Temple and garments

interpretation · not applicable

Several teachings or practices once presented with divine authority were later ended or reframed: plural marriage (D&C 132; the 1890 Manifesto and the 1904 Second Manifesto), the racial priesthood and temple restriction (1852 to 1978), Adam-God teachings (denounced in 1976), the temple oath of vengeance (removed in 1927) and penalties (removed in 1990), the Word of Wisdom (counsel that became a temple-recommend requirement in the 1920s and 1930s), and the 2015 policy on children of same-sex couples (described as revelation, reversed in 2019). Church leaders describe such changes as continuing revelation and adjustments of practice, with doctrine itself constant. Critics and many historians read the same record as doctrine changing under outside pressure and as evidence of prophetic fallibility.

Needs human verification

documented fact · current teaching

In October 2024 the First Presidency authorized redesigned temple garment options for members in hot and humid regions.

Needs human verification

documented fact · current teaching

Under General Handbook 27.2.2, members may choose to receive their own endowment when they are at least 18, have finished or left high school or its equivalent, are at least one year past confirmation, and want to keep temple covenants; a man must first hold the Melchizedek Priesthood. Leaders are told not to use age alone, leaving home, or wanting to attend a sealing as the test.

Needs human verification

documented fact · current teaching

The General Handbook (38.5.5) quotes First Presidency guidance that the temple garment should be worn day and night throughout life and restored as soon as possible after activities that cannot reasonably be done in it; whether other underclothing is worn over or under it is personal preference.

Needs human verification

disputed · historical event

In a 2012 BBC interview Holland said "We do not have penalties in the temple," then, when told "You used to," replied "We used to." Penalties were removed in 1990, after Mitt Romney was endowed. Critics call the first answer a deception about what Romney swore; defenders say he described present practice and corrected himself when pressed.

Needs human verification

documented fact · current teaching

The Church now publishes the covenants made in the temple endowment so people can know them before attending.

Needs human verification

disputed · historical event

Historians document close parallels between Nauvoo-era endowment elements and the Masonic ritual Joseph Smith received in March 1842, including signs, tokens, penalties and an embrace at the veil that was then called by the Master Mason name "five points of fellowship"; that embrace was removed in 1990. Interpretations differ. The Churchs Masonry history topic acknowledges some similarities but stresses differences in content and intent. Faithful scholars, including FAIR and Homer, see Smith using a familiar form for restored content. Critics see the borrowing as evidence against a revealed origin.

Needs human verification

documented fact · past practice

From the Nauvoo Temple in 1845 the endowment included what historians call the oath of vengeance, a covenant to pray that God would avenge the blood of the prophets Joseph and Hyrum Smith on this nation. Witnesses described it in the 1904 to 1906 Reed Smoot Senate hearings. A revision committee begun under Heber J. Grant had all reference to retribution removed in February 1927.

Needs human verification

documented fact · past practice

The temple endowment has changed over time; the First Presidency said in January 2019 that details of temple work have been adjusted periodically, and the 2019 changes were reported as more inclusive language and greater gender equity.

Needs human verification

documented fact · historical event

Joseph Smith introduced the temple endowment in Nauvoo in 1842, weeks after he became a Freemason. Historians across perspectives note parallels between the two rituals; they disagree on what the parallels mean.

Needs human verification

documented fact · past practice

Until April 1990 the endowment included symbolic penalties, gestures representing violent death, made as a pledge to keep certain parts of the ceremony secret. That year the Church removed them, along with womens covenant to obey their husbands and the portrayal of a Protestant minister; the 1919 to 1927 revision had already softened the earlier graphic wording. The Church said only that the ceremonies are too sacred to discuss in detail.

Needs human verification

interpretation · current teaching

Critics and some members say tithing settlement (now tithing declaration) works mainly as accountability pressure rather than teaching: the bishop records every member's status and can see donation amounts, which some find intrusive for a private act of giving; the Church says children and youth are a focus, which some parents feel puts pressure on kids; members are invited to make up shortfalls before year-end; and because temple recommends require being a full-tithe payer, the declaration is tied to temple access. Many also see the 2022 rename as a change of wording, not substance. The Church says the purpose is to declare faithfulness and teach the spiritual nature of tithing, not to settle an account, and that donation amounts are confidential.

