2.4 Self-Contradictions

As the previous section pointed out, self-contradictions would be damning evidence against the church. In this section, I detail a series of self-contradictions throughout the teachings of the church. These contradictions, in my opinion, demonstrate that the church’s teachings are fabricated by humans and not inspired by God.

Apologetic Responses

It is important to understand how apologists often respond to these contradictions. In my opinion, none of these arguments hold much weight against these statements, but I encourage you to consider them for yourself and come to your own conclusion.

• One or both statements should not be taken literally
• The statements only appear contradictory. Using linguistic ambiguity, prophetic interpretation, or “reading with spiritual eyes”, the contradiction disappears
• The better-sounding statement is preferred because of its author or context
• One of the statements is a mistranslation or misunderstanding (which would be especially problematic if the contradiction appeared in the allegedly perfectly-translated Book of Mormon)
• God hasn’t yet revealed the truth
• The church leader was speaking as a man and not as a prophet when the contradiction was penned

As you consider these contradictions, determine for yourself whether or not you believe the apologetic responses.

Contradictions in Modern Scripture

The Bible can contain contradictions, apparently, because it was not translated correctly. Joseph Smith himself found a few of these contradictions. For example, the Bible indicates that no man ever saw God and lived, but it also indicates that God talked with Moses face-to-face. If the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants contain contradictions, however, the church finds itself in logical trouble. Either modern prophets were not truly inspired by God or God inspired logically inconsistent work, and either statement renders the church untrue.

Let us, then, explore what I consider to be the most damning contradictions the church has to offer.

On Polygamy

Note that these scriptures reflect God’s (supposedly eternal) opinion on polygamy and do not reflect permission at one point or another to practice polygamy.

Consider Jacob 2:24 (in the Book of Mormon):

Behold, David and Solomon truly had many wives and concubines, which thing was abominable before me, saith the Lord.

Then, consider Doctrine and Covenants 132:38-39:

David also received many wives and concubines, and also Solomon and Moses my servants, as also many others of my servants, from the beginning of creation until this time; and in nothing did they sin save in those things which they received not of me. David’s wives and concubines were given unto him of me, by the hand of Nathan, my servant, and others of the prophets who had the keys of this power; and in none of these things did he sin against me save in the case of Uriah and his wife; and, therefore he hath fallen from his exaltation, and received his portion; and he shall not inherit them out of the world, for I gave them unto another, saith the Lord.

Consider also the Bible’s take on this in 2 Samuel 12:7-8 (KJV):

And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; And I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.

So, either the Book of Mormon is incorrect, or the Doctrine and Covenants and Bible are wrong together.

Appearance of Deity

The Book of Ether is alleged to take place around 2000 BC¹. So we should believe it when the most correct of any book (in Ether 3:15) quotes God:

And never have I showed myself unto man whom I have created, for never has man believed in me as thou hast. Seest thou that ye are created after mine own image? Yea, even all men were created in the beginning after mine own image.

It is interesting, then, that Doctrine and Covenants 107:53-55 reveals something different:

Three years previous to the death of Adam, he called Seth, Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Enoch, and Methuselah, who were all high priests, with the residue of his posterity who were righteous, into the valley of Adam-ondi-Ahman, and there bestowed upon them his last blessing. And the Lord appeared unto them, and they rose up and blessed Adam, and called him Michael, the prince, the archangel. And the Lord administered comfort unto Adam, and said unto him: I have set thee to be at the head; a multitude of nations shall come of thee, and thou art a prince over them forever.

So either the Book of Mormon or the Doctrine and Covenants is wrong about the timeline of God’s first appearance to humankind. In either case, I would suggest that a prophet of God should be able to either translate the Book of Mormon or receive revelation for the Doctrine and Covenants without contradiction. And even if Joseph Smith got either wrong, I would propose that any of the several prophets since Joseph Smith should have received a revelation correcting such a glaring error.

Compounding the issue, the Bible and Pearl of Great Price have their own timelines. Consider Moses 6:3:

And God revealed himself unto Seth, and he rebelled not, but offered an acceptable sacrifice, like unto his brother Abel. And to him also was born a son, and he called his name Enos.

Then, consider Moses 7:4:

And I [Enoch] saw the Lord; and he stood before my face, and he talked with me, even as a man talketh one with another, face to face; and he said unto me: Look, and I will show unto thee the world for the space of many generations.

Finally, consider Genesis 4, in which the Lord (Jehovah) converses with Cain, presumably face-to-face. Once again, it is hard for me to believe these contradictions were introduced by God Himself, and I do not understand why generations of prophets have not resolved them.

The Lord Dwelling in the Heart

Consider Alma 34:36:

And this I know, because the Lord hath said he dwelleth not in unholy temples, but in the hearts of the righteous doth he dwell; yea, and he has also said that the righteous shall sit down in his kingdom, to go no more out; but their garments should be made white through the blood of the Lamb.

