tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84452042552547026362012-01-12T07:50:28.456-08:00Being raised a member of the LDS church (Mormon), it was only recently that I learned about many of the criticisms facing the church and its claims. This blog is a look and exploration of these criticisms and the reasons why I went from being a true believer to an Ex-Mormon. <br> As of 8/10/2009, I no longer consider myself a member of the LDS church.Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.comBlogger701100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-13121898067910330412009-10-05T14:12:00.000-07:002009-10-06T14:33:04.786-07:00

I received my final letter indicating that my name and record has been removed from the records of the Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day Saints.As I close this chapter of my life, I look back at Mormonism and these are my thoughts:Most of my experience as a lifelong member of the LDS church has been positive and uplifting. However, I simply don't believe the doctrine, dogma and claims made by

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-20057629377685135812009-08-10T10:38:00.000-07:002009-08-10T10:59:19.389-07:00

I know this is a dead blog as I have not posted in a long time, nor do I plan on actively posting on here, so I don't know how many people will see it. However, this is an update on my status regarding my membership in the LDS church. Today, 8-10-2009 I no longer consider myself a member of the LDS church.I sent the following letter to my current bishop:Although I consider myself "non-Mormon",

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-32515619853238896372008-08-18T08:38:00.000-07:002008-08-18T09:09:30.925-07:00

This is an excellent piece of work by Richard Bushman which I ran across from the NOM board. According to the blogger LifeOnaPlate, this is an introduction by Bushman to the 2008 summer seminar "Joseph Smith and His Critics" given July 29, 2008. He does an excellent job of describing almost step by step exactly what goes on in the mind of the disillusioned Mormon.Here is the link to the

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-16995259036242459772008-08-07T14:01:00.000-07:002008-08-07T14:26:32.385-07:00

This blog has helped me organize my thoughts, but it is exhausting. I think it is time for me to take a break for a while, maybe indefinitely as I am exiting the LDS community and am dedicating my time to other things in my life. This blog has helped me organize and express my thoughts and journey of disillusionment. It has been a painful process, but I have found this to be therapeutic but I

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com50tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-34206579184371701302008-07-02T22:20:00.000-07:002008-07-03T10:20:10.040-07:00

Importance of the Book of Mormon in the LDS ChurchJoesph Smith is well known for making the following statement regarding the Book of Mormon:I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.What Precepts from the Book of Mormon are we to

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-74059925068565174702008-06-12T21:49:00.000-07:002008-06-19T00:16:08.403-07:00

Revelation and the LDS ChurchThe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints claims to be an church that receives direct revelation from God. However, the question arises when was the last revelation? Most of Brigham Young's discourses are pretty much dead doctrines in the LDS church and are dismissed as merely his own personal opinion and not necessarily revelation from God. Mormon

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com278tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-92205542191261198222008-06-08T20:01:00.000-07:002008-06-11T22:24:11.677-07:00

Mormon Fundamentalism VS. The LDS ChurchThere seems to be a lot of interest lately on the subject of Mormon fundamentalism, particularly the FLDS (Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) so I will speak on the subject. There are many people that see reports on t.v. about polygamist groups and associate these groups with the LDS church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com62tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-52527594048711898522008-06-02T10:08:00.001-07:002008-06-02T14:07:41.011-07:00

The Smithsonian Institute Considers the Book of Mormon a Historical DocumentWell, sort of. The Smithsonian Institute considers the Book of Mormon a very important historical document of 19th century American religious history. However, the Smithsonian Institute is very clear that they do not consider the Book of Mormon to be a translation of ancient American texts.I remember hearing rumors

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com185tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-24809404133297685992008-05-31T15:28:00.000-07:002008-05-31T21:00:51.473-07:00

Why Was 1st Century Reformed Egyptian Translated into 17th Century King James English in 19th Century America?Was it really necessary for the Book of Mormon to be translated into 17th Century King James English? It seems that there is a perception that for something to be scripture, it must be translated into late middle/early modern English, as if that is some kind of God given perfect language

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com72tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-54245343386437188032008-05-24T14:04:00.000-07:002008-05-24T14:31:27.823-07:00

