The recent publicity given to a religion known as the Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints (FLDS) has led to some confusion. A recent survey showed many people believed they were part of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often known as the Mormons. Although they call themselves Mormons, they are not at all connected to the Church typified by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, the Salt Lake City Temple, or the Osmonds.

The FLDS broke away from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints around 1889. They chose not to accept the prophet of that time, Wilford Woodruff, as their leader because they were unwilling to accept that polygamy as a church practice was ended. Those who rejected the cancellation of polygamy through revelation moved away to form their own communities. The groups split off several times, and today there are a number of groups practicing polygamy, none of which are part of the original church. Today, any member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints  who decides to begin practicing polygamy is excommunicated. Most of the people currently in the apostate groups have never been members of the original church.

As you explore this website, you’ll quickly see the two groups are no longer similar in either culture or in religious practice. While both groups use the Book of Mormon and the Bible, and claim the same first three leaders, the two groups (the FLDS and the LDS) now have different leadership and goals. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has no control over these small apostate groups in any way. They follow their own leaders and choose their own lifestyles and are not connected to the original church in any way.

This site is not designed to disparage another faith. Its purpose is to tell you about our own religion, and in the process point out some of the ways we differ from splinter groups trying to identify themselves as part of the Church. Click on the tabs to find the topics you’re interested in exploring.

In this section of the website, you can explore the basics of both religions. You might begin with these articles:

FLDS and LDS–What’s the Difference?

Who Are the FLDS?

Who are the Mormons?

To learn more about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, visit the official websites:

LDS.org (used extensively by members of the Church, but with much useful information for all visitors.)

Mormon.org (especially designed to introduce people of other faiths to the religion.)