Links to Questions and Answers

A list of general Mormon topics follows. Clicking on a topic takes you to a separate page giving the specific question(s) and my answers.

2016 Update: Several Related Publications from Jeff Lindsay at Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship

Newest "Mormon Answer" pages:

Book of Mormon Problems #4: Bible Scholarship vs. the Book of Mormon?. This considers the issue of passages from an allegedly late, post-exilic "Deutero-Isaiah" being quoted by Nephi, and also gets into the broad issue of the Documentary Hypothesis and the accusation that allusions to the Exodus account woven into the Book of Mormon come from a late source, the Priestly text ("P") that came long after Nephi's day. A few other questions are also included. Initially prepared Sept. 2017.

Alleged Problems in the Book of Mormon #5: The Problem of the Longer Ending of Mark Quoted in the Book of Mormon - This 2016 article deals with one of the most interesting arguments against the Book of Mormon, wherein Mormon quotes words of Christ to the Nephites that closely follow words of Christ in the end of the Gospel of Mark that supposedly were a late, bogus addition to the New Testament. If Christ never spoke the words in the so-called "longer ending of Mark," it would seem unlikely that He would speak them to the Nephites. But the disputed longer ending, contrary to the alleged "consensus" of scholars, has strong evidence pointing to its antiquity and authenticity. This page explores the controversy in light of recent scholarship.

Book of Mormon Plagiarism Theories and The Late War -- exploring an interesting case of confusing random parallels for plagiarism and fraud. Could Gilbert Hunt's obscure book written in KJV language about the War of 1812 have been the inspiration for the Book of Mormon? Some critics says yes, based on poorly applied "big data" methodology and very curious parallels, like linking Lehi's Liahona (a round compass-like object Lehi providentially discovered while in the desert) to another round, metallic object in Hunt's book--why, a naval torpedo, of course!

My "Facetious Corner" of answers to facetious questions (or sometimes facetious answers to real question) has been split. There is now Facetious Corner: Part One and Facetious Corner: Part Two. Most of the material on polygamy has been moved to a separate and more clearly serious page, "Joseph Smith and Polygamy among the Mormons," where I have added additional material and questions.

My page on DNA and the Book of Mormon has been expanded into five parts. The main page (now much briefer) is still at the same URL. Then there are four additional pages: Appendix 1: What the Book of Mormon Really Claims, Appendix 2: Exploring the Scientific Evidence for DNA and the Book of Mormon, Appendix 3: Related Scientific Issues, and Appendix 4: Literature Cited and Related Resources. This also includes some updated material.

Mormons and Money: An Empire? - A page created in 2012 addressing some common allegations about the "Mormon financial empire." Don't mistake sound financial management for greed and materialism.

Questions about Science and Mormon Doctrine - An essay that deals with general issues of science and Mormonism, as well as specifics such as evolution, the Flood, DNA, etc., that tend to be of interest to Mormons and of relevance to Mormon thought. This may be a useful companion article to my essay on DNA Evidence and the Book of Mormon.

My Turn - Instead of answering frequent questions from critics of the Mormons, I've decided that it's time I ask a few infrequently answered questions of my own.

Mormon Prophets, Called of God but Fallible or, Why the Church of Jesus Christ Is and Can Be True Even Though Church Leaders Make Mistakes. An essay dealing with the Biblical concept that true prophets are still fallible mortals. I call for a spiritually mature approach to the inevitable human mistakes that God's anointed leaders may make, including Mormon leaders. Their divine calling has never been contingent on omniscience and total perfection!

One Day in the Life of Joseph Smith, Translator Extraordinaire of the Book of Mormon - my satirical script for a skit dealing with allegations that Joseph Smith plagiarized from numerous sources in preparing the Book of Mormon. Related to this is a new non-satirical page: "The Book of Mormon and the Writings of Alexander von Humboldt," dealing with the common assertion that von Humboldt's writings somehow could have been a source for information about ancient Americans in the Book of Mormon.