Translation of the Book of MormonIn a previous post, I talked about the method that Joseph Smith used to translate the Book of Mormon. Any reputable historian on the subject LDS or non-LDS will tell you that Joseph Smith did not use the gold plates, or the urim and thummim for the translation of the Book of Mormon. Instead, he used a seer stone that he found in the ground while digging a well

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com55tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-2159823902158583572008-05-20T00:42:00.000-07:002008-05-20T11:25:43.539-07:00

In the Book of Mormon, there is a book by Enos called "The Book of Enos". It is a short book, only one chapter and in it, Enos tells the story of how he prayed mightily for a day and night. Because of his faith, his sins were forgiven. In fact, the lord himself tells Enos he will grant him one wish.Enos 1:12And it came to pass that after I had prayed and labored with all diligence, the Lord

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-11390924065124861262008-05-14T12:34:00.000-07:002008-05-18T11:59:13.740-07:00

This is a one question quiz that is directed at members, ex-members or even investigators of the LDS community, not limited to members of the mainstream LDS church. Of course this is in no way scientific and is just for fun.Which one most closely matches your belief?1. Believe that the gospel truths as restored by Joseph Smith are eternal and can never change and ought to be taught the same way

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-50113071500217816652008-05-12T18:30:00.000-07:002008-05-14T13:21:23.798-07:00

There was an interesting article in the Salt Lake Tribune from Stephen L. Peck, associate professor in the Department of Biology at Brigham Young University. It is an editorial piece that gives the view of evolution from a faithful member of the church.The article is more a slam on intelligent design, arguing that it is not science and therefore does not belong in the science classroom.BYU has a

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-26503746493474368522008-05-09T15:01:00.000-07:002008-05-09T23:39:24.140-07:00

The Book of Mormon and the Book of AbrahamThe Book of Mormon and the Book of Abraham are both canonized scripture in the LDS church. Both are purported to be translated by Joseph Smith. Critics of Mormonism will point out that both books were written and not translated by Joseph Smith. If that were the case, you would see a similarity in writing style between the Book of Mormon and the Book

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-65275814498553078242008-05-04T00:54:00.000-07:002008-05-09T15:51:19.345-07:00

LDS Beliefs Are Very StrangeAs I take a step back, many of the things taught in the LDS church are very strange, especially to someone that has not been raised in the church. As a member all my life, many of the stories of Joseph Smith, the angel Moroni, gold plates, and the Book of Mormon were normal to me, because it was the reality that I surrounded myself with.However, we all grew up with

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-17487132626469903632008-04-28T13:48:00.001-07:002008-04-29T12:25:21.999-07:00

Is Polygamy Part of Mormon Doctrine?Absolutely. Polygamy is even officiated in LDS temples, and it is still part of the core doctrine, if we are to believe what we read in what the church considers scripture.Now, let me be clear. The LDS church does not currently practice polygamy on this earth, but it is still part of the core doctrine that polygamy must be accepted in the celestial kingdom,

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-85512594228437930132008-04-23T23:12:00.000-07:002008-04-29T02:34:21.794-07:00

Search, Ponder and PrayGrowing up in the church, I was always taught to read the scriptures every day and study them. Ironically, it was studying the scriptures that casted the first doubts about the validity of the Book of Mormon.I remember reading in the Book of Mormon certain chapters in 3 Nephi that were very similar to verses I had read in the New Testament. My initial reaction was that it

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-74052194054871689192008-04-19T23:34:00.001-07:002008-04-29T02:33:39.399-07:00

I have taken a break from blogging because of time constraints, but I am back from a half-year hiatus. I thought I would break back into this blog by talking about the main reasons that led to my disillusionment.LDS Perception on why people leave the churchA common mis-conception in the church is that the only reasons people leave the church or stop believing in the church is because:a. Some

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-2066919002480875962007-12-22T22:48:00.000-08:002008-04-29T02:32:50.349-07:00

http://www.sltrib.com/faith/ci_7743894" A prominent LDS Church official has urged young people to blog, create Web sites and take advantage of social networks online to help improve people's perceptions of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. "May I ask that you join the conversation by participating on the Internet. . .to share the gospel and explain in simple, clear terms the

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-85141901513367962322007-11-13T23:20:00.000-08:002008-04-29T02:32:23.650-07:00

