A Mormon Refutation

Yesterday was a good day. It's true that I didn't get much sleep the night before. It's also true that, in my sleep deprived state, I still had to function at work somehow. Now, add into the mix college, family, and an ever-growing "To Do" list, it's easy to understand why you might be wondering how I can say my day was good. Truth is, I fibbed a bit. It wasn't just good. It was amazing!

I was blessed with the wonderful opportunity to meet with some Mormons. They had come to my house last week and talked for an hour. Some of that time was spent breaking the ice and getting to know one another while also trying to touch on the inevitable topic at hand. By the end of that meeting, we parted ways with an understanding that we simply didn't see eye to eye. I was a bit surprised when they said they wanted to meet again but I gladly obliged. As I already stated, that day was yesterday. However, this time, I had a homework assignment that I needed to present. At their last visit, they left a pamphlet with me titled "The Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ" and my task was the read it and pray about it. The result of that was an 8 page document typed up in 12-point Times New Roman font. That document is the very basis and inspiration for this blog post. While it's true that I felt it was necessary to discuss with my guests the points within, I feel there are many more people who simply don't understand what Mormonism teaches. I'm also convinced there are a great many who are aware of certain error but don't know how to adequately verbalize it. You, the reader, may be one of these. Sadly, this only leads to missed opportunities to share the good news of Christ when they land on your very own doorstep.

Below are a few of the points that I drafted up in the aforementioned document. I encourage you to download the full .pdf from the link below and read it in its entirety when you have the time. If it gives even one person the confidence to speak when the time comes, it'll be well worth the time I spent writing it. One thing I do know is that I look forward to hearing what they have to say when I meet with them again. Yes, they took a copy.

The format is fairly simple. The page numbers listed correspond to the pages within their booklet (you can find the link for this below as well). The bold lettering is where I quote the text from that page. I then pose a question which I intended on asking them in order to hear their explanation. Lastly, I close it out with my own thoughts and points of refutation.

PAGE 3 
Prophets…interpret the word of God.
What do you mean by “interpret the word of God”?

• 2 Peter 1:20-21 - But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. 
• While the prophets of old did speak forth new revelation from God, they weren’t authorized to interpret it. This is why it was a “Thus saith the Lord” type of thing. It was never interpreted by them. It was only declared and spoken forth. For a prophet to enter into the realm of interpretation would be grievous error. However, we see history showing that Mormon prophets, while never revoking a prophecy, do sometimes reinterpret them. Again, this is dangerous territory.

  PAGE 4
 Prophets receive the priesthood. 
How do you reconcile this with the biblical account that the prophets weren’t priests and that priest/prophet were two very separate duties?

•  Priests were from the tribe of Levi only. One doesn’t have to look far to see this. In fact, Elisha was from the tribe of Issachar. Isaiah, Amos, Habakkuk, Joel, Obadiah, Zechariah, and Zephaniah were all from the tribe of Judah. Clearly, in accordance with Numbers 3:10-12, these men wouldn’t qualify to be a part of the priesthood.

Revealed truths are lost as people reject the prophets. 
What do you use to test the words of your prophets?

• Deuteronomy 13:1-5 - “If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder comes true, concerning which he spoke to you, saying, ‘Let us go after other gods (whom you have not known) and let us serve them,’ you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams; for the Lord your God is testing you to find out if you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. You shall follow the Lord your God and fear Him; and you shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him, and cling to Him. But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has counseled rebellion against the Lord your God who brought you from the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery, to seduce you from the way in which the Lord your God commanded you to walk. So you shall purge the evil from among you.
•  Deuteronomy 18:20-22 - But the prophet who speaks a word presumptuously in My name which I have not commanded him to speak, or which he speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.’ You may say in your heart, ‘How will we know the word which the Lord has not spoken?’ When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not come about or come true, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.
•  Joseph Smith made multiple false prophecies (such as always occupying the house in Nauvoo (Illinois) that is now destroyed, the Civil War being a war of all nations, etc). Instead of admitting these were false prophecies from a false prophet that isn’t to be feared (and thus crumbling the entire religion), these prophecies are merely reinterpreted by the new prophets. We spoke on the danger of this practice earlier. If the prophecy is truly of God, the wording will never change and the interpretation will remain.

  PAGE 8
 The Apostles were killed, and priesthood authority – including the keys to direct and receive revelation for the Church – was taken from the earth. 
Why do you say the priesthood was taken from the earth upon the death of the apostles?