Needs human verification

documented fact · current teaching

Tithing declaration itself is separate from temple worthiness, but temple recommend interviews ask "Are you a full-tithe payer?", so being a full-tithe payer is a condition for an endowed member's temple recommend; new members seeking a limited-use recommend are asked instead whether they are willing to obey the commandment to pay tithing.

Needs human verification

About the Temple Endowment

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

A Church page describes the temple endowment as instruction and covenants with God, lists the covenants made, and explains how members can prepare beforehand, so people know what they will promise before attending. Summary, not a quotation.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

Adjustments to Temple Work (Church History Topics)

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

This Church History topic says temple ordinances have been adjusted many times since Nauvoo, in length, presentation, language, and practice, while the Church holds that the covenants themselves are unchanged. Summary, not a quotation.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

Approaching Mormon Doctrine

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints · Church Newsroom · 2007-05-04

The Church says not every statement by a Church leader, past or present, is doctrine; a single statement by one leader is often personal opinion, and doctrine is found in scripture, official declarations, and consistent teaching by the First Presidency and Twelve. Summary, not a quotation.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

Becoming True Millennials

Russell M. Nelson · Worldwide Devotional for Young Adults · 2016-01-10

Event date discussed: 2016-01-10

In a January 2016 devotional, then-Elder Nelson said the November 2015 handbook policy on children of same-sex couples came after the First Presidency and Twelve sought the Lord's will and that President Monson declared the mind of the Lord, describing it as revelation. Summary, not a quotation.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

Come, Join with Us

Dieter F. Uchtdorf · General Conference · 2013-10

Event date discussed: 2013-10

President Uchtdorf said that members and leaders have at times simply made mistakes and said or done things not in harmony with the Church's values, and invited those who left or doubt to come back. Summary, not a quotation.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

First Presidency authorizes redesigned temple garments for members in hot, humid areas

Scott Taylor · Church News · 2024-10-17

Event date discussed: 2024-10-17

Church News reports the First Presidency approved new garment designs, including sleeveless options, for members in hot and humid regions. Summary, not a quotation.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

First Presidency Letter: Tithing Declaration (August 11, 2022)

The First Presidency (Russell M. Nelson, Dallin H. Oaks, Henry B. Eyring) · Church Newsroom · 2022-08-11

Letter to general and local leaders renaming tithing settlement as tithing declaration. It says the change emphasizes that the primary purpose of the interview is to give members an opportunity to declare their tithing faithfulness, not to settle an account, and that the focus should be the member's covenant relationship with Heavenly Father and teaching the spiritual nature of tithing, especially to children and youth. Interviews may begin September 1. Summary, not a quotation.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

First Presidency Shares Messages From General Conference Leadership Session

Dallin H. Oaks (for the First Presidency) · Church Newsroom · 2019-04-04

Event date discussed: 2019-04-04

The 2019 reversal: children of LGBT parents may be baptized without First Presidency approval, and same-gender marriage is no longer treated as apostasy for discipline, though the Church still considers it a serious transgression. Summary, not a quotation.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

First Presidency Statement on Temples

The First Presidency · Church Newsroom · 2019-01-02

Event date discussed: 2019-01-02

Announcing temple changes, the First Presidency said details of temple work have been adjusted over time, including language and methods, and that such adjustments will continue. Summary, not a quotation.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

General Handbook, 34.3.1.2: Tithing Declaration (formerly Tithing Settlement)

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Current handbook section on tithing declaration, the annual meeting formerly called tithing settlement. It states the purpose: the bishop meets each member in the last few months of the year, and members are invited to declare to the bishop their status as tithe payers and to make sure their contribution records are accurate. Families, including children, should attend together when possible. The bishop thanks members for their faithfulness, teaches the principle of tithing, encourages a generous fast offering, and discusses other relevant matters. Chapter 34 also says the amount a member donates is confidential. Summary, not a quotation.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

General Handbook, 38.5: Temple Clothing and Garments

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints · 2026-10

Section 38.5 quotes First Presidency guidance that the temple garment is a sacred symbol of Jesus Christ and a reminder of temple covenants to be worn day and night, restored as soon as possible after activities that require removing it. It says whether other undergarments go over or under it is personal preference, garments should not be altered to fit clothing styles, and it covers obtaining, caring for, and disposing of garments, military and medical situations, and burial clothing. Summary, not a quotation.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