The Book of Mormon is supposed to be a historical document of religious texts of people that lived in Ancient America. In my previous post, I talked about how there is a change in the way the Mormon leadership views Native Americans.Traditionally, it was widely believed, taught and accepted that Native Americans were all decedents of the Lamanites. Now, it seems that the church is starting to

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com38tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-63969405633747238662007-11-10T18:40:00.000-08:002008-04-29T02:31:47.555-07:00

From an article in the Salt Lake TribuneThe book's current introduction, added by the late LDS apostle, Bruce R. McConkie in 1981, includes this statement: "After thousands of years, all were destroyed except the Lamanites, and they are the principal ancestors of the American Indians." The new version, seen first in Doubleday's revised edition, reads, "After thousands of years, all were destroyed

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-24155560050131741522007-09-26T14:55:00.000-07:002008-04-29T02:30:32.285-07:00

Even though I no longer believe that the church is true, or anything that it claims to be, I do not hate the church. My intention is not to bring it down, or even to try to convince people that they shouldn't believe in Mormonism. However, the faith of most members is not based on all the facts. What I want is for people to see both sides and then decide, that way people can make an informed

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com89tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-56990923784956991232007-09-03T11:11:00.000-07:002008-04-29T02:29:56.151-07:00

I would like to go back to the subject regarding the veracity of the Book of Mormon. I would like to bring up authorship of the Book of Mormon. One of the criticisms of the Book of Mormon is that many of the names and stories that are found in the Book of Mormon came from various sources that can be found in publications and stories that predate the Book of Mormon.Vernal Holey's Book "Book of

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com44tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-2301844643869661862007-08-16T19:34:00.000-07:002008-05-12T18:54:04.366-07:00

Although the main focus of this blog is regarding Mormonism, I thought I would broaden the topic to the whole idea of God in general.Let me first point out that I believe in evolution. There is so much overwhelming evidence that evolution isn't a debate in the scientific community anymore. Darwin's theory of evolution has been verified by fossil records, carbon dating and DNA. To deny that

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com86tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-46713472055339326762007-08-04T20:27:00.000-07:002008-04-29T02:28:31.888-07:00

I would like to bring up the topic once again of intellectualism in the LDS church. In a previous post, I talked about how LDS church leaders have made recent statements discouraging intellectualism and scholarly thought, particularly topics, issues and facts that might not be "faith promoting". I compared it to the story of Adam and Eve, where in Mormonism, it was necessary for Adam and Eve to

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com61tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-20257383886163823052007-07-29T12:48:00.000-07:002007-08-04T20:56:13.771-07:00

This seems to be the favorite topic of many, particularly of those that comment on this blog regularly. How exactly was the Book of Mormon translated?The LDS version of how it transpiredRaised Mormon, I can testify myself of how I was personally taught in the church of the translation process of the Book of Mormon. The story goes like this: The angel Moroni appears to Joseph Smith and tells him

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com131tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-61549988983813020592007-07-25T10:47:00.000-07:002007-07-25T14:00:51.201-07:00

Going back to the topic of the Book of Mormon, the question is raised regarding the location of the Hill Cumorah in Upstate, NY and if it is the same as referenced in the Book of Mormon, where 2 major battles took place.There was always only one hill CumorahEvery prophet from Joseph Smith to Gordon B. Hinckley has always taught that the hill Cumorah in Upstate, NY was the same as referenced in

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com68tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-75147702599759666092007-07-20T14:55:00.000-07:002007-07-25T12:29:40.893-07:00

Since the subject of racism in the LDS church was brought up in my previous post, I decided to talk about another type of discrimination that has and still exists in the LDS church and that is sexism.Gender Roles In MormonismThe LDS church is definitely gender specific when it comes to roles, particularly in parenting.According to the Marriage and Family Relations Study Guide, The roles of men

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-61775680906256704892007-07-16T22:59:00.000-07:002007-07-25T12:28:38.376-07:00

My thoughts regarding racism and the LDS church:Since the subject of racism in the LDS church was brought up in the comments of a previous post, I thought I would dedicate a new post to the subject and copy all the comments from previous posts and paste them here, since they really have nothing to do with the original posts. I don't mind getting off on a few tangents, but the response was so

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com81tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-5814735790152596692007-07-10T05:32:00.000-07:002008-04-29T12:14:41.784-07:00