• 1 Corinthians 6:19 - Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?
• 1 Peter 2:9-10 - But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
• Hebrews 8:1-3 - Now the main point in what has been said is this: we have such a high priest, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a minister in the sanctuary and in the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man. For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices; so it is necessary that this high priest also have something to offer.
• Scripture declares that we, as believers are now the priesthood. This isn’t because we have the qualifications of priest but because we are now in the body of Christ, our great High Priest. Our own bodies are the temple of God and God Himself dwells within us. The priesthood, as it stood, was abolished at this point. The veil was torn from top to bottom and the separation between God and man with an intermediary of priest no longer existed. We, as the priesthood of believers, now have direct access to God and have the illumination (not revelation) of the Spirit to guide us in all truth and righteousness (Ephesians 6:14) which is to be found in the Bible. Acts 17:11 praises the Bereans for searching the Scriptures to see if what was being proclaimed was true. The Bible simply doesn’t support the claims of Mormonism. Therefore, it is to be rejected as being contrary to the Word of God.

 PAGE 12 
conferred on him the Aaronic Priesthood……later appeared to Joseph Smith and conferred on him the Melchizedek Priesthood. 
Can you please go into more detail on this?

• If Smith was anointed as a prophet in 1820 (at the age of 15) by both the Father and Son, was he idle for the next 3 years until Moroni appeared to him by his bedside in 1823 (at the age of 18)? Furthermore, why did it take until 1827 before being shown the golden plates? Lastly, why did it take until 1829 to be given the priesthoods?
• Why did John the Baptist (who was indeed of the Aaronic line) give Smith the Aaronic priesthood at all if it was just going to be superseded by the greater Melchizedek priesthood shortly thereafter? More so, this would mean that Smith was of the bloodlines of both lines and would mean he was more in line for the priesthood than even Christ was as Christ wasn’t of the tribe of Levi which is why Hebrews 8:4 says even He didn’t qualify to be a priest. It’s only because He’s of the line of Melchizedek that He alone is our High Priest. If Joseph Smith were qualified to hold both priesthoods, he outweighs even the qualifications of Christ. Conversely, if he wasn’t of either line (which is in fact the case), it means he held neither priesthood because he was precluded from doing so. As we covered earlier, merely being a prophet doesn’t mean one is a priest and even the title of prophet doesn’t apply because Scripture says so.
• If Christ appointed Smith as a prophet in 1820 and all prophets carry the priesthood, why did he not receive the priesthood until 1829, 9 years later? This means he either wasn’t a genuine prophet until 1829, he was a faulty prophet until 1829, or he was never a prophet at all and didn’t truly understand what it meant to be either one. Hence, the oversight and inconsistency between his dates and the biblical teaching of the offices of prophets and priests.

  PAGE 15 
The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. 
Who is Jesus?

•  The Mormon Jesus is:

1.  A created being
2.  Son of God but not God
3.  Not to be worshiped as God but merely revered as the Son
4.  Spiritual brother of Satan (though at opposite ends of the spectrum)

•  The Christian Jesus is:

1.  An eternal being never created
2.  Son of God yet also God Himself
3.  To be worshiped as God Himself
4.  The creator of all things including Satan the angel

•  Thus, the teachings of Mormonism don’t align with the Bible when it comes to the very foundation of who Jesus is. This means the Book of Mormon isn’t another testament of Jesus Christ but is rather (along with the other works of Smith) a testament of another Jesus Christ.
•  Galatians 1:8 - But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!

…a record of God’s dealings with the ancient inhabitants of the Americas…” 
Who were these ancient inhabitants?

•  Mormon doctrine calls them the Nephites. If they were of Nephi, this means they would be Jewish in bloodline as well as Jewish in characteristics. Even if, for the sake of argument, we want to say Native Americans (Lamanites) were cursed by God and given dark skin (thereby changing the physical characteristics), Native Americans don’t have matching DNA with the Jewish bloodline. Since the Lamanites and the Nephites were both of the same bloodline, this would mean Lamanite blood would be of Jewish ancestry as well. Beyond this, the curse was supposedly only that of dark skin. Native Americans have more differences than just this. They have Mongloid characteristics instead of that of Mediterranean Caucasoids. This is more reason to believe Joseph Smith didn’t understand biology well enough and that his claims are false. The Lamanites simply never existed and the existence of the Nephites would be equally as doubtful since the idea was hatched from the same thought bubble.

