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Joseph Smith

Responding to Matt Fradd's "7 Reasons Joseph Smith Was False"

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A point-by-point Mormonism Explained Response

By Todd Noall

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Painting of Joseph Smith dictating the Book of Mormon translation to a scribe at a table
Joseph Smith

Responding to Matt Fradd's "7 Reasons Joseph Smith Was False"

A point-by-point Mormonism Explained Response

By Todd Noall

Chart of Mormon Stories revenue growth from the Open Stories Foundation's IRS Form 990 filings
Social Issues

What Mormon Stories Finances Actually Show

Public Internal Revenue Service (IRS) filings show Mormon Stories is a $1.12M donor-funded nonprofit that's more than doubled since 2020. Here's what the Form 990 data actually says.

By Staff writer

Shock vs Nuance: A CES Letter Summary
Church History

Shock vs Nuance: A CES Letter Summary

The CES Letter is a widely-circulated document raising concerns about Mormon history and doctrine, but critics argue its power comes from emotional rhetoric and cumulative impact rather than scholarly engagement with complex historical questions.

By Todd Noall

Comparison of Mormonism and Catholicism religious traditions
Beliefs

Why Mormonism and Catholicism are More Similar than You Think

While differing in doctrine and history, the LDS Church and Roman Catholicism share remarkable structural similarities in how they approach religious authority, sacred rituals, and church governance.

By Todd Noall

Featured image for "What are Mormons? What UtahTok Leaves Out" article
Social Issues

What are Mormons? What UtahTok Leaves Out

On TikTok and reality TV, UtahTok creators have drawn millions into a glimpse of Mormon culture—but what does social media miss about the actual lived reality of the faith?

By Todd Noall

A discussion of whether members of the LDS Church can still practice plural marriage today
Doctrine

Can Mormons Have Multiple Wives, Still?

For many people, the first thing that comes to mind when they hear 'The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,' or 'Mormons,' might be polygamy.

By Todd Noall

Painting depicting Joseph Smith's death at Carthage Jail
Joseph Smith

Why Did the Joseph Smith Assassination Happen?

On June 27, 1844, Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum Smith were killed by a mob while being held in Carthage Jail, an event remembered by Latter-day Saints as a martyrdom that culminated years of escalating conflict.

By Todd Noall

Do Mormons Believe in the "Curse of Cain"?
Church History

Do Mormons Believe in the "Curse of Cain"?

While some early Mormon leaders cited the Curse of Cain to explain priesthood restrictions on Black men, the Church has never established this as official doctrine and explicitly disavows it today.

By Todd Noall

Screenshot from Hulu's The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives
Social Issues

What 'Mormon Wives' Misses About LDS Culture

Reality TV thrives on exaggeration and highlights tension, but Hulu's The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives captures only a narrow, sensationalized slice of what being a woman in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints might actually be like.

By Todd Noall

Joseph Smith's seer stone used for divine revelation and Book of Mormon translation
Joseph Smith

The Seer Stone: Joseph Smith's Supernatural Worldview Explained

Understanding the folk Christian worldview Joseph Smith grew up with is essential to comprehending his use of seer stones in translating the Book of Mormon.

By Todd Noall

LDS temple garments displayed on a white background
Social Issues

Do Mormon Church Garments Shame Women?

Few practices within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are as widely misunderstood as temple garment wearing, but for many LDS women, these garments represent covenant, identity, and spiritual protection rather than shame.

By Todd Noall

Illustration representing biblical clothing and covenants related to Mormon temple garments
Temple

Why Do Mormons Wear Garments? The Biblical Answer

Latter-day Saints view temple garments as sacred symbols rooted in biblical practice—not as magical charms or a modern departure from Christian tradition.

By Todd Noall