There are so many good books to read regarding LDS issues. Here are some we especially liked:
The Story of the Mormons From the Date of their Origin to the Year 1901, William Alexander Linn. Although the book can be ordered through Amazon, this book is available to be read free online.
MormonThink Review: I read this book online. It's a nice, historical narrative of the early LDS Church that goes into a fair amount of detail but is still easy to read. This book goes largely unnoticed by most truthseekers but worth the read.
By His Own Hand Upon Papyrus, Charles Larson. Although the book can be ordered through Amazon, the text is available online but it's worth it to get a hard copy for the great color photographs of the papyri that are not available in the online edition. Also, members of the LDS Church can get the book by only paying $5.00 shipping cost by going to Link is here..
MormonThink Review: This is still the best and most objective look at the Book of Abraham issue and very easy to read. It's one of the best LDS books we've read. It was the very first book that I personally bought that made me question the church's truth claims. It is a companion to the video that also features the author Charles Larson: The Lost Book of Abraham. Here's another more personal video made by the author on his experiences with joining the LDS church: Charles Larson youtube video.
No Man Knows My History by Fawn Brodie. Although the book can be ordered through Amazon, this book has been around a long time (but updated through the years) it can found in many public libraries so you likely won't have to buy it to read it unless you want to keep it for your bookshelf as it is a very good book and one of the books that is often referenced and cited by Mormon historians, including faithful ones like Richard Bushman..
MormonThink Review: This book, written by Fawn Brodie, President David O'McKay's niece, is one of the first really 'modern' books discussing the problems of the Joseph Smith story. Although it can be damaging to people's faith, Brodie also often praises Joseph and I personally know some faithful LDS who were not troubled by what was in the book and how it was presented.
NO IMAGE AVAILABLE
Examining Six Key Concepts in Joseph Smith's Understanding of Genesis 1:1 by Kevin L. Barney
BYU Studies 39:3 (2000) 107-124. In this meta-study, Barney looks at (among other points) three radical teachings revealed to Joseph Smith about the nature of God: (1) God created the universe out of pre-existing chaos, not out of nothing, (2) The Most High presides over lesser deities, and (3) the gods met in a council. He demonstrates that these have all become, quite remarkably, the dominant consensus among mainstream Bible scholars. Avail abe for download free at BYU Studies
List of More Free Books: Link is here.
An Insider's View of Mormon Origins by Grant Palmer. Published in 2002 and available at Amazon. It was sold at Deseret Books for several years and is still available there by special order. It's also still sold at the BYU bookstore.
Summary: Over the past thirty years, an enormous amount of research has been conducted into Mormon origins—Joseph Smith's early life, the Book of Mormon, the prophet's visions, and the restoration of priesthood authority. Longtime LDS educator Grant H. Palmer suggests that most Latter-day Saints remain unaware of the significance of these discoveries, and he gives a brief survey for anyone who has ever wanted to know more about these issues.
He finds that much of what we take for granted as literal history has been tailored over the years—slightly modified, added to, one aspect emphasized over another—to the point that the original narratives have been nearly lost. What was experienced as a spiritual or metaphysical event, something from a different dimension, often has been refashioned as if it were a physical, objective occurrence. This is not how the first Saints interpreted these events. Historians who have looked closer at the foundational stories and source documents have restored elements, including a nineteenth-century world view, that have been misunderstood, if not forgotten.
MormonThink Review: This is one of the first books I read on Mormonism not published by the church and it is still my favorite. It was written by a Church Education System instructor with 34 years service with CES.
Excerpt: Excerpt from An insider's View
Reviews: Several scholarly reviews of An Insider's View
Response to FARM's critical review: A Reply to FARMS and the Joseph Fielding Smith Institute
Notes: on the "Golden Pot" Chapter. This is the most original and perhaps controversial chapter in An Insider's View.
Standing for Something More. Published in 2009 by Lyndon Lamborn. Available now at Amazon.
MormonThink Review: I just finished reading Lyndon Lamborn's book Standing for Something More. I really liked the book. The author has a very nice tone in his writings. This is not an 'anti-Mormon' book by someone with an axe to grind against Mormonism but rather tells the true story of one man's very interesting experiences with the Mormon Church.
The Mormon books written by former members have really been lacking a psychological examination of why intelligent people remain in the LDS Church after finding out many things that indicate that the church may not be what it claims to be. I found it particularly useful as I am an active Latter-day Saint.
I like that he alternates chapters detailing the psychology implications of church membership with his own personal story. I haven't seen the emotional and psychological aspects of membership in the Mormon Church presented in a simple, clear, concise manner before as Lyndon does.
Also it's not written in a critical manner but Lyndon is very honest and not hiding anything that he did or that the church has done. The book does list some serious problems with Mormonism which he describes in a very intelligent manner that may make a believer rethink his beliefs. Mainstream Christianity is also touched on in a constructive manner as he explored that option when he left Mormonism. Basically it's just not the same old ex-Mormon stuff. It's a needed fresh look into Mormonism in the 21st Century.
An American Fraud: One Lawyer's Case against Mormonism by Kay Burningham
Here's a new Mormon book taking a completely new angle on the question of whether or not there is sufficient justification to warrant legal action against the LDS Church. We find the premise fascinating.
MormonThink Review: For several reasons, I enjoyed reading Kay Burningham's book, "An American Fraud: One Lawyer's Case against Mormonism". I was also raised as a stalwart Mormon in Bountiful, Utah, attended Bountiful High School, and indeed, had a drama class from Kay's uncle, Kim Burningham. I have never met Kay, so it was interesting to read her book and discover how much we have in common.