General Handbook, Chapter 26: Temple Recommends

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints · 2026-10

General Handbook chapter 26 explains temple recommends: the recommend types (for proxy baptisms and confirmations, for endowed members, and for living ordinances), safeguarding and lost recommends, how the bishopric and stake presidency conduct recommend interviews, and the interview questions, including faith in God and Jesus Christ, support for Church leaders, the law of chastity, the Word of Wisdom, honesty, and 'Are you a full-tithe payer?' It also covers special cases such as new members, divorce, transgender individuals, serious sin, and readmission. Summary, not a quotation.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

General Handbook, Chapter 27: Temple Ordinances for the Living

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints · 2026-10

Chapter 27 covers receiving the endowment and sealings. Members may choose to receive their endowment when at least 18, finished with high school or its equivalent, at least one year after confirmation, and desiring to keep temple covenants; a man must hold the Melchizedek Priesthood. Leaders should not use age or leaving home as the test. It also covers sealing of husband and wife (civilly married couples are encouraged to be sealed as soon as they are prepared, and a civil marriage may precede the sealing so family can attend), who may attend a sealing (endowed recommend holders), and sealing living children to parents. Summary, not a quotation.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

Gospel Topics Essay: Race and the Priesthood

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints · 2016

Event date discussed: 1978

The Gospel Topics essay Race and the Priesthood says that from the mid-1800s until 1978 the church did not ordain men of black African descent to the priesthood or allow black men or women to participate in temple endowment or sealing ordinances. It describes the June 1978 revelation, announced on June 8 and canonized as Official Declaration 2. It says the church today disavows theories that black skin is a sign of divine disfavor or curse, that mixed-race marriage is a sin, or that any race is inferior. Summary, not a quotation. The 1978 date is the policy change, not the essay's publication date.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

Identifying and Recording Tithing Status (Leader and Clerk Resources help)

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Church clerk help page for tithing declaration (tithing settlement). The bishop holds declarations from September 1 through December 15; each member's status is declared either by the member or, for anyone who does not declare, by the bishop. It defines full-tithe payer (one-tenth of income, per the 1970 First Presidency letter; members with no income count as full), part-tithe payer, and non-tithe payer, and says a member need not have finished paying for the year before declaring. A companion page, Conduct Tithing Declaration, says the bishop's report can display donation amounts and that he records Full, Part, or Non for every member. Summary, not a quotation.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

Masonry (Church History Topics)

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Event date discussed: 1842

This Church History topic says Joseph Smith and many Nauvoo men joined Freemasonry in 1842, weeks before he introduced the temple endowment, that the endowment shares some symbols and forms with Masonic ritual, and that Latter-day Saints view the endowment as revealed rather than borrowed. Summary, not a quotation.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

Official Declaration 1

Wilford Woodruff · The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Event date discussed: 1890

Official Declaration 1 is the 1890 Manifesto issued under President Wilford Woodruff and printed with the Doctrine and Covenants. It is the canonical statement associated with discontinuing new plural marriages. 1890 is the year of the Manifesto, not a modern web publication date. Summary, not a quotation.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

Official Declaration 2

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints · 1978-09-30

Event date discussed: 1978-06-08

Official Declaration 2 is the canonized statement in the Doctrine and Covenants that records the end of the racial restriction on priesthood ordination and temple ordinances. The announcement associated with the revelation was June 8, 1978. The declaration itself is dated September 30, 1978, when it was presented in general conference. Those are different dates. Summary, not a quotation.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

Our Own Liahona

Spencer W. Kimball · General Conference · 1976-10

Event date discussed: 1976-10

President Kimball denounced the Adam-God theory, which he said was alleged to have been taught by some general authorities of earlier generations, and warned members against it. Summary, not a quotation.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

The Doctrine of Christ

D. Todd Christofferson · General Conference · 2012-04

Event date discussed: 2012-04

Elder Christofferson teaches that doctrine comes by revelation to the united First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve and that not every statement by a Church leader, past or present, necessarily constitutes doctrine. Summary, not a quotation.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

The Manifesto and the End of Plural Marriage (Gospel Topics Essay)

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints · The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints · 2014

