Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (or Mormons), though growing past the ten million mark at the time of writing, have always suffered from everyone else's ignorance about their faith. Thus, many Mormons have had to answer strange and sometimes embarrassing questions about themselves.

Here is a list of questions you may have been wanting to ask but never had the courage.

1. How many wives (mothers) do you have?'

   Polygamy (the practice of having more than once spouse) was officially denounced in the late 19th Century by the church, and nowadays anyone who practices it is excommunicated. So, the answer, under most normal circumstances, is just one.

2. What is a 'fundamentalist' Mormon?

   Anyone who has either been excommunicated or has dropped out of the church to start their own 'back-to-the-basics' splinter church, and is therefore related to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) only by name.

3. Is the Book of Mormon the LDS Bible?

   Members of the LDS Church believe the Bible to be the word of God as well as the Book of Mormon, and therefore take both hand-in-hand. The Book of Mormon does not replace the Bible, but rather adds to it, similar to the Apocrypha.

4. Did Joseph Smith write the Book of Mormon?

   LDS members believe that the Book of Mormon, as its name suggests, was compiled by a man named Mormon that lived on the American continent around 421 AD. They believe that Joseph Smith translated it by way of the Urim and Thummim but did not write it.

5. Are Mormons Christian?

   Mormons believe themselves to be Christians but there are many who disagree. The main controversy is the LDS belief that God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost are three separate and distinct individuals, and therefore some take this to mean that Mormons are not Christian. However, Mormons read the King James version of the Bible and study and worship the same Christ that other denominations believe in.

6. Do you celebrate Christmas?

   Yes.

Hopefully this should help dispel any myths associated with the Mormon religion.