Since I am also female, I appreciated her insights from a feminine perspective, which parallel some of my own experiences in Mormonism, and which I haven't read in any previous book.
I learned from Kay's legal viewpoints, especially those in the Appendix. Her legal training showed a new slant for me that I hadn't run across before. She clearly expresses the value of evidence in making judgments, and she lays out that evidence with copious documentation. This was my favorite part of the book, the last two-thirds where she provides the documented evidence on the Book of Mormon and science, Joseph Smith's method of translation, Book of Abraham, Blacks and the Priesthood, polyandry and polygamy and misogyny, First Vision, and so much more.
Kay's honesty and authenticity are very apparent, and her clarity of expression made this book an interesting read. I would recommend this book as not only worthwhile, but also a fresh perspective on many issues.
MT reviewer
Mormon Enigma by Linda King Newell & Valeen Tippetts Avery.
Avery and Newell's 1984 bio of Emma Smith was referenced quite favorably in the Ensign pre-publication and they were both invited by church groups, particularly Relief Society groups, to give firesides and presentations on their work in church. Then some time after the book was actually published, all of the invitations stopped rather suddenly. Upon investigating, the authors learned that a letter was sent from church headquarters instructing wards and stakes not to allow the authors to address any church group. I believe the two authors were also not to be allowed to speak in their own wards' sacrament meetings.
They were finally granted an audience with Dallin Oaks, who, according to them, gave as the reason for the ban this gem of a quote:
"My duty as a member of the Council of the Twelve is to protect what is most unique about the LDS church, namely the authority of priesthood, testimony regarding the restoration of the gospel, and the divine mission of the Savior. Everything may be sacrificed in order to maintain the integrity of those essential facts. Thus, if Mormon Enigma reveals information that is detrimental to the reputation of Joseph Smith, then it is necessary to try to limit its influence and that of its authors." (Linda King Newell, 1992 Sunstone Pacific Northwest Symposium, "The Biography of Emma Hale Smith".) The ban was lifted a few years later after quiet and persistent efforts by concerned parties behind the scene.
MormonThink Review: Mormon Enigma is one of the books that was allowed to be read for class assignment at BYU when I attended there. It's not dedicated to polygamy but deals with it quite a bit - mostly from Emma's perspective. It's available at Deseret Books. Although it is a faithful book, it accurately describes some of the disturbing details of polygamy and mentions the Book of Mormon translation details that most members are unaware of. It's a fairly tame book and probably the best LDS book for members that only want a slight introduction to some of the more colorful aspects of Mormon history.
The Incomparable Jesus by Grant Palmer. Published in 2005 and available at Amazon.
Summary: Grant Palmer closed his thirty-four-year career teaching for the LDS Church Educational System with the final thirteen years as a chaplain and the LDS Institute director at the Salt Lake County Jail. Distilled from his personal and teaching experiences, this tender testament to the incomparable Jesus describes a Savior who walked the halls with him, succoring those in need.
In this slim volume, Palmer sensitively shares his understanding of what it means to know Jesus by doing his works. He lists the qualities of divine character attested to by the Apostles Peter and Paul, and also those that Jesus revealed about himself in his masterful Sermon on the Mount, particularly in the beatitudes.
With reverence Palmer shares personal spiritual experiences that were life-changing assurances of Jesus's love for him--a love poured out unstintingly in equally life-changing blessings on prisoners whose crimes have not stopped short of sexual abuse and murder. Reading this book offers deeper understanding of the Savior's mercy, a stronger sense of his love, and a deeper commitment to follow him.
Review: "This book reminds me why I am proud to be a Christian; and it makes me want to be a better one. This slender volume provides a better insight into the atonement than anything I have ever read. Grant Palmer has given us a timely gem of a book, one that is focused exclusively on the Savior" Dee Benson - Chief Judge, U.S. Federal District Court of Utah.
The Apostasy of a High Priest by Park Romney (Mitt Romney's 2nd cousin) in 2011.
Park B. Romney, of the Mormon Romney's, breaks a 5 year silence with this astounding retraction of his testimony of the divine authority of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, more commonly known as the Mormon Church. Romney, a former High Priest of the Mormon Church, presents this poignant and challenging commentary on the sociology of the Mormon culture with inescapable questions about its doctrines. Groundbreaking by several accounts, it is a "must-read" for anyone interested in the social dynamics of one of the largest and most influential multinational conglomerates on the planet, the Mormon Church.
Biography:
Park B. Romney, born in Spokane, Washington, in 1956 was ordained as High Priest in the Mormon Elegized priesthood in 1982. He served in two successive Mormon Bishoprics as "Counselor", and as a member of a Stake Mission Presidency. He asked to have his name removed from the records of the Church in 2004, having concluded that he could no longer support the claims of the Church's divine authority. He is the son of the former marriage of Milton C. Romney and Evelyn Brannock Romney. Milton C. Romney is the great grandson of Miles Park Romney, the Mormon polygamist who gained notoriety as a result of the Mitt Romney campaign for the presidency in 2008. Miles Park Romney was the son of Miles Romney who immigrated to Nauvoo, Illinois from Lancashire, England to join Joseph Smith's community of Mormons as a result of the missionary efforts of Orson Hyde, an early Mormon apostle. Both Miles Romney and Miles Park Romney are celebrated for their prominent roles in the construction of Mormon temples.
Mormon Polygamy by Richard S. Van Wagoner is pretty much considered the definitive guide to understanding polygamy as practiced by the saints in the 19th century.