By now, I pray, if there were any confusion before, you'll now clearly see how dangerous Mormon teaching really is. While they claim to uphold the Bible, their own teaching is highly inconsistent with such a claim. Again, I encourage you to download the link below for the full paper I wrote and then gave to them for reading. Hey, if they can give me homework, it's only fair I be able to do the same.

http://www.fairladyz32.com/downloads/christian/books/Travis%20W.%20Rogers/Mormon%20refutation.pdf 

If you'd like to follow along with their booklet as well, it can be found at the below link:

https://www.lds.org/bc/content/ldsorg/content/english/manual/missionary/pdf/36920_the-restoration-eng.pdf 


~ Travis W. Rogers

Church Should Be More Entertaining?

What we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. ~ 1 John 1:3

"Church is boooooooring and it's on Sunday when sports (are) on TV."  Those were the words I heard last week from a self proclaimed Christian. (Read here to see what birthed the discussion and here for some sound words on the subject.)  Seriously?!  Boring?  Watching sports is more attractive than joining in worship with the bride of Jesus Christ.  The Church needs to "step up it's game" and make things more interesting, more fun, more attractive?  For who?  The world?  The false believer?  Yes, these are things I was hearing from one who challenged the need for church at all and what going to church should be.  Watching a charismatic self help expert "preach" to tens of thousands on your TV does not constitute going to church.  Preferring to sleep in rather than dress up in a suit and tie is not characteristic of a person possessing saving faith.  Oh, there was plenty more mockery about what church is and what happens there but suffice it to say, some people just don't like it because truth be told, they just are not truly born again.

Such an attitude is a far cry from David, the man after God's own heart.

I was glad when they said to me,

“Let us go to the house of the LORD.” ~ Psalm 122:1

For the Christian, the most blessed day of the week is to be with the saints of God in the house of God.  I'm not talking about simply showing up and watching everything happen.  If we don't view church attendance as something to cherish, to look forward to, how can we participate in what the Apostle Peter, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, instructs us to do here

As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. 

~ 1 Peter 4:10–11

How in the world are we going to know who the people of God are that we might actually serve one another when we don't even step into the church building? The false believer, the unconverted sinner, has it all wrong.  They think church exists to serve them and make their life better.  They think it's about them feeling good they showed up and having been entertained by hirelings that they can now face the coming work week by being fed a pep talk, being patted on the back, and laughing at a man who claims to be speaking for the Lord God Almighty.

This is where we've come.  Man centered worship.  It's not about us.  It's not about you.  It's about bowing our hearts and knees in the gathered assembly of saints to give Him all praise, honor, and glory.

Encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 

~ Heb 3:13

Can that happen outside of church?  Absolutely and it must!  Although if you're one who doesn't attend church then I highly doubt you have a single trusted friend encouraging you in the faith. The greatest encouragement often comes at the end of our week, when we're battle weary and war torn over the effects of sin, our own and others.  Consider what the writer of Hebrews said;

Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near. 

~ Heb 10:24-25

What is your habit?  Sleeping in on the Lord's Day, sitting in front of a TV, stupefied, watching grown men sweat over a piece of leather OR eagerly arising with great anticipation, that started Saturday night, about being with God's people in God's house?

True joy is in fellowship with the saints, serving side by side.  True joy is being deeply involved with the brethren. True joy is exhorting one another in the faith and encouraging one another in the fight. This kind of participation in the gospel produces far greater joy and satisfaction than anything life can throw our way.

Could soldiers fight a war without ever gathering at headquarters?  Could soldiers fight a war without ever receiving training?  Do you have a shepherd who could say like the Apostle Paul 

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now. ~ Phil 1:3-5

There are no Lone Ranger Christians.  True Christians love Christ with all their heart, mind, soul, and strength and serve one another in the gathered assembly as they worship and glorify their Father in heaven. 

If you hate church, if you think it's boring, if your ideas are to infuse entertainment into it to make it more interesting, more appealing, you are holding to ideas and practices that are incompatible with being a new creation, one born from above.

Church should be more entertaining? No, church should be more biblical, existing to worship the Lord Jesus Christ. 

He must increase
~ Kevin

A Word Concerning Forgiveness

So, I've been reading these two incidents at the forefront, it seems, of American Evangelism: Josh Duggar, and the other issue with the Root family at Village Church, where Matt Chandler is pastor. I've read different articles from different angles, meditated and pondered much on these issues. But, my mind keeps going back to one thing: the Gospel. No matter where I go in my thoughts, and how I try to consider what has been done and what consequences should be laid out, I cannot escape the fact that many who have spoken on these issues are not speaking from a Gospel-centered, Christ-centered view.

