This piece is adapted from the latest episode of Matt Fradd All Access. You can watch the full episode <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/matt-fradd-monologue-joseph-smith?elementPosition=3&amp;row=5&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+Episodes&amp;rowType=Horizontal+Show+Episodes+Carousel">here</a>.
***
This is a controversial topic, so let’s dive right in: Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism, was a false prophet.
A couple of disclaimers, right off the bat: entire books have been written on this subject, so we’re only going to scratch the surface. And to my Mormon friends, I understand that some of this may be difficult to hear. And I just want you to know that this isn’t meant to be some kind of attack. I love you guys, but we have to get to the truth. I encourage you to hear what I have to say, look into it for yourself, and let me know what you think.
Here we go.
<h3>Reason #1: False Prophecies That Didn’t Come True </h3>
Let’s start with one of the easiest ways to test a prophet: are their prophecies actually true? Deuteronomy 18:20-22 lays it out clearly: if what a prophet says doesn’t come true, then they’re not speaking for God.
Joseph Smith gave numerous revelations that are flat-out false.
For example, in 1842 Joseph Smith published a supposedly prophetic translation of real Egyptian documents he owned, which he called The Book of Abraham. He claimed, as a prophet, to translate specific Egyptian writings and drawings, and to know their meaning. Important to note, at the time, scholars couldn’t translate Egyptian. But now they can, and we know that his translations are simply wrong. In one drawing, Smith claimed one figure was “King Pharaoh, whose name is given in the characters above his head,” but it turns out this figure is the goddess Isis, and the characters above the head read, “Isis the great, the god’s mother.” He falsely claims the god Osiris is Abraham, and that the god Anubis is a slave. A prophet’s words have to match reality, and in Smith’s case, they just don’t.
<h3>Reason #2: Contradicting Revelations</h3>
Another red flag with Joseph Smith is his contradicting revelations. For example, the Book of Mormon says, “Is there more than one God? And he answered, No.” But in a later revelation, he says that “the Gods organized and formed the heavens and the earth,” and that righteous Mormons “shall be gods,” “from everlasting to everlasting,” with “all power.” Smith even claimed that God was once a man who became divine.
This is a huge change in foundational beliefs! If someone is truly a prophet of God, their message should be consistent, especially when it comes to who God is. Yet with Smith, we see clear contradictions that raise serious doubts about his claims to divine revelation.
<h3>Reason #3: The Book of Mormon’s Historical Problems </h3>
Next, let’s talk about the Book of Mormon itself. Joseph Smith claimed it tells the history of ancient American civilizations, including the Nephites and Lamanites, who came from Jerusalem. But here’s the problem: there’s zero archaeological evidence for these civilizations. No cities, no artifacts, nothing.
Now, some might argue, “There’s little archaeological evidence for the Exodus, and Christians believe that.” But while evidence for the Exodus may be debated, there is some support — such as Egyptian records mentioning Semitic peoples and archaeological findings in the Sinai suggesting nomadic groups. Scholars continue to explore these possibilities.
With the Book of Mormon, however, we’re talking about entire civilizations that supposedly existed for thousands of years but did not leave behind a single trace. If these civilizations were real, we’d expect something — but we find nothing. That’s a major problem.
<h3>Reason #4: Fabrication &amp; Plagiarism </h3>
There’s also strong evidence that the Book of Mormon simply mirrors Joseph Smith’s time and place. Many books at this time, and in Smith’s area, theorized that the American Indians had come from Israel. And Smith lifted entire sections from the King James Bible, even copying translation errors from the King James Version into his “ancient” text. This isn’t the behavior of a divinely inspired prophet; it’s the behavior of someone fabricating a religious document.
<h3>Reason #5: Joseph Smith’s Dubious Character </h3>
We can’t ignore the moral inconsistencies in Joseph Smith’s life. He secretly practiced polygamy and even married — and slept with — teenage girls, claiming he was divinely commanded to do so.
This is someone who violated the Christian principles of marriage and morality. A true prophet should be held to a high standard of holiness and integrity, but Smith’s life was filled with moral failures. It’s hard to reconcile that with someone who claims to be God’s chosen messenger.
But isn’t there polygamy in the Bible? Yes. But it’s important to note that polygamy in the Old Testament is descriptive, not prescriptive. And the New Testament makes it very clear that monogamy is the only expected and permitted form of marriage.
<h3>Reason #6: Contradictions in the First Vision Accounts </h3>
Smith’s famous &#8220;First Vision,&#8221; where he claims to have seen God the Father and Jesus Christ, is foundational to Mormonism. But did you know there are multiple versions of this event that contradict each other?
In the earliest version, Smith says he saw only one figure, “the Lord,” but later versions claim he saw God the Father and Jesus as separate beings. If this vision were a true, divine encounter, it wouldn’t make sense for there to be conflicting stories about such a pivotal moment. The discrepancies suggest that Smith may have fabricated or embellished his experience over time.
<h3>Reason #7: The Problem of Polytheism </h3>
Finally, Joseph Smith taught that God was once a man who became God, that humans can become gods in the same way, and that there are many gods in existence. That’s not just a different emphasis. It’s a different view of God altogether.
In the King Follett Discourse, Smith said that God “was once as we are now” and that we must learn how to become gods ourselves. In other words, God is not the eternal, uncreated Creator, but a being who progressed to divinity.
This is directly opposed to biblical monotheism. Isaiah 44:6 says, &#8220;I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God.&#8221;
The Bible is clear: there is one God. Smith’s teaching of an eternal progression to godhood is not just unbiblical, it’s a complete departure from the Christian understanding of God’s nature. Any prophet who teaches something so fundamentally opposed to Scripture can’t be a true prophet of God.
Whether it’s his failed prophecies, shifting doctrines, or contradictions in his story, the evidence is compelling: Joseph Smith was a false prophet.
***
If you’d like to learn more, see my interview with Joe Heschmeyer, <a href="https://youtu.be/5cvXRlMHMzI?si=U5IBDJNO8Q2qwFSb" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Incoherence of Mormonism</a>.