MormonThink Review: I wanted to get a good book on polygamy and LDS historian Grant Palmer said that this was still the definitive guide on understanding Mormon polygamy. I read the book and was astounding but what I learned about polygamy and how the early saints really practiced it. It's a book I own and highly recommend.
Making of a Prophet by Dan Vogel.
MormonThink Review: Vogel's biography on Joseph Smith is one of the best and most complete available. It is very-well researched and documented by the Mormon scholar Dan Vogel. I bought this book and love it. It is one of the most comprehensive books on Joseph Smith. Vogel explains in detail how Joseph's personal experiences are intertwined in every book of the Book of Mormon. Vogel clearly explains how a man like Joseph Smith may have written the BofM and why. It's a very lengthy book but perfect if you want to get more insights on Joseph's life and his personal connection with the Book of Mormon.
Rough Stone Rolling by Richard Bushman
Publisher's Weekly Review. How should a historian depict a man's life when that man, and his religion, remain a mystery to so many 200 years after his birth? Bushman, an emeritus professor at Columbia University and author of Joseph Smith and the Beginnings of Mormonism, greatly expands on that previous work, filling in many details of the founding prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and carrying the story through to the end of Smith's life. Many continue to view Smith as an enigmatic and controversial figure. Bushman locates him in his historical and cultural context, fleshing out the many nuances of 19th-century American life that produced such a fertile ground for emerging religions. The author, a practicing Mormon, is aware that his book stands in the intersection of faith and scholarship, but does not avoid the problematic aspects of Smith's life and work, such as his practice of polygamy, his early attempts at treasure-seeking and his later political aspirations. In the end, Smith emerges as a genuine American phenomenon, a man driven by inspiration but not unaffected by his cultural context. This is a remarkable book, wonderfully readable and supported by exhaustive research. For anyone interested in the Mormon experience, it will be required reading for years to come.
Book of Mormon Book of Lies by Meredith Sheets & Kendal Sheets
This is a book written by non-members who have found many interesting things not mentioned by traditional Mormon critics such as citations in the Book of Mormon that appear to have be taken from such works as "The Travels of Marco Polo".
One of our contributors is currently reading this book and will comment further when he's done but so far he has provided favorable feedback on the book.
Summary: In Book of Mormon Book of Lies, the authors prove that scriptures and Mormon doctrine were plagiarized by Joseph Smith and his father from numerous stories from Asia, Arabia, Europe, and ancient Mexico. The primary source was The Travels of Marco Polo published in 1818. Other sources were Modern Traveller Arabia and another volume for Mexico published in 1825. The land, people, buildings, and location of Zarahemla were derived from descriptions of the Aztec empire combined with the Tartar empire. The copying was done so methodically that many names and stories can be found at the same relative locations in Marco Polo and The Book of Mormon. As proof of the involvement of Joseph Smith Jr., the reformed Egyptian "Caractors" on the gold plates he claimed to transcribe were actually copied from pagan runic symbols on a drawing from 1808 showing a Laplander's magical kannus drum.
Examples of words taken from Marco Polo are: Camorah and Rama - Comari/Comorin and Ramah; Corom - Korum; Cumeni - Cumani; Gazalem - Ghazan; Laman/Alma - Lama; Leah - Leang; Manti - Manji; Melek - Melik; Paanchi - Panchin lama; Pahoran - Pharoan; Saraih - Kaisaraih; Toemner - Tiemour; Zemnarihah - Zennar; according to the words of Zenos - in the words of Apostolo Zeno. Names from other texts include Moron/Moroni - Pedro de Moron; Mosiah/Morianton - Moriah; Nephite - Nephtuim; Zemnarihah - Zemarites; Ziff - Ziph. The word Kolob in The Book of Abraham was copied directly from a page in Modern Traveller, Arabia describing a Christian convent on Mt. Sinai, "They are under the presidence of a Wakyl or prior, but the Ikonomos. . . whom the Arabs call the Kolob, is the true head of the community . . . ." Other names copied are Korash from Koreish, Kokoeuban from Kaukeban, and Manah from Mahmackrah.
Religious beliefs and doctrine of the Latter-day Saints, such as ordained polygamy, marriage of dead children, multiple gods, and spiritual ascension to become a god, were borrowed from the Shamanistic religion and civil practices of medieval Tartars as documented in Marco Polo. This is the reason the Mormon doctrine more closely resembles Eastern, not Western, traditional religious beliefs. On their website www.bookofmormonbookoflies.com the authors provide free downloadable files of the history books they used for their research.
Youtube: Interview with author Kendal Sheets
Losing a Lost Tribe: Native Americans, DNA, and the Mormon Church, by Simon G. Southerton. Published in 2004 by Signature Books and available at Amazon. by Simon Southerton
Summary: The Book of Mormon narrates voyages to the Americas by ancient Israelites. The descendants of these ancient seafarers are said to be the tribes of Native Americans who were on hand to greet Columbus, the Spanish Conquistadors, and the Pilgrims. Israelites are also said to be the ancestors of the Polynesians.
Enter DNA. With the advent of molecular genealogy, scientists now have a tool to test hypotheses about Indian origins, previously based on skull shapes, blood types, linguistics, and cultural studies. By means of DNA genealogy, Native Americans have been traced to an area surrounding Lake Baikal in Siberia before their migration to the New World over 14,000 years ago. The evidence is definitive and unequivocal.