The Church's essay says a smaller number of new plural marriages were performed after the 1890 Manifesto, mostly in Mexico and Canada, until the 1904 Second Manifesto made new ones grounds for excommunication. Summary, not a quotation.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

"Similarity of Priesthood in Masonry": The Relationship between Freemasonry and Mormonism

Michael W. Homer · Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought · 1994

Homer, a Latter-day Saint lawyer and historian, traces Joseph Smiths 1842 initiation as a Mason, the founding of the Nauvoo lodge, and the close parallels between Masonic ritual and the endowment introduced weeks later, then follows how Latter-day Saints and Masons each viewed the relationship into the twentieth century. He presents the endowment as using Masonic forms while leaving room for faithful readings. Summary, not a quotation.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

Joseph's Temples: The Dynamic Relationship between Freemasonry and Mormonism

Michael W. Homer · University of Utah Press · 2014

A historian traces the intertwined history of Freemasonry and early Mormonism, including the parallels between Masonic ritual and the Nauvoo endowment and how the relationship changed after Joseph Smith's death. Summary, not a quotation.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

Latest from Mormon Land (Aug 18, 2022): "Tithing gets a new approach"

David Noyce · The Salt Lake Tribune · 2022-08-18

Independent news roundup whose section on tithing reports that tithing settlement interviews are renamed tithing declarations and may start September 1 instead of being squeezed into the holiday season, quotes the First Presidency that the purpose is to declare tithing faithfulness rather than settle an account, and notes that the definition of a full tithe, 10 percent of income, did not change. Summary, not a quotation.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

Independent journalism. Reports events and responses; not peer-reviewed scholarship.

LDS Church releases changes to temple ceremony

Peggy Fletcher Stack and David Noyce · The Salt Lake Tribune · 2019-01-02

Reports that the January 2019 endowment changes included more inclusive language and more gender equity, including a larger role for Eve, based on accounts from members who attended. Summary, not a quotation.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

Independent journalism. Reports allegations and responses; not peer-reviewed scholarship and not a court finding.

Method Infinite: Freemasonry and the Mormon Restoration

Cheryl L. Bruno, Joe Steve Swick III and Nicholas S. Literski · Greg Kofford Books · 2022

A book-length study arguing that Freemasonry shaped the Restoration well beyond the temple: Joseph Smiths family background, early Mormon language and narratives, the Nauvoo lodge, and the endowment itself. The authors treat Masonry as a key interpretive framework for Smiths religious creativity. Summary of the books published scope, not a quotation.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

Mormons Modify Temple Rites

Los Angeles Times · Los Angeles Times · 1990-05-05

Event date discussed: 1990-04

Reports that in April 1990 the Church quietly revised the temple endowment, removing symbolic penalties, the portrayal of a Protestant minister and the requirement that women covenant to obey their husbands, and that Church officials declined to discuss the details because the ceremonies are sacred. Summary, not a quotation.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

Independent journalism. Reports events, allegations, and responses; not peer-reviewed scholarship and not a court finding.

Tabernacles of Clay: Sexuality and Gender in Modern Mormonism

Taylor G. Petrey · University of North Carolina Press · 2020

A historian traces how Church teachings on gender, sex differences, and homosexuality changed after World War II, arguing that ideas presented as eternal were often revised over time. Summary, not a quotation.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

The Development of the Mormon Temple Endowment Ceremony

David John Buerger · Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought · 1987

A history of the endowment from Kirtland and Nauvoo to the 1980s. Buerger traces the Masonic background of Nauvoo-era elements, the oath of vengeance and its exposure in the Smoot hearings, and the 1919 to 1927 revision committee under Heber J. Grant that removed it and softened other wording. He describes elements only at a historical level. Summary, not a quotation.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

The Mormon Church on Trial: Transcripts of the Reed Smoot Hearings

Michael Harold Paulos, ed. · Signature Books · 2008

Event date discussed: 1904

An edited abridgment of the 1904 to 1906 U.S. Senate hearings on whether apostle Reed Smoot could be seated. Witnesses, including Church President Joseph F. Smith, testified about post-Manifesto plural marriages and cohabitation, Church influence in politics, and the temple endowment, including the oath of vengeance. Summary of the books published scope, not a quotation.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

