When Fantasy Replaces Faith and Facts Are Forbidden

Let’s quit pretending this is complicated. If your religion tells you to trust your feelings over facts, avoid hard questions, and excommunicate anyone who studies the Bible too deeply, you’re not in a church—you’re in a cult.

Mormonism has built its empire on emotional manipulation, plagiarized scriptures, shame-based silence, and the idolization of a man who translated fake scrolls with his face in a hat. This isn’t just absurd—it’s eternally dangerous. And if you’re still hanging on because it “feels good,” while ignoring the lies, contradictions, and corruption… friend, that’s not faith. That’s delusion.

The truth has come knocking. The receipts are on the table. And now it’s your turn to decide: are you staying in the fantasy, or walking into the freedom of truth?

So Why Do People Still Believe?

Because they’re taught to trust their feelings over facts.

Mormon missionaries are trained to say:

“Read the Book of Mormon and pray about it. If you feel good, it’s true.”

But let’s be clear:

Truth isn’t determined by feelings.

Truth is determined by facts, evidence, and fruit.

"Test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world." 1 John 4:1

The CES Letter is the test.

And Mormonism fails.

Warning to LDS Members

If the Book of Abraham is a fraud…
If the Book of Mormon is plagiarized…
If Joseph Smith lied…
If your salvation is built on that foundation…

You’re not safe.
You’re deceived.
And you need to flee.

"Come out of her, My people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues." Revelation 18:4

Why This Matters

This is not an intellectual debate.
This is not anti-Mormon bigotry.
This is a rescue mission.

If you love truth—real truth—you cannot ignore what the CES Letter exposes.

Mormonism is not “a different flavor of Christianity.”
It’s a deception. A fraud. A spiritual prison.
And the walls are starting to crack.

You’ve been lied to long enough.

You’ve been gaslit by people in suits and ties, standing in temples made of stone, reciting fables made of fiction.

But Jesus is real.
The Bible is reliable.
And salvation is free.

It doesn’t come from seer stones.
It doesn’t come from temple tokens.
It comes from the blood of Jesus Christ alone.

"If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." John 8:31–32

The Tooth Fairy Test: Joseph Smith and the Suspension of Reason

“Faith Is Not the Absence of Facts.”

If your 45-year-old neighbor still believes in the Tooth Fairy, you’d be concerned. If a licensed pilot sincerely believed in unicorns, you’d probably choose a different flight. And if your heart surgeon earnestly believed in Santa Claus, you’d look for a new doctor.

But somehow, when it comes to eternal life, people suspend all logic, facts, and reason… to follow Joseph Smith.

Let’s ask a very real, very pressing question:

Why would any educated, rational, successful adult choose to trust their eternity to a man like Joseph Smith?

Because, based on the facts, you’d have to suspend reality to keep believing Mormonism is true.

Let’s walk through the test.

The Tooth Fairy Test

Here’s the premise:

• If a belief system requires you to ignore evidence,
• If it relies solely on feelings over facts,
• If it asks you to rationalize absurdities,

And if you would laugh at someone else for believing the same kind of thing in another context…

Then that belief fails The Tooth Fairy Test.

Let’s apply it to Mormonism.

Talking to Angels Through a Hat

Joseph Smith claimed to translate the Book of Mormon by putting a seer stone in a hat and burying his face in it to receive “divine revelation.”

Imagine your pastor or priest doing this. Would you take them seriously?

If a televangelist said he saw Jesus in a stone while treasure hunting, would you write him a check?

And yet millions base their eternal future on Joseph Smith’s hat trick.

Rewriting Scripture After Translation

Joseph claimed to translate the Book of Mormon by the “gift and power of God.” It was, supposedly, perfect.

So why has it been corrected over 4,000 times since it was first published?

Spelling? Grammar? Nope. Many are doctrinal corrections.

If God dictated it, why did it need editing?

Can you imagine someone rewriting the U.S. Constitution 4,000 times and still claiming it was word-for-word from George Washington?

It fails the Tooth Fairy Test.

DNA Doesn’t Lie

Smith claimed that the Lamanites (ancient American people in the Book of Mormon) were descended from Israelites.