The church of Jesus Christ of latter-day saints sign, Thetford, Norfolk, England, UK

7 Reasons Joseph Smith Was A False Prophet 

Bible

Christianity

Matt Fradd

Mormonism

secret lives of mormon wives

(Reuters) &#8211; Two people were killed, and at least six others were injured in a shooting during an altercation outside a funeral at a church in the Utah capital of Salt Lake City, police said on Wednesday, as they launched a manhunt for suspects.
The situation was still fluid after Wednesday&#8217;s initial report of the incident in the parking lot outside a chapel of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a police spokesperson said.
&#8220;Out in the parking lot, there was some sort of altercation and that&#8217;s when shots were fired,&#8221; Glen Mills told reporters, adding that a funeral service was being held in the church at the time.
Among at least eight adult victims, two died of their injuries, the police said, while three of the survivors were critical and the medical condition of the rest was not known.
Police said they launched a manhunt for the suspects and aimed to interview witnesses among the dozens of people who attended the funeral. The FBI said it was offering assistance.
&#8220;We don&#8217;t believe this was a targeted attack against a religion or anything like that,&#8221; a police officer told a later press conference on live television.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the Mormon church, follows the teachings of Jesus Christ and the 19th-century prophecies of Joseph Smith.
In a statement, it said it was cooperating with law enforcement after a serious incident outside a church meeting-house as a memorial service was being held in the chapel.
&#8220;We extend prayers for all who have been impacted by this tragedy and express deep concern that any sacred space intended for worship should be subjected to violence of any kind,&#8221; it added.
(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Michelle Nichols and Clarence Fernandez)
&nbsp;

Violence Strikes Salt Lake City Church As Shooting Leaves Two Dead

Church

Crime

Salt Lake City

U.S.

Utah

In the days following the attack in which four people were killed and eight more were wounded at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints congregation in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan, Mormons who were grieving the tragedy did the unthinkable: They began raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for the family of the man who shot and killed Latter-day Saints.
A <a href="https://www.givesendgo.com/helptheSanfordfamily">GiveSendGo fundraiser</a> set up for the family of Thomas Jacob Sanford has raised more than $265,000, with many of the donations coming from members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, The Washington Post <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2025/10/01/lds-mormon-church-shooting-fundraiser-sanford/">reported</a>. On Sunday, Sanford drove his truck into the building of a Latter-day Saints church in Grand Blanc Township before stepping out of the vehicle and opening fire with a semiautomatic rifle, according to authorities. Sanford was also suspected of setting a fire to the church building before responding police officers killed him.
Four people were killed in the attack, which appeared to be motivated by the gunman’s hostility toward Mormons. While federal authorities have not officially released a motive for the deadly attack, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/feds-believe-michigan-church-shooter-hated-people-of-the-mormon-faith?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Feds+Believe+Michigan+Church+Shooter+%E2%80%98Hated+People+Of+The+Mormon+Faith%E2%80%99">told</a> “Fox &amp; Friends” earlier this week that federal authorities believe Sanford “hated people of the Mormon faith.”
After the attack, multiple fundraisers were started for victims of the shooting, but one Latter-day Saint living in Utah also wanted to reach out to the family of the shooter, whom he said are also “victims” of the tragedy, according to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/02/us/lds-church-michigan-grand-blanc-township.html">The New York Times</a>.
“One of the families that suffered a terrible loss on that day was the family of Thomas Jacob Sanford, the shooter,” states the GiveSendGo fundraiser started by David Butler. “Sanford leaves behind a wife and children who must be grieving. They will face financial hardship and psychological trauma as a result of this week’s horrifying events. On top of that, one of the Sanford sons deals with serious medical challenges that require ongoing care, treatment, and specialized support. In the past, the family attempted to raise funds for him, but with limited success.”
Sanford’s son was diagnosed with congenital hyperinsulinism, a rare condition that <a href="https://www.chop.edu/conditions-diseases/congenital-hyperinsulinism">causes</a> the body to produce too much insulin, resulting in low blood sugar that can lead to major problems for infants and young children.
Sanford’s father told the Post in a text message that it was hard to “find any words to express” how grateful the family was for the donations.
“Our family is grieving so much right now, I can’t find any words to express our appreciation but the right time will eventually come, thank you so much,” Sanford’s father said.