Why, then, would the Lord reveal Doctrine and Covenants 130:3?

John 14:23 – The appearing of the Father and the Son, in that verse, is a personal appearance; and the idea that the Father and the Son dwell in a man’s heart is an old sectarian notion, and is false.

God and Lying

Ether 3:12 makes it clear that God cannot lie:

And he answered: Yea, Lord, I know that thou speakest the truth, for thou art a God of truth, and canst not lie.

And 2 Nephi 9:34 makes God’s opinion on lying abundantly clear:

Wo unto the liar, for he shall be thrust down to hell.

Why, then, would God command Abraham to lie in Abraham 2:22-24?

And it came to pass when I was come near to enter into Egypt, the Lord said unto me: Behold, Sarai, thy wife, is a very fair woman to look upon; Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see her, they will say—She is his wife; and they will kill you, but they will save her alive; therefore see that ye do on this wise: Let her say unto the Egyptians, she is thy sister, and thy soul shall live.

Nature of Hell

Doctrine and Covenants 76 makes the nature of the afterlife clear: all of God’s children, including those who are not valiant, receive one of the three kingdoms of glory. There is also a hell-like place designated for certain people. Take, for instance, Doctrine and Covenants 76:31-34, in which the conditions for entering hell are clearly established:

Thus saith the Lord concerning all those who know my power, and have been made partakers thereof, and suffered themselves through the power of the devil to be overcome, and to deny the truth and defy my power – They are they who are the sons of perdition, of whom I say that it had been better for them never to have been born; For they are vessels of wrath, doomed to suffer the wrath of God, with the devil and his angels in eternity; Concerning whom I have said there is no forgiveness in this world nor in the world to come

It is clear in these verses and other modern revelation that denying the Holy Ghost is the only unpardonable sin. It is concerning, then, that the following scriptures all give additional ways for someone to enter hell, which I can only understand as “the wrath of God, with the devil and his angels in eternity”.

Take 2 Nephi 9:34 once again:

Wo unto the liar, for he shall be thrust down to hell.

Take 2 Nephi 28:15, which is even more liberal with the number of people who go to hell:

O the wise, and the learned, and the rich, that are puffed up in the pride of their hearts, and all those who preach false doctrines, and all those who commit whoredoms, and pervert the right way of the Lord, wo, wo, wo be unto them, saith the Lord God Almighty, for they shall be thrust down to hell!

Also consider 3 Nephi 27:11:

But if it be not built upon my gospel, and is built upon the works of men, or upon the works of the devil, verily I say unto you they have joy in their works for a season, and by and by the end cometh, and they are hewn down and cast into the fire, from whence there is no return.

And finally, consider Moroni 8:20-21:

And he that saith that little children need baptism denieth the mercies of Christ, and setteth at naught the atonement of him and the power of his redemption. Wo unto such, for they are in danger of death, hell, and an endless torment. I speak it boldly; God hath commanded me. Listen unto them and give heed, or they stand against you at the judgment-seat of Christ.

So to enter hell, you must deny the Holy Ghost. But if you believe little children should be baptized, you also burn in hell for eternity (i.e., endless torment). I have heard Moroni 8:20-21 interpreted as “those who teach infant baptism spend a short time in spirit prison and can repent”, but I can only understand “endless torment” in one way.

Further confusing the issue, Mosiah 16:11 appears to teach of a binary heaven and hell, which in my opinion contradicts the three-kingdom narrative:

If they be good, to the resurrection of endless life and happiness; and if they be evil, to the resurrection of endless damnation, being delivered up to the devil, who hath subjected them, which is damnation

Repentance after Death

The Book of Mormon is abundantly clear: death seals your fate for eternity. Take, for instance, Mosiah 2:36-39:

And now, I say unto you, my brethren, that after ye have known and have been taught all these things, if ye should transgress and go contrary to that which has been spoken, that ye do withdraw yourselves from the Spirit of the Lord, that it may have no place in you to guide you in wisdom’s paths that ye may be blessed, prospered, and preserved – I say unto you, that the man that doeth this, the same cometh out in open rebellion against God; therefore he listeth to obey the evil spirit, and becometh an enemy to all righteousness; therefore, the Lord has no place in him, for he dwelleth not in unholy temples. Therefore if that man repenteth not, and remaineth and dieth an enemy to God, the demands of divine justice do awaken his immortal soul to a lively sense of his own guilt, which doth cause him to shrink from the presence of the Lord, and doth fill his breast with guilt, and pain, and anguish, which is like an unquenchable fire, whose flame ascendeth up forever and ever.

I previously understood that this verse was talking about a temporary spirit prison rather than eternal damnation. But it is abundantly clear: if you die an enemy to God, you burn forever (i.e., for eternity).