Click Here PBS Frontline-Mountain Meadows Part 1Click Here PBS Frontline-Mountain Meadows Part 2In case you are unfamiliar with the Mountain Meadows Massacre, the above videos are the 2 parts produced by PBS Frontline that give an accurate account of what happened in Mountain Meadows.LDS Church RespondsThe LDS church has published an article regarding the tragic event that happened in Mormon

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-55702903955115669242007-07-06T22:09:00.000-07:002007-07-11T01:17:24.861-07:00

According to Nephi, son of Nephi, son of Helaman, Jesus spoke to him the night before he was born.3 Nephi 1:13-14Lift up your head and be of good cheer; for behold, the time is at hand, and on this night shall the sign be given, and on the morrow come I into the world, to show unto the world that I will fulfil all that which I have caused to be spoken by the mouth of my holy prophets. Behold, I

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-11662946428027477712007-07-01T16:15:00.000-07:002007-07-13T09:31:31.799-07:00

I thought I would write one of very few blogs about me personally. The whole reason for this blog was to provide a way for me to organize my thoughts. I have found it therapeutic and very helpful in getting a clear picture of how I view the church. As I organize my thoughts, it isn't just one criticism of the church, it is when you look at everything that the whole thing just falls apart.Imagine

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-6297644009523973102007-06-28T21:56:00.000-07:002007-06-29T01:43:17.451-07:00

Boyd K. Packer, who was acting president of the quorum of the 12 apostles at the time, gave a speech at a BYU Devotional on January 16, 2007. In his speech, he talks about how the Book of Mormon is the cornerstone to his testimony. He goes on to talk about Lehi's dream, as found in the Book of Mormon and how the symbolism of his dream can be applied to our lives. At one point, he asks a very

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-37588754481103220762007-06-26T20:47:00.000-07:002008-04-29T12:18:05.094-07:00

The information in this video is what made me conclude that the Book of Abraham is a fraud. When I learned about the Book of Abraham, and the fraudulent claims made by the church, I lost complete faith in Mormonism.The LDS church still includes the Book of Abraham as part of their canonized scripture. The only apologetic response for the Book of Abraham being translated from a common funerary

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-76770134439943955212007-06-25T20:11:00.000-07:002007-06-25T20:17:17.792-07:00

Enjoy this video on how to start your own cult.

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-29284789585831735362007-06-22T22:40:00.000-07:002007-06-27T15:03:29.913-07:00

Were The Plates Made From Gold?If the plates were in fact made from gold, it is safe to say that it was a very scarce commodity. As mentioned in a previous post, there is no evidence of gold being used in Mesoamerica until at least 600 A.D., 200 years after the plates were buried. So, despite Nephi's exaggerations that gold and other metals were found in "great abundance"(2 Nephi 5:15), gold must

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-81012907932707390022007-06-19T02:39:00.000-07:002008-05-07T00:02:27.262-07:00

Kirt Cameron says that a banana testifies of the genius of God's creation.He talks about how a "well-made banana" is specifically designed by God to serve humans. I think his argument is cute, and I do think that a banana demonstrates the genius of God's creation, but not in the same way as this particular example.What is a "well-made banana"?Bananas come in all different shapes and sizes.

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-20190220281663075682007-06-14T20:52:00.000-07:002007-06-15T11:11:22.837-07:00

The story of Quetzalcoatl is very compelling and many LDS members have pointed to the legend of Quetzalcoatl as evidence to the authenticity of the Book of Mormon.Who is Quetzalcoatl?In case you are unfamiliar with pre-Colombian deities, Quetzalcoatl is the most well known Aztec god and is believed by many to be the principal Aztec God. The name itself is a compound formed from the Nahuatl terms

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-45454459637503887072007-06-13T17:29:00.000-07:002007-06-19T04:18:52.705-07:00

A condensed version of the LDS priesthood leadership training video has been leaked on the internet. It outlines the new media campaign and is obviously not intended for view by the general membership or the general public for that matter. I give it a few days until it will be taken down. However, the entire production can be viewed on the church's public website:http://www.mormon.org/

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-55858681017932677812007-06-12T10:17:00.000-07:002007-06-12T11:01:46.505-07:00