Latter-day Saints and the Covenant Framework of the Gospel: An Ancient Perspective Restored - a "Mormon Answers" page that compares the solid covenant-based theology of the restored Church of Jesus Christ with that of early Christianity and Judaism.

Mercy and Justice in the Book of Mormon: Ancient or Modern Concepts? - Is the Book of Mormon's profound discourse about mercy, justice, and the Atonement of Christ evidence of modern derivation, or evidence of ancient truth restored? Critics have charged that Book of Mormon theology is too modern. This page seeks to show that Book of Mormon concepts can plausibly fit into the fabric of ancient revealed truths known to Jewish prophets and early Christians - truths which were muddled for centuries and restored beautifully in the Book of Mormon.

Ancient Records Offer New Support for the Book of Abraham - A brief survey of the vast body of ancient documents that confirm numerous details in the Book of Abraham that are not found in the Bible, and could not have been known to Joseph Smith or other early Mormons.

Is the Book of Mormon too Wordy to Be True? - A response to attacks alleging that the apparent wordiness of the Book of Mormon shows that the text was not taken from a record engraved on metal plates, where a terse writing style might be expected. In fact, the "offending" aspects of the Book of Mormon are what one would expect from sacred writings from a Hebraic people. Created Aug. 3, 2002.

Was the Book of Mormon Plagiarized from Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass? - a satirical "anti-Mormon" page I wrote that illustrates the pitfalls of efforts to show "plagiarism" by finding stray parallels. I've also made significant additions to my page, Was the Book of Mormon Plagiarized From Modern Works? The new material includes a treatment of claims that Alma 13 was derived from Hebrews 7, and treats claims of plagiarism from James Adair.

DNA Evidence and the Book of Mormon. Dives into the hot issue of DNA evidence and the attacks that are now being made on the Book of Mormon. The critics are leaving out some important details! Possible DNA links between Native Americans and the Middle East do exist and challenge the arguments made by critics. The Nov. 16, 2003 version of that essay in PDF format was posted on the LDS.org newsroom website for a while as part of their early resources on the Book of Mormon and DNA controversy. The current version has been split up and refined in several ways, with 4 additional appendices: Appendix 1: What the Book of Mormon Really Claims, Appendix 2: Exploring the Scientific Evidence for DNA and the Book of Mormon, Appendix 3: Related Scientific Issues, and Appendix 4: Literature Cited and Related Resources.

2 Nephi 12 and the Septuagint: Evidence for Fraud or Authenticity in the Book of Mormon? This page deals with interesting internal evidence for authenticity of the Book of Mormon found in 2 Nephi 12, which quotes Isaiah 2. I respond to a critic's attempt to dismiss an interesting passage that brings together Isaiah variants from the Septuagint and Masoretic texts. In researching this issue, I came away with an even deeper respect for the Hebraic roots of the Book of Mormon - something Joseph Smith could not have fabricated or reproduced through his "intuition." In my research, I found some interesting (but still tentative) examples of what appear to be an authentic Hebrew poetical form in the Book of Mormon known to scholars as "paired tricola" - a form unrecognized in Joseph Smith's day. Take a look and let me know your thoughts.

Questions about the Oneness of God. Deals mostly with inquiries about the Trinity, "plurality of gods," how God can be One if Christ and the Father are distinct Beings, etc. Contains interesting material from early Christianity and modern scholarship. (Please note how strong the evidence is becoming that Latter-day Saint doctrine really is a restoration, not an innovation from Joseph Smith.)

Questions about the Dead. Do they live as spirit beings or are they just unconscious (or nonexistent)? This LDSFAQ page is actually a Q&A by Raymond Woodworth, used with his kind permission.

Love, Dating, Marriage, and Morality - a new page answering common questions about dating, marrying in or out of the Church, morality, and so forth. These topics have resulted in many questions recently - often from non-LDS people dating Mormons. I hope this page will help.

Questions about LDS Beliefs

• The LDS View of the Bible

Is it true? (yes!) Infallible? The final authority? Are there missing books? Can there ever be any more words of God? What about the prohibition on adding and subtracting? A Bible, a Bible - which Bible? A new page, perhaps my favorite.