Alma 34:32-35 teaches something similar:

For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors. And now, as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many witnesses, therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed. Ye cannot say, when ye are brought to that awful crisis, that I will repent, that I will return to my God. Nay, ye cannot say this; for that same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world. For behold, if ye have procrastinated the day of your repentance even until death, behold, ye have become subjected to the spirit of the devil, and he doth seal you his; therefore, the Spirit of the Lord hath withdrawn from you, and hath no place in you, and the devil hath all power over you; and this is the final state of the wicked.

I do not understand, then, how this is consistent with Doctrine and Covenants 128:5,17-18:

You may think this order of things to be very particular; but let me tell you that it is only to answer the will of God, by conforming to the ordinance and preparation that the Lord ordained and prepared before the foundation of the world, for the salvation of the dead who should die without a knowledge of the gospel. […] And again, in connection with this quotation I will give you a quotation from one of the prophets, who had his eye fixed on the restoration of the priesthood, the glories to be revealed in the last days, and in an especial manner this most glorious of all subjects belonging to the everlasting gospel, namely, the baptism for the dead; for Malachi says, last chapter, verses 5th and 6th: Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse. I might have rendered a plainer translation to this, but it is sufficiently plain to suit my purpose as it stands. It is sufficient to know, in this case, that the earth will be smitten with a curse unless there is a welding link of some kind or other between the fathers and the children, upon some subject or other—and behold what is that subject? It is the baptism for the dead. For we without them cannot be made perfect; neither can they without us be made perfect. Neither can they nor we be made perfect without those who have died in the gospel also; for it is necessary in the ushering in of the dispensation of the fulness of times, which dispensation is now beginning to usher in, that a whole and complete and perfect union, and welding together of dispensations, and keys, and powers, and glories should take place, and be revealed from the days of Adam even to the present time. And not only this, but those things which never have been revealed from the foundation of the world, but have been kept hid from the wise and prudent, shall be revealed unto babes and sucklings in this, the dispensation of the fulness of times.

Baptism for the Dead

The Book of Mormon makes it clear that it is possible to be saved without baptism. Consider Moroni 8:22-23:

For behold that all little children are alive in Christ, and also all they that are without the law. For the power of redemption cometh on all them that have no law; wherefore, he that is not condemned, or he that is under no condemnation, cannot repent; and unto such baptism availeth nothing But it is mockery before God, denying the mercies of Christ, and the power of his Holy Spirit, and putting trust in dead works.

2 Nephi 9:25-26 boosts this perspective:

Wherefore, he has given a law; and where there is no law given there is no punishment; and where there is no punishment there is no condemnation; and where there is no condemnation the mercies of the Holy One of Israel have claim upon them, because of the atonement; for they are delivered by the power of him. For the atonement satisfieth the demands of his justice upon all those who have not the law given to them, that they are delivered from that awful monster, death and hell, and the devil, and the lake of fire and brimstone, which is endless torment; and they are restored to that God who gave them breath, which is the Holy One of Israel.

And Mosiah 15:24-25 supplements this by making resurrection (the first resurrection, taught in Doctrine and Covenants 76 to mean resurrection of the righteous) unconditional for the ignorant:

And these are those who have part in the first resurrection; and these are they that have died before Christ came, in their ignorance, not having salvation declared unto them. And thus the Lord bringeth about the restoration of these; and they have a part in the first resurrection, or have eternal life, being redeemed by the Lord. And little children also have eternal life.

It is unclear, then, why Doctrine and Covenants 128:5,17-18 indicates that the dead should be baptized:

You may think this order of things to be very particular; but let me tell you that it is only to answer the will of God, by conforming to the ordinance and preparation that the Lord ordained and prepared before the foundation of the world, for the salvation of the dead who should die without a knowledge of the gospel. […] And again, in connection with this quotation I will give you a quotation from one of the prophets, who had his eye fixed on the restoration of the priesthood, the glories to be revealed in the last days, and in an especial manner this most glorious of all subjects belonging to the everlasting gospel, namely, the baptism for the dead; for Malachi says, last chapter, verses 5th and 6th: Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse. I might have rendered a plainer translation to this, but it is sufficiently plain to suit my purpose as it stands. It is sufficient to know, in this case, that the earth will be smitten with a curse unless there is a welding link of some kind or other between the fathers and the children, upon some subject or other—and behold what is that subject? It is the baptism for the dead. For we without them cannot be made perfect; neither can they without us be made perfect. Neither can they nor we be made perfect without those who have died in the gospel also; for it is necessary in the ushering in of the dispensation of the fulness of times, which dispensation is now beginning to usher in, that a whole and complete and perfect union, and welding together of dispensations, and keys, and powers, and glories should take place, and be revealed from the days of Adam even to the present time. And not only this, but those things which never have been revealed from the foundation of the world, but have been kept hid from the wise and prudent, shall be revealed unto babes and sucklings in this, the dispensation of the fulness of times.