“The Book of Mormon is a record of God’s dealings with the ancient inhabitants of the Americas… who are the principal ancestors of the American Indians.”
(Introduction to the Book of Mormon, pre-2007 version)

But modern DNA testing proves beyond doubt:

• Native Americans have Asian ancestry, not Middle Eastern.
• No trace of Hebrew DNA has ever been found in Native American populations.

What did the LDS Church do when this came out?

They quietly changed the introduction to say “among the ancestors” instead of “principal ancestors.”

Translation: We got caught. So we adjusted the wording.

You don’t see that in the Bible. You see it in cover-ups.

Eternal Progression to Godhood?

LDS doctrine teaches that faithful Mormons can become gods, rule their own planets, and produce spirit children with their eternal spouses.

Sound like Greek mythology?

It is.

“As man is, God once was; as God is, man may become.” – Lorenzo Snow, 5th President of the LDS Church

The Bible says:

“Before Me there was no God formed, and there will be none after Me.” Isaiah 43:10

To believe Smith, you must ignore the foundational truth that God is eternally God, not a promoted man.

That’s not faith. That’s fantasy.

Mass Delusion Is Possible

History is full of it:

• Jim Jones convinced 900 people to drink poisoned Kool-Aid.
• Marshall Applewhite told his followers to commit suicide to catch a spaceship.
• David Koresh convinced his people he was the second coming.

And yet none of these movements have lasted like Mormonism. Why?

Because Mormonism was:

• Packaged in patriotism
• Tied to family structure
• Structured into daily life
• Protected by a code of silence and shame

The more powerful the lie, the deeper the denial.

When Denial Becomes Dangerous

Let me be blunt: If Joseph Smith’s story were presented to you today as a new religion, you would laugh him off the stage.

But the only reason millions believe him is because:

• They were born into it.
• Their social world is wrapped in it.
• Their eternity is tangled in it.
• And they’re afraid to question it.

That’s not faith. That’s fear.

Jesus said:

“You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” John 8:32

But only if you’re brave enough to open your eyes.

Why Would Anyone Trust Joseph Smith?

Seriously.

Why would any sane, sober, educated Christian adult believe:

• That God the Father has a physical body?
• That Jesus and Satan are spirit brothers?
• That ancient Jews rode horses and used steel swords in America?
• That salvation depends on a series of temple rituals… copied from the Freemasons?

Do you honestly believe the eternal God of the universe entrusted the salvation of humanity to a man who translated fake Egyptian scrolls with a rock in a hat?

Or is it possible…

That you've been conned?

This is not about intelligence.
It’s about integrity.
It’s about courage.
It’s about eternity.

“The naive believes everything, but the sensible man considers his steps.” Proverbs 14:15

I love the Mormon people. I truly do.

But I love them too much to stay silent.

The Tooth Fairy is cute.

Joseph Smith is deadly.

What Happens When You Confess in Mormonism?

“Why Shame and Silence Are Killing Utah”

Let’s start with the question that no one in the LDS Church seems brave enough to answer publicly:

What actually happens when an LDS member confesses their sin?

Do they receive grace?
Forgiveness?
Freedom?

Or are they met with shame, suspicion, gossip, and the slow erosion of their reputation?

Let me say this plainly:

In Mormonism, confession isn’t cleansing. It’s a career-ending risk.

And that, dear friends, is killing Utah from the inside out.

The Cost of Honesty in Mormon Culture

The LDS Church claims to preach “repentance,” but the way that repentance plays out in practice is toxic.

Here’s how it usually goes:

A young man confesses to viewing pornography.

• He’s summoned to a “worthiness interview” with his bishop.
• He’s asked humiliatingly specific questions about his behavior.
• He’s denied a temple recommend, shamed, and sometimes barred from Church service.
• His social status drops. Rumors circulate. Whispers follow.
• His fiancée reconsiders the engagement.
• His peers treat him differently.
• He feels permanently marked.

What’s the result?

Silence.
Suppression.
Spiritual suicide.

And what does the Bible say?

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9

The contrast is staggering.

The Mormon System Rewards Silence

If you lie—if you hide—it’s okay.
You keep your recommend.
You stay in good standing.
You get married in the temple.
You’re praised and promoted.