• Are Latter-day Saints a Cult?

Gives detailed discussion on many popular topics used to condemn us as a cult. What does the word "cult" really mean? Challenge: is there a reasonable definition of "cult" in the negative sense that could condemn the Latter-day Saints without also condemning early Christians or the writers and prophets of the Bible, or even Christ? This page discusses the Trinity, modern revelation, polygamy, and other hot issues.

• Are Latter-day Saints Christians?

You bet we are. But watch out - standards used to exclude us will typically exclude Christ and the earliest Christians as well. At least we're in good company....

• The Restoration (and the Apostasy)

Why we believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ had to be restored.

• Adam, the Fall, and the Messiah: The LDS Perspective

Explains the LDS concepts of free agency, the foreordained Fall of Man, and the plan from the beginning for the Atonement of Christ.

• Questions about Joseph Smith and Modern Prophets

What is a prophet and why are they needed after Christ? Are prophets infallible? Was Joseph Smith really a prophet? What about the affidavits against him and other attacks on Joseph's character? What about Gordon B. Hinckley and the Salamander Letter?

Other LDS Writings from Jeff



Mormanity is a leading LDS blog that gives emphasis to the LDS experience while also discussing and promoting the Book of Mormon and the Restored Gospel.

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Don't miss my information about Book of Mormon Evidences. Not proof - but potential evidence for the plausibility of the Book of Mormon as an ancient text. Why not order your free Book of Mormon at ComeuntoChrist.org today?

About the Author

"Mormon Answers" is the work of Jeff Lindsay of Appleton, Wisconsin. Writing about LDS topics is simply a hobby and passion. Jeff served an LDS mission in the Switzerland Zurich mission and has served in a variety of Church callings. A recent survey also rated Jeff as one of the top two best grandfathers in the world (yes, the sampling did include my grandchildren). Not that it matters, but Jeff has a Ph.D. in chemical engineering from BYU, is a registered U.S. patent agent, is a former professor, is the former Corporate Patent Strategist at a Fortune 500 company, and used to be a consultant doing IP strategy, management consulting, new product development, and technology scouting. He now lives in Shanghai, China helping a large Asian company do IP strategy and innovation. What a wonderful city! Jeff is also the lead author of a book on innovation, entrepreneurship and strategy from John Wiley & Sons: Conquering Innovation Fatigue by Jeff Lindsay, Cheryl Perkins, and Mukund Karanjikar.

• Questions about Joseph's First Vision Accounts

Did Joseph contradict himself? Is the First Vision story inaccurate in verifiable details?

• Did Joseph Smith Make Any Accurate Prophecies?

Provides several examples of accurate prophecies covering the Civil War, the future of the Church, Stephen A. Douglas, and more. (So just how do critics explain the prophetic accuracy of the Word of Wisdom?)

• Is Baptism Essential?

Baptism by immersion by authorized ministers of God: nice idea or essential ordinance? Is the loss of the original practice evidence of widespread apostasy?

• Baptism for the Dead: Why? What?

What happens to those who lived and died without ever even hearing of Christ? Does a just, loving God send them all to hell for having been born at the wrong time and place? No! Welcome to one of the most wonderful doctrines of the original and restored Gospel of Christ, and one of the many powerful evidences of Joseph Smith's divine calling as a prophet of God. Examine the evidence that baptism for the dead was an ancient Christian practice that was restored through Joseph Smith.

• Questions about the Dead

Do they live as spirit beings or are they just unconscious (or nonexistent)? Raymond Woodworth answers these questions on this page.

• Testimony and Knowledge

What do Latter-day Saints mean when they speak of their "testimonies"? Isn't it just based on emotion? What role does intellect play? What is the gift of the Holy Ghost? How does one "follow the Spirit"?

• Questions about the Divine Potential of Man

Discussion of the ancient Christian concept of "theosis" and its presence in LDS theology. Do "Mormons" really think they will become gods? What does the Bible mean when it calls humans and angels "gods"? What did early Christians believe? You may be surprised....