An interesting video on gay Mormons

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-86212013939661060662007-06-12T01:15:00.000-07:002007-06-12T13:44:43.264-07:00

I am going to talk about the Nephite Calendar as described in the Book of Mormon and compare it with the Mayan Calendar that was used in Mesoamerica during this time period. I will not talk about the Aztec Calendar, because it was created after the Book of Mormon times. However, the Aztec calendar was based on the Mayan Calendar.Nephite CalendarIt is not entirely clear how many months there are

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-62418092237773985682007-06-09T00:46:00.000-07:002007-06-09T02:16:34.743-07:00

What does it mean when LDS scholars find circumstantial parallels between the Book of Mormon and Mesoamerica? For example, as John L. Sorenson points out in his book entitled An ancient American Setting for the Book of Mormon, he says: we have no reason to expect scholars to find traces of Egyptian speech in the New World...But as we have seen , the glyphic writing...in...Mesoamerica is

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-31906787416388012032007-06-08T10:01:00.001-07:002008-04-24T00:39:14.806-07:00

In the simplest explanation, cognitive dissonance is having 2 different and contradicting beliefs in your brain at the same time. Cognitive- a mental awareness, Dissonance- a clash or disharmony. Cognitive Dissonance makes people feel uncomfortable, but this feeling of discomfort is the reason why people make changes in their lives. For example, if you have a strong belief that the Book of

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-25238696154622687452007-06-07T00:59:00.000-07:002007-06-07T02:19:39.810-07:00

Sin is a Gradual ProcessI remember a gospel lesson when we learned the dangers of sin. We were told that sin doesn't happen all at once, but it happens little by little. We are given the metaphor of a frog. If placed in hot water, the frog will jump out. However, if the frog is placed in cool water and you slowly turn up the temperature a few degrees at a time, the frog will just sit there

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-63814368689697600152007-06-05T00:58:00.000-07:002007-06-05T01:22:30.567-07:00

Russel M. Nelson of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles, one of the top leaders of the church, says that God's love cannot correctly be characterized as unconditional. So apparently God's love is conditional. I will let you read the article for yourself so that you can see I am not taking anything out of context. This article is found in the February 2003 Ensign, an LDS church magazine publication.

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-37957465920642524732007-06-04T00:09:00.000-07:002007-06-05T01:21:05.474-07:00

I would like to get back onto the topic of the geography, geology, archaeology and overall culture of the Book of Mormon and how it compares to what we find in ancient America. Today I will talk about the plants that are described in the Book of Mormon and how they compare with what is found in the real world.Plants Described in the Book of Mormon:Barley (Mosiah 7:22, Mosiah 9:9, Alma 11:7,

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com139tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-66689176537991326772007-06-03T14:38:00.000-07:002007-06-05T01:23:02.154-07:00

A clip from the animated series "The Animaniacs". This was one of my favorite cartoons growing up and I wish they still made cartoons like this today. Just something to contemplate.

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-20740130484426959072007-05-31T00:50:00.000-07:002007-06-03T01:51:47.976-07:00

I ran across this 80's spot on youtube. When I saw it, I felt a sense of nostalgia because I remember the old days when they would have these PR commercials frequently on T.V.During that time in my life, the church as I perceived it was perfect and could do no wrong. Now, I feel like in a way, that innocence is gone and can now see the hypocrisy behind the message.

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-38395849056598699882007-05-30T00:09:00.000-07:002007-05-31T20:35:58.724-07:00

In the July, 2007 church magazine "the Ensign", Adam C. Olson gives an article that talks about how to approach things you might come across about the church that might make you a skeptical Mormon. I think the timing of this article comes as no surprise as the glory days of isolation in Utah are no more as the Internet has ushered in the age of easily accessible and free unlimited

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-8296909738161090362007-05-27T13:35:00.000-07:002007-05-31T00:03:07.840-07:00

http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,660224413,00.html"Active Latter-day Saints want their church to provide a "frank and honest" presentation of church history, unvarnished by attempts to sugar-coat the past in order to make it more palatable. That's one finding to come from a new e-mail survey done by the family and church history department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-41700712284870608572007-05-27T00:26:00.000-07:002007-05-27T12:31:44.229-07:00

