I know that several people have asked for a modern, detailed, youtube video that explains the top problems of the Mormon Church that we can use to share with others. Well, your cries have been heard. Some members of the various boards got together and this is the result.

The following video introduces the Top 10 Problems of the Mormon Church. It's a long video at 1 hr and 21 min but it's easy to watch yet provides just enough detail to both LDS & Gentiles to introduce each of 10 serious problems in the LDS church. It's not anti-Mormon yet plainly explains the top issues that critics have with the church. Think of it as a modern replacement for the Godmakers but something you might be more comfortable sharing with friends and family.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ac_fLUHiBw&feature=youtu.be

Thanks for the link!

There really should be a much shorter version too, maybe as a promo for the longer piece? I'm saying this having only gotten about 2 minutes into the video.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/08/2012 10:55AM by ambivalentsince1850s.

This is great video and long overdue. It presents the truth of Mormonism in a clear, straightforward manner. Yes, it's long, but it lays it all out for those seeking the truth and willing to listen.

Ive been thinking that Flackerman would follow up with Randy Bott; still hoping.

Maybe you could edit it to start out with a list of the 10 issues that are going te be discussed.

rt Wrote:
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> Maybe you could edit it to start out with a list
> of the 10 issues that are going te be discussed.

Having listened to the entire thing now (and backing up a few times to look at some of the slides/title cards containing further info) I can understand now why it's as long as it is, and why it might have been a good choice not to give the executive summary.

Without the well-stated and lengthy presentation of facts, the points themselves are very challenging, and would be prone to be rejected out-of-hand by many of those most likely to benefit from watching and/or listening. Good to see YouTube's recent allowance of longer videos actually being put to good use here.

I can't recall which notorious atheist said it, but Mormonism is just more hogwash piled on top of the hogwash of Christianity.

I have thought similarly. :-)
A bit easier to disprove, even...

Anti-Mormon lies, all of it.

It makes me sad and so frustrated that in order for a Mormon to make it past the first 60 seconds of that video, they have to have admitted to themselves that they've got questions and doubts. Why is it so easy as a Mormon to dismiss information that counters what you believe?

Seriously, it's a strange phenomenon. I'm sure it's been written about.

I realize it would be an endeavor, but what would really help that video's credence is giving specific references throughout.

anontoday Wrote:
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> I realize it would be an endeavor, but what would
> really help that video's credence is giving
> specific references throughout.

Whoever manages the video channel could, I suppose, add annotations, though YouTube doesn't really make outside references in videos very easy. 'Twould be better and simpler to provide a single link to an HTML document that offers detailed footnotes.

I spotted a few misstatements, and some statements that seemed prejudicial or open to dispute, but compared to the screeds I've read in my lifetime (some written well before my lifetime), this is not anywhere close to the most transparent forms of anti-mo agitprop I've seen or read.

A lot of Mormons I grew up with actually had similar concerns, and I think some simply choose to reject the dubious bits, holding onto other aspects they find of value. I know that's not what the gerontocracy says they're supposed to do, but there's doctrine and then there's actual practice. Not my place to judge, since those who do it often also have to live among TBMs day-in and day-out. My mother, even though she's excommunicated, continues to try to make peace with and leave open the channels of communication between herself and her many brothers and sisters and their extended families. That often means she will temper what she says with great caution and diplomacy, which may strike some as hypocrisy. If you knew her in person I find it doubtful anyone here would regard her as a hypocrite, unless they are themselves extremely closed-minded.

Clear and concise. Thank you.

This video does discuss one thing that seems to be a thorn in my side for us exmormons: It claims that the church "covers up" the information. Then it uses LDS sources to reveal this information.

That seems at face value a little hypocritical of us.

I understand the nuance--the information is there, but buried and left on a high shelf where it gets quite dusty.

Jesus Smith Wrote:
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> This video does discuss one thing that seems to be
> a thorn in my side for us exmormons: It claims
> that the church "covers up" the information. Then
> it uses LDS sources to reveal this information.
>
> That seems at face value a little hypocritical of
> us.

There's a huge focus on the "typical" experiences and sensibilities of recent converts -- which makes sense given they probably compose the majority of active members today.

To someone who grew up knowing almost no one who wasn't BIC, it might seem disingenuous, but there has been a pattern, it seems, of trying to color the church in terms that emphasize commonalities with those branches of Christianity that have been using the seemingly most successful marketing strategies over the past few decades, when the Church's early appeal seems to me to have been among those who were put off by the abuses of paid clergy and other factors that arose first with Martin Luther and later with his pale imitators.

Core Mormon principles about the "Restored Church" (the title, after all, of the main textbook for the Church History year when I was in seminary classes) make some really bold claims about how far back that corruption extends, and it's a marvel the degree to which leadership have managed to deemphasize that aspect in recent years, though probably not too surprising that they're assisted by a general public that couldn't give a rat's ___ about such issues.

And given the Church's own failures in serving as a counterpoint to such corruption in practice, in a lot of ways, it probably isn't that surprising how little this is a part of the current debate. Certainly, it's not a part of the story that many Christian opponents to Mormonism are likely to want to give focus to.

At minute 53, using the term 'warm fuzzies' seemed a bit disparaging, and in my opinion detracted from overall credibility.

Plenty of accurate info all in one video but I'd recommend putting more tags that reflect the contents. There is no tag for: Joseph Smith, Mormon Church, Book of Abraham, Emma Hale Smith, Urim and Thummin, Jaredites, Nephites etc etc. Also the description is really short for such a comprehensive video.
It won't come up in searches on youtube / google if you don't get the title, descriptive text and tags right.
Also a short, linked vid would really help. Only trying to make the most of all the hard work.

arend Wrote:
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> Also a short, linked vid would really help. Only
> trying to make the most of all the hard work.