The Mysteries of Godliness: A History of Mormon Temple Worship

David John Buerger · Signature Books · 1994

Buerger traces how the endowment and other temple ordinances began in Nauvoo and changed over time, including their relationship to Freemasonry. Summary, not a quotation.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

The Power of Godliness: Mormon Liturgy and Cosmology

Jonathan A. Stapley · Oxford University Press · 2018

Stapley distinguishes a cosmological priesthood formed through temple sealings from an ecclesiastical priesthood of offices, and studies rituals such as healing by women and baby blessings. Summary, not a quotation.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

The Word of Wisdom: From Principle to Requirement

Thomas G. Alexander · Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought · 1981

Alexander traces how the Word of Wisdom moved from advice to a requirement for temple attendance in the early twentieth century, noting leaders' changing emphasis on details. Summary, not a quotation.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

This World: The Mormon Candidate (incl. Jeffrey R. Holland interview)

John Sweeney · BBC · 2012-03-27

BBC documentary on Mitt Romney and the Church. In it Holland says "We do not have penalties in the temple," then "We used to" when pressed; says shunning "is not one of our practices"; and says of the Book of Abraham that he does not understand the "vehicle" of translation and knows no Egyptian.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

Tithing declaration (Wikipedia; formerly Tithing settlement)

Wikipedia · 2026

Encyclopedia overview of tithing declaration, formerly tithing settlement: each member is interviewed by the bishop or branch president, given a copy of his or her donation record to confirm, and asked to declare full, part, or non-tithe status; members are invited to make up any shortfall before year-end; the bishop declares a status for those who do not attend; every member's status is sent to Church headquarters; tithing is expected of all members including children; and members must declare themselves full-tithe payers to hold a temple recommend. Summary, not a quotation.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

Crowd-edited encyclopedia; check its cited sources before relying on details.

Tithing settlement becomes 'tithing declaration' for Latter-day Saints

Trent Toone · Deseret News · 2022-08-11

News report on the 2022 change from tithing settlement to tithing declaration. It describes tithing settlement as the annual year-end meeting where a bishop meets members and families about their tithes, letting members show obedience to tithing and review their contribution records, explains the September 1 start, and quotes the Church that the declaration is primarily a teaching experience, especially for children and youth, and a chance to minister to families. Summary, not a quotation.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

Church-owned newspaper. Reports the Church announcement; not independent of the Church.

Ward Bishops and the Localizing of LDS Tithing, 1847-1856 (chapter 7 of My Fellow Servants: Essays on the History of the Priesthood)

William G. Hartley · BYU Studies · 2010

Historical study of where annual tithing settlement came from. It shows that Presiding Bishop Edward Hunter, through a circular dated to late 1852, made ward bishops (rather than the Presiding Bishop) responsible to receive tithes, keep accounts, and hold annual tithing settlements with individual members; the system took about three years to implement. Pioneers then owed tithes on property, increase, and labor, often paid in kind, so settlement literally meant settling an account. Summary, not a quotation.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

Is Elder Holland a Liar?

David Grant · Third Hour · n.d.

LDS blog answering critiques of Holland item by item: temple vow concerned the ordinance; no shunning policy; Hyrum book provenance (1898 note, second copy); Prop 8 true of cash; stakes remark colloquial.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

Faithful apologetics. Written to defend Church claims. Not peer-reviewed and not an official Church source.

Mormonism and Freemasonry

FAIR (Faithful Answers, Informed Response) · FAIR · 2024

FAIRs apologetic pages on the endowment and Masonry acknowledge shared ritual forms but argue that Joseph Smith used a familiar framework to teach restored content, that the endowments purpose and meaning differ from Masonrys, and that borrowing form does not disprove revelation. Summary, not a quotation.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

Faithful apologetics. Written to defend Church claims. Not peer-reviewed and not an official Church source.

Rebutting Top Ten Lies by Current LDS Apostles

FAIR · FAIR · n.d.

Item-by-item FAIR response to the "Top Ten Lies" video, often conceding imprecision while disputing intent or offering context.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

Faithful apologetics. Written to defend Church claims. Not peer-reviewed and not an official Church source.

