and conferences refused to compete with BYU, such as Stanford, San Jose State, and others. In 1970, the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) considered ejecting BYU due to growing pressure. Black student unions and civil rights groups across the U.S. protested the LDS Church’s racial exclusion policies, often focusing efforts on athletic departments. Despite the protests, BYU continued to compete in NCAA sports because "money talks". The LDS Church teaches that the 1978 revelation was the result of earnest prayer and spiritual seeking by Church leadership, especially President Kimball. What a coincidence.Brigham Young, the second President of the LDS said bearing interracial children is punishable by death. Journal of Discourses, vol. 10, p. 110 (1863): "Shall I tell you the law of God in regard to the African race? If the white man who belongs to the chosen seed mixes his blood with the seed of Cain, the penalty…is death on the spot." 


Young also claimed there was life in the sun and stated that nobody enters heaven without Joseph Smith’s consent. Journal of Discourses, vol. 7, p. 289: "No man or woman in this dispensation will ever enter into the celestial kingdom of God without the consent of Joseph Smith." Indeed, early Latter-day Saint thought, reflected in texts like the Doctrine and Covenants (e.g., 76:24), affirms a cosmos filled with inhabited worlds created by God. More firmly attested, however, is the broader pattern of expansive cosmological speculation among early Mormon leaders. Patriarchal blessings from the 1830s—given under the authority of figures like Joseph Smith Sr.—include promises of preaching the gospel to inhabitants of other worlds or even traveling to them. Likewise, later leaders such as Brigham Young openly entertained the possibility of life on the sun and other celestial bodies. These statements are well documented and reflect a theological imagination in which the universe is populated and spiritually unified. At the same time, even some Latter-day Saint writers urge restraint in drawing firm conclusions from the more sensational claims. The Huntington–Dibble report, while intriguing, cannot bear the full weight of an argument against Smith’s prophetic credibility. Its late date, indirect transmission, and lack of corroboration mean that it is better understood as part of a developing tradition rather than as definitive evidence of Smith’s teaching.


Mormon magic underwear, often referred to as Temple Garments, are a sacred part of the religious attire worn by adult members. Joseph Smith's Revelations: The idea of wearing special clothing for religious purposes was introduced by Joseph Smith as part of the Latter-day Saint temple rites. In 1842, Smith began to introduce a set of religious practices and teachings that would become part of the church's temple ordinances. This included the belief in covenants with God, which would be sealed in sacred ceremonies inside the temple. It is believed by scholars and critics that Smith incorporated this idea after joining Freemasonry. There are parallels between the LDS temple rituals and certain aspects of Freemasonry which Joseph Smith and other early leaders were involved in particularly the ceremonial greetings, clothing, and symbols that are used during its rites. The garments are viewed as a symbol of the covenants made in the LDS Church's temple ceremonies. They are considered a constant reminder of the individual’s commitment to God and to living a virtuous life. They are usually made of white cotton or a blend of cotton and synthetic fibers. They cover the body, including the chest, stomach, and thighs. The garments have special markings, such as small symbols, that hold religious meaning. These symbols are not widely discussed outside of the church, as they are considered sacred and part of the temple rituals. Beyond being a symbol of covenants, garments are believed to offer spiritual and physical protection. Members wear them throughout the day, underneath their clothing, as a reminder of their commitments. However, they are not seen as "magical" in the traditional sense of the word. They are believed to provide protection and blessings in the spiritual sense rather than in a supernatural or superstitious way. Wearing the garments is considered a personal and sacred practice, and they are typically not shown publicly. Members are expected to treat them with respect and wear them consistently after they’ve received their temple ordinances. The design has evolved over time, and different styles exist today. While older versions were more like full-length undergarments, modern garments are designed to be more discreet and easier to hide under everyday clothing.



LDS False Prophecies

The question of prophetic authority is central to the claims of Joseph Smith, founder of the movement that became The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Smith not only organized a new religious community but also spoke frequently in the name of God, delivering revelations recorded in texts such as the Doctrine and Covenants and in the History of the Church. The present study evaluates several of his prophetic statements in light of the biblical standard articulated in Deuteronomy 18:21–22, which requires that a prophet’s predictions come to pass. Particular attention is given to statements that appear specific, time-bound, and unconditional.

In assessing Smith’s prophetic record, it is useful to distinguish between different types of prophecy:

  • Open-ended prophecies, which lack a defined timeframe
  • Conditional prophecies, dependent upon human response or circumstances
  • Self-fulfilling statements, which rely on the prophet’s own actions
  • Time-specific, unconditional prophecies, which present the clearest test case

The following examples focus primarily on the last category, where verification or falsification is most straightforward.

The Timing of Christ’s Return

In 1835, Smith stated that the gathering and missionary activity of the church would precede the imminent return of Christ:

“…the coming of the Lord, which was nigh—even fifty-six years should wind up the scene” (History of the Church, 2:182).