At Least 4 Dead After Shooting And Fire At LDS Church In Grand Blanc, Michigan

Mormons Raise More Than $265K For Family Of Gunman Who Attacked Michigan Church

Mass Shooting

Michigan

Federal, state, and local officials held a press conference on Monday afternoon in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan, updating the public on the investigation into Sunday’s shooting that targeted worshipers at a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints congregation.
Ruben Coleman, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Detroit field office, said that investigators are “continuing to work to determine a motive” for what the bureau is calling “an act of targeted violence.” Four people were killed in the attack, and another eight people were wounded.
“Our special agents, victim specialists, child advocates, forensic interviewers and local partners have interviewed over 100 victims and witnesses to date, and are continuing to interview individuals as we speak,” Coleman added.
Coleman’s comments come just hours after White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/feds-believe-michigan-church-shooter-hated-people-of-the-mormon-faith?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Feds+Believe+Michigan+Church+Shooter+%E2%80%98Hated+People+Of+The+Mormon+Faith%E2%80%99">said</a> that, based on her conversations with FBI Director Kash Patel, the suspected gunman “hated people of the Mormon faith.” Coleman did not address Leavitt’s remarks.
The suspected gunman was identified as 40-year-old Thomas Jacob Sanford, who was killed in a shootout with police. The suspect, a Marine and Iraq War veteran, was accused of driving a Chevy Silverado into the church building before stepping out and shooting congregants and setting the structure on fire.
The pickup truck the alleged shooter used in the attack had two American flags displayed in its bed. In a photo uploaded to Facebook in 2019, Sanford was pictured wearing a “Trump 2020” shirt that read, “Make Liberals Cry Again,” NBC News <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/what-we-know-thomas-jacob-sanford-suspect-michigan-church-shooting-rcna234309">reported</a>.
The victims ranged in age from 6 to 78, according to Dr. Michael Danic, chief of staff at Henry Ford Genesys Hospital, where the victims were transported. Five people were treated for gunshot wounds, and three others for smoke inhalation. The child who was injured was stabilized and released, according to Danic.
Sanford allegedly set fire to the building using gasoline as an accelerant, and the blaze quickly engulfed the entire building. Grand Blanc Township Police Chief William Renye said at Monday’s press conference that authorities have not finished searching the rubble of the burned building, but added that “everyone is accounted for.”
The roads near the church are still blocked off as authorities investigate the attack, and James Deir — the acting special agent in charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives in Michigan — asked residents to stay out of the area as the investigation continues. The ATF brought in a rapid response team to investigate the fatal shooting and fire. The team has “been used all over the world” and includes forensic chemists and bomb technicians, according to Deir.
Michigan Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer also spoke at the press conference, urging people to refrain from speculation, which she called “unhelpful” and “downright dangerous.”
“So I just ask that people lower the temperature of rhetoric,” Whitmer added.
The deadly mass shooting at the Latter-day Saints church in Grand Blanc Township marks the second attack on a place of worship in Michigan in the past three months. In June, an assailant was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tragedy-averted-shooter-targeting-michigan-church-taken-out-by-security-guard">taken out</a> before he could make it inside CrossPointe Community Church in Wayne. One of the church’s deacons hit the attacker with his Ford F-150, giving the security guard time to shoot him. The security guard was shot in the leg, but no one else was injured.

US-SHOOTING-CHURCH

Authorities Provide Update On Michigan Church Shooting As Motive Remains Unclear

Gretchen Whitmer

Politics

Federal authorities believe that the 40-year-old man accused of opening fire at a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and killing four worshipers in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan, on Sunday &#8220;hated people of the Mormon faith,&#8221; White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told &#8220;Fox &amp; Friends.&#8221;
During an interview on Monday morning, Leavitt said that based on her conversations with FBI Director Kash Patel, &#8220;All they know right now is this was an individual who hated people of the Mormon faith, and they are trying to understand more about this, how premeditated it was, how much planning went into it, whether he left a note.&#8221;
&#8220;All of those questions have yet to be answered, but certainly will be answered by the FBI,&#8221; Leavitt added.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
FOX NEWS ALERT: <a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PressSec</a> reveals the suspect in the Michigan church shooting “hated people of the Mormon faith.” <a href="https://t.co/IriLn85r0H">pic.twitter.com/IriLn85r0H</a>
— FOX &amp; Friends (@foxandfriends) <a href="https://twitter.com/foxandfriends/status/1972645008907051221?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 29, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Authorities have not said whether any writings or information point to a specific motive in the attack, but Leavitt said that the FBI is executing &#8220;multiple search warrants at the residences and family homes&#8221; of the suspected shooter.
The suspected gunman was identified as Thomas Jacob Sanford, a U.S. Marine veteran who was deployed to Iraq for nearly seven months in 2007. The 40-year-old man had no criminal history and lived in Burton, Michigan, which borders Grand Blanc Township. The pickup truck the alleged shooter used in the attack had two American flags displayed in its bed. In a photo uploaded to Facebook in 2019, the gunman was pictured wearing a &#8220;Trump 2020&#8221; shirt that read, &#8220;Make Liberals Cry Again,&#8221; NBC News <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/what-we-know-thomas-jacob-sanford-suspect-michigan-church-shooting-rcna234309">reported</a>.
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The attacker was carrying explosive devices when he drove his Chevy Silverado into the church building on Sunday, but authorities said it was unclear if he used them. Officials believe that the gunman used gas to start a fire in the church, a blaze that engulfed the entire building. The 40-year-old veteran allegedly opened fire on congregants with a semiautomatic rifle. Two people were killed from gunshot wounds, and two more people were found dead in the church after first responders arrived. Another eight people were wounded in the attack.
Police responded to the shooting within 30 seconds and pursued the shooter to a parking lot behind the church, where the suspect was shot and killed.
On Sunday night, the FBI asked anyone with information about the attack to contact 1-800-CALL-FBI or visit <a href="https://tips.fbi.gov/home">tips.fbi.gov</a>.

Feds Believe Michigan Church Shooter ‘Hated People Of The Mormon Faith’