CES Letter: Prophets

Jeremy Runnells · CES Letter

The prophets section argues that past Church presidents taught things later rejected, citing Brigham Young's Adam-God teaching, blood atonement sermons, polygamy, and the priesthood and temple ban, and it points to leaders buying forged documents from Mark Hofmann as evidence that they lacked special discernment. Summary, not a quotation.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

Critical advocacy. Argues against Church truth claims. Not peer-reviewed and not an official Church source.

CES Letter: Temples and Freemasonry

Jeremy Runnells · CES Letter

The temples section argues that Joseph Smith introduced the endowment about seven weeks after becoming a Freemason in 1842, that its signs and tokens resemble Masonic ritual, and that the ceremony has changed many times. Summary, not a quotation.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

Critical advocacy. Argues against Church truth claims. Not peer-reviewed and not an official Church source.

Mormon Discussion ep. 316: Elder Holland – Liar Liar Pants on Fire

Bill Reel · Mormon Discussion · 2018-10-30

Critical podcast episode presenting several Holland statements (temple penalties, Hyrum's Book of Mormon, Prop 8, stake creation, the missionary story) as dishonest.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

Critical advocacy. Argues against Church truth claims or leaders' statements. Not peer-reviewed.

Mormonism, Magic and Masonry

Jerald and Sandra Tanner · Utah Lighthouse Ministry · 1988

The Tanners argue that Joseph Smith's treasure seeking, seer stones, and magical artifacts, and the parallels between the temple endowment and Masonic ritual, show the movement drew on folk magic and Freemasonry. Summary, not a quotation.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

Critical advocacy from an evangelical Christian ministry. Argues against Church truth claims. Not peer-reviewed.

Mormonism: Shadow or Reality?

Jerald and Sandra Tanner · Utah Lighthouse Ministry · 1987

The Tanners' largest work compiles documents on many disputed issues: changes in revelations and the Book of Mormon, First Vision accounts, Adam-God, blood atonement, the Book of Abraham papyri, temple changes, Mountain Meadows, and Church finances. It was an early and influential critical reference. Summary, not a quotation.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

Critical advocacy from an evangelical Christian ministry. Argues against Church truth claims. Not peer-reviewed.

MormonThink: Mormon Prophets after Joseph Smith

MormonThink · MormonThink

This page reviews teachings by later Church presidents that were later dropped or disavowed and asks how members should weigh prophetic statements. Summary, not a quotation.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

Critical website. Presents critic and apologist views but is written to raise problems with Church claims. Not peer-reviewed.

MormonThink: Mormon Temple

MormonThink · MormonThink

MormonThink's temple page discusses the origins of the endowment, its parallels with Freemasonry, removed elements such as penalty oaths, and changes to the ceremony over time. Summary, not a quotation.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

Critical website. Presents critic and apologist views but is written to raise problems with Church claims. Not peer-reviewed.

MormonThink: Tithing in the LDS Church

MormonThink · MormonThink

MormonThink's tithing page sets out the one-tenth teaching, how the definition of income has been left to members, and critics' objections about the lack of public financial reporting, tithing settlement and temple access, and how surplus funds have been used. Summary, not a quotation.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

Critical website. Presents critic and apologist views but is written to raise problems with Church claims. Not peer-reviewed.

Semantic analysis of Holland–John Sweeney on Romney temple oaths

faenrandir · A Careful Examination · 2026-09-30

Critical line-by-line analysis of the BBC exchange arguing Holland's first answer misrepresented what Romney swore.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

Critical advocacy. Argues against Church truth claims or leaders' statements. Not peer-reviewed.

The Changing World of Mormonism

Jerald and Sandra Tanner · Utah Lighthouse Ministry (online edition) · 1980

A condensed version of Mormonism: Shadow or Reality? that argues Church history, scripture, and doctrine have been changed over time, with documents the Tanners reproduced. Summary, not a quotation.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

Critical advocacy from an evangelical Christian ministry. Argues against Church truth claims. Not peer-reviewed.

Top Ten Lies by Current LDS Apostles

The Mormon Informant · YouTube · 2023-02-24

Critical video listing ten statements by apostles it labels lies, including Holland (temple penalties, Prop 8, stakes), Oaks (BYU aversion therapy, 1993), Ballard ("We do not hide it"), Nelson (plane), and the SEC matter.

Summary, not a quotation · needs human verification

Critical advocacy. Argues against Church truth claims or leaders' statements. Not peer-reviewed.