Forgiveness for Murder

The Book of Mormon teaches in plain terms that murder can be forgiven in 3 Nephi 30:2:

Turn, all ye Gentiles, from your wicked ways; and repent of your evil doings, of your lyings and deceivings, and of your whoredoms, and of your secret abominations, and your idolatries, and of your murders, and your priestcrafts, and your envyings, and your strifes, and from all your wickedness and abominations, and come unto me, and be baptized in my name, that ye may receive a remission of your sins, and be filled with the Holy Ghost, that ye may be numbered with my people who are of the house of Israel.

It is curious, then, that Joseph Smith received conflicting revelation in Doctrine and Covenants 42:18:

And now, behold, I speak unto the church. Thou shalt not kill; and he that kills shall not have forgiveness in this world, nor in the world to come.

Adam’s Location

Moses 3:8-15 makes it clear that Adam resided in the Old World:

And I, the Lord God, planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there I put the man whom I had formed. And out of the ground made I, the Lord God, to grow every tree, naturally, that is pleasant to the sight of man; and man could behold it. And it became also a living soul. For it was spiritual in the day that I created it; for it remaineth in the sphere in which I, God, created it, yea, even all things which I prepared for the use of man; and man saw that it was good for food. And I, the Lord God, planted the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and also the tree of knowledge of good and evil. And I, the Lord God, caused a river to go out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads. And I, the Lord God, called the name of the first Pison, and it compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where I, the Lord God, created much gold; And the gold of that land was good, and there was bdellium and the onyx stone. And the name of the second river was called Gihon; the same that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia. And the name of the third river was Hiddekel; that which goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river was the Euphrates. And I, the Lord God, took the man, and put him into the Garden of Eden, to dress it, and to keep it.

Doctrine and Covenants 107:53 teaches contradictorily that Adam resided in America:

Three years previous to the death of Adam, he called Seth, Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Enoch, and Methuselah, who were all high priests, with the residue of his posterity who were righteous, into the valley of Adam-ondi-Ahman, and there bestowed upon them his last blessing.

This view is bolstered by Doctrine and Covenants 116:1:

Spring Hill is named by the Lord Adam-ondi-Ahman, because, said he, it is the place where Adam shall come to visit his people, or the Ancient of Days shall sit, as spoken of by Daniel the prophet.

And Doctrine and Covenants 117:8:

Is there not room enough on the mountains of Adam-ondi-Ahman, and on the plains of Olaha Shinehah, or the land where Adam dwelt, that you should covet that which is but the drop, and neglect the more weighty matters?

Nature of the Godhead

The standard teaching in the church is that the Godhead is comprised of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, who are three separate personages. It is generally understood that when scriptures say they are one being, they mean that the Godhead is perfectly united.

This was convincing to me until reading in the 1830 version of the Book of Mormon, Ether 3:14:

Behold, I am Jesus Christ. I am the Father and the Son.

The following passages have been changed since the 1830 version, which is confusing on its own, but originally read as follows.

1 Nephi 11:21:

And the angel said unto me, behold the Lamb of God, yea, even the Eternal Father!

1 Nephi 13:40:

And the angel spake unto me, saying: These last records which thou hast seen among the Gentiles, shall establish the truth of the first, which is of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, and shall make known the plain and precious things which have been taken away from them; and shall make known to all kindreds, tongues, and people, that the Lamb of God is the Eternal Father and the Saviour of the world;

In the modern editions of these verses, the words “the Son of” have been inserted to make these scriptures appear consistent with the other teachings of the church.

Nephi’s Building Materials

2 Nephi 5:15 indicates Nephi had abundant supplies to build a temple:

And I did teach my people to build buildings, and to work in all manner of wood, and of iron, and of copper, and of brass, and of steel, and of gold, and of silver, and of precious ores, which were in great abundance.

But 2 Nephi 5:16 (just one verse later) says there were no such precious things on the land:

And I, Nephi, did build a temple; and I did construct it after the manner of the temple of Solomon save it were not built of so many precious things; for they were not to be found upon the land, wherefore, it could not be built like unto Solomon’s temple. But the manner of the construction was like unto the temple of Solomon; and the workmanship thereof was exceedingly fine.

I do not understand how Nephi could teach his people to work with all kinds of fine building materials without having access to these materials.

Paid Ministry

Doctrine and Covenants 42:71-73 indicates that church leadership should be compensated:

And the elders or high priests who are appointed to assist the bishop as counselors in all things, are to have their families supported out of the property which is consecrated to the bishop, for the good of the poor, and for other purposes, as before mentioned; Or they are to receive a just remuneration for all their services, either a stewardship or otherwise, as may be thought best or decided by the counselors and bishop And the bishop, also, shall receive his support, or a just remuneration for all his services in the church.

