Restoring Christ: Leaving Mormon Jesus for Jesus of the Gospels

I have come to greatly prefer the Jesus of the Gospels over the Jesus of Mormonism. This book is an exploration of the foundations of my journey, and what I have chosen to believe, what I hope others might consider. I write on Christianity and I write on Mormonism, with the hope that struggling Latter-day Saints can find a way forward with Christ as their foundation. Looking at both Christianity and Mormonism, my intent is to lift the baby from the bathwater, to restore the Savior, with no desire to save the Jesus of Mormonism. Joseph Smith’s Restoration has grave problems. He went astray in my view, because he went beyond the footprint of Jesus’ teachings—committing the same mistake he claimed others had made. I suppose this book is a Restoration-type endeavor; an effort to rediscover what is most basic, most important. How ironic to seek to restore the Christ of the Gospels from Mormonism! So what does a Latter-day Saint do when they discover that the church narrative they were taught all their life has fallen apart? For me, the “revelations” of Mormon Jesus and their practice by Joseph Smith—as especially seen in chapters 9, 17-19—is radically different from the behavior, character and personality of Jesus of Nazareth. For example, Smith produced “scriptures” which depended on nineteenth-century sources, claiming them to be ancient.  He initiated a secret “spiritual wife system” which included concubines and slandered women who resisted his sexual advances.  He married young teenagers and other men’s wives.  He cursed his enemies and set up a secret organization, had himself ordained king and sought to violently overthrow the Nation. Comparing the two portraits has been the single most cathartic event since my crisis of faith. I find the Jesus of the Gospels to better reflect God’s nature and love, and thus how to clearly respond to others as a disciple.

• An Insider's View of Mormon Origins
• The Incomparable Jesus
• Truth Seeking: The Story of High-Ranking Mormon Leader Hans Mattsson Seeking Sincere Answers From His Church but Instead Finding Contempt, Fear, Doubt ...and Eventually Peace
• No Man Knows My History: The Life of Joseph Smith
• Leaving Mormonism: Why Four Scholars Changed their Minds
• Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling
• Secret Combinations Evidence of Early Mormon Counterfeiting 1800-1847 2nd Edition 2018
• In Sacred Loneliness: The Plural Wives of Joseph Smith
• Early Mormonism and the Magic World View
• The Ghost of Eternal Polygamy: Haunting the Hearts and Heaven of Mormon Women and Men