⛪ LDS Notes¶
Estimated time to read: 6 minutes
I call myself Bee-cubed. Growing up in the LDS church has shaped my worldview. At one point in late 2018, I encountered information that upended that worldview, and have since been engaging in a deconstruction process. This is a compendium of my notes and findings amid that deconstruction.
I don't think of this as a journal or blog. I'll interject a time or two, or share how a topic relates to me, but broadly speaking these notes are observations on truth claims, disagreeable policies, and historical novelties. I'll make an effort to cite sources, and provide links for further reading.
Why, though?¶
I didn’t wake up one day, and decide to tear down my worldview.
I want this to be true. I never missed a day of seminary, I went on a mission, I got married in the temple, I got recommended to be a temple worker in Provo. I did not resolve to upend my eternal perspective, and throw away a core part of my identity. I want the LDS teachings to be true. Finding untruths in those teachings is very upsetting to me.
Many of these issues have conflicting amounts of weight behind them. I don’t have concrete evidence against all LDS teaching, nor is there solid, undeniable evidence in favor of it. The church could disambiguate and clear up all confusion, but it does not. Presumably, because you and I are meant to rely on faith. By every Mormon's favorite scriptural passage, “faith is . . . hope for things which are not seen, which are true.” Faith is not stubborn insistence despite evidence to the contrary.
For more information on this, I have a page outlining My own experience.
Who is this for?¶
Primarily for my own catharsis. I don't really have a target audience. Truth be told, this began as an anxiety-driven preemptive response to a hypothetical conversation partner, who might demand that I back up my claims with sources. These notes eventually became a way for me to organize my own thoughts and dispositions. Today, they're more of a "letter to my past self." Not a satisfying answer for a target audience.
So, I suppose this is meant for folks in the Mormonosphere who are "physically in, mentally out," as I had been at one point in time. If you're interested in finding sources for the not-so-wholesome things the LDS church has been a part of, then I expect you'll find some satisfying content here.
History¶
How can we know the accuracy of historical claims? Here are some qualifications to look for in any historical claim, religious or not:
- Are they falsifiable?
- Do multiple, independent, contemporary sources make the same claim?
- Do any claimants have motivated reasoning or a stake in a claim’s veracity?
- How close is the recording date to the date of the event? Or, how much time has passed before someone wrote down this event?
A historical claim that fails to answer these questions is subject to more scrutiny. Each of these metrics that a claim fails to meet weakens its argument.
There are not many contemporary sources for ancient Greek history. Ancient Greeks have been known to add mythological aspects to their history. Therefore, it should be taken with some healthy skepticism and critical evaluation.
The US civil war has myriad contemporary sources. We can be fairly confident in piecing together what happened, given the abundance of independent sources making the same claims.
Some key historical claims made by the LDS church rarely meet these criteria. That does not mean that all of its claims are false, it only necessitates healthy skepticism and critical evaluation.
I'm not counting myself as an expert in anything— I simply have an internet connection.
Your response¶
If your answer to these notes is to tell me to read more scriptures and pray about it, then we having nothing to discuss on this matter. Please, please don’t assume that I haven’t done that. I have read and prayed. The last 3 times I went to the temple, I went with these concerns in mind, imploring God for any explanation or answer. I’ve read the Book of Mormon upwards of 6 times amid the deconstruction. I've put in enough effort to have received a spiritual witness.
If you feel attacked or offended, please believe that isn't my intention. If you adhere to the LDS Church's teachings, and those practices bring you happiness, then the most unethical thing I could do with that knowledge is try to take away your happiness by tearing down your faith. But also understand that this self-proclaimed compendium of notes is not targeting you, or anyone specific for that matter.
If I've configured things properly, there's a comment section on each page. If you feel the need to point out information that I've overlooked or omitted, leave a comment. But please know that I had spent just under thirty years in the faith-promoting side of things. I feel satisfied that I've read enough from the faith-promoting side to understand it well, and I've encountered this trove of other documents that have challenged my worldview. Rather than ignore it, I'm giving it critical evaluation.
Where to start?¶
You'll find a column on the left side of this webpage to help navigate how my notes are organized. Pick a topic that interests you. Or, if you don't have a starting point in mind, I'd direct you to notes on truth, an overview of the Book of Mormon, comments on D&C Section 132, whether or not to call someone Mormon, or how the LDS faith views the Bible.
I've got a TODO for documents to outline what topics to cover next, along with which documents are slated for additional polish. This is an ongoing work. I mention that not as a shield against criticism, but to advise that if you come back later, a page may have more content or details than when you last read it. Pages might move around. This is all hosted via Github Pages, which keeps track of changes and additions over time. It's not quite an approachable changelog, but you're welcome to examine how the notes have developed over time.