Explaining the scientific and theological issues in this debate is Dr. Simon Southerton, a molecular geneticist from Australia. He particularly responds to the issues raised by the BYU professors such as the implications of the mysterious lineage X, absent in Mesoamerica, and supposed anomalies in the genetic picture such as Kennewick Man and even the genetic history of the lowly sweet potato. Having been raised Mormon, Southerton knows the theological side of the issue as intimately as he knows the science.
MormonThink Review: An Australian molecular scientist, Southerton has had extensive experience using the scientific model to prove—and disprove—various evolutionary theories. In Losing a Lost Tribe, he uses the conclusive evidence of both Native American and Polynesian DNA to expertly denounce both the LDS Church's longstanding racist views and the poor attempts at science lauded by LDS apologists. While heavy on the science of human molecular genealogy and its myriad evidentiary proofs (couched in scientific terms), a scientific background is not required to understand his explanation of Asian exploration of the Pacific Islands and land-bridge crossings by Mongolians into North America. Southerton grounds his research in history, both molecular and church, and closes by condemning the tactics of apologists and the Brigham Young's University in propagating intellectual repression and circular thinking. The science may be a bit overwhelming, but the conclusions are inescapable.
I'm (No Longer) a Mormon: a Confessional, by Regina Samuelson. Published in 2013 and available at Amazon.
MormonThink Review: While Lyndon Lamborn and Park Romney have done an exceptional job of explaining the epistemology of the LDS faith and its cult-like effect on the human psyche, Regina Samuelson's I'm (No Longer) a Mormon—a play on the “I'm a Mormon” ads—demonstrates the consequences of that epistemology. Her book is a journey into the mind of a born-in-the-church member who served actively and faithfully until she decided that her faith demanded as much scrutiny as any other belief system and discovered that things were not what they seemed. She is brave, candid, sometimes embarrassingly honest, hysterically funny, and utterly relatable to her audience, which includes anyone who has been severely indoctrinated into any faith, and anyone who seeks to understand those who have struggled with—and are emerging from—lifelong indoctrination.
Tell it All: the Story of a Life's Experience in Mormonism, by Fanny Stenhouse. Foreword by Harriet Beecher Stowe. Originally published in 1875, reprinted by Applewood Books, and available at Amazon.
MormonThink Review: For a woman who wrote about her experiences in Mormonism nearly 150 years ago, Fanny Stenhouse is a surprisingly relatable, approachable author. Her struggles with polygamy, the treatment of women in the LDS church, the church's leadership and adherents, and the treatment of new converts are shocking, disturbing, and yet amazingly relevant to the experience of a large part of today's membership. In Tell it All, Fanny is straightforward and outspoken, openly discussing her conversion, journey to Utah, entrance into polygamy, and decision to leave the church, and relates things about church history that truly boggle the mind, including sharing a letter from a dear friend who was part of the Martin Handcart Company that cannot fail to redu“ce the reader to tears. She is passionate and mighty, a true hero for disaffected members, feminists, and historians, and her work – and life – are inspiring.
The Joseph Smith Egyptian Papyri: A Complete Edition, by Robert Ritner
Summary: This book marks the publication of the first, full translation of the so-called Joseph Smith Egyptian papyri translated into English. These papyri comprise “The Breathing Permit of Hor,” “The Book of the Dead of Ta-Sherit-Min,” “The Book of the Dead Chapter 125 of Nefer-ir-nebu,” “The Book of the Dead of Amenhotep,” and “The Hypocephalus of Sheshonq,” as well as some loose fragments and patches. The papyri were acquired by members of the LDS Church in the 1830s in Kirtland, Ohio, and rediscovered in the mid-1960s in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. They served as the basis for Joseph Smith's “Book of Abraham,” published in Nauvoo, Illinois, in 1842 and later canonized.
As Robert K. Ritner, Professor of Egyptology at the Oriental Institute, University of Chicago, explains: “The translation and publication of the Smith papyri must be accessible not merely to Egyptologists but to non-specialists within and outside of the LDS religious community for whom the Book of Abraham was produced.” Dr. Ritner provides not only his own original translations but gives variant translations by other researchers to demonstrate better the “evolving process” of decipherment. He also includes specialized transliterations and his own informed commentary on the accuracy of past readings. “These assessments,” he notes, “are neither equivocal nor muted.” At the same time, they do not have a “partisan basis originating in any religious camp.”
The present volume includes insightful introductory essays by noted scholars Christopher Woods, Associate Professor of Sumerology, University of Chicago (“The Practice of Egyptian Religion at �Ur of the Chaldees'”), Marc Coenen, Egyptian Studies Ph. D., University of Leuven, Belgium (“The Ownership and Dating of Certain Joseph Smith Papyri”), and H. Michael Marquardt, author of The Revelations of Joseph Smith: Text and Commentary (“Joseph Smith's Egyptian Papers: A History”). It contains twenty-eight photographic plates, including color images of the primary papyri (with corrected alignment for Papyrus Joseph Smith 2) and other relevant items.
An Imperfect Book: What the Book of Mormon Tells Us about Itself by Earl M. Wunderli
My first impression in reading this text was that it was rightly named in its title. Indeed the author intends to lead the reader through an exploration of a book that he describes as an imperfect book, and does so in a way that enables the book to speak for itself. Given the fact that so many approach the Book of Mormon through lenses already adjusted to read the text for apologetic purposes, I found the author's engagement of the Book of Mormon to be respectfully and critically refreshing. Feeling unable to rely on historians, archeologists, self-designated authorities, or others with sure knowledge of the Book of Mormon, the author turns to the book itself for what it might reveal about itself. Rather than turning to external evidences to vindicate the central claims of the Book of Mormon, the author invites the reader to explore internal evidences to be discovered in the book itself. He does this while engaging a broad range of contemporary scholarship.