Karoline Leavitt

kash patel

The Daily Wire caught up with policy analyst and author Carrie Sheffield to talk with her about her new book &#8220;<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Motorhome-Prophecies-Journey-Healing-Forgiveness/dp/1546004386/ref=sr_1_2?crid=1MCPY1LY9G6BK&amp;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.U6jLnuG0UcJjuJ69YTShvcQr6Ezo_ux8egpxy3_tX0obBqozBXOQNMUa7_8fEazolWcS-NOWXGIsih85r2eeNz9V1jGTrnR4mSUZ_fIVhexCclFVtHgIjULyOD7pCboqgN_6orCmPsl-M5S082BZjA.v0WeUS8vwaUdtnuSzFCJH91q6PUV9wLYp4UlOmSaUR0&amp;dib_tag=se&amp;keywords=motorhome+prophecies&amp;qid=1713538529&amp;sprefix=motorhome%2Caps%2C93&amp;sr=8-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Motorhome Prophecies: A Journey of Healing and Forgiveness,</a>&#8221; (CenterStreet/Hachette Book Group).
DW: Let’s start with politics. You’ve served as a policy analyst and columnist for several years now, both in New York and in Washington. Which issues are paramount in your mind as we head into the 2024 presidential election season?
Sheffield: Certainly the economy and immigration are top of mind for many voters, including me. The fact that inflation has ravaged household wages is an ongoing and pervasive problem. The fact that average monthly mortgage payments under Biden have skyrocketed means real pain and the dream of home ownership moves out of reach for more American families. Seeing our border towns and cities like New York and Chicago overrun with sanitation issues and safety problems due to Biden’s failed immigration policies is discouraging and must be stopped.
DW: Speaking of presidents, in “<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Motorhome-Prophecies-Journey-Healing-Forgiveness/dp/1546004386/ref=sr_1_2?crid=1MCPY1LY9G6BK&amp;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.U6jLnuG0UcJjuJ69YTShvcQr6Ezo_ux8egpxy3_tX0obBqozBXOQNMUa7_8fEazolWcS-NOWXGIsih85r2eeNz9V1jGTrnR4mSUZ_fIVhexCclFVtHgIjULyOD7pCboqgN_6orCmPsl-M5S082BZjA.v0WeUS8vwaUdtnuSzFCJH91q6PUV9wLYp4UlOmSaUR0&amp;dib_tag=se&amp;keywords=motorhome+prophecies&amp;qid=1713538529&amp;sprefix=motorhome%2Caps%2C93&amp;sr=8-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Motorhome Prophecies</a>” you write that your father was convinced he was a Mormon prophet destined to become president of the United States. Looking back, how did that influence the way your family lived?
Sheffield: Yes, my dad claimed that he’d be U.S. president one day. He also made some unproven claims, like President Reagan designating MLK Jr. Day because of my dad’s work supporting Dr. King’s messages and that his political essays influenced then-Speaker Newt Gingrich to impeach Bill Clinton.
Politics was in my dad’s blood because his father had been a successful Utah state lawmaker. He was also former chairman of the Salt Lake City Zoning and Planning Commission for 25 years. That his firstborn son would follow him into politics wasn’t too far-fetched.
My dad’s beliefs about his destiny absolutely motivated our nationwide travels in a street musical orchestra attracting listeners and then passing out patriotic and religious brochures. But the proselytizing came at an expensive price — his kids’ mental health and happiness. Multiple siblings have attempted suicide, two developed schizophrenia (it’s well documented that schizophrenia’s onset is exacerbated by childhood trauma), and I struggled with periodic suicidal ideation, depression, PTSD, and anxiety because of our dad’s zealotry.
Despite the negative aspects, dad gave me a deep love of our exceptional country, of intellectual inquiry, and beautiful music. Though we’ve had many disagreements, I know in his heart he has a deep desire to serve others through his work. I think his love of country in some ways blinded him to his personal life’s failures. That is a common fatal flaw for public servants. Children of politicians often experience abandonment problems as adults. Each generation must recognize and heal our own hurts.
<div id="attachment_726119" style="width: 391px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-726119" class="size-large wp-image-726119" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/9781546004387-381x576.webp" alt="CenterStreet/Hachette book Group" width="381" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/9781546004387-381x576.webp 381w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/9781546004387-199x300.webp 199w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/9781546004387-768x1160.webp 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/9781546004387-1017x1536.webp 1017w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/9781546004387-1356x2048.webp 1356w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/9781546004387-scaled.webp 1695w" sizes=" (max-width: 381px) 100vw, 381px" />CenterStreet/Hachette book Group</div>
DW: “Motorhome Prophecies” is written in the vein of famous memoirs like “Hillbilly Elegy” by J.D. Vance, “The Glass Castle” by Jeanette Walls, and “Educated” by Tara Westover, all stories of young Americans growing up in very broken families. Yet each author is somehow able to escape and overcome their childhood trauma and find success as an adult. What were some factors that helped you overcome your childhood?
Sheffield: Necessity is the mother of invention. I knew that if I wanted a better life than the dark, dangerous one around me I needed to be resourceful, pragmatic and humble enough to ask for help. The bravest thing I&#8217;ve done took place when I was 18. In terms of the initial departure, here&#8217;s a passage from the book, it was actually my schizophrenic brother&#8217;s sexual assault and attempted rape that spurred me to start the process of leaving:
<blockquote>It would prove a long winding path, but Peter’s assault eventually became a catalyst for me to scrutinize my faith, to pray for God’s protection and guidance, and, eventually, to reject Ralph’s false prophecies and run away from home. I’m the fifth oldest sibling, but I was the first to escape the clutches of The Mission. That harrowing night back in 2000 taught me a lesson that would be reinforced time and again: life’s most wrenching crucibles can propel us to our greatest moments of growth and freedom.</blockquote>
I pushed myself to achieve in my career and work in public policy because I wanted a better life for myself than remaining trapped in a violent and impoverished environment. Also, as a woman, I wanted to bask in the freedoms denied my mother and myself as the first girl with four older brothers.
Early on, I also felt a sense of jaded insecurity that fueled my ambition. I wanted to prove my dad wrong. He prophesied that I&#8217;d be raped and murdered if I left the cult. I decided I&#8217;d soar to career heights surpassing his own. It’s a toxic, unstable motivation, to prove someone wrong, and it eventually comes crashing down.
Another reason I left was that I&#8217;d undertaken a long-term investigation into my dad and found his handwritten prophecies were in direct opposition to the teachings of the official LDS Church&#8217;s hierarchy.
