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Controversies regarding The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

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Many doctrines and practices of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, both past and present, are viewed by many as controversial:

General note about critical analyses of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Though The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church; see also Mormon) does not usually respond to criticisms directly, some LDS Church members have made an effort to catalogue criticisms and have taken apologetic positions from time to time in defense of their religion. Even when supported by General Authorities of the LDS Church, however, these apologetic positions do not necessarily reflect the official positions of the Church nor the beliefs of Latter-day Saints at large.

List of controversial subjects

List of prominent critics or controversial Mormons

  • Lavina Fielding Anderson (critical of LDS leaders; excommunicated)
  • Steve Benson (critical of LDS leaders; left the church)
  • Fawn M. Brodie (wrote biography critical of Joseph Smith's supernatural claims; excommunicated)
  • Arthur Budvarson (critical of LDS beliefs; never a Mormon?)
  • Ed Decker (critical of LDS beliefs; excommunicated)
  • Maxine Hanks (advocating women's theology; excommunicated)
  • Gail Houston (fired from BYU for advocating prayer to Heavenly Mother; member)
  • Sonia Johnson (critical of LDS leaders; excommunicated)
  • Bill McKeever (critical of LDS beliefs and practices; never a Mormon)
  • Thomas Murphy (critical of LDS beliefs and practices; member, inactive)
  • Grant H. Palmer (critical of LDS beliefs and practices; disfellowshipped)
  • D. Michael Quinn (critical of LDS history; excommunicated)
  • Jerald and Sandra Tanner (critical of LDS leaders, beliefs, and history; left the church)
  • Paul Toscano (critical of LDS beliefs; excommunicated)
  • Lynn Kanavel Whitesides (advocated worship of Heavenly Mother; disfellowshipped)
  • Orson Scott Card (non-traditional stance on R-Rated movies; strong language, sex, positive depiction of homosexuality in early literary works; accused of making homophobic statements; Member)
  • Sheri L. Dew (conservative; accused of making homophobic statements; controversial statements on women's rights, divorce and abortion; Member)
  • Richard Packham (critical of LDS beliefs and practices; left the church)
  • Martha Beck (critical of LDS beliefs and leadership; excommunicated)

General categorization of criticisms and apologetics of Mormonism

In general the criticisms can be categorized as follows:

  1. Critics charge that the doctrines or practices of Mormonism are heretical, cult-like or bizarre in contrast to mainstream Christianity (as in vicarious baptism for the dead).
  2. Critics consider the culture of Mormonism to be authoritarian, legalistic, deceptive, delusional or politically oppressive (as in the subjugation of women).
  3. Critics charge that the Church leadership has engaged in historical revisionism, cover-up or censorship. They claim to be bringing to light facts that the Church is trying to hide.
  4. Critics charge that Joseph Smith's version of the events surrounding the founding of the Church is fraudulent.
  5. Critics charge that there are many evidences showing that the Book of Mormon is false or fradulent.
  6. Critics charge that Latter-day Saints are not Christians.

In general, Latter-day Saint apologists respond in the following ways:

  1. Apologists claim Mormonism is only bizarre or heretical compared to mainstream Christianity because mainstream Christianity is in apostasy, greatly changed from the original gospel of Christ. Mormonism, they say, is more similar to the original Christianity.
  2. Apologists consider the culture of Mormonism to be wholesome and good. Mormon scriptures are asserted to promote free inquiry for the development of faith.
  3. Apologists claim that Church leadership is honest and open, and that many of the critics are dishonest and unscrupulous.
  4. Apologists claim that Joseph Smith's version of the events surrounding the founding of the Church is true.
  5. Apologists claim that there are many evidences showing that the Book of Mormon is true and authentic.
  6. Apologists see no reason to draw an arbitrary limit on the definition of Christianity such that Mormons are excluded simply because of doctrinal uniqueness. Fundamentally, they say, the Church believes the same basic doctrines as any other Christian church, namely, that Christ is the Savior and people should strive to follow him.

Further reading

  • The Refiner's Fire: The making of Mormon Cosmology, 1644-1844 by John L. Brooke, Cambridge University Press 1996.
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