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Stephanie Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile Spotlight

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"Put on a little lipstick now and then and look a little charming" M. Russell Ballard's Devotional

Elder M. Russell Ballard gave a talk at a YSA Devotional on Saturday, October 24, 2015. The talk was offensive and displayed the patriarchy of the church. Ballard made this comment asking the woman not to “wander around looking like men.” He advised them to “put on a little lipstick now and then and look a little charming.” He claims marriage is “that simple.” “You beautiful girls, don’t wander…

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Frank Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile Spotlight

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Mormon Leadership Perfects Priestcrafts

The Book of Mormon explicitly condemns the practice of priestcraft, defining it as preaching or setting oneself up for personal gain and not genuinely seeking the welfare of the community, or “Zion.” According to these verses, those who engage in priestcraft labor for money or self-interest, rather than out of love and charity for others. This practice is portrayed as contrary to God’s…

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How Much is a Modest Living Allowance for Mormon Apostles? How Much Do LDS Church Leaders Get Paid?

Are the top Mormon leaders paid for their callings as General Authorities? Yes! They receive what they call a “living allowance.” In a few instances, the church admits this, although they also make repeated statements claiming that there is no paid clergy. Gordon B. Hinckley in a moment of honesty admits that General Authorities are paid a living allowance, and even that the funds for this come…

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Donated Tithing Funds vs Earnings on Invested Tithing

The church repeatedly states that no tithing money is used for its business purposes, like funding the City Creek Center or bailout money for church-owned insurance company, Beneficial Life. The church is surprisingly secretive about finances and has not publicly disclosed any financial statements in the United States since 1959, that’s 65 years and counting. The few statements when church…

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Are Mormon Church Leaders Paid?

The church makes misleading statements about how much the Apostles and Prophets of the LDS church are paid. They state regularly that there is no paid ministry, no professional clergy, and that no one is paid for their church service. This omits the fact that all senior leaders in the church are paid what they call a modest living allowance. This living allowance is after they of course reimburse…

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Kate Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile Spotlight

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Why Worry about Different Versions of the First Vision

In 1983, Gordon B. Hinckley, then Second Counselor in the First Presidency, but later President of the Church spoke to students at the Salt Lake Institute of Religion. An edited version of this address was then given as the First Presidency Message in the October 1984 Ensign. The message, God Hath Not Given Us the Spirit of Fear, states that in his view, the gospel is simple and he doesn’t “fret…

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Let's Go Shopping - City Creek

City Creek Center is a large, upscale shopping center in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah, that opened in 2012. It spans over 20 acres and features retail stores, restaurants, office spaces, and residential units. The development is notable for its retractable glass roof, pedestrian sky bridge, and an artificial creek running through the property, making it a distinctive urban attraction. The…

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Joseph Smith was a Glass Looking Treasure Digger

Today, the fact that Joseph Smith was involved in treasure digging is undisputed, yet still hardly common knowledge among members of the church. This is likely due to the historic denials from church leadership on Joseph and any such occult practices. The church has sought to distance itself from the strange magic practices of the Smith family. Facts they now claim were so commonplace that they…

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Nothing to Hide?

President Gordon B. Hinckley, top leader of the Church (1995-2008) addresses several issues related to the church’s history and practices in an interview on Christmas Day in 2005. The interview covered many topics but here we’ll look closely at what he said about polygamy and fundamentalist Mormons and church history and transparency. Polygamy and Fundamentalist Groups: Hinckley clarifies that…

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Spence Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile Spotlight

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Leave The Church Alone? Would You Allow Others to Unknowingly Drink Poison?

The statement, “If you saw a thirsty man drinking water from a well you knew to be poisoned, would you let him continue to drink or would you guide him to a safe well?” embodies a profound moral duty to intervene when we see others in harm’s way. It extolls the virtues of compassion, responsibility, and moral courage. When we encounter situations where others are misled or in danger, it…

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The Church and Victim Blaming Victims of Abuse

Victim blaming occurs when the victim of a crime or harmful action is held partially or fully responsible for what happened to them. This mindset shifts the blame away from the perpetrator and can further harm the victim by suggesting they could have prevented the incident. Church leaders and materials are known to place blame for abuse onto the victims. Here are a couple of examples of an…

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What is Cognitive Dissonance?

Cognitive dissonance occurs when a person experiences discomfort due to holding conflicting beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors. To reduce this discomfort, individuals often try to reconcile these inconsistencies, either by changing their beliefs, justifying their actions, or avoiding information that exacerbates the conflict. Leon Festinger Social psychologist Leon Festinger coined the term…

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BITE Mormonism - Censorship Example

A respectful note for whoever thinks Mormonism is not a cult, please consider the BITE model developed by Dr. Steven Hassan based on his own observations and experiences as a cult survivor. “BITE offers a clearly defined model based on observable behaviors that expert witnesses can use to evaluate the presence of mind control or thought reform across a variety of settings and groups.” – Dr.…