Dale E. Luffman, Association for Mormon Letters
Sacred Road by Todd Maxwell Preston.
A swift moving story told through the eyes of a child, reared by newly converted Mormon parents. New Zealand is the background that begins a riveting tale of hardship and religious fervor that lands a family of ten in the state of Utah, home to the now wealthy empire of the Mormon Church. Revealing a candid prose at abuse reigned with fear and an inside glance at a religion that is as rigid as its doctrine. Culminating into a final breakdown, divorce, family withdrawal; then fleeing from a Utah community that speaks love and acceptance first but gives neither to those that leave - a traitor to a culture by being human and speaking my truth.
In 2011 Sacred Road placed in the top ten of the Ashton Wylie unpublished manuscript awards in Auckland New Zealand.
The Youngest Bishop in England: Beneath the Surface of Mormonism by Robert Bridgstock.
Part memoir, part analytical work, this book details Robert Bridgstock's life as an active Mormon, his struggles with his faith, his submerging of such doubts for the sake of keeping peace with his devout family, and his eventual departure from the Church. After joining the Mormon Church at the age of 18, Bridgstock went on to become the youngest Mormon bishop in England and remained active in the Church for more than four decades, serving in many capacities and deeply studying Mormon scripture and teachings, but after having, and voicing doubts about Mormonism, and because Church authorities and scripture never delivered satisfactory answers to his questions; as the years past, he slowly grew in confidence and in his relationship with God. He renounced his religion after his defiance at a Disciplinary Council, which excommunicated him. An enthralling read from a leading figure within the Church. This account provides a unique, day-to-day look into Mormon life.
MormonThink Review: The book is well written, with passion and feeling; a heart wrenching journey of a sensitive, caring and loving man. One who had a natural desire to do good and be good, and yet was ultimately treated despicably by a church that claimed to be founded by and followed Jesus Christ.
Shaken Faith Syndrome: Strengthening One's Testimony in the Face of Criticism and Doubt by Michael Ash
Apologist Michael Ash, a vocal member of Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research (FAIR) has written this book as a response to the issues often raised by critics of the LDS Church.
By the Hand of Mormon: The American Scripture that Launched a New World Religion by Terryl L. Givens
An expert on intellectual history, Givens has read every single anti-Mormon book, tract, and website. He examines the best arguments against the Book of Mormon.
The Bodies of God and the World of Ancient Israel by Benjamin D. Sommer
Written by a Bible scholar at Jewish Theological Seminary, this is the definitive book on whether the God of the Old Testament had a body. The conclusions buttress Joseph Smith's claims to prophethood.
The God Who Weeps: How Mormonism Makes Sense of Life by Terryl Givens & Fiona Givens
This is a rather new LDS apologetic book that is popular among those currently experiencing a faith crisis.
Escaping the Darkness of Religious Light, Vol 1 Dr. Kim M. Clark
This is a perfect book for those seeking to learn more about how the Christian story of Jesus and the concept of God isn't necessarily unique. Latter-day Saints and those familiar with the LDS Church will find this book especially relevant as Mormonism is also discussed in this context as the author is a former Latter-day Saint. The founder of MormonThink was privileged to receive an advance copy of the book and wrote this forward in the inside cover:
MT Forward: "This is a must-read for those who are yet to explore the complexities surrounding the historical Jesus and the biblical Jesus. The author offers a comprehensive analysis which identifies why respectable historians and theologians claim that the biblical Jesus is recycled mythology, if not whole cloth invention. Latter-day Saints will especially benefit from Clark's insights, as it pertains to their own experience with Mormonism. Dr. Clark argues convincingly that the Self is an illusional agent and that any hope for an afterlife is a pipe dream."
– MormonThink.com
MT Review: Many people ask us what we think about mainstream Christianity, Jesus and the Bible. I've never really done an in-depth analysis of it other than realizing that it also has problematic areas. Since it happened so long ago, it is much more difficult to reach any definitive conclusions on the subject – as opposed to Mormonism which is less than 200 years ago and there are many reliable documents and sources to examine.
Over the last year, I have been privileged to receive an advance copy of this book by Dr. Kim Clark that analyzes the origins of Jesus and many parallels that exist within other cultures. This is a pretty big book and is pretty comprehensive in that it lists the many arguments for and against how the story of Jesus may have been largely borrowed from other cultures and myths. Although I personally remain open-minded on the subject, I now feel much more enlightened on how the story of Jesus likely came about. Essentially the book critically examines the story of Jesus and the nature of Deity in a similar way in which critics analyze Mormonism.
Bill Johnson
New Approaches to the Book of Mormon: Explorations in Critical Methodology by Brent Metcalfe
A review from Amazon: This book really changed my views about the Book of Mormon. The writers (mostly LDS) contend that the Book of Mormon looks more like a 19th century work of "inspired fiction" than like a genuine ancient document. Some writers argue that it isn't important for the Book of Mormon to be historical; most focus their energies on the archaeological, linguistic, and historical questions raised by the book. Since I'd read a lot of Hugh Nibley and John Sorensen's writings, and was exposed to a lot of mainstream LDS apologetics at Brigham Young University, I had some idea of what the arguments in favor of historicity were. This collection took solid swipes at many of them. I'm sure that future research will modify many of the conclusions presented here, but this work is the best collection that I know of bringing together well-researched liberal Book of Mormon scholarship.
