Communities are like Russian nesting dolls. Within the larger community of the state of Utah in the United States, for example, exists a significant subculture: Mormons. They are the subject of this work, and they insist that the world refer to them as Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The length of their preferred name combined with a long and complex history (which we will explore later) is precisely why I deliberately disobey their naming preference.
This subculture comprises approximately 61% of Utah’s population. This work is about all Mormons and the unique cultural footprint they leave in every community they belong to. The LDS Church claims more than 17 million members globally.
The Mormon church also has a large and growing number of former members. These former members commonly refer to themselves as Ex-Mormons. This group is diverse, complex, and often misunderstood. One purpose of this work is to help clarify who they are and what unites them—while the primary goal remains to clarify as much as possible about the Mormon Church.
I am a member of the Ex-Mormon community. If you’re someone who “likes to do their own research” and is especially concerned about bias, know this: every source is biased. If you think you’ve found a way to live or learn without encountering bias, you are fooling yourself. If you’d like to conduct a doctoral-level investigation by reading the millions of texts, talks, websites, books, and comment threads created by faithful Mormons and then read this as well, you are more than welcome to. I am obviously biased. But I will present what I believe to be factual and will strive to be as fair as possible.
This preamble exists to let you know, dear reader, that this work is written primarily for those who have never belonged to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Members and Ex-Mormons are, of course, welcome to read it too. But the spark for this work came from a post I read on the Ex-Mormon subreddit: source
"Wondering if anyone else finds themselves in this predicament, but as I encounter nonmembers who are curious about my former faith, I find it difficult to articulate the problems. It always sounds like I’m describing some strange thing because they have zero context for any of the history to begin with."
I decided I wanted to take on that challenge. This is a kind of nonmember CES Letter. Something members and Ex-Mormons can point to if they want, and something nonmembers can read if they’re curious about the Mormon church but don't trust sources like churchofjesuschrist.org or the nicely dressed teenagers who might show up at their door.
As part of that context, let me explain what the CES Letter is. The CES Letter is a document written by Jeremy Runnells in 2013 that outlines his doubts and concerns about the truth claims of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church or Mormon Church). The name "CES Letter" comes from the fact that Runnells originally wrote it as a letter to a CES Director (CES stands for Church Educational System) after being invited to share his concerns.
Some people on both sides don't believe the premise of the CES Letter, believing instead that he wrote a Gish Gallop sting piece and framed it as an innocent and doubting young man experiencing the dark night of his soul. I happen to doubt the premise behind which he claims the work is written.
Purpose
Runnells, a lifelong member of the LDS Church, was struggling with his faith and compiled his questions into a detailed letter. His goal was to get answers or clarifications from church leaders or scholars.
Content
The CES Letter addresses a wide range of historical and doctrinal issues, including:
- Book of Mormon translation and historicity
- Book of Abraham translation issues
- Polygamy (including Joseph Smith's secret plural marriages)
- First Vision accounts
- Priesthood restoration timeline
- DNA evidence and Native American origins
- Prophetic fallibility and church transparency
Runnells argues that these and other issues call into question the LDS Church’s claims to divine authority and historical truth.
Impact
The letter went viral both within and beyond LDS circles and has been highly influential among those questioning or leaving the church.
For Ex-Mormons, the CES Letter became a place where most of the questions they had about this complex and relatively young faith could be addressed and examined transparently—a faith that, historically, redefined “truth” to mean simply a warm feeling in your bosom (or a good feeling in your conscience), rather than truth that corresponds to reality or is recognized outside of its own sphere of control.
Ex-Mormons often pointed to the CES Letter when trying to explain to others why they could no longer believe in the stories and claims of their former faith.
Members of the Mormon Church have long relied on scripture to anchor their worldview. As a result, many struggled to understand how Ex-Mormons could live without a holy book of their own. In response, many believing members attempted to "disprove" the CES Letter. But as a document that functions as an index of common, difficult questions about the Church’s history and doctrines, it’s hard to disprove outright. The author—and those who reference it—are not making sweeping declarations as much as asking others to honestly examine the questions and try to answer them without ulterior motives.
The problem, of course, is that (in my very biased opinion) the Mormon Church is clearly a Victorian-era cult founded by a charismatic, convicted con man trying to escape the drudgery of farm work. It was a movement that quickly spiraled out of control. (Note: This is my opinion, not a factual assertion. I’m naming my bias clearly.)
In spite of that opinion, the fact remains that the Mormon Church claims to be the one true church of the one true God. It claims to be led by modern prophets who can speak with God at will. And many of the questions raised in the CES Letter illustrate that if these leaders were exactly who they claimed to be, there wouldn’t be such persistent confusion that they seem consistently unwilling to confront or resolve transparently.
This work is not a subtle, backdoor critique designed to undermine the Church through implication. Rather, it is a work of research, one that welcomes peer review from intellectually honest individuals who may identify flaws in my reasoning or gaps in my research. I will make claims, and I will attempt to back those claims with sources and facts recognized by the broader world.
Many of these claims will likely be rejected by a church that cannot accept them without undermining its own standing as the alleged sole custodian of God’s will and power on Earth. I am, admittedly, a biased actor as someone who has deliberately left the faith, but I will also attempt to show that the Church is a biased actor too, with every motive to preserve a narrative begun over 200 years ago by Joseph Smith Jr.
So, to the degree that you distrust my words, I invite you to examine theirs with equal scrutiny.
Now—on with the long and extensive work of Cataloging the Culture, History, and Doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, AKA the Mormons.