Another thing that would help boost its visibility would be to add a text file of closed captions in one of the compatible formats. That can be done at any time, and may also be added in multiple languages. And all of those will further add to the chances of the video coming up in searches even for tangentially related things that come up as part of the narration.

That was awesome.

Thanks

Ana

I had the administrator edit the description to be a bit longer and added some tags.

As the video stated, the backup for the information can be found on the websites referenced in the video. It would be too much clutter to attempt to provide every source of backup for every point.

Originally this was intended to be a DVD which you could show people so length was not an issue. As someone mentioned, it really has to be long in order to make a strong enough case.

John Dehlin's video is about an hour long and has some 100,000 views so far so length isn't necessarily a deal killer. The numbering of the top 10 issues is given at the top of the presentation so anyone can easily stop and pick up where they left off.

The video won't likely be redone but suggestions like the tags and description are appreciated.

Upvote for visibility. This is great to send to relatives and prospective converts alike. We have needed something like this for awhile.

This does a good job at explaining problems 99% of Mormons don't know.. If you are a webmaster or blog owner be sure to add it to your site..

Great video--so well done.

Honestly I think you missed out on the most persuasive argument against Mormonism, which I used to deconvert my TBM Wife.

Polyandry violated

A. The 10 Commandments against coveting other men's wives and adultery

B. The law of the land

C. The "Law of the Priesthood" five different ways, which Joesph's Myth claimed to have received directly from God still considered 'the word of God' and contained in D&C 132:61 which clearly condemn's polyandry.

1. First wife had to give approval. Emma never did till her dying day.
2. Plural wife had to be a virgin. Obviously married women didn't qualify.
3. Plural wife had to be given to Joseph. No law allows men to marry other men's wives.
4. Plural wife couldn't "belong" to another man. Obviously women who were already married 'belonged' to other men.
5. Plural wife couldn't be with another man after being with Joseph. Every one of them continued living with their REAL husbands. Joseph just sex w/ them and produced children with them.

Polyandry was mentioned in the polygamy section. Every detail couldn't be given or else the video would be much longer than it already is. Hopefully it intrigues people enough to go to the websites mentioned and research it some more for the complete story.

thought it was good and actually learned a thing or two I hadn't heard before, but like Todd Compton, you don't even mention D&C 132 right?

That's revelation from God right? If you can establish, using purely LDS sources, that both Joseph Smith and Brigham Young violated the revelation the Prophet himself claimed to have received from God, then that pretty much makes the revelation null and void, and the Prophet a fraud, right?

Both Joseph Smith and Brigham Young violated "The Law of the Priesthood" aka, "The New and Everlasting Covenant" (still contained in D&C 132:61) in at least 5 different ways by marrying other men's wives, to say nothing of them having sex with them and producing children with them, which is all a matter of public record on the church's own geneological website.

All of which is far worse than anything any of the rest of us have done.
In fact Joseph Smith and Brigham Young make Warren Jeffs look like a Boy Scout and he's sitting in a Federal Penitentiary on Child Rape charges.

Yet the church still insists to this day that "Joseph and Emma Smith centered their marriage and family in the gospel of Jesus Christ—an example to all."

http://josephsmith.net/josephsmith/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=031f001cfb340010VgnVCM1000001f5e340aRCRD&locale=0

Ask any Mormon if they want their children indoctrinated to believe that an adulterous relationship is any kind of an example to them?

just watched the whole video very convincing until comments mentioned the plaganism by Joe smiths father version used to described the authenticy that no man could of wrote this book when the exaggeration was already written by man, and using this version of man, touching the hearts of many, is deceptive tool be it HOlland knew or not of the plagerism spoken lines
that would have a powerful affect on the audience mingled with his own firey passion holding up a direct book of an appostle of joe smiths time before he died baring witness of the truthfulness of the book of mormon on a death bed, while leaving widow wife and children behind no man in his right mind could lie about the book of mormon but it has to be true because of their loyality to it let alone moved apon by extra plaganism exaggerated verses, whatever it takes to perpetrate a hope and justify illegal pologamy, all in the name of their
horny god, to much to loose to fall out with this alien god to the rest of christian world who came to earth says brigham young with one of his wifes and had sex and we are the extent of it today...

what a lot of rubbish yet, the sermons of heart felt and good morals that come from it does not make it the truth.
Lies can be so moving also..

We like to be spiriutally malested by the very elect who they themselfs can be deceived and yet they tell us that we are decieved to dare question the book of mormon....

Mormonism can be treated as a club, enjoy it but dont buy into all its lies just enjoy raizing a family and get close and secure that the dumb wife will stick with the devil knowing the church is true when you know its not. But maybe we should be brave enough to take our dumb wives out of the church and give them a brain thinking life in another church or belief system and let them without mormonism truly say they love our big fat
thing and priesthood combined to eternal pregnate them, but now love us knowing that there is no such thing as eternal family, would they just perish like sardines caught in a net about to be eaten up, no more life in them to drained, loosing out with mormonism and cant rise again...

We see on this site many have. good on ya ex mormon woman.

larry...

the 6 second version of the biggest problems of MORmONISM
Adult Language Warning

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFeuJFqIMV0

Seems to be taking off. 2,500 views in the first 2 days. We should all click on it more and make it go viral to help spread the word.

This video is more informative than 28 years in the church.