MT Comment: With the very high interest in Brent Metcalfe's six-part podcast on mormonstories, (The podcasts are numbered 493-494, 497-498 & 499-499b. Link to Mormon Stories Podcasts) readers may want to check out Brent's ground-breaking work from 1993 on the Book of Mormon. Brent edited a series of essays written by some of the brightest experts on the BOM including Dan Vogel, Stan Larson and Edward H. Ashment.
The book is also available for free online at Signature Books.
It should be noted that the printed edition is preferred as the online version does contain some mistakes per Brent.
Moroni and the Swastika: Mormons in Nazi Germany by David Conley Nelson Ph.D
Summary: While Adolf Hitler's National Socialist government was persecuting Jews and Jehovah's Witnesses and driving forty-two small German religious sects underground, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints continued to practice unhindered. How some fourteen thousand Mormons not only survived but thrived in Nazi Germany is a story little known, rarely told, and occasionally rewritten within the confines of the Church's history—for good reason, as we see in David Conley Nelson's Moroni and the Swastika. A page-turning historical narrative, this book is the first full account of how Mormons avoided Nazi persecution through skilled collaboration with Hitler's regime, and then eschewed postwar shame by constructing an alternative history of wartime suffering and resistance.
The Twelfth Article of Faith and parts of the 134th Section of the Doctrine and Covenants function as Mormonism's equivalent of the biblical admonition to “render unto Caesar,” a charge to cooperate with civil government, no matter how onerous doing so may be. Resurrecting this often-violated doctrinal edict, ecclesiastical leaders at the time developed a strategy that protected Mormons within Nazi Germany. Furthermore, as Nelson shows, many Mormon officials strove to fit into the Third Reich by exploiting commonalities with the Nazi state. German Mormons emphasized a mutual interest in genealogy and a passion for sports. They sent husbands into the Wehrmacht and sons into the Hitler Youth, and they prayed for a German victory when the war began. They also purged Jewish references from hymnals, lesson plans, and liturgical practices. One American mission president even wrote an article for the official Nazi Party newspaper, extolling parallels between Utah Mormon and German Nazi society. Nelson documents this collaboration, as well as subsequent efforts to suppress it by fashioning a new collective memory of ordinary German Mormons' courage and travails during the war.
Recovering this inconvenient past, Moroni and the Swastika restores a complex and difficult chapter to the history of Nazi Germany and the Mormon Church in the twentieth century—and offers new insight into the construction of historical truth.
MT Comment: I was privileged to receive a copy of this book in advance of its release. I really liked this book and its uniqueness among the hundred or so LDS books I own. After studying Mormonism for decades, there are not many things that pop up that I don't know about in Mormon history but I was pleasantly surprised by reading about how Mormons and the LDS Church struggled and dealt with Nazi Germany during this era. These are stories that should not be forgotten, nor should the views that the LDS Church, led by prophets and apostles had of Nazi Germany and the Jews during this most difficult time. A very thought-provoking and engrossing read.
Bill Johnson
Joseph Smith by Robert V. Remini
Summary: Robert Remini's work on the Jacksonian epoch has won him acclaim as well as the National Book Award. In Joseph Smith, he employs his keen insight and rich storytelling gift to explore one of the period's major figures. The most important reformer and innovator in American religious history, Joseph Smith has remained a fascinating enigma to many both inside and outside the Mormon Church he founded.
Born in 1805, Smith grew up during the "Second Great Awakening," when secular tumult had spawned radical religious fervor and countless new sects. His contemplative nature and soaring imagination—the first of his many visions occurred at the age of fourteen—were nurtured in the close, loving family created by his deeply devout parents. His need to lead and be recognized was met by his mission as God's vehicle for a new faith and by the hundreds who, magnetized by his charm and charismatic preaching, gave rise to the Mormon Church. Remini brings Smith into unprecedented focus and contextualizes his enduring contribution to American life and culture within the distinctive characteristics of an extraordinary age.
MT Contributor Comment: The book Joseph Smith by Robert V. Remini is a very fascinating book. It gives a very unique perspective given the fact that it is written by a non-member who studied the church. It is somewhat of a short book but it offers a very interesting perspective. It doesn't only look at the church but what's going on around it at the time. It's a fantastic read which really brings some issues into light that aren't commonly discussed.
Reverend Izro Shaulov
Mormonism Unvailed: Eber D. Howe, with critical comments by Dan Vogel
Summary: Any Latter-day Saint who has ever defended his or her beliefs has likely addressed issues first raised by Eber D. Howe in 1834. Howe's famous exposé was the first of its kind, with information woven together from previous news articles and some thirty affidavits he and others collected. He lived and worked in Painesville, Ohio, where, in 1829, he had published about Joseph Smith's discovery of a “golden bible.” Smith's decision to relocate in nearby Kirtland sparked Howe's attention. Of even more concern was that Howe's wife and other family members had joined the Mormon faith. Howe immediately began investigating the new Church and formed a coalition of like-minded reporters and detractors. By 1834, Howe had collected a large body of investigative material, including affidavits from Smith's former neighbors in New York and from Smith's father-inlaw in Pennsylvania. Howe learned about Smith's early interest in pirate gold and use of a seer stone in treasure seeking and heard theories from Smith's friends, followers, and family members about the Book of Mormon's origin. Indulging in literary criticism, Howe joked that Smith, “evidently a man of learning,” was a student of “barrenness of style and expression.” Despite its critical tone, Howe's exposé is valued by historians for its primary source material and account of the growth of Mormonism in northeastern Ohio.