For many years I struggled. I would paint myself in these absolutist black and white terms, that my dad was evil and that I was a hero for escaping. Today, though, I know I am not the hero of this book, but I am also not the villain. God is the hero, and though I thought my father was the villain, I now see he was crushed by severe religious zealotry sparked by mental illness after suffering sexual assault as a toddler. He also suffered through the death of his childhood best friend which led to enduring isolation. He’s just as deserving of God’s mercy and compassion as I am. I love my father and am sorry I waited so long to forgive him. I believe forgiving him earlier would have stopped me from some toxic self-sabotaging that I did to cope with the trauma.
<div id="attachment_726171" style="width: 490px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-726171" class="size-large wp-image-726171" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/Carrie-Sheffield-1-scaled-1-480x576.jpg" alt="Credit: Carrie Sheffield." width="480" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/Carrie-Sheffield-1-scaled-1-480x576.jpg 480w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/Carrie-Sheffield-1-scaled-1-250x300.jpg 250w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/Carrie-Sheffield-1-scaled-1-768x921.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/Carrie-Sheffield-1-scaled-1-1280x1536.jpg 1280w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/Carrie-Sheffield-1-scaled-1-1707x2048.jpg 1707w" sizes=" (max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px" />Credit: Carrie Sheffield.</div>
DW: Your book deals a lot with mental illness. Authors like Abigail Shrier and Jonathan Haidt have also written books this year on young people struggling with mental illness. It seems to be a growing problem. Why do you think it&#8217;s a common thread and what are the broader takeaways found in &#8220;Motorhome Prophecies”?
Sheffield: Certainly depression and suicide are rising, and this is troubling. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention late last year released <a href="https://thedispatch.acemlna.com/lt.php?s=b497b0dace4b29102719b273346a3dbb&amp;i=2147A2461A1A75103" target="_blank" rel="noopener">provisional data</a> showing nearly 50,000 people committed suicide in the United States in 2022. This nearly 3% increase from 2021 is the highest number ever recorded and the highest rate since 1941 — the aftershocks of the Great Depression. It’s nearly 17 times the number of people killed in the terrorist attacks of 9/11.
Gen Z is far more secular than their parents were when they were young, and I think it’s no coincidence Gen Z is also suffering far greater isolation and mental illness. This is a trend we can and must reverse. People who attend religious services at least weekly are significantly less likely to die “deaths of despair”— suicide, drug overdose, or alcohol poisoning, <a href="https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/press-releases/regularly-attending-religious-services-associated-with-lower-risk-of-deaths-of-despair/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to 2020 research</a> from Harvard University’s School of Public Health. A literature review appearing in Psychiatric Times <a href="https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/religion-spirituality-and-mental-health">reported</a>: “Of 93 observational studies, two-thirds found lower rates of depressive disorder with fewer depressive symptoms in persons who were more religious. … a review of 134 studies that examined the relationships between religious involvement and substance abuse [concluded that] 90% found less substance abuse among the more religious.”
Ironically, research from the <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2020-50618-001">Psychology of Religion and Spirituality</a> found atheism correlates with <a href="https://www.psypost.org/new-psychological-research-links-atheism-to-emotional-suppression/">emotional suppression</a>. Psychology professors (along with biologists) are least likely among all disciplines to believe in God, <a href="https://www.harvardmagazine.com/2007/07/faculty-faith-html#:~:text=A%20professor's%20field%20of%20research,%2C%20economists%2C%20and%20political%20scientists.">Harvard reported.</a> The journal Sociology of Religion <a href="https://www.patheos.com/blogs/epiphenom/2009/05/psychologists-are-least-religious-of.html">similarly found</a> that psychologists are the least religious of American professors. This is a troubling combination. The same trained experts ordained to heal mental disorders are sometimes the very ones who are skeptical of rescuing balm.
A recovered agnostic, I experienced the power of faith to heal my own mental health, as I recount in my book. The biggest hurdle I needed to overcome was comprehending the difference between man-made abuse and healthy faith in God.
DW: Eventually you went to college and ended up at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. How did your worldview change while in Cambridge?
Sheffield: I became more aware of the narratives around “privilege” being crafted at places like Harvard. I gained a sense of understanding perhaps their altruistic impulse — indeed, our country had sexism, slavery, and Jim Crow as stains in our history. But eventually, I came to realize that good intentions do not equal good outcomes.
At Harvard, I also became more entrenched as an agnostic, which is sad because Harvard was founded to help clergy grow their intellectual capacity to teach the mind of God. Around 7 years after I graduated, during my Christian conversion process, the more I studied science, including metaphysics, history, anthropology, and other disciplines, the more my faith in God and my confidence in Christianity grew. Studying Christianity felt like uncovering buried treasure discarded by intellectuals at places like Harvard who had discounted its scientific and philosophical heft.
DW: You’ve written many articles over the years for various periodicals, but this is your first time writing a full-length book. What was the process like for you?
Sheffield: Writing a 90,000 word book is indeed a far heavier lift than a news article. I tell people who ask advice for writing a memoir to begin a journal today if they don’t already. This memoir genre was made far easier for me because I’ve got a stack of journals to assist. I’ve kept a journal since age 8 because journaling is strongly encouraged in the LDS Church and Mormon diaspora community due to strong cultural appreciation of genealogy and family history — the LDS Church has more than 2 billion records in its genealogy database. Also, as a newer faith, we know many things about its early origins due to contemporaneous journals. As a journalist, the personal journals made the process far easier for accuracy — I didn’t have to make up what I was thinking, I knew directly.

