What was Love Has Won?
Love Has Won (LHW) was a cult that taught New Age theology combined with multiple conspiracy theories and elements of Abrahamic religions. The group was led by Amy Carlson, who called herself “Mother God” and claimed that she would ascend to a “fifth dimension” to save humanity (www.denverpost.com/2021/05/16/love-has-won-cult-mother-god, accessed 5/15/23). The Love Has Won cult…
Why are Mormons/LDS so interested in genealogies?
Many do not know that one of the biggest influences in the recent genealogy craze is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS), also known as the Mormons. The LDS interest in genealogies is connected to their belief in and practice of “baptism for the dead.” The LDS church believes that several…
Who are the Shakers?
The Shakers, formally the United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing, are a Christian cult that combines elements of Quakerism and Charismatic worship practices. Their beliefs can be hard to codify, as all congregants are allowed to prophesy and all prophecies are considered inspired. History: The Shakers broke off from the Religious Society of…
What is the Adam-God theory in Mormonism?
The Adam-God theory is a controversial concept within Mormonism, the body of doctrine held by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). The Adam-God concept was first proposed by Brigham Young, the successor to LDS founder Joseph Smith. Young insisted that Adam was God the Father, most notably in a sermon given in…
What is the Fundamentalist Church of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS)?
The Fundamentalist Church of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS) is a splinter group of Mormonism that believes that polygamy is a God-ordained form of marriage. The FLDS traces its roots all the way back to the original teachings of Joseph Smith. The group is based in Colorado City, Arizona, and has an estimated 10,000 members. The Fundamentalist…
What is Doctrine and Covenants in Mormonism?
Doctrine and Covenants is one of the “standard works” of Mormonism, also known as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). Along with the Book of Mormon, Pearl of Great Price, and the Bible, Doctrine and Covenants is a text the LDS considers authoritative in matters of doctrine. Of course, the Mormon faith…
What is the Journal of Discourses?
The Journal of Discourses (often abbreviated as J. D.) is a 26-volume record of public statements of the early leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), or Mormon Church. Many different kinds of speeches were printed, “including the prayer given at the laying of a cornerstone of the Salt Lake Temple,…
Who was Joseph Smith?
Joseph Smith is widely known as the founder of the Mormon Church, also known as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Joseph Smith from an early age was thought to have certain occult powers. He was known at a young age as a seer and reportedly used a seer stone to tell him…
What is a spirit animal?
The concept of a spirit animal is based in ancient animistic, shamanistic, and totemistic belief systems of early Native American Indians, Australian Aborigines, and other indigenous cultures. Today, belief in spirit animals is promoted in various neo-pagan religious systems such as Wicca and New Age, and it is often associated with astrology. The internet has…
Who was Joseph Franklin Rutherford?
Joseph Franklin Rutherford (November 1869—January 1942), also known as “Judge” Rutherford, became the second president of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, better known today as Jehovah’s Witnesses, shortly after the death of the sect’s founder, Charles Taze Russell. Known for his forceful personality and oratorial skills, Rutherford, originally the organization’s chief legal representative, assumed…