Bridge of Reason

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Mormon Polygamy a Catch-22

If ever you wondered what a Catch-22 actually is, Mormonism offers a great example. A Catch-22 is a paradox you can’t escape because of conflicting claims. You are supposed to believe one claim in order to believe the second but the second prevents you from believing the first. When I was a Mormon back in the 1970s, the official teaching on plural marriage was clear enough; it was the order of heaven. When it was abandoned by the Mormons in 1890 it was simply a temporary suspension because, ‘ We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.’ LDS 12 th Article of Faith. In other words, we obeyed the law – for now. Nevertheless, there would come a day when the practice would be re-established and the order of heaven restored. That was because the standing order of marriage was polygamy. Without polygamy a man or woman simply couldn’t reach the celestial kingdom of God. Brigham Young pre...

Is Preaching a Requirement for Salvation?

Today I listened to a JW video with GB member David Splane talking about the book of James and chapter 2 v 17 in particular . The video is a textbook monologue by the Governing Body, telling people what they “ know ” (a form of ‘gaslighting’), contradicting what the Watchtower actually teaches, and criticising “ Evangelicals ”. He mimicked people JWs meet who say that JWs believe they will earn their salvation by going door-to-door and then tells us that “ you know that’s not true ” (Min 2:15) Do we know that? Let’s check the evidence (Emphasise are mine); “The fourth requirement [to reside in paradise] is connected with loyalty. God requires that prospective subjects of the Kingdom support his government by loyally advocating his kingdom rule to others… will you meet this requirement by telling others about God’s kingdom ?” Watchtower 15 Feb 1983 p12-13 “Twelve Reasons for Preaching…7. It is a requirement for our own salvation ” Our Kingdom ministry No 6 June 2012....

Exit Strategy

Perhaps a core aim of Reachout Trust is to help those caught up in the cults to successfully exit the group and come to a faith in the Lord Jesus as their saviour. But what is the best way to do that, is there a silver bullet or a holy hand grenade that instantly brings the cult member into the truth? I have come to use AI more in my research and found it very useful and insightful in its responses. It does always warn that it can make mistakes so one has to be careful in trusting it too blindly. I asked it what the most effective strategy would be to bring someone out of the Watchtower Society and here is its answer. The Core Problem: Why Direct Approaches Fail The instinct is to confront — to present the failed prophecies, the blood transfusion deaths, the NWT translation issues. This almost always backfires. The Watchtower has pre-inoculated members against exactly this: outside criticism is framed as Satanic attack, which *confirms* the member's worldview rather than ch...

Watch Tower v Olin R Moyle

With what authority does the Watch Tower Society speak? Does the Watch Tower bring light, as it claims? Olin R Moyle began his association with Charles Russell’s Bible Students group in 1910. He worked as legal counsel for the Society from 1935 to 1939. A disenchanted Moyle resigned in July 1939, after witnessing the ill-treatment of Bethel staff, and Joseph Rutherford’s heavy drinking and luxurious lifestyle. The Watch Tower responded with a strongly worded article in the Watchtower magazine in which they accused Moyle of lying, comparing him to Judas Iscariot. His local congregation disfellowshipped him, and in 1940 Moyle sued the Society for libel. Moyle won, and won again on appeal, initially being awarded $30,000, later reduced to $15,000. That’s more than $707,000 and almost $354,000 in 2026. It is always a mistake for a cult to find itself in open court. So much is brought to light that they would rather not talk about as they are asked questions they would rather not an...

The Brigham Young Problem

Mormonism's Open Canon? Mormonism is founded on the idea that the early church went into apostasy because of the absence of apostles and prophets. Mormonism is presented as a ‘restoration’ of ancient authority and prophecy. The Bible should never have been a closed canon, so Mormonism operates from an open canon. The problem arises when we quote Brigham Young, Mormonism’s second prophet, the ‘American Moses’ who led the saints to the Salt Lake Valley. You might think such an important leader would have something to add to the Mormon canon. He certainly had plenty to say during his thirty years presidency of the church. Nevertheless, he has but one entry in the Doctrine and Covenants, section 136: ‘The word and the will of the Lord, given through President Brigham Young, at the Winter Quarters of the Camp of Israel...January 1, 1847’ He said plenty, of course, much of it recorded in the 26 volume Journal of Discourses. But what was once recognised as a ‘Standard Work’ of the churc...

Now for the Bad News

It is commonly understood among Mormons that the Fall was a good thing. A 27 April post on X has sent the Christian world in a spin because it plainly said as much: 'In the LDS Church, we do not see Eve eating the forbidden fruit as a mistake or even a sin. on the contrary, we celebrate her courage and wisdom to partake of the fruit, transgress the bounds of Eden and become all that her Heavenly Father wanted her to be.' Of course, nobody outside the Mormon Church would teach such a thing. It goes against everything the Bible tells us, everything Christianity teaches about the nature of man, the purposes of God in creation , and the meaning of the atonement. People get uncomfortable when we use the word 'cult,' but it must be understood that error on this level cannot be winked at. It must be called out for what it is, plain heresy. People must be warned, and the fact someone 'sincerely believes it’ is no excuse. If it upsets our Mormon neighbours then pe...