Camper Touring the American Southwest Monument Valley

Author Carrie Sheffield Recounts Harrowing Childhood In New Book ‘Motorhome Prophecies’

Author Carrie Sheffield Recounts Harrowing Childhood In New Book 'Motorhome Prophecies'

Books

family

Harvard

interview

Mental Illness

Psychology

Readers Pass

Sexual Assault

Former “American Idol” <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/music" target="_blank" rel="noopener">contestant</a> David Archuleta said that a few &#8220;dozen&#8221; fans in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/utah" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Utah</a> left one of his concerts after he shared his <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/lgbtq" target="_blank" rel="noopener">coming out</a> story.
The 31-year-old musician told the story to <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2022/12/02/american-idol-david-archuleta-fans-walk-out-concert-queer/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TMZ</a>, saying he gave an account of his coming out story during a break between songs. Archuleta claimed that this inspired the exodus. Then he shared an email he allegedly exchanged with the venue manager. In it, the employee expressed disappointment over Archuleta choosing to talk about his sexuality onstage.
&#8220;I do not believe that, that concert was a setting for that to happen,” the email read in part. “We have some very upset patrons that I will [be] dealing with today. I would hope in the remaining concerts, that would not be allowed.”
The musician then told TMZ that he has no intention of keeping quiet about his sexuality or coming out story.
Archuleta came in second place on “American Idol” during season seven in 2008, just behind that season’s winner David Cook. He grew up in a Salt Lake City suburb and was raised <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/mormonism" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mormon</a>. He came out as gay to his family in 2014, but in 2021 admitted that he wasn’t sure of his sexuality, giving a rundown of his thoughts via a lengthy <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CQB0FNtlLrs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Instagram</a> post.
He talked more about struggling with his faith and how it related to his sexuality. 
“There are people experiencing the same feelings of being LGBTQIA+, (i know that’s a lot of letters that a lot of people don’t understand, but there are a lot of unique experiences people feel and live that make them feel isolated and alone that are represented) who are wrestling to follow their beliefs that are so important to them, just as I have,” Archuleta said in the post.
“Idk what to make of it and I don’t have all the answers,” Archuleta continued, before asking that readers show compassion to people who are LGBT. 
The post concluded with the “American Idol” contestant saying, “You can be part of the LGBTQIA+ community and still believe in God and his gospel plan,” Archuleta added.

88th Annual Hollywood Christmas Parade

Singer David Archuleta Talks About Queer Experience In Conservative Utah. Here’s How The Audience Responded.

Singer David Archuleta Talks About Queer Experience In Conservative Utah. Here's How The Audience Responded.

LGBTQ

Music

Social Issues

A <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/utah" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Utah</a> state representative told a Mormon bishop not to report a church member’s sexual abuse, advice that led to seven years of rape and abuse committed by the church member against his own daughters, according to new lawsuit documents.
State Rep. Merrill Nelson (R-UT), a prominent lawyer for the Mormon church, allegedly answered the first call from a help line when Bishop John Herrod told him that Arizona church member Paul Adams had admitted to sexually abusing two of his daughters. For more than two years, Nelson communicated with Herrod and another bishop who knew about the abuse allegations, according to <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/22277029-mormon-church-help-line-call-logs">call records</a>, the Associated Press <a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-lawsuits-utah-sexual-abuse-by-clergy-government-and-politics-9f1607f4d308248ebf12dc32f70376ec" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
Nelson told Herrod “that he could be sued if he reported, and the instruction by counsel not to report Paul [Adams] to the authorities was the law in Arizona and had nothing to do with Church doctrine,” according to the plaintiff’s filings. However, as the AP reported, Arizona law allows blanket immunity for those who report child sexual abuse or neglect.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS), commonly known as the Mormon church, issued a <a href="https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/church-provides-further-details-about-arizona-abuse-case" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> in August challenging an AP <a href="https://apnews.com/article/Mormon-church-sexual-abuse-investigation-e0e39cf9aa4fbe0d8c1442033b894660" target="_blank" rel="noopener">article</a> from earlier that month and explaining the church&#8217;s actions.
&#8220;In late 2011, Paul Adams made a limited confession to his bishop about a single past incident of abuse of one child,&#8221; the church&#8217;s statement read. &#8220;The bishop then called the help line, where he was advised about how to fully comply with Arizona’s reporting laws. In compliance with that counsel, from that time forward, the bishop repeatedly tried to intervene and encourage reporting.&#8221;
The church went on to explain that it counseled Adams to &#8220;repent and seek professional help&#8221; and asked him and his wife Leizza to report the abuse which they refused to do. According to the statement, church leaders encouraged Adams to move out of his home, and he did temporarily. Following his confession to the bishop, Adams rarely communicated with or attended the church, the statement said. The church also said it did not learn &#8220;the extent of the abuse&#8221; until 2017, four years after Adams was excommunicated.
The sex abuser’s two daughters and one of his sons are trying to gain access to records from the Mormon church, but the church has refused them based on confidentiality. After a county judge ruled in the victims’ favor to see the records, the Mormon church took the case to the Court of Appeals.
According to the new records, Nelson talked with Herrod and one other Mormon bishop from November 2011 to February 2014 after Adams had been excommunicated from the church. Roger Van Komen, manager of the church’s southeast region family services department, said in a deposition that the lawmaker discussed Adams’ abuse with Herrod in those communications.
Adams, who admitted to a pornography addiction, was going to counseling sessions when he reportedly told a bishop that he abused his daughters. Herrod was then reportedly instructed by the church’s lawyers not to contact authorities.
“They said, ‘You absolutely can do nothing,’” Herrod <a href="https://apnews.com/article/Mormon-church-sexual-abuse-investigation-e0e39cf9aa4fbe0d8c1442033b894660" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> law enforcement.
Adams raped one of his daughters for up to seven years, while also abusing his infant daughter and recording the abuse to post on the internet. The father of six was finally arrested in 2017 after New Zealand law enforcement officials discovered a video Adams had posted online. He killed himself in custody before his trial.
Adams’ wife Leizza served more than two years in prison for child sex abuse charges, and the couple&#8217;s two daughters and son filed a lawsuit in 2021, alleging that the church covered up their parents’ abuse. Before the new lawsuit records had been filed, Nelson told the AP that the church’s help line “did operate as intended.”
“The bishop called the help line and was advised no duty to report it to civil authorities. In fact, could not report because of the clergy privilege,” Nelson said. “It is intended and always has from the beginning been intended to to help victims get the help they need through social services, professional counseling, medical help, legal help, law enforcement.”
Nelson refused to comment on the new records after they were made public.
This article has been updated to include a statement from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

Mormon Temple

State Lawmaker Advised Mormon Bishop Against Reporting Church Member Who Sexually Abused Daughters, Lawsuit Filings Say

Utah State Rep. Merrill Nelson Advised Mormon Bishop Against Reporting Church Member Who Sexually Abused Daughters, Lawsuit Filings Say