• Questions about Relationships Between God and Man

Are God and Christ the same? Can humans become gods? Was Satan a brother to Christ?? Do Mormons worship Adam???

• Questions about the Oneness of God

Why don't we accept the standard Trinity concept from the creeds of the fourth and fifth centuries? Does the LDS idea of a unified Godhead of three Beings differ from the teachings of the Bible and early Christianity?

• Questions about LDS Views on Salvation and Exaltation

What happens to non-LDS people on the day of judgment? Do we need to obey Christ and keep His commandments to be saved? What about the thief on the cross? Do we believe in a physical resurrection?

• Questions about LDS Views on the Bible

What is the LDS view of the Bible? Is it sufficient for salvation? Is it infallible? What about the various canons that Christians have used over time? Is the Book of Mormon on the same plane as the Bible? Does the Bible contain errors? Is it complete? How dare Mormons add scripture to the modern canon!?

• Does LDS Religion Have Science Fiction Overtones?

Been scared by movies like the God Makers? Find out what we really believe and do.

• The Issue of Race

Black or white, all are children of God and potential heirs of eternal life through Christ. This page deals with common questions about LDS doctrine and the painful previous policy of racial limitations on the priesthood. Also see my review of the book, Black and Mormon on this site or my review at Mormanity.

• Are LDS (Mormon) Temples Derived from Masonry? Is the Mormon Temple a result of plagiarism?

One of my most used Mormon Answers pages. I hope it will be useful to those preparing to go to the Temple as well as those who have been.

• Questions about LDS Worship and Practices

The Cross, fasting, the Word of Wisdom, welfare, the sacrament, ordination of deacons, etc.

• Love, Dating, Marriage, and Morality

A new page answering common questions about dating, marrying in or out of the Church, morality, and so forth. These topics have resulted in many questions recently - often from non-LDS people dating Mormons. I hope this page will help.

• Facetious (?) Questions...

Includes discussions of Pepsi versus Coke, garments, planets, polygamy, and more. It's one of the more popular LDSFAQ areas. Warning: not for the comically impaired. This has been split now into two pages: Part One and Part Two.

Questions about the Book of Mormon

Update: Apparent Discovery of the Seal of Mulek One of the most intriguing recent evidences of Book of Mormon authenticity may be the discovery of the seal of Mulek, the son of King Zedekiah, supporting the Book of Mormon account. I discuss this on my Book of Mormon Evidences page and on a "Book of Mormon Nugget" page, "Mulek, Son of Zedekiah." For the impressive details, see Jeffrey R. Chadwick, "Has the Seal of Mulek Been Found?," Journal of Book of Mormon Studies, Vol. 12, No. 2, 2003, pp. 72-83.

Christ is the foundation of the Church, and the Book of Mormon is cited as the "keystone." It's the primary evidence that Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God. If it falls, so does the Church. If it's true, so is the core of our message. Critics, this is the place to focus your attacks. Investigators, this is the place to start reading to understand the message of the restored Gospel and to put our claims to the test. Latter-day Saints, you ought to spend more time reading this treasure and less time surfing the Web! (Call 1-877-537-0003 to receive a free Book of Mormon or order a free Book of Mormon at ComeuntoChrist.org.)

• "Book of Mormon Introduction" Page (not an FAQ page, but a good place to start)
• Questions about DNA Evidence and the Book of Mormon - one of my biggest LDSFAQ projects.
• Response to the Smithsonian Institution's 1996 Statement Regarding the Book of Mormon

Deals with the many sloppy statements made by a department at the normally quite reputable Smithsonian Institution - but made without the benefit of adequate scholarship about either Mesoamerica or the Book of Mormon. The Smithsonian Statement is embarrassingly out of date and needs significant revision. Many issues are covered, including transoceanic voyaging and allegedly missing items such as silk.

