Archive for category: Mormonism

Utah State Representative Douglas C. Aagard has introduced a bill in the Utah House, HB0131, found here, that is currently titled, “Access to Health Care Facilities and Places of Worship.” It reads in part, . provides that knowingly approaching within eight feet of a person for the purpose of passing out literature, displaying an object, or engaging in protest or

Once again that scene in I, Robot comes to mind, where Spooner blows away a robot and looks at the lady and says, “Somehow, I don’t think ‘I told you so’ really says it all” or something to that effect (I haven’t invested in the movie yet). When Richard Mouw, President of Fuller Seminary, wrongly blasted everyone who had accurately

Quite some time ago we corrected the constant, errant, repeated misuse of Irenaeus by LDS apologists, and in particular, the usage by Daniel C. Peterson and Stephen D. Ricks in one of the few specifically counter-evangelical apologetic books out there, Offenders for a Word. We had posted this information quite some time ago: In my book Is the Mormon My

An excellent article in light of my comments on the continuing campaign of Richard Mouw, President of Fuller Seminary, to give aid and comfort to LDS apologists, hopefully out of ignorance, though, from what this article indicates, it may just be out of that same kind of academic hubris that insists upon seeing “fellow scholars” as colleagues even when they

More on this later, but there are major developments in the DNA and the Book of Mormon story. Read about it here. This is the kind of thing that could very well end up splitting the LDS Church between the “We have latter-day revelation and refuse to give up on old time Mormonism” of central and southern Utah and the

Nothing like an odd headline, eh? OK, here’s what it’s all about. Concept 2 rowing machines. Here’s what they look like. OK, I got hooked on rowing while on a cruise a while back. They had these in the gym on the ship, and I loved it. Tried to get started with a cheapie Sears type when I got home,

It would not have even been a question thirty years ago. Grant Palmer’s book, in which he in essence admits what non-LDS historians have been saying for a very long time (how Smith “revised” Scripture to his own ends, for example, and how the Book of Mormon is not an ancient record), would have resulted in instant excommunication only a

One of the larger “counter-cult” organizations has put out a statement responding to Mouw. I had a hard time following it at a few points, but it is much like my own replies, posted below. It has a useful citation from Millet affirming the very concept Mouw has identified as not being a part of LDS doctrine! Mouw has surely

Unless you have been monitoring a wide variety of sources, you might think my response to, and refutation of, Fuller Seminary President Richard Mouw’s comments in the Tabernacle in Salt Lake City was harsh. In comparison to the rhetoric of some, I’m a cupcake. But, thankfully, by avoiding the extraneous arm-waving and calls for jihads I hope that I have

Robert Millet’s presentation on the 11/27 episode of Faith Under Fire was truly an excellent example of the “modern” Mormon viewpoint that is actively seeking to shift the emphasis that had existed in Mormon theology from the last days of Joseph Smith all the way through Joseph Fielding Smith and Bruce R. McConkie. Those familiar with the sermons and teachings

I just noted that the question of Mormonism is going to be addressed on “Faith Under Fire” this evening on PAX. But then when I saw who was going to be on, I just groaned. The LDS side will be represented by Robert Millet from BYU, and the Christian side by Greg Johnson. Those familiar with the situation in Utah

Those of you who are in the Texas area will want to keep an eye open for the announcement of the dedication period for the new San Antonio Temple. Watch for the announcement here.   I would encourage believers there in Texas, even those who are not particularly focused upon evangelizing Mormons, to find the time to visit the temple

Dr. Mouw simply does not seem to understand the central issue in Mormon apologetics. Here’s a Baptist Press article you might wish to review. Let me try to state it clearly, though this may be counter-productive, as clarity does not seem to be the aim of so much of the Academy today: Christianity is monotheistic. This is not an arguable

One of the key developments of late that has caused many to question the validity of at least some of the evangelicals who spoke in the LDS Tabernacle in Salt Lake City has to do with the fact that some, such as Richard Mouw of Fuller Seminary, have chosen, whether out of ignorance or hubris, to attack all of those