Child Sex Abuse

Lawsuit

On Wednesday, the predominantly Mormon Brigham Young University (BYU) removed same-sex behavior from the student handbook honor code, instead opting to simply say &#8220;all forms of physical intimacy&#8221; outside of marriage. The change stands in line with the Church of Latter-day Saints&#8217; recently released <a href="https://www.deseret.com/faith/2020/2/18/21142831/mormon-church-new-handbook-instructions-changes-latter-day-saints-lds">new General Handbook.</a>
&#8220;The updated honor code no longer includes a section on same-sex behavior,&#8221; reported <a href="https://www.deseret.com/faith/2020/2/19/21144529/byu-honor-code-mormon-church-lds-updates-honor-code-homosexual-behavior-lgbtq">Deseret</a>. &#8220;That section had proscribed &#8216;all forms of physical intimacy.&#8217; Under the code, each member of the BYU community continues to commit personally to &#8216;abstaining from any sexual relations outside a marriage between a man and a woman.'&#8221;
&#8220;The code continues to say specifically that all sexual misconduct is not permitted,&#8221; continued the report. &#8220;Based on the new church handbook, that would include same-sex relations. The handbook states that &#8216;the Lord’s law of chastity is abstinence from sexual relations outside of a marriage between a man and a woman.'&#8221;
All Latter-day Saint educational institutions, including BYU-Idaho, BYU-Hawaii, BYU-Pathway Worldwide, and LDS Business College will make the change in compliance with the church&#8217;s general handbook.  The previous honor code stated the following:
<blockquote>
One’s stated same-gender attraction is not an honor code issue. However, the honor code requires all members of the university community to manifest a strict commitment to the law of chastity. Homosexual behavior is inappropriate and violates the honor code. Homosexual behavior includes not only sexual relations between members of the same sex, but all forms of physical intimacy that give expression to homosexual feelings.
</blockquote>
Students were, however, confused by the new code&#8217;s lack of specificity regarding how same-sex couples should conduct themselves on campus. On Twitter, BYU clarified that the same rules apply.
“In speaking with Honor Code Office Director Kevin Utt this afternoon, we’ve learned that there may have been some miscommunication as to what the honor code changes mean,” the administration said. “Even though we have removed the more prescriptive language, the principles of the Honor Code remain the same. The Honor Code Office will handle questions that arise on a case-by-case basis. For example, since dating means different things to different people, the Honor Code Office will work with students individually.”
According to <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/byu-honor-code-mormon-lgbtq-homosexual-behavior_n_5e4e2839c5b630e74c50576c">HuffPost</a>, LGBTQ advocates welcomed the Honor Code change, viewing it as a sign of progress.
&#8220;Less than a year ago I joined my student body in protesting BYU’s honor code, a policy that banned same-gender romantic relationships,&#8221; celebrated student Matty Easton on Twitter. As of today, homosexual relationships are now treated the same as heterosexual ones at BYU. Girls and gays, we did it!&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Less than a year ago I joined my student body in protesting BYU’s honor code, a policy that banned same-gender romantic relationships. 
As of today, homosexual relationships are now treated the same as heterosexual ones at BYU :’) 
Girls and gays, we did it! ❤️🌈 <a href="https://t.co/67VGLC3mgU">pic.twitter.com/67VGLC3mgU</a>
&mdash; Matty Easton (@easton_matty) <a href="https://twitter.com/easton_matty/status/1230247454580203521?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 19, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
In recent years the cultural debate has centered on whether or not religious institutions violate the civil rights of students and faculty by demanding they live according to such codes of conduct. Marcia McCormick, a professor of law and gender studies at Saint Louis University, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/can-religious-school-fire-gay-teacher-it-s-complicated-n1046291">argued to NBC News</a> that such institutions can be sued if Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act were to be interpreted as including sexual orientation.
“Title VII has an expansive definition of religion — not just of beliefs but also practices,” she explained. “There are a lot of rules in a lot of religions about how people ought to behave when it comes to what it means to be male and female, or to sexual or romantic activity.”
The Supreme Court has taken up consolidated cases this term that could decide whether Title VII indeed covers sexual orientation.