But if you tell the truth?
You risk everything.

So what do people do?

They lie.
They cover.
They fake it.
They die inside.

The Consequences: Addiction, Depression, and Suicide

Let’s connect the dots.

• Utah ranks among the highest states in the nation for youth suicide.
• Porn addiction is rampant and widely hidden.
• Substance abuse—especially opioids—is a silent epidemic.

LDS teens are taking their lives, leaving behind journals filled with despair, shame, and feelings of unworthiness.

Why?

Because they were never taught the true Gospel. They were never told that grace is a gift, not a reward.

Instead, they were taught that:

• God’s love must be earned.
• Confession is spiritual suicide.
• And only the worthy are allowed into God's presence.

This is not Christianity. This is Babylon wrapped in religious clothing.

Everyone Is Pretending

I’ve spoken with countless former LDS members who admitted:

“I didn’t believe anymore. But I couldn’t tell anyone.”
“I was addicted, but if I told the bishop, I’d lose everything.”
“We just kept smiling through the pain.”
“I sat on the pew every Sunday, dying inside.”

Sound familiar?

It should.

Because this is what happens when you institutionalize shame.

What Does Jesus Say About This?

Jesus didn’t come for the perfect.
He didn’t die for the hidden.
He came for the broken—and He said it out loud.

"It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick… I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners." Mark 2:17

You don’t cleanse yourself to come to Jesus.
You come to Jesus to be cleansed.

Mormonism Says: “Clean Up First.”

The Gospel says: “Come, just as you are.”

Mormonism says:

“Don’t talk about it.”

“Don’t bring shame on the family.”

“Don’t let anyone know what you’ve done.”

The Gospel says:

"Confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed." James 5:16

Do you see the difference?

One is healing.
The other is hiding.

The Cultural Death Spiral

Because LDS members are discouraged from transparency, here’s what we’re left with:

• People dying in secret.
• Marriages collapsing behind closed doors.
• Teens believing they’re the only ones struggling.
• Adults addicted to porn, pills, or perfection—too afraid to say a word.

And in the shadows, the devil thrives.

"For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed." John 3:20

The Way Out: Come Into the Light

You don’t have to stay in the system.
You don’t have to keep hiding.
You don’t have to fake it one more day.

Jesus sees you.
Jesus knows everything.
Jesus has already paid for it all.

You don’t need a bishop.
You don’t need a secret room.
You don’t need to earn your way back.

You need the blood of the Lamb.

"Come now, and let us reason together… Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow…" Isaiah 1:18

Dear LDS friend—if you’re carrying something you’re too afraid to confess…

Jesus already knows.
And He’s already forgiven.
All you have to do is step out of the system… and into the light.

Rip off the mask.
Break the silence.
Refuse the shame.
Walk into freedom.

Because the truth is this:

In Mormonism, confession will cost you everything.
In the Gospel, confession gives you everything.

Why So Many Biblical Scholars Leave the LDS Church

“When Light Enters, Lies Die.”

In a faith tradition that prides itself on scholarship, missionary training, and seminary study, you’d think the LDS Church would be at the forefront of biblical research and theology.

But there’s a strange pattern.
A recurring anomaly.

A quiet crisis that most Latter-day Saints never hear about:

The deeper an LDS member studies the Bible, the more likely they are to leave the LDS Church.

And not just random members—trained scholars, teachers, theologians, and historians.

They dig deep. They ask honest questions.

And somewhere between the Hebrew, the Greek, and the manuscripts, they discover the truth:

The Bible contradicts Mormon doctrine.

Repeatedly. Boldly. Unapologetically.

The Pattern Is Clear

You’ll find them everywhere:

• Former BYU professors
• Seminary instructors
• Hebrew and Greek linguists
• Church curriculum contributors

Many began with sincere faith.

They just wanted to understand the Scriptures more deeply.

But the more they studied, the more contradictions they found.

And eventually, they faced the same tragic choice:

Stay and lie…

Or leave and lose everything.

So they walked away—from a system they once trusted.

Why Scholars Leave

Let’s break it down.