What really got my wheels turning in this direction was a blog post from my brother, Kevin Jandt, over at Uncommon Faith. You can read his take on the Duggar situation here. Then I read one this morning on the Village Church situation from Jordan Hall over at Pulpit and Pen. You can read this one here.

After reading both of these articles, I finally came to my own conclusion.

Here's a few questions:

Is your forgiveness as radical as the death of Christ on the cross, or do you only dispense it to the "deserving", or those who aren't as "morally bad" as these two men?
Or is your response to write these two men off as if somehow they are undeserving of that finished work of Christ on that cross?
Are you one of those who mutter under your breath, "Well, I would NEVER do THAT!"?

How can any of us, who are experiencing the grace of God and the benefits of the cross, be so arrogant or condescending as to act in such a way as above, or respond in such a way as above?

Believe me, I understand fully the anger and disgust that I have seen concerning the actions of these two men, and I do not condone their actions. However, what I also see is responses fueled by emotions, and not guided by Scripture. While we mourn for the victims, has anyone mourned for the souls of these two men?

You're disgusted? I hope you are just as disgusted at your own sin, if not more.
You're upset? I hope you are just as upset at your own sin, if not more.
You're decrying their actions? I hope you are decrying yours even more.

You see, it's so easy for us to stand flat-footed against others' sin, all the while secretly minimizing our own. Let me ask you this: What makes your sin, BIBLICALLY, any less of a stench to God's nostrils than anyone else's? When we consider ourselves, and the depths of our own sin, it develops a proper response to the offenses of others. Emotions, anger, disgust, and whatever other feelings you may be having NEVER trump your obedience to Scripture, IF you are a disciple of Jesus Christ, nor do they carry greater or even equal weight. Now, does a biblical, Gospel-centered, Christ-centered response negate how you may be feeling? No, but it grounds your feelings. It gives your feelings a proper foundation to work from.



Remember this in your dealings with others' offenses: You were (or are) just as guilty as these two men, and yet, the Son of God - an innocent man with no spot, blemish, or wrinkle - died in your stead because there was ABSOLUTELY NOTHING that you could do to remedy or change your standing before God. Because of this, we should all be standing in a posture of readiness to forgive all men of all offenses provided that they show true repentance, and when and if they do, we are commanded to forgive them...regardless of how egregious the offense may be. If you do not want to forgive upon clear signs of repentance, then the problem really lies with you and not with the offender.

The Scriptures are clear:


³ Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, ⁴ and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.” - Luke 17:3-4, ESV


²¹ Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” ²² Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.
²³ “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. ²⁴ When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. ²⁵ And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. ²⁶ So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ ²⁷ And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. ²⁸ But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ ²⁹ So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ ³⁰ He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. ³¹ When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. ³² Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. ³³ And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ ³⁴ And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. ³⁵ So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.” - Matthew 18:21-35, ESV

In your dealings with these two men, whatever manner that may be, keep watch over yourself to make sure that you are not the unforgiving servant in the parable above.

Losing Man's Best Friend

It was 6:22 pm on Sunday March 8, 2015 that I held my little guy (well my wife's little guy but he stole my heart and I stake 2nd rights to him) tight to my chest, clutching him like a baby as I often did, whispering I love you, as he breathed his last and left us forever.  That night my family said goodbye to our dear wee little companion.  Yes, we're dog people, unashamedly, dog people!

I don't remember the exact day our little guy arrived in our home but I do recall the scene as we first met him.  It was a sunny afternoon in Pasadena when my dearest wife held him for the first time.  It was love at first sight, first hold...for my wife. Me?  I was a big dog guy.  I thought he was the ugliest little rat I had ever seen.  But!  My dear bride needed a lap dog in her increasing immobility so a lap dog she got.

Little did we know how old he really was but one thing became very clear over time, he was being rescued from a private puppy mill where he was nothing more than a piece of meat used for financial gain.  That was about to drastically change as he was to be doted upon by my wife for the next 7 1/2 years.  Here he is sporting his Joseph coat, one of many custom hand-knit sweaters his mother would make to keep his little body warm through cold winters on the mountain.  He must have had 6-10 sweaters made for him over the years.  Each one with great care, a perfect fit....a mommy snuggle everywhere he went.