FLAG

Brigham Young University Removes Homosexual Behavior From Honor Code Agreement

Education

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has made a suprise reversal of policy by declaring that same-sex couples will no longer be considered &#8220;apostates&#8221; and can now have their children baptized into the faith, reports <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/04/us/mormon-lgbt-policy/index.html">CNN</a>.
Speaking at a conference in Salt Lake City, Dallin Oaks, member of the church&#8217;s <a href="https://www.lds.org/church/leaders/first-presidency?lang=eng" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">First Presidency</a> said that same-sex marriage will now be considered a &#8220;serious transgression&#8221; and no longer treated as a betrayal of the faith. By doing this, the Mormon church hopes &#8220;to reduce the hate and contention so common today.&#8221;
&#8220;Previously, our Handbook characterized same-gender marriage by a member as apostasy,&#8221; Oaks said in a statement. &#8220;While we still consider such a marriage to be a serious transgression, it will not be treated as apostasy for purposes of Church discipline. Instead, the immoral conduct in heterosexual or homosexual relationships will be treated in the same way.&#8221;
The church clarified that it has not changed any significant doctrines on marriage, calling all LGBT Mormons to live a chaste life. Children of LGBT parents can be blessed by a member of the Mormon priesthood as a baby and then be baptized at age 8 if the parents give permission and consent to raise the child in the faith.
The decision comes at a time when various U.S. congregations of faith have been reviewing policies regarding the LGBT community. The Presbyterian Church U.S.A. <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2015/03/17/presbyterian-church-changes-constitution-to-include-gay-marriage/">changed its constitution</a> to allow same-sex marriage in 2014, followed closely by the <a href="https://www.episcopalchurch.org/lgbtq-church">Episcopal Church in 2015</a>, which had already been relaxing its policies on same-sex unions as far back as the early 2000s.
Since the Evangelical community has no uniform body, the shift in acceptance on same-sex unions has largely been on a per-pastor basis. In 2013, former Mars Hill pastor Rob Bell <a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/2013/03/hear_rob_bell_support_same-sex.html">came out in favor</a> of same-sex marriage shortly after his book &#8220;Love Wins&#8221; caused a shockwave throughout the evangelical world due to its Universalist themes.
&#8220;I am for marriage. I am for fidelity. I am for love, whether it&#8217;s a man and a woman, a woman and a woman, a man and a man,&#8221; Bell said. &#8220;And I think the ship has sailed. This is the world we are living in and we need to affirm people wherever they are.&#8221;
In 2015, Bell <a href="http://www.tonycampolo.org/for-the-record-tony-campolo-releases-a-new-statement/">was later joined</a> by Evangelical leader Tony Campolo, who reversed his longterm stance against homosexual actions and same-sex marriage.
&#8220;I have concluded that sexual orientation is almost never a choice and I have seen how damaging it can be to try to &#8216;cure&#8217; someone from being gay,&#8221; Campolo said. &#8220;As a Christian, my responsibility is not to condemn or reject gay people, but rather to love and embrace them, and to endeavor to draw them into the fellowship of the Church.&#8221;
Campolo compared Evangelical opposition to homosexual actions and same-sex marriage to past transgressions by Christians, even mentioning those who supported slavery. &#8220;I am old enough to remember when we in the Church made strong biblical cases for keeping women out of teaching roles in the Church, and when divorced and remarried people often were excluded from fellowship altogether on the basis of scripture,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Not long before that, some Christians even made biblical cases supporting slavery.&#8221;
Various Christian universities have simultaneously dropped opposition to same-sex unions. Most recently, Azusa Pacific University <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/45459/christian-university-reverses-ban-same-sex-paul-bois">announced</a> that same-sex relationships are allowed on campus.

Mormon Church Says Children Of Same-Sex Couples Can Be Baptized

On Tuesday, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon Church), which has more boys in the movement than any other religious denomination, announced it would sever its partnership with the Boy Scouts of America. Mormon boys comprise almost 20% of the Boy Scouts&#8217; 2.3 million youth members, as <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2018/05/09/mormon-church-breaks-all-ties-with-boy-scouts-ending-100-year-relationship/?noredirect=on&amp;utm_term=.59944acd1413">The Washington Post</a> reports.
The church released a <a href="https://www.mormonnewsroom.org/multimedia/file/bsa-joint-statement-may-8.pdf">joint statement</a> with the Boy Scouts of America that stated:
<blockquote>
In this century of shared experience, the Church has grown from a U.S.-centered institution to a worldwide organization, with a majority of its membership living outside the United States. That trend is accelerating. The Church has increasingly felt the need to create and implement a uniform youth leadership and development program that serves its members globally. In so doing, it will be necessary for the Church to discontinue its role as a chartered partner with BSA. We have jointly determined that, effective on December 31, 2019, the Church will conclude its relationship as a chartered organization with all Scouting programs around the world.
</blockquote>
The Mormon Church has been vitally involved with the Boy Scouts since 1913; any boy who is part of a Mormon congregation automatically becomes a Boy Scout. The Mormon Church has taken issue with the direction the Boy Scouts organization has taken in recent years, among them the decision to include openly gay troop leaders in 2015 and the decision last week to <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/business/wp/2018/05/02/boy-scouts-drop-the-boy-as-they-welcome-girls-to-scouts-bsa/?utm_term=.0da6d34f8a30">change its flagship name</a> to Scouts BSA as a result of last year&#8217;s decision to allow girls into the program.

Mormon Church Cuts Ties With Boy Scouts

Boy Scouts

The British Columbia Supreme Court <a href="http://www.weny.com/story/35959649/canadian-polygamous-leader-found-guilty-of-having-25-wives">found two men guilty</a> for violating Canada&#8217;s polygamy laws. Both men identify as members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and believe that their polygamous marriages were done in observance of their faith. 60-year-old Winston Blackmore was married to 25 women at one time while 53-year-old James Oler was married to five women at the same time. Under Canadian law, both men have to serve five years in prison for violating these laws.
The Mormon Church <a href="https://www.lds.org/topics/the-manifesto-and-the-end-of-plural-marriage?lang=eng">disavowed</a> polygamy back in the late 19th century after facing scrutiny from the United States government. Church President Wilford Woodruff wrote the following proclamation in the subsequent <a href="https://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/od/1">Manifesto</a>:
<blockquote>
Inasmuch as laws have been enacted by Congress forbidding plural marriages, which laws have been pronounced constitutional by the court of last resort, I hereby declare my intention to submit to those laws, and to use my influence with the members of the Church over which I preside to have them do likewise.
</blockquote>
However, various adherents of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, including the Fundamentalists with which both Blackmore and Oler identify, broke off from the Church and continued to practice polygamy despite its illegality in the United States and in Canada. Following his indictment, Blackmore said:
<blockquote>
I&#8217;m guilty of living my religion and that&#8217;s all I&#8217;m saying today because I&#8217;ve never denied that. Twenty-seven years and tens of millions of dollars later, all we&#8217;ve proved is something we&#8217;ve never denied. I&#8217;ve never denied my faith. This is what we expected.
</blockquote>
Blackmore is expected to appeal the decision. In British Columbia, the Supreme Court is a trial court and any subsequent appeals will be brought forth before the British Columbia Court of Appeal. However, the British Columbia Supreme Court ruled in 2011 that the anti-polygamy laws did not violate the religious freedoms protections of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Follow Elliott on <a href="https://twitter.com/ElliottRHams">Twitter</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ElliottRHams/">Facebook</a>.
This article was corrected to point out that the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is not a sect of the Mormon Church, but rather a rogue entity that cut ties with the original Latter-Day Saints church in opposition to the 1890 Manifesto.

LOVE IS LOVE: Polygamous Men Convicted For Having 25 Wives

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