"Cursed Is He That Putteth His Trust In Man"2 Nephi 28:31According to LDS scripture, we are not to put our trust in mankind, but in God. The reason we should trust in God more than man is simple. Our own understanding is limited, but God's understanding is unlimited. Who created Nature?Nature has been around a lot longer than mankind. If you take away mankind, nature would still get by without

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-63411513141841111092007-05-16T23:43:00.000-07:002007-05-23T23:17:55.274-07:00

I was reading an article that talks about how Greenpeace is building a replica of Noah's Ark. They are building the replica to promote their ideas about global warming. Their point is that we will face great floods due to polar ice caps melting in the coming years if nothing is done about global warming. Ironically, I wonder how many trees they had to cut down to build this thing. I am sure

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-30822053439818510142007-05-10T20:00:00.000-07:002007-06-04T22:23:39.743-07:00

The most common question I am asked is if I no longer believe that the church is what it claims to be, why do I remain in the church.Social AspectFirst off, if I stopped attending the Mormon church, where would I go? After looking at other churches, it appears that nobody else is any better. The church is good at what it does best: Provides a social network and social programs. My entire

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-36444803025058551122007-05-07T13:10:00.000-07:002007-05-11T02:55:17.647-07:00

The LDS newsroom has released an official press release that outlines an entirely new way to look at Mormon Doctrine. First, let me explain the traditional approach to Mormon Doctrine. Traditionally in the church, statements made by prophets from Joseph Smith, Brigham Young all the way to the current prophet Gordon B. Hinckley were viewed as doctrine.In the Mormon Scripture Doctrine and

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-78448408063584785202007-05-05T01:16:00.000-07:002007-05-07T13:59:20.145-07:00

Most of the comments regarding the Documentary have been positive. Most people recognize that it was a documentary made to try to help people understand Mormonism. However, from reading many of the responses by LDS members, it appears that the common consensus is that the film wasn't "Balanced enough". By balanced, they mean it wasn't balanced from their point of view.It is not a Mormon

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-13132785914665886712007-05-02T20:59:00.000-07:002007-05-30T00:09:15.631-07:00

Response to Chapter 19: "Dissenters and ExilesIn the 19th chapter of the PBS Frontline program "The Mormons", it confronts the issue of intellectualism that is currently happening in the church today. The question is as follows: Is too much intellectualism is a danger to the church?Adam and Eve in Mormon DoctrineLet me first point out something very important in Mormon Doctrine. According to

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-90730957021935964352007-05-02T12:53:00.000-07:002007-06-26T13:52:24.777-07:00

Tal Bachman's comments on the PBS Frontline documentary "The Mormons" were very interesting and understandable. He talked about how he was so entrenched in the Mormon church that he would have done anything, including strapping a bomb to his chest and blowing himself up like a suicide bomber. I think his decision to leave the church is respectable, but I politely disagree with his notion that

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com177tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-22113213540774909482007-05-02T01:41:00.000-07:002007-05-06T02:41:56.235-07:00

http://www.pbs.org/mormons/"Funding for FRONTLINE and American Experience is provided through the support of PBS viewers. Additional funding for FRONTLINE is provided by The Park Foundation. Additional funding for "The Mormons" is provided by Edward D. Smith, Steven J. and Kalleen Lund, Mr. and Mrs. Blake M. Roney, and others. A complete list is available from PBS."I was curious to see who helped

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-85603651647496899972007-05-01T02:31:00.000-07:002007-05-03T02:00:31.157-07:00

http://www.pbs.org/mormons/"A four-hour exploration into the richness, the complexities and the controversies of the Mormons' story as told through interviews with members of the church, leading writers and historians, and supporters and critics of the Mormon faith."After watching the first part of a two-part series, I am very impressed so far with the documentary. It is a very fair and

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-69638118072401737952007-04-28T10:13:00.001-07:002007-06-19T04:20:53.867-07:00

Search for the TruthThis video entitled "Search for the truth" was distributed to thousands of members of the church for free. Although I was not selected to receive the DVD, anyone can watch it on the Internet. Overall, I thought it was pretty boring but it did have some good points as to why I no longer believe in the Mormon church. The part about the Book of Abraham was the most important