Because it’s not a common word anymore, let’s consult Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary, which is generally understood to be the closest dictionary to the language Joseph Smith was familiar with:

REMU’NERATE, verb transitive [Latin remunero; re and munero, from munus, a gift.]

to reward; to recompense; to requite; in a good sense; to pay an equivalent to for any service, loss, expense or other sacrifice; as, to remunerate the troops of an army for their services and sufferings; to remunerate men for labor. the pious usfferer in this life will be remunerated in the life to come.

I have no other way to interpret this verse: clergy in the church ought to be compensated. However, the Book of Mormon has quite a different opinion. Take 2 Nephi 26:31, for example:

But the laborer in Zion shall labor for Zion; for if they labor for money they shall perish.

That may be ambiguous, so take Mosiah 27:5:

Yea, and all their priests and teachers should labor with their own hands for their support, in all cases save it were in sickness, or in much want; and doing these things, they did abound in the grace of God.

And Mosiah 18:24:

And he also commanded them that the priests whom he had ordained should labor with their own hands for their support.

Consider also Alma 1:2-3,20:

And it came to pass that in the first year of the reign of Alma in the judgment-seat, there was a man brought before him to be judged, a man who was large, and was noted for his much strength. And he had gone about among the people, preaching to them that which he termed to be the word of God, bearing down against the church; declaring unto the people that every priest and teacher ought to become popular; and they ought not to labor with their hands, but that they ought to be supported by the people. […] Yea, they did persecute them, and afflict them with all manner of words, and this because of their humility; because they were not proud in their own eyes, and because they did impart the word of God, one with another, without money and without price.

In the current church, only a few general authorities are compensated as clergy. It seems impossible to determine if this practice is correct, as scriptures give contradictory information.

Baptismal Prayer

It is clearly important to the church that the baptismal prayer be spoken word-for-word.

Consider 3 Nephi 11:24-25, in which Jesus Himself gives instruction:

And now behold, these are the words which ye shall say, calling them by name, saying: Having authority given me of Jesus Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

This is significantly different from the baptismal prayer Alma offered in Mosiah 18:12-14:

And now it came to pass that Alma took Helam, he being one of the first, and went and stood forth in the water, and cried, saying: O Lord, pour out thy Spirit upon thy servant, that he may do this work with holiness of heart. And when he had said these words, the Spirit of the Lord was upon him, and he said: Helam, I baptize thee, having authority from the Almighty God, as a testimony that ye have entered into a covenant to serve him until you are dead as to the mortal body; and may the Spirit of the Lord be poured out upon you; and may he grant unto you eternal life, through the redemption of Christ, whom he has prepared from the foundation of the world. And after Alma had said these words, both Alma and Helam were buried in the water; and they arose and came forth out of the water rejoicing, being filled with the Spirit.

Still different instructions appear in Doctrine and Covenants 20:73:

The person who is called of God and has authority from Jesus Christ to baptize, shall go down into the water with the person who has presented himself or herself for baptism, and shall say, calling him or her by name: Having been commissioned of Jesus Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

I do not understand why these three scriptures give unique prayers, yet the church requires the prayer in Doctrine and Covenants to be repeated verbatim.

Completeness of the Book of Mormon

1 Nephi 10:14, 13:24, and 15:13 seem to indicate that the Book of Mormon provides the whole Gospel:

And after the house of Israel should be scattered they should be gathered together again; or, in fine, after the Gentiles had received the fulness of the Gospel, the natural branches of the olive tree, or the remnants of the house of Israel, should be grafted in, or come to the knowledge of the true Messiah, their Lord and their Redeemer. […] And the angel of the Lord said unto me: Thou hast beheld that the book proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew; and when it proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew it contained the fulness of the gospel of the Lord, of whom the twelve apostles bear record; and they bear record according to the truth which is in the Lamb of God. […] And now, the thing which our father meaneth concerning the grafting in of the natural branches through the fulness of the Gentiles, is, that in the latter days, when our seed shall have dwindled in unbelief, yea, for the space of many years, and many generations after the Messiah shall be manifested in body unto the children of men, then shall the fulness of the gospel of the Messiah come unto the Gentiles, and from the Gentiles unto the remnant of our seed

Doctrine and Covenants 20:9 indicates the Book of Mormon contains the fulness:

Which contains a record of a fallen people, and the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles and to the Jews also;

Confusingly, Doctrine and Covenants 10:67-68 indicates that the gospel should not be considered more than repentance:

Behold, this is my doctrine—whosoever repenteth and cometh unto me, the same is my church. Whosoever declareth more or less than this, the same is not of me, but is against me; therefore he is not of my church.

Mosiah 18:18-20 indicates nothing but faith and repentance should be taught:

And it came to pass that Alma, having authority from God, ordained priests; even one priest to every fifty of their number did he ordain to preach unto them, and to teach them concerning the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. And he commanded them that they should teach nothing save it were the things which he had taught, and which had been spoken by the mouth of the holy prophets. Yea, even he commanded them that they should preach nothing save it were repentance and faith on the Lord, who had redeemed his people.