The Textual Evidence Contradicts Mormonism

The Bible teaches:One God: “Before Me there was no God formed…” Isaiah 43:10

Salvation by grace alone: “It is the gift of God, not as a result of works…” Ephesians 2:8–9

Jesus is eternal, uncreated: “In the beginning was the Word…” John 1:1

But LDS doctrine teaches:

• A council of gods
• Exaltation through temple works
• Jesus as a created spirit child of Elohim

Any serious textual scholar sees these contradictions within minutes of honest exegesis.

The Book of Mormon Is a Literary Fabrication

Biblical scholars are trained to spot textual anachronisms, linguistic patterns, and historical context.

When they apply those tools to the Book of Mormon, what do they find?

• 19th-century King James English
• Entire KJV chapters copy/pasted (errors and all)
• Theological debates common in 1830s New York
• Cultural and geographical impossibilities
• A total absence of ancient manuscript evidence

In short: it’s not ancient.
It’s not scriptural.
It’s not credible.

Why Doesn’t the LDS Church Talk About This?

Because it’s happening quietly, consistently, and inconveniently.

And when LDS scholars speak up?

• They’re released from their teaching callings.
• They’re pressured to resign.
• They’re excommunicated.
• Their reputations are destroyed.
• Their families are shamed.

This isn’t a theory. It’s documented.

Just ask:

Grant Palmer (former Church Educational System director)

Lynn Wilder (former BYU professor)

Micah Wilder (trained LDS apologist)

John Dehlin (psychologist and former LDS scholar, now excommunicated)

Jeremy Runnells (author of the CES Letter, excommunicated)

What was their crime?

Asking honest questions.

Doing real research. Telling the truth.

The Bible Can’t Be Tamed

LDS leaders discourage independent biblical study for a reason.

Because the more you actually study the Bible:

• The more you see the sufficiency of Christ
• The more you understand salvation by grace
• The more you reject extra-biblical authority
• The more you realize the “Restoration” isn’t restoring anything—it’s distorting everything

The Bible destroys the Mormon house of cards.

That’s why the LDS Church keeps scholars on a leash—and exiles the ones who break it.

The Joke of “LDS Biblical Scholarship”

To most serious theologians, the phrase “LDS Biblical Scholar” is an oxymoron—like “jumbo shrimp” or “honest thief.”

Why?

Because legitimate biblical scholarship demands:

• Intellectual honesty
• Manuscript integrity
• Original language analysis
• Historical accuracy
• Doctrinal consistency

None of which the Book of Mormon or LDS doctrines can withstand.

It’s not that LDS scholars aren’t smart.

It’s that the longer they study… the more they realize they’ve been lied to.

"A wise man is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is arrogant and careless." Proverbs 14:16

So What Happens Behind the Scenes?

Here’s the common story:

• A young LDS member feels called to study the Bible deeply.
• He or she pursues theology or ancient languages.
• The deeper they go, the more their worldview unravels.
• They begin asking hard questions.
• LDS leaders warn them to “stop digging.”

Eventually, they must choose:

Truth or the tribe.

Jesus or Joseph.

Many choose Jesus.
Quietly. Boldly. Eternally.

A Message to Every LDS Scholar in Hiding

You’re not crazy.
You’re not a heretic.
You’re not rebellious.

You’re a truth-seeker.
And the truth is a Person.

"I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." John 14:6

The Church told you to feel the truth.
But your heart and your mind can’t ignore the facts.

Jesus Christ is calling you—out of deception and into the light.

If your religion punishes you for asking questions…
It’s not from God.

If your “prophets” silence truth-seekers…
They’re not shepherds. They’re wolves.

If your church fears the Bible…
You’ve already found your answer.

Jesus doesn’t excommunicate people for finding Him.

He welcomes them.
He saves them.

This is the end of "Based on the Facts, You'd Have to Be Crazy to Stay... Part 3"

Based on the Facts, You'd Have to Be Crazy to Stay - Part 1

Based on the Facts, You'd Have to Be Crazy to Stay - Part 2

Based on the Facts, You'd Have to Be Crazy to Stay - Part 3

Based on the Facts, You'd Have to Be Crazy to Stay - Part 4