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“The Mormon missionary goes abroad in the highways and byways of the earth, preaching his creed of the bagnio to the ignorant and depraved and gathering them into the fold.”

“Mormonism was a swindle from the very start….Joseph Smith (was) the worst of a bad breed.”

He established a church based on alleged divine revelations given him by God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and other angelic/divine visionaries. Flaws and contradictions define it. Adherents claim challenging them is heresy.

“The ‘Book of Mormon’ consists of sixteen books, professing to be written by as many different prophets. In it over three hundred passages of the Christian Bible are found, stolen without credit.”

“Polygamy has no foundation either in the principle of faith promulgated by Joseph Smith and the founders of the Mormon gospel.”

Brigham Young initiated the practice. He produced a document. He claimed it was a revelation given Smith. It allegedly commanded him to enter into polygamy. No such revelation existed.

After Young died, church governance changed. America grew up and expanded. Mormons no longer lived “entrenched beyond the reach of the government whose laws they violate….”

US President James Garfield campaigned against “Mormon infamy.” So did his successor Chester Arthur. He called Mormonism “an evil calling out loudly for reform.”

“(T)he black outrage of Mormonism cannot continue unmolested many years longer. The people are awakening and crying out for justice against it….”

“When it is hurled to ruin there will fall the most monstrous structure of fraud and infamy cemented by the blood of sacrifice ever reared in the history of the world and a creed of lust that transforms a vast stretch of our continent into a community of prostitution, and physical and mental debasement will become the by-word for iniquity it is still a triumphant monument to.”

Mormonism today officially rejects polygamy. Thousands, however, still practice it.

Former Mormon practitioner Chris Tolworthy left the LDS church. He expressed anger and frustration. He moved on and explained. In 2006, he published “Ten Reasons to Protect Your Children From Mormonism.”

He began saying it’s “better than many alternatives.” It’s better than raising children “in an even worse cult….But Mormonism is not the best.” It’s “dangerous.”

He belonged to the LDS church for 34 years. For the sake of his children he left. Why he waited so long he didn’t say. His reasons include:

(1) Mormonism “destroys your integrity.” It’s based on “lies” and “sin.”

(2) “It makes you covenant to do evil. Some Mormon teachings and practices are evil.” They destroy integrity, put church before family, divide communities, preach racism and homophobia, lie, and endorse other harmful practices.

The church keeps its dark side well hidden. Methods it calls righteous are unethical. It also teaches honesty and other good things. Its virtuous side doesn’t compensate for its harm.

(3) “It might kill your children. Utah is the Prozac capital of the world.” It also the leading state for suicides among adolescents and young men aged 15 – 24. Many high school girls feel sad and lonely.

Teenagers are taught to feel different from other people. They’re made to feel guilty about normal sexual feelings.

(4) “It limits their emotional development.” The church teaches that “obedience is the first law of heaven.” Children get very early indoctrination. Faith is force-fed.

(5) It’s “divisive” because “it has so many core beliefs that can be proved false.”

“The church puts itself before the family.” Individuality and free choice get shut out.

(6) “The church teaches prejudice.” It’s racist, homophobic, and hardline. Church scripture says “black skin is a curse for wickedness.”

It’s on the wrong side of other social issues. Polygamy was finally abandoned but not entirely.

Millions of dollars are spent attacking gays.

(7) “It takes good ideas and makes them worse.” Its Proclamation on the Family excludes singles and gay couples. Same sex marriage is called evil.

(8) “It is unethical.” The Book of Mormon says Nephi kills Laban, steals his property, and is praised.” Using gospel is a bad way to teach ethics. The “God said so” approach creates more problems than equitable resolutions. Parents are perfectly capable of raising children sans gospel.

The church wants your time and money “under false pretenses.” Donating either or both should be personal choices, not mandates. It says “either you do it our way or the wrong way.”

It wants control over “every aspect of your life.” It’s “totalitarian.”

The church steals childhoods. Kids are forced to sit hours in church learning and worrying about sin. They don’t have fun like others their age in non-Mormon households.

(9) “Poor decision making.” Feelings and dogma guide them more than facts.

(10) “Empty promises.” The church takes your time and money. In return, it doesn’t make people better. So-called Mormonism benefits “are empty.”

The church claims its way is righteous and good. Compared to dysfunctional lifestyles, it’s true. Compared with better ones, it falls short. “If you want better for your children, you can protect (them) from the dangers of Mormonism.” Exercise free choice and do it.

Modern Mormonism differs greatly from its original form. Critics, however, call it a longstanding elaborate fraud. Its scripture contains numerous contradictions and errors. Founder Joseph Smith was a convicted con man.

He was more huckster than prophet. A purposeful deceiver in his day was called a “juggler.” In 1849, New York Herald founder/publisher/editor perhaps first used the term confidence man. Smith lived from 1805 – 1844.

Herman Melville titled his 1857 novel “The Confidence Man: His Masquerade.” Some believe Smith was his archetype. “The Con Man is Devil and God,” said Melville.

He preaches aphorisms like “Charity thinketh no evil.”  ”Charity believeth all things,” and “Charity never faith.” Melville believed scamming represented everything wrong with America in the pre-Civil War decade.

Many of his confidence man’s entreaties make perfectly good sermons. Smith filled the bill. His mixed messages reflected good and evil. Critics called him an impostor, a fake, a con man.

Conning the faithful to believe continues. Modern day leaders do it their way. They also created a vast business empire. In July 2012, Business Week headlined “How the Mormons Make Money,” saying:

Last March, a $2 billion Salt Lake City megamall was completed. It’s adjacent to the church’s neo-Gothic temple and president Thomas Monson’s offices. Adherents call him a living prophet.

The project features a retractable glass roof, 5,000 underground parking spots, and nearly 100 stores and restaurants. Luxury ones like Tiffany’s are included.

At its grand opening, Utah dignitaries accompanied Monson. He cheered “one, two, three,” cut the ceremonial ribbon, and said “let’s go shopping!”

“Watching a religious leader celebrate a mall may seem surreal, but (this one) reflects the spirit of enterprise that animates modern-day Mormonism.”

“The mall is part of a sprawling church-owned corporate empire that” church leaders say spreads its message, increases economic self-reliance, and builds “the Kingdom of God on earth.”

Keith McMullin heads the church holding company. Deseret Management Corporation (DMC) is an umbrella organization for many non-profit church businesses.

“We look to not only the spiritual,” he says, “but also the temporal, and we believe that a person who is impoverished temporally cannot blossom spiritually.”

Mormonism combines religious fervor with money-making. Non-profit status enhances bottom line priorities. Church holdings are vast. Little is known about them. Financial transparency is absent. Even members required to contribute generously aren’t privy to what goes on.

According to historian D. Michael Quinn:

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