• Questions about Book of Mormon Evidence - now including questions about DNA analysis of Native Americans - also see the recently updated Book of Mormon Evidences page.
• Questions about Authenticity and Apparent Problems in the Text
• Questions about Metals and Weapons in the Book of Mormon - includes information about iron, steel, brass, bronze, and also swords and scimitars.
• Questions about Problematic Plants and Animals
• Is the Book of Mormon Plagiarized From Modern Works?

Did Joseph Smith plagiarize from Shakespeare, the King James Bible, Solomon Spaulding, James Adair, or View of the Hebrews to create the Book of Mormon? And what about those italics in the Bible and their treatment in the Book of Mormon? (Also see The Book of Mormon and the Writings of Alexander von Humboldt, a "Book of Mormon snippet".)

• Mercy and Justice in the Book of Mormon: Ancient or Modern Concepts?
• Was the Book of Mormon Plagiarized from Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass?

A satirical work that illustrates the pitfalls of anti-Mormon efforts to show plagiarism by finding stray parallels. Um, yes, it is satire. Please don't leave the Church over this--unless you are seriously looking for a reason and really, really hate bad satire.

• 2 Nephi 12 and the Septuagint: Evidence for Fraud or Authenticity in the Book of Mormon?
• Have There Been Thousands of Changes in the Book of Mormon?
• Is the Book of Mormon too Wordy to Be True?

Critics mock the wordy passages, but they are the type of thing one would expect from a text with its roots in ancient Hebrew. Created Aug. 3, 2002.

Questions about the Book of Abraham

The Book of Abraham is Joseph Smith's translation of an ancient Egyptian writing from Thebes. The original manuscript may have had a Christian or Jewish source, and could have been brought to Egypt by refugees from Israel. My long, detailed documents are intended primarily for LDS people with a serious interest in this minor work. If you just want to know the bottom line from my perspective, it's this: there is no need to reject Joseph Smith as a prophet on the basis of the Book of Abraham. In fact, there is much recent evidence which offers plausibility to his work. If you wish to criticize my views, I hope you'll first look at what I've written:

• Part 1: The Source of the Book of Abraham

Discusses background on the Book of Abraham, whether the source of the Book of Abraham has really been found (comparing two different views), and whether the Kirtland papers were used to produce the translation. LONG - about 140 k.

• Part 2: The Facsimiles and Other Issues

Discusses Joseph Smith's comments on the Facsimiles in the Book of Abraham, presenting some of the many correlations to other recently discovered documents and to Egyptian concepts. Also discusses the text of the book and its relationship to other documents. Long - about 90 k.

• New! Part 3: Ancient Records Offer New Support for the Book of Abraham - A brief survey of the vast body of ancient documents that confirm numerous details in the Book of Abraham that are not found in the Bible, and could not have been known to Joseph Smith. The primary source for this page is Traditions about the Early Life of Abraham, edited by John A. Tvedtnes, Brian M. Hauglid, and John Gee (Provo, Utah: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 2001), which I strongly recommend. This book provides easy access to many dozens of ancient documents to let the reader see if the details in the Book of Mormon were primarily random fantasies of Joseph Smith, or if it is related to information about Abraham known in ancient times. The evidence for authenticity is truly noteworthy.

(And don't forget to look at my new page, Questions about the LDS View of the Bible.)

Church History

• Questions about Joseph's First Vision Accounts

LDS history begins with the First Vision. Critics have charged that it is bogus and full of wholes. Did Joseph contradict himself? Is the First Vision story inaccurate in verifiable details?

• The Danites and the 1838 Mormon War

Responds to common misinformation about the infamous and mysterious "Danites." Also deals specifically with Stephen LeSueur's allegations about Joseph Smith's involvement with the Danites, as found in LeSueur's book on the 1838 "Mormon War" in Missouri.

• Mormons and Danites: The 1838 Setting in Missouri

Provides historical background needed to better understand the "Danites" controversy and the persecution of the Latter-day Saints.

• Wild Bill Rides Again: The Tanners on the Danites

An article on Bill Hickman's testimony about "Danite" crimes, written by Russell C. McGregor and used with permission. Added Sept. 1999.