But in 3 Nephi 11:31-40, Jesus Himself teaches that the Gospel (or rather, the Doctrine of Christ) is made of more than that:

Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, I will declare unto you my doctrine. And this is my doctrine, and it is the doctrine which the Father hath given unto me; and I bear record of the Father, and the Father beareth record of me, and the Holy Ghost beareth record of the Father and me; and I bear record that the Father commandeth all men, everywhere, to repent and believe in me. And whoso believeth in me, and is baptized, the same shall be saved; and they are they who shall inherit the kingdom of God. And whoso believeth not in me, and is not baptized, shall be damned. Verily, verily, I say unto you, that this is my doctrine, and I bear record of it from the Father; and whoso believeth in me believeth in the Father also; and unto him will the Father bear record of me, for he will visit him with fire and with the Holy Ghost. And thus will the Father bear record of me, and the Holy Ghost will bear record unto him of the Father and me; for the Father, and I, and the Holy Ghost are one. And again I say unto you, ye must repent, and become as a little child, and be baptized in my name, or ye can in nowise receive these things. And again I say unto you, ye must repent, and be baptized in my name, and become as a little child, or ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God. Verily, verily, I say unto you, that this is my doctrine, and whoso buildeth upon this buildeth upon my rock, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against them. And whoso shall declare more or less than this, and establish it for my doctrine, the same cometh of evil, and is not built upon my rock; but he buildeth upon a sandy foundation, and the gates of hell stand open to receive such when the floods come and the winds beat upon them.

It is also made clear in 3 Nephi 26:9 that there are many doctrines to come:

And when they shall have received this, which is expedient that they should have first, to try their faith, and if it shall so be that they shall believe these things then shall the greater things be made manifest unto them.

However, we know that many important doctrines (i.e., the existence of many gods and the potential to become like God, eternal marriage, the priesthood as it currently exists, baptisms for the dead, and so on) are not found in the Book of Mormon. Consistent with Jesus’ teachings, I am led to believe the church “cometh of evil, and is not built upon my rock”.

Modern Prophets and Changed Doctrine

In some cases, revelation from modern prophets contradicts the scriptures in problematic ways. In other cases, the church and its leaders have changed scriptures and doctrines, apparently to make them more consistent.

Conditionality of God’s Love

Historically, prophets have taught that God loves everyone unconditionally:

Christ’s perfect love repels fear. John reminds us that there is no fear in love, for perfect love casts out fear. To love completely with a wholeness even as Christ loved, to manifest a mature and unconditional love in all human relations, would minimize many fears.²

Apostle Marvin Ashton also taught:

The greatest example of love available to all of us is, of course, found in the scripture from John: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son.” (John 3:16.) By the greatest of all acts of love and by this supreme sacrifice, God set the pattern. He demonstrated to us that His love was unconditional and sufficient to encircle every person. ³

It is interesting to me that Russell Nelson wrote as an apostle:

While divine love can be called perfect, infinite, enduring, and universal, it cannot correctly be characterized as unconditional. The word does not appear in the scriptures. On the other hand, many verses affirm that the higher levels of love the Father and the Son feel for each of us—and certain divine blessings stemming from that love—are conditional. Before citing examples, it is well to recognize various forms of conditional expression in the scriptures. […] Why is divine love conditional? Because God loves us and wants us to be happy. […] Understanding that divine love and blessings are not truly “unconditional” can defend us against common fallacies such as these: “Since God’s love is unconditional, He will love me regardless …”; or “Since ‘God is love,’ He will love me unconditionally, regardless …” ⁴

And Doctrine and Covenants 95:12 confirms this opinion:

If you keep not my commandments, the love of the Father shall not continue with you, therefore you shall walk in darkness.

It is disorienting and disappointing that church members are not sure whether or not God loves them due to these contradictory teachings.

A Changing God

Moroni 8:18 indicates that God has never changed:

For I know that God is not a partial God, neither a changeable being; but he is unchangeable from all eternity to all eternity.

And Mormon 9:9 helps make the point:

For do we not read that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and in him there is no variableness neither shadow of changing?

Doctrine and Covenants 20:17 confirms this:

By these things we know that there is a God in heaven, who is infinite and eternal, from everlasting to everlasting the same unchangeable God, the framer of heaven and earth, and all things which are in them;

It is concerning that early church leaders taught differently. Consider an oft-referenced quote from Joseph Smith, still published and taught as doctrine by the church:

God Himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens! That is the great secret. If the veil were rent today, and the great God who holds this world in its orbit, and who upholds all worlds and all things by His power, was to make Himself visible,—I say, if you were to see Him today, you would see Him like a man in form—like yourselves in all the person, image, and very form as a man; for Adam was created in the very fashion, image and likeness of God, and received instruction from, and walked, talked and conversed with Him, as one man talks and communes with another.⁵

It is interesting to me that the person who supposedly translated and revealed the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants would teach that God has, in fact, undergone a significant change at one point or another during His eternities.