MT Comment: Howe's book has often been labeled as 'anti-Mormon' by LDS defenders like Hugh Nibley. However, it is referenced many times in books written by faithful LDS historians like Richard Bushman. The average member doesn't know exactly what to think of the book as many of the things in Howe's book have now been confirmed from faithful sources. We are very much looking forward to reading a critical analysis of this book by award-winning, Mormon historian Dan Vogel.
The Mormon Hierarchy: Wealth and Corporate Power by Michael Quinn
Amazon Summary: Early in the twentieth century, it was possible for Latter-day Saints to have lifelong associations with businesses managed by their leaders or owned and controlled by the church itself. For example, one could purchase engagement rings from Daynes Jewelry, honeymoon at the Hotel Utah, and venture off on the Union Pacific Railroad, all partially owned and run by church apostles.
Families could buy clothes at Knight Woolen Mills. The husband might work at Big Indian Copper or Bullion-Beck, Gold Chain, or Iron King mining companies. The wife could shop at Utah Cereal Food and buy sugar supplied by Amalgamated or U and I Sugar, beef from Nevada Land and Livestock, and vegetables from the Growers Market. They might take their groceries home in parcels from Utah Bag Co. They probably read the Deseret News at home under a lamp plugged into a Utah Power and Light circuit. They could take out a loan from Zion's Co-operative and insurance from Utah Home and Fire.
The apostles had a long history of community involvement in financial enterprises to the benefit of the general membership and their own economic advantage. This volume is the result of the author's years of research into LDS financial dominance from 1830 to 2010.
MT Comment: We have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of this book when we first heard that Michael Quinn was working on it. Quinn has an ability to obtain records not always available to the average member. We are pre-ordering our copy now.
Joseph Smith's Seer Stones by Michael Hubbard MacKay and Nicholas J. Frederick
Amazon Summary: When the Church released photos of the brown seer stone that was owned and used by Joseph Smith, the news ignited a firestorm of curiosity and controversy. People wanted more information and wondered why they hadn't been aware of the stone's existence. This book discusses the origins of Joseph Smith's seer stones and explores how Joseph used them throughout his life in a way that goes beyond translating the Book of Mormon. It also traces the provenance of his stones once they left his possessions. The authors examine how the Book of Mormon itself provides a storyline about the history of seer stones and how this helped Joseph Smith learn about his own prophetic gifts.
Secret Combinations: Evidence of Early Mormon Counterfeiting 1880-1847 by Kathleen Kimball Melonakos
Amazon Summary: This book chronicles the evidence that early Mormon leaders, starting with Joseph Smith Sr., dealt in counterfeit money beginning in Vermont, and continuing throughout Joseph and Hyrum's careers. It places the Smith brothers in the early American context where counterfeiting networks and some of their CEO-like bosses posed as preachers. It is the only book of its kind that uncovers the problems counterfeiters caused in early America and what really happened before, during and after the Book of Mormon appeared on the scene. Both fact-based and fast moving, supported by more than 1400 footnotes and over 100 photos and illustrations. Based on nearly 10 years of research, conducted in Vermont, New York, Illinois, Missouri, and Utah.
Author's website: mormoncounterfeiting
MT Comment: I personally attended the Oct 2017 Ex-Mormon Conference in which the author, Kathleen Kimball Melonakos gave a presentation on early Mormon counterfeiting. It was very interesting and I learned many things I had never even thought about. This is one of the untold chapters from early Mormon history that is worth reading about.
The Tanner's Bookstore in Utah was, for a long time, the only place to obtain critical information about Mormonism. The reality is that perhaps the majority of information from every critic's site, as well as sites like MormonThink, owe their information to Gerald and Sandra Tanner and the work they pioneered in uncovering and documenting the secrets of Mormonism. Their bookstore is the only actual brick & mortar bookstore that is devoted to exposing all the detailed information about Mormonism that is not openly taught by the LDS Church. Their website bookstore is Link is here.
Mormonism - Shadow or Reality by Jerald & Sandra Tanner
MormonThink Review: This is a great book to have on your bookshelf. You can look up just about any significant issue in Mormonism from this one resource. It is perhaps their biggest and most comprehensive book and one that many of us personally own and is one of the cornerstones needed to understand the troubling issues of Mormonism:
The Mormon Delusion, James Whitefield, 5 volumes. Excellent insights and analysis. Sections of his book are provided in both the Moroni Visitation and Nephi Or Moroni sections. Please see Jim's site for more details on his book collection.
Review found on Amazon by Michael Oborn:
The title of this book, The MORMON Delusion, Volume 1, and the four companion volumes, The MORMON Delusion, Volume's 2, 3, 4, and 5 are aptly named. In these five volume's Mormonism is shown to be a hoax of proportions so enormous it challenges the imagination.
As you read Whitefield's meticulous research you come to realize in its beginnings Mormonism was an event of time and place by a man whose genius, charm, and pathologic morality answered to one God; The art of the possible. What Joseph Smith could get away with he recklessly pursued. His genius was most evident in how he justified his actions and behavior.
Volume 1 is a study of Mormon polygamy and secret polyandry practiced by Mormon Church leaders in the early church. Most know that Brigham Young, second President and prophet of the Mormon Church, had multiple wives. Few realize that his predecessor, Joseph Smith, also practiced polygamy. Even fewer know that Smith was marrying women not divorced and living with their husbands, a behavior defined as polyandry.