In the early days he would eat like a madman.  A grown man, being herded by a 7 pound terror, hopping back legs, front legs, over and over with his cute little rrruuff rrruuff!  Those days are long gone now.  No more 1 oz feedings 2 times per day.  No more adorable requests for breakfast.  Now it's just quiet loneliness and empty space.  As our wee little guy grew older he struggled more with doing his business out of doors.  He must have had a bladder the size of a marble, maybe a pea. But by this time our love for him grew so great that we just dealt with his accidents in the house. He often tried to make it to the back door, sometimes his little pea brain kept him close, close enough for me to get upset....if I lost my head for a minute.   l learned to appreciate he was still alive and with us and I learned patience because of him.

Perhaps by now you're thinking, "these people are crazy!"  I mean why put up with that?  Well, here's why.  His mother has spent the last 6 1/2 years housebound, imprisoned by degenerative discs that kept her confined to even a small portion of our home.  So while we all left every Sunday to go the the house of the Lord for what amounts to about 2000 hours, our wee little Yorkie was not only right at her side but often on her lap, comforting her, giving her a living being to be around and enjoy, allowing her to care for the one little guy she could when she wanted to care for her husband and children as she often said she should.

This little ray of light came into our life, my wife's life, as a gift from God. Seven pounds of love who snorted happily at every ear scratch, who attacked the cover monster at night, spoke when asked, and nuzzled in when her pain got a little stronger and hope seemed a little further.  He was there. Never questioning. Never attempting to fix.  Never correcting. Never running off because he didn't know what to do or couldn't take the pain and sorrow his poor mother was under.  Nope, not the wee little guy.  He just loved and loved and loved.

    Because God gives perfect gifts He gave my wife, us, our little Yorkie.


In the midst of the steadfast love of our little guy, he encountered his own bouts with ill health.  We nearly lost him two years ago, on numerous occasions...BUT God, being rich in mercy, knowing his child, my wife, still needed his comfort, He spared our little guy, but he too was going to require medication to keep his little heart beating.  So mom took up the task and dutifully, lovingly, provided this care 3 times per day, right to the very end.  And when wee little guy lost his appetite, lost his way intermittently due to apparent dementia, we loved him to the end, doing all we could to give him comfort and make sure he knew he was sorely loved.

But in it all we knew we'd outlive him and we know we won't see him again. Unlike man, he was not created in God's image nor does he have a soul. Though his heart was as big as the Grand Canyon it just was not fashioned for eternity. This is a difficult truth but truth it is.  How gracious is the Creator of all things to give us such beautiful gifts to enjoy here on earth! 

As for man, his days are like grass, they will fade.  His strength too will weaken, dimmer and then go out.  Then he will depart just as our precious wee little guy yet man will go to God, to give an account, to receive reward or to be cast out. And should we submit to our Creator as the rightful King and Sovereign of all by trusting in the blood of Christ to atone for our sins, we will gain far greater joy, far greater pleasure in the heavenly abode than anything ever given to us by His grace on earth. 

Remember how I thought he was the ugliest little rat dog ever?  He became to me the most precious dog I've ever owned.  I saw past his bad breath, his rotting teeth, his bodily control problems and God gave me eyes to see a big hearted little guy who offered more love than a dog 10 times his size and for me to see a wee little creature who desperately need my love, my care, my acceptance, my nurture, my direction.  And at the end all 4-5 pounds of the wee little guy needed my complete love and care.  Yeah mom did the really hard work but dad got in there a bit too.  And what did I see?  I saw a great big Holy God who condescended to a vile wretched man like me.  He took me from the dung heap, from the scrap pile, from the trash bin.  He cleaned me up.  He bathed me and washed the dirt off my soul.  He showered me with love, immeasurable and free.  He brought me from death to life.  He gave me a hope. I deserved none of it.  I was ugly.  Yet He did all this.  So when I think of our little wee guy I think of the immense love poured so richly upon me all because of love.

Now barely 24 hours after looking my little guy in the eyes and telling him I'm sorry and love him very much for what he has meant to my wife, to me, to my family, and seeing his light go out as I clutched him ever so close, I must look to heaven from whence comes my help.  For it is in beholding my Savior that I can see the manifold blessings He gives to His children.  I too will one day close my eyes in sleep, as you will too.  Will you have lived to the full in serving Him? Will you have lived with fullness of joy in believing upon Christ?

We could learn a lot from a dog, if we'd just open our eyes.

He must increase
~ Kevin