Relationship with Christ

Bruce McConkie teaches that we should absolutely not strive for a personal relationship with Jesus:

Now, it is no secret that many false and vain and foolish things are being taught in the sectarian world and even among us about our need to gain a special relationship with the Lord Jesus. I shall summarize the true doctrine in this field and invite erring teachers and beguiled students to repent and believe the accepted gospel verities as I shall set them forth.⁶

However, modern church teachings propose the opposite:

A covenant is not only about a contract, although that is important. It’s about a relationship. President Russell M. Nelson taught, “The covenant path is all about our relationship with God.” Consider a marriage covenant. The wedding date is important, but equally important is the relationship forged through the life lived together afterward. The same is true with a covenant relationship with God. ⁷

I believe with all of my heart that this is the fundamental message: that in the Master strength can come, that in him men and women can become all that they were potentially created to become—that is, very gods. But it’s through a personal relationship with the Savior that that’s accomplished. ⁸

It is thus confusing to me whether or not I should focus on developing a relationship with the Savior or not. Interestingly, there is no way to clarify this issue. As Joseph Smith said (see 2.5 Inconsistency), new revelation cannot contradict old revelation.

Seeing the Face of God without Priesthood

Doctrine and Covenants 84:19-22, revealed in September 1832, indicate that it is impossible to see the face of God without priesthood ordinances:

And this greater priesthood administereth the gospel and holdeth the key of the mysteries of the kingdom, even the key of the knowledge of God. Therefore, in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest. And without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto men in the flesh; For without this no man can see the face of God, even the Father, and live.

It is concerning, then, that Joseph Smith claims to have seen the face of God and lived in 1820, at least 9 years before the priesthood and its ordinances were restored. Joseph Smith – History 117-:

It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him! My object in going to inquire of the Lord was to know which of all the sects was right, that I might know which to join. No sooner, therefore, did I get possession of myself, so as to be able to speak, than I asked the Personages who stood above me in the light, which of all the sects was right (for at this time it had never entered into my heart that all were wrong)—and which I should join.

I do not understand why Joseph Smith claimed he could see the face of God well before he was eligible by God’s eternal requirements to do so.

Adam and Michael

Doctrine and Covenants 27:11 (and the temple ceremony) indicate that Michael and Adam are the same being:

And also with Michael, or Adam, the father of all, the prince of all, the ancient of days;

But when Joseph Smith recorded a vision in his diary, he wrote the following, which was modified before its inclusion in Doctrine and Covenants 137:

I saw father Adam, and Abraham and Michael and my father and mother, my brother Alvin⁹

It is disorienting to me that Joseph Smith claimed to see Adam and Michael as separate beings. Further complicating this issue, the footnote at Joseph Smith Papers gives what I consider to be damning evidence Joseph was mistaken:

Although Adam and Michael, the archangel, are designated here as separate persons, the previous year JS approved publication of the Doctrine and Covenants, which described them as the same person: “Michael, or Adam, the father of all, the prince of all, the ancient of days.” Likewise, in a 1 January 1834 letter to John Whitmer, Oliver Cowdery wrote that he had “been informed from a proper source that the Angel Michael is no less than our father Adam.”⁹

This entry, in my opinion, casts doubt on the reliability of Joseph’s visions. If he wrote that Adam and Michael appeared as separate personages, I do not understand why the church would later obscure this information in the Doctrine and Covenants.

Conception of Jesus

The Book of Mormon is clear. Consider Alma 7:10:

And behold, he shall be born of Mary, at Jerusalem which is the land of our forefathers, she being a virgin, a precious and chosen vessel, who shall be overshadowed and conceive by the power of the Holy Ghost, and bring forth a son, yea, even the Son of God.

And 1 Nephi 11:15-20:

And I said unto him: A virgin, most beautiful and fair above all other virgins. And he said unto me: Knowest thou the condescension of God? And I said unto him: I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things. And he said unto me: Behold, the virgin whom thou seest is the mother of the Son of God, after the manner of the flesh. And it came to pass that I beheld that she was carried away in the Spirit; and after she had been carried away in the Spirit for the space of a time the angel spake unto me, saying: Look! And I looked and beheld the virgin again, bearing a child in her arms.

I do not understand, then, why a number of prophets later taught contradictory information:

When Adam and Eve had eaten of the forbidden fruit, their bodies became mortal from its effects, and therefore their offspring were mortal. When the Virgin Mary conceived the child Jesus, the Father had begotten him in his own likeness. He was not begotten by the Holy Ghost. And who is the Father? He is the first of the human family; and when he took a tabernacle, it was begotten by his Father in heaven, after the same manner as the tabernacles of Cain, Abel, and the rest of the sons and daughters of Adam and Eve; from the fruits of the earth, the first earthly tabernacles were originated by the Father, and so on in succession. I could tell you much more about this; but were I to tell you the whole truth, blasphemy would be nothing to it, in the estimation of the superstitious and overrighteous of mankind.