• Polygamy is treated mainly on the new (2013) page, "Joseph Smith and Polygamy among the Mormons." There is also a discussion of polygamy on the page, "Are Latter-day Saints a Cult?"

Other LDSFAQ pages and related items at JeffLindsay.com:

• Mormons and Money: An Empire? - dealing with common allegations about the "Mormon financial empire."
• LDS Scholars versus Anti-Mormon Critics - some observations about anti-Mormons.
• Faith, Grace, and Works: the Biblical LDS Position
• Many basic questions about the "Mormons" are answered on my LDS Introduction page.
• Basic questions about the Book of Mormon are answered on my Book of Mormon Introduction page.

Other Resources...

For more information, see the Official LDS Web Site or my list of LDS Resources, including many external links and other pages of mine. You may also wish to examine the index to most of my pages on various topics.

A Challenge to Our Opponents To you who zealously condemn us as a cult, do you realize that the typical logic you use against us would also invalidate the ministry of Jesus Christ? The objection to new scripture, for example, was not originated with modern critics of the Church, but was applied by Jews against the Christians and their NEW Testament. Look at my page about the cult attack for more details. But first, I would appreciate your response to your own arguments when they are applied to other targets. John Tvedtnes provides an eye-opening example of how your arguments, if accepted at face value, would also condemn our Lord (and some of these arguments WERE used against Him). Take a look at "Solving the Christian Puzzle."

Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship -- a peer-reviewed publication dealing with LDS scriptures, Mormonism, and defense of the faith, building upon the apologetics tradition that once was the focus of the Maxwell Institute. Kudos to Daniel Peterson and a great team of volunteers who make this possible.

The Maxwell Institute (formerly FARMS, the Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies) in Provo, Utah, is the leading organization for scholarly understanding of LDS issues, especially the scriptures. They are a tremendous source of valuable research and publications. I also enjoy their collection of free online books (archived)and their past book reviews, now archived at ScholarsArchive.BYU.edu (search for items or use the drop-down box to select specific volumes), which offer some of the best resources for intellectually refuting the arguments of many popular anti-Mormon publications.

Latter-day Saint Christianity: Ten Basic Issues (also see the version at Archive.org) is an excellent online booklet that deals with some common questions and controversies about Latter-day Saint beliefs.

FAIRMormon.org - The Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research is a new group dedicated to providing an intelligent defense of the truth. Many serious and well written papers can be accessed at their site.

Barry Bickmore's Early Christianity and Mormonism is one of my favorites (archived at Archive.org). What a great way to understand the Restoration and the Apostasy! Further, Barry's book, Restoring the Ancient Church: Joseph Smith and Early Christianity (Ben Lomond, CA: The Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research [now FairMormon], 1999), is available at Amazon. It is a useful resource exploring the evidence that key aspects of the Restored Gospel have significant connections to early Christianity.

Also be sure to visit Russell Anderson's Response Page which responds to many attacks of anti-Mormon critics.

Valuable work is also found at SHIELDS, dealing with LDS historical and intellectual issues, including good answers to some common anti-Mormon questions.

And please don't miss Mike Ash's Mormon Fortress, a rich site loaded with great material.

For basics about LDS belief, it's hard to beat Gospel Principles - a book published by the Church to teach basics of LDS belief and practice, available free online at the LDS Web site. But also see the Encyclopedia of Mormonism with extensive information on LDS history, perspectives, issues, the arts, etc.

Brant Gardner's massive and scholarly Multidimensional Commentary of the Book of Mormon (archived) is one of the best resources for digging into the text and better appreciating the power of this book. Also a great resource for preparing lessons. You can also buy the books at Amazon, starting with Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon, First Nephi.

What's new at JeffLindsay.com?

Latter-day Saints and the Covenant Framework of the Gospel: An Ancient Perspective Restored - one of my new pages.

Comments for the LDSFAQ Collection (via Facebook)

Curator: Jeff Lindsay , Contact:
Last updated: Sept. 22, 2017
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