In 2013 the LDS church began posting a series of essays intended to show that they are being more “transparent” about their history and beliefs but, as usual for the LDS, they told mostly half-truths and even lies. Even so, the information provided has been truthful enough that many Mormons have finally learned that sites like mine, which expose the LDS for what they are, have actually been telling the truth! This becomes quite disconcerting for them, and many have left the LDS because of this.
The LDS has the following to say concerning the Gospel Topic Essays.
Recognizing that today so much information about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints can be obtained from questionable and often inaccurate sources, officials of the Church began in 2013 to publish straightforward, in-depth essays on a number of topics. The purpose of these essays, which have been approved by the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, has been to gather accurate information from many different sources and publications and place it in the Gospel Topics section of LDS.org, where the material can more easily be accessed and studied by Church members and other interested parties.
Notice that sites like the Utah Lighthouse Ministry, Mormonism Research Ministry, et al (including THIS blog) are considered “questionable and often inaccurate sources.” Of course they’ve never demonstrated anything on these sites is ever inaccurate, but by saying so they hope to keep Mormons from learning the truth.
Mormonism Research Ministry has published responses to these essays so as to demonstrate where the LDS is not being as forthcoming as they claim. Below are the topics of the LDS essays, the dates they were first posted, and the links to both the LDS article and the MRM commentary:
Are Mormons Christian? (11/20/13)
Becoming Like God (2/24/14)
Book of Mormon Translation (12/30/13)
Book of Mormon and DNA Studies (1/31/14)
First Vision Accounts (11/20/13)
Joseph Smith’s Teachings about Priesthood, Temple, and Women (10/23/15)
The Manifesto and the End of Plural Marriage (12/23/13)
Mother in Heaven (10/23/15)
Peace and Violence among 19th Century Latter-day Saints (5/13/14)
Plural Marriage and Families in Early Utah (12/16/13)
Plural Marriage in Kirtland and Nauvoo (10/22/14)
Race and the Priesthood (12/6/13)
Translation and Historicity of the Book of Abraham (5/13/14)
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