I was sent a response to my entry below concerning Daniel Peterson whose unwillingness to defend Mormonism in public debate runs contrary to his own stated stance (as in this clip from a radio program in California). In it Peterson does not refute any of the facts I presented, nor even mention his own statement in the audio clip. Instead,

One report on the conference contained these, somewhat ironic, words: SANDY — Bluffing is involved in a great many verbal and written attacks on The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, according to an unofficial apologist for the church. Daniel C. Peterson, sometimes referred to as the “chief apologist for the LDS Church,” made that declaration Friday in the final

I’ve put up with his personal insults since 1996, sniping footnotes in papers, the regular drumbeat of the “thorn in the flesh” that we sometimes must bear with as much grace as we can. But over the past year Dr. Owen has decided to take a much more public role not only in his ever-personal campaign, but now he is

Our great friend Jason Wallace, OPC pastor up in Salt Lake, and the master-mind behind the debates we have done up there over the past number of years, has an article in the current OPC magazine. Here’s the URL.  

“We Were Soldiers” is one of the best films on the Vietnam war, starring Mel Gibson as Colonel Hal Moore. It is the story of the first great encounter between American troops and the regular army of North Vietnam, a battle that took place in November, 1965 in the Ia Drang Valley. At one point the American forces were being

The fact that the mere form of trinitarian baptism is insufficient to function as the hoped-for “objective” sign of the covenant has been brought out in the discussion with Mr. Johnson regarding the issue. I am thankful, to be honest, that the first Presbyterians who spoke to me about their views on baptism did not hold to an ex opere

The LDS Church is very actively seeking to reshape itself in the light of the reality that it can no longer survive as a religion focused upon the inter-mountain West of the USA. The final result of this transformation is unknown to anyone but God (apologies to our Open Theistic readers). But one thing is for certain: in seeking to

I had never attended an LDS Temple Open House before, though there have been many such openings over the past two decades of ministry to Mormons. But it happened in the Lord’s providence that I was able to tour the new Manhattan LDS Temple today. This is one of the most unique temples in the world, as space is at

As many of you who listen to the Dividing Line know, we were very concerned that our outreach at the Mesa Easter Pageant would be ended by the arrival of KJV Only street preachers, some of whom have become regulars in Salt Lake City at the General Conference. Well, it has been a pleasant surprise. We still firmly believe signs

He claimed, with much bravado, that he would debate me “anytime, anyplace” on a radio program in California. He has yet to back up his words, of course, though he has often been given the opportunity. Today Dr. Peterson, in his customary fashion, is alleging dishonesty in how we have attempted, vainly, to get Dr. Hamblin to engage the issues

No matter how hard you try to cross your t’s and dot your i’s, if someone wants to muddy the waters, they can find a way to do it.  And so it is yet again.  Below you will find all the correspondence that went back and forth between myself and Dr. Hamblin since he contacted me on March 17th as

Despite Dr. Hamblin’s constant reiteration of his desire to debate the topic of temples on the Internet, when I responded to his very first counter-proposal, accepting all his conditions, but not yet arriving at an acceptable thesis statement, he ended the negotiations and said he was not interested. Hence, our challenge to debate publicly before cameras, in written form in

A few weeks ago Dr. William Hamblin, associate professor of history at Brigham Young University, declined the invitation offered to him to debate the thesis, “The Building of Temples is Consistent with New Testament Christianity” in a public setting before video cameras. Shortly thereafter a discussion occurred, referenced on this blog, regarding debates, etc. On April 2, 2004, I debated

That normally means I’m headed into unfriendly territory, but given the current bombardment at home, I think I will enjoy the time away…. Friday night the debate on the issue of temples with a Mormon representative at the University of Utah, Saturday night a debate on homosexual marriage, same venue. DL this afternoon/evening: your calls, some comments on TGE, Dave

We live in a post-modern age where a zealous passion for truth is considered, at best, odd, especially in “academic” circles. So much of modern scholarship is based upon the idea that there really is no certainty available to us in any field, and surely not in theology, hence, why bother debating? Let’s just discuss things, see if we can

It didn’t take long. Dr. Hamblin will not accept our challenge. His reasons were, quite simply, without merit. They were: 1) we set the time and place