The Appendix A through N are replete with a detailed accounting of early Mormon bigamy, complete with references. Whitefield makes it easy to follow the bigamous habits of not just Joseph Smith and Brigham Young, but all of the early church leaders.
The impression that hit me the hardest after finishing this first of 5 volumes is how thorough the Mormon Church indoctrinates its members. It is a conditioning that begins at the cradle forming a cognitive focus incapable of seeing its own limitations. Never was I more impressed with the fact that our culture is the reality though which we view the world. To break free of that mind set, as Whitefield has done is truly remarkable. Most evident while reading was the author's attitude. From PREFACE through AFTER THOUGHTS his treatment of this subject was open minded and fair. I couldn't recommend The MORMON Delusion Vol. 1 more highly.
Mormon Crisis: Anatomy of a Failing Religion, by James A. Beverley
From the author:
I am delighted that my book Mormon Crisis has made it on the Books section of MormonThink. During the past years of research on Mormonism I repeatedly consulted MormonThink and its great resources on Mormonism.
I invite you to see info on the book at www.mormoncrisis.com You can order it at my bookstore where I have a discount for MormonThink readers. Use the code MT when you check out and this brings the price down to $13.95, well below Amazon.
My book is unique since it is up to date, reflecting events as of April 2013 and also provides the first information in print on some new and disturbing discoveries about Joseph Smith. On this, I am bringing to light the work of the Mormon historian Joseph Johnstun. My book also addresses the lack of integrity on various doctrine, ethical, and historical matters from LDS leaders and scholars. These are noted in a list of 65 points in the book's conclusion. As well, I address weaknesses in the evangelical Christian response to Mormonism. I am open to dialogue, civilized debate, and correction.
In this regard, editors at MormonThink helped me see that one statement on page 24 of my book underestimates the extent of the crisis in modern Mormonism. Based on some new stats that were pointed out to me and further thought, I should not have used the word miniscule to describe the contrast between members leaving or unbelieving versus the total membership. Not only are membership numbers inflated, generally, but the crisis is deeper than the paragraph implies. My publisher has already agreed to change the wording at the first opportunity.
Let me ask readers about one item. I would love to hear whether you think the Mormon Church is changing its view on God, in relation to the doctrine of exaltation. That is a crucial item in the ongoing Mormon-evangelical dialogue. Write me on this or any other item by posting on my blog or send me an email.Best wishes,
Jim Beverley
Professor of Christian Thought and Ethics
Tyndale
MormonThink review: Sandra Tanner referred to Mormon Crisis as "a powerful, accurate and up-to-date critique of Mormonism". This reviewer agrees with that. The author does an excellent job presenting just the right amount of detail on several issues such as polygamy, First Vision, the Temple, Book of Mormon problems, etc.
This is probably the only book written by a 'gentile' (non-Mormon) that accurately reflects the issues that are important to the 'internet Mormons' such as the historical problems that the LDS Church has not been up front about in the past. It's refreshing to find a non-Mormon who does not bring up evangelical issues against Mormonism in a nasty way. This MT reviewer recommends Mormon Crisis for anyone interested in getting an up-to-date book about troubling Mormon issues written through a non-Mormon perspective and what it means for the modern LDS Church.
Reviewer Bill J.
The Complete Heretic's Guide to Western Religion Book One: The Mormons, by David Fitzgerald
Review found on Amazon:
David Fitzgerald's style of writing is light, engaging and enthralling to read. His research is extensive, accurate, interestingly integrated into a compelling sequence, succinctly related and never ever boring.
As an exMormon (forty-three years a member) and author of five books in 'The Mormon Delusion' series, I know a thing or two about the truth behind the Mormon hoax. My final analysis of David Fitzgerald's 'The Mormons', is that it more than captures the most important aspects concerning the truth that any inquirer would ever need to know, in one simple fun-to-read volume. As I know a lot about Mormonism, I didn't really expect to learn anything new to me - but I was delighted that I actually did, and I loved reading every word.
Fitzgerald covers not just Mormon history, doctrine, schisms and insurmountable problems that apologists simply cannot rationalise, but also how some supposedly faithful members behave today. I was amazed to discover how many Mormons, including several Bishops, particularly in Utah, have been jailed or are awaiting trial for running massive investment scams or Ponzi schemes, defrauding hundreds of fellow Mormons out of hundreds of millions of dollars; and how the Church, most unusually, refunded hundreds of thousands of dollars paid in tithing by one perpetrator, presumably to assist in repaying duped investors. It seems the Mormon Church is not short of a few criminals - or plenty of gullible members. But that was just an interesting aside to all the factual evidence against Joseph Smith and his hoax.I enjoyed the way Fitzgerald so eloquently covered each aspect in his work. It was a refreshing change to many other books on the subject of Mormonism - vibrant and entertaining from beginning to end.
My only criticism (if you could call it that) is that where Hebrew words are included, in the Kindle version, the letters just appear as a series boxes rather than Hebrew text. I had this problem at first in my own books but it can be fixed, so hopefully an update will take care of this (minor) problem at some stage.
I know very little about other similar religions and eagerly anticipate promised further works by Fitzgerald in this series. If they are as well researched and the information is as reliable and interesting as in this book, we are in for some more real treats.
A resounding 'well done' from me - five star stuff! This book is a 'must read'.
(Although David Fitzgerald recommends my own books in his 'Select Bibliography' and 'Further Resources', this review is entirely unsolicited and provided out of sheer admiration for an excellent publication by a very talented author.)
Jim Whitefield - author of 'The Mormon Delusion' series. See: themormondelusion.com
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