Not only do Brigham Young’s teachings contradict the Book of Mormon; they indicate that Jesus’ father was “the first of the human family”, which I understand to mean Jesus was begotten by Adam, and that perhaps Young intended to teach that Adam and God are one in the same.

Without discussing much further, I would encourage a read through Journal of Discourses for more information on inconsistent teachings of Brigham Young. There are far too many to list on this page.

Consequence of Teaching False Doctrine

The Book of Mormon makes the consequence of teaching false doctrine clear. Take 2 Nephi 28:15, for example:

O the wise, and the learned, and the rich, that are puffed up in the pride of their hearts, and all those who preach false doctrines, and all those who commit whoredoms, and pervert the right way of the Lord, wo, wo, wo be unto them, saith the Lord God Almighty, for they shall be thrust down to hell!

In Doctrines of Salvation, Joseph Fielding Smith taught:

There is no greater crime in all the world than to teach false doctrines¹⁰

However, Bruce McConkie indicated in a letter that despite teaching false doctrine, Brigham Young was bound for the celestial kingdom:

He [Brigham Young] was guided by the Holy Spirit in his teachings in general. He was a mighty prophet. He led Israel the way the Lord wanted his people led. He built on the foundation laid by the Prophet Joseph. He completed his work and has come on to eternal exaltation. Nonetheless, as Joseph Smith so pointedly taught, a prophet is not always a prophet, only when he is acting as such. Prophets are men and they make mistakes. Sometimes they err in doctrine. […] Yes, President Young did teach that Adam was the father of our spirits, and all the related things that the cultists ascribe to him. This, however, is not true. He expressed views that are out of harmony with the gospel. But, be it known, Brigham Young also taught accurately and correctly, the status and position of Adam in the eternal scheme of things.¹¹

It is disappointing to see that a prophet’s words are only to be considered doctrine if they are correct. When saints are taught to unquestioningly sustain and follow the prophet, this teaching becomes extremely problematic. This is extremely problematic in the context of Official Declaration 1, canonized as scripture:

The Lord will never permit me or any other man who stands as President of this Church to lead you astray. It is not in the programme. It is not in the mind of God. If I were to attempt that, the Lord would remove me out of my place, and so He will any other man who attempts to lead the children of men astray from the oracles of God and from their duty.

This creates a deplorable pattern of reasoning in which a prophet cannot possibly lead you astray, but only if he is not leading you astray. Otherwise, he is not speaking as a prophet. This cyclical pattern of reasoning is perhaps the most damning cyclical logic I have explored within the church.

Missionaries in Pairs

Doctrine and Covenants 42:6 (from 1831) indicates that missionaries should go two-by-two:

And ye shall go forth in the power of my Spirit, preaching my gospel, two by two, in my name, lifting up your voices as with the sound of a trump, declaring my word like unto angels of God.

It is interesting, then, that in 1836 Joseph Smith taught:

While waiting, I made the following remarks: that the time that we were required to tarry in Kirtland to be endowed, would be fulfilled in a few days, and then the Elders would go forth, and each must stand for himself, as it was not necessary for them to be sent out, two by two, as in former times, but to go in all meekness, in sobriety, and preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified; not to contend with others on account of their faith, or systems of religion, but pursue a steady course.¹²

This would be less problematic without the following additional information about the significance of changing revelations.

Which Angel Appeared?

It is common knowledge in the church that Moroni appeared to Joseph Smith:

While I was thus in the act of calling upon God, I discovered a light appearing in my room, which continued to increase until the room was lighter than at noonday, when immediately a personage appeared at my bedside, standing in the air, for his feet did not touch the floor. […] He called me by name, and said unto me that he was a messenger sent from the presence of God to me, and that his name was Moroni¹³

It is curious, then, that other publications contradict this. The angel’s name is Nephi in Volume 3 of The Millenial Star and Volume 3 of Times and Seasons, which Joseph Smith edited himself.

Revelations Changing

Consider the following quote from Joseph Smith:

Many true things were spoken by this personage, and many things that were false. How, it may be asked, was this known to be a bad angel? By the color of his hair; that is one of the signs that he can be known by, and by his contradicting a former revelation.¹⁴

It is thus abundantly clear that a revelation that contradicts an earlier revelation is false, or is from a bad angel. However, Ezra Taft Benson later said the following:

The Living Prophet is more important to us than a dead prophet… Beware of those who would pit the dead prophets against the living prophets, for the living prophets always take precedence.¹⁵

I do not know who to believe, then.