Political pundits are familiar to anyone. They are usually the go-to person when a news operation needs some quick analysis on a particular topic.

The analysis is usually dripping with sarcasm and filled with emotionally charged terms. Opinion is so molded together with fact, it is difficult to know which is which.

Pundits normally appear as just talking heads peppered throughout a newscast. We usually embrace political punditry we agree with and dismiss it when we do not agree with it.


Their clever soundbites and tangled logic often cannot withstand careful analysis. However, careful and informed analysis is not what they are about. They cater to those who simply want a quick opinion that reinforces their existing belief.

What is a LDS Spiritual Pundit?

Identified more by what they do than the label itself, LDS spiritual pundits speak on LDS topics. Often with no other religious credential than what they attribute to themselves, they present themselves as an authoritative expert of all things LDS.

Spiritual pundits do not have to be a real experts, they simply have to be accepted as one by someone or something. They sound authoritative, whether they actually are or not.

If you can get enough people to heatedly discuss what you have said on some LDS topic, then you have probably crossed the threshold of LDS spiritual punditry yourself.

What Should We Call Them?

LDS spiritual pundits is a relatively neutral term, chosen in this forum to describe a particular phenomenon. Other terms that may capture the concept equally well are:

• Saintly Scoundrels
• Holy Rascals
• Verbal Trolls

(If you can think of another term that captures the concept, please suggest it.)

How Can We Identify Them?

Not all spiritual pundits are alike. However, the following criteria should help you identify them:

• They present themselves as an expert, or at least very knowledgeable of LDS doctrine and history.
• Their spiritual credentials are often nothing more than a poorly documented book or blog.
• Their statements contain few facts. What facts exist are often twisted.
• Much of what they say is inflammatory.
• They tend to like the limelight and seek it. They like to speak publicly and seek any public venue they can find.
• They usually have an obvious agenda.
• They usually speak in sound bites.
• They generally deflect critics by fallacious reasoning, often with ad homenim arguments and straw man analysis -- or anything that puts others on the defensive.

Issues are rarely simple or clear cut, despite the efforts of spiritual pundits to make them appear so. Before you listen to a person or accept his or her statements, consider whether they are a spiritual pundit.

Why Are They Dangerous?

They are dangerous because people listen to them and believe them. Their most avid fans are generally those with weak minds and weak testimonies, who do not read or understand scripture.

Those already antagonistic to the LDS faith generally embrace spiritual pundits, because they reinforce their own views and make life difficult for LDS members and leadership.

Real LDS scholars and experts do not become pundits. Careful scholarship and sincere knowledge seekers know truth can rarely be reduced to soundbites. It can take a great deal of time to adequately refute a pundit, while a pundit's assertion is almost effortless.

Some favorite pundit topics are polygamy, race and the priesthood, women and the priesthood, and violence in the early church. The Church recently published topic pages on these subjects and they help. However, they do not, and cannot, resolve the issues to everyone's satisfaction. There is simply too much that is unknown.

How Should We React to Them?

LDS Spiritual Pundits are not interested in the truth, just an argument. However, they may say they are interested in the truth in order to appear credible.

Truth exists and is knowable. Every member may receive personal revelation conveyed from Heavenly Father through the power of the Holy Ghost. We do not have to scavenge for truth. None of us need stumble in ignorance.

Sincere scripture study, prayer and seeking personal revelation is the best anti-pundit. We may have to walk in faith for a while, but Heavenly Father will make truth known to us, quell our fears and answer our questions, but in His time.

Spiritual pundits do not need to exist.