If taken as a literal timeframe, this would point to approximately 1891. Since no such event occurred, critics regard this as a failed chronological expectation. Some interpreters have suggested the statement may reflect a general sense of urgency rather than a precise prediction; however, the specificity of the “fifty-six years” remains a point of difficulty.

The Mission of David W. Patten

A revelation dated April 17, 1838, declares:

“It is wisdom in my servant David W. Patten… that he may perform a mission unto me next spring” (Doctrine and Covenants 114:1).

Patten was killed in October 1838 and therefore did not serve the mission described. This passage is frequently cited as an example of an apparently specific directive that did not come to pass. Some Latter-day Saint interpretations suggest implicit conditions; however, such conditions are not stated in the text itself.

The Overthrow of the United States Government

In 1843, Smith declared:

“Unless the United States redress the wrongs… in a few years the government will be utterly overthrown” (History of the Church, 5:394).

Although the grievances referenced were not formally resolved, the United States government was not overthrown within the predicted timeframe. Critics therefore interpret this as a conditional prophecy that did not materialize as stated.

The Fate of Congress

In a related statement, Smith warned:

“If Congress will not hear our petition… they shall be broken up as a government” (History of the Church, 6:116; cf. Millennial Star, 22:455).

Congress neither granted the requested protections nor ceased to function. Later editorial commentary within Latter-day Saint publications has attempted to interpret this statement more narrowly, but the original wording presents a broad and emphatic prediction.

Treasure in Salem, Massachusetts

In a revelation given in 1836, Smith recorded:

“I have much treasure in this city for you… its wealth pertaining to gold and silver shall be yours” (Doctrine and Covenants 111).

The historical context indicates that church leaders were seeking financial relief at the time. No such treasure was recovered, and no significant financial gain resulted from the visit. Some interpreters understand the “treasure” in a spiritual sense; however, the language of the passage naturally suggests material benefit.

Imminent National Judgments

Smith also warned of widespread destruction:

“Not many years shall pass away before the United States shall present such a scene of bloodshed… and there are those now living… who shall not die until they see these things fulfilled” (History of the Church, 1:315–316).

While the United States has experienced war and hardship, the comprehensive judgment described—accompanied by the destruction of the wicked on a national scale within a single generation—did not occur in the manner implied. The reference to contemporaries living to see the fulfillment further sharpens the time-bound nature of the statement.

The Temple in Missouri

Perhaps the most frequently discussed example appears in Doctrine and Covenants 84:

“This generation shall not all pass away until an house shall be built unto the Lord” (vv. 4–5), referring to a temple in Missouri.

Although Latter-day Saints were later expelled from Missouri, no temple was constructed on the designated site within the lifetime of that generation. Interpretations have varied, with some proposing broader definitions of “generation,” but the plain reading suggests a more immediate fulfillment.

Biblical Criteria for Prophetic AuthoritThe Hebrew Scriptures provide a clear standard for evaluating prophetic claims:

“When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass… the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously” (Deuteronomy 18:22).

This criterion does not distinguish between major and minor predictions; even a single unfulfilled prophecy calls into question a prophet’s authority. The seriousness of this standard reflects the concern that false prophecy misrepresents divine revelation.

The examples considered above illustrate recurring tensions within the prophetic claims of Joseph Smith:

  • Statements that appear time-bound yet remain unfulfilled
  • Predictions linked to identifiable historical circumstances that did not occur as stated
  • Subsequent reinterpretations that attempt to account for apparent discrepancies

While defenders of Smith’s prophetic role offer alternative readings, (often emphasizing conditional elements or symbolic meaning) the cumulative weight of these examples has led critics to conclude that his record does not consistently satisfy the biblical test of a prophet as defined in Deuteronomy 18. For this reason, the question of Joseph Smith’s prophetic authority remains a central and contested issue in theological evaluation.


The reality is that this cult was founded by a Freemason to gain power and influence. Mormon handshakes are the same as masons', the same pentagrams are used in the decor, and the teaching that adherence leads to godhood. Joseph revealed the LDS temple endowment just seven weeks after his Masonic initiation. The endowment is nearly identical to the Masonic ceremony in numerous ways. The temple ceremony was supposed to be eternal, yet blood oaths and other disturbing elements were removed in the 1980s, just a few years after those elements were removed from the Masonic ceremony. Sure, Joseph Smith joined Freemasonry after founding the Church of Christ.

Here’s a quick timeline to clarify:

  • 1830 – Joseph Smith formally organized the Church of Christ (the original name of the Mormons who later became the LDS Church).

  • 1842 – Joseph Smith was initiated into Freemasonry in Nauvoo, Illinois, on March 15, 1842.

Interestingly, after he became a Mason, Masonic symbolism and themes began appearing in LDS temple rituals introduced shortly thereafter... leading to ongoing discussions and debates about the influence of Freemasonry on early Mormon temple practices.


Check out quitmormon.org if they don't stop harassing you after you've decided to leave.




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