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-69660231539697452412007-04-27T02:03:00.000-07:002007-05-03T01:58:10.630-07:00

In one of my recent posts, I talked about the use of metals mentioned in the Book of Mormon and the difficulty of finding any evidence to support this claim. I also talked about the role of Mormon apologists in attempting to explain many of the anomalies regarding the Book of Mormon and archaeology. Today I am going to speak specifically on metal swords in the Book of Mormon."Swords" found in

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-75007383720643667472007-04-26T12:20:00.000-07:002007-05-24T02:39:06.385-07:00

I think it is important to talk briefly about Mormon apologists and their role in the church. Apologists are people that are concerned with the systematic defense of a position. LDS apologists are people that already have preconceived ideas about the Mormon church and they defend and provide counter arguments to things that might question the claims by the Mormon church.Role of LDS

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-41578594518772948402007-04-19T19:50:00.000-07:002007-06-05T02:09:44.467-07:00

As stated in my previous post, Thomas Ferguson founded the New World Archaeological Foundation that was and continues to be funded by the LDS church. It is now funded through BYU. The single and sole purpose of the NWAF is to prove the veracity of the Book of Mormon through Archaeological research. Unfortunately, they have not found a single place or single shred of evidence to support the Book

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-28650177279213480442007-04-18T14:21:00.000-07:002007-05-03T01:56:04.432-07:00

Many LDS members have seen this famous stone carving as evidence to the veracity of The Book of Mormon. Many members of the church believed that this stone represents Lehi's dream of the tree of life as described in the Book of Mormon. The leaders of the church didn't confirm this assertion, but they didn't deny it either, leaving people to believe that it was in fact the so called "Tree of Life

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-81902900232712096962007-04-18T14:19:00.000-07:002007-05-03T01:55:43.741-07:00

LinguistsThe Book of Mormon was etched on plates of gold with a language known as "Reformed Egyptian", a hybrid of Egyptian and Hebrew texts.One of the reasons LDS scholars considered Mesoamerica as the ideal candidate for archaeology digs was because it was the only place in the entire North and South American Continent where written language was an established tradition. However, the only

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-59352557189150492452007-04-18T02:29:00.000-07:002007-05-11T01:07:18.074-07:00

In my previous posts, I talked about the problems facing the geography of the Book of Mormon. The traditional view regarding the geography of the Book of Mormon is the view that was widely accepted by Joseph Smith, other prophets and early members of the church in general. The traditional view was that the geography for the Book of Mormon included the entire North and South American continents.

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-3218610588922319202007-04-16T09:43:00.000-07:002007-06-25T02:27:39.454-07:00

Most LDS scholars agree that the Book of Mormon lands are located somewhere around Mesoamerica. However, as I pointed out in my previous post, there are no specific cities found, only ideas of general regions and landscapes. There is also evidence of civilizations during the same time period, although the culture doesn't closely resemble the descriptions in the Book of Mormon. The other

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-52167954842818437202007-04-16T00:06:00.000-07:002007-05-03T01:52:15.367-07:00

One of the most difficult and challenging things facing LDS scholars is when it comes to the Geography of the Book of Mormon. Nobody can put the Book of Mormon anywhere in the real world. When they attempt to do so, nobody can agree on it, and they have to skew things written in the Book of Mormon, contradict what Prophets have said, and the LDS scholars usually contradict each other.The Book

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-88711386767948544312007-04-15T16:31:00.000-07:002007-06-10T21:27:08.973-07:00

Who is Zelph and why do I use it as my pseudonym for this blog?In 1834, the first Mormon prophet Joseph Smith and his followers came upon some bones at the top of a mound in Southern Illinois. The Mormon Prophet Joseph Smith identified the bones as a person named Zelph, a white Native American Indian that was a great warrier.A character named Zelph in Southern Illinois draws questions about the

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8445204255254702636.post-43318451799258719402007-04-15T15:30:00.000-07:002007-07-13T09:33:32.124-07:00

I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, AKA the Mormons. I was born in the church, meaning that my parents were both members of the church when I was born. I got baptized and became a member when I turned 8 years old. I went on a mission to a foreign country, where I learned a foreign language. I got married to a Mormon in a Mormon temple, something that all Mormons are

Brother Zelphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10138332337674962461noreply@blogger.com8