No comments about Scriptural Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith.

1 comments about The Mormon Question: Polygamy and Constitutional Conflict in Nineteenth-Century America.

1. i got this book for a legal history research paper on the free exercise clause. it was easy to read, interesting, and well cited. i highly reccomend it.

5 comments about Polygamy's Rape of Rachael Strong.

1. I saw Mr. Llewellyn on the HBO special for the series Big Love. I am a huge fan of the show and have become fascinated by the way polygamists live their lives. The Rape of Rachael Strong is a good, quick read filled with instances and examples that help you understand how dire the situation (especially on compounds) are for women and children and how this sexist society breaks and creates the rules according to what's convenient for them. I was shocked, amazed and offended by much of what Mr. Llewellyn brought to light.
   
   I would recommend it.



2. This book presents a lot of information, but it really isn't that interesting if your looking for a good polygamy book. It reads kind of like an encyclopedia. Informative, but boring.



3. Not a very well written book and there are many typos. I think the author assumes the reader is knowledgeable of the Mormon religion, which may not be the case for some. The title leads you to believe this is a story about a young woman and her struggles. Author wrote more about the Utah district attorney, Principal Voices (pro-polygamy women's group), and polygamist men. Because of the title, I wanted to know more about Rachel Strong and her life and how she is doing now. If you want to write a book that's anti-polygamy, then do that. If you want to write a book about Rachel Strong, then do that. Don't mix the message! I bought this book after seeing the author highlighted on HBO's Big Love outtakes. I would not recommend it to anyone. :-(



4. Interest book. I had watch the TV show Big Love, but this book show the real side of Polygamy. This is a book all American women should read.



5. This book tells little about Strong's actual story and is mostly filled with FLDS History and Case Law. Not very interesting, it jumps around too much from chapter to chapter and I didn't finish it.

5 comments about Alliance.

1. "The Alliance" is defiantely one of the best books I've read (And I read ALOT of books. Can't help it). Having first read "The Work and the Glory" and "The Kingdom and the Crown" series by the same author, I was a bit surprised when I found that the book took place in the future, but it was absolutely wonderful. The moral issues explored were very interesting, and the plot was fast paced and exciting. You should definately give this book a try! (P.S. I love Eric Lloyd[the main character]! He's awesome!)



2. It was a really good book. Although it was on the cheesy side of nachos.



3. Wow! This book made me reflect on how lucky we are as Americans to have choices left to us. We should value our freedoms and not take them for granted. It also helped me see that we need to help those who do not have the same privileges gain those opportunities. The plot was intense and involved to the end. The characters were expressive and real. I truly enjoyed reading this. This is a book that you can't put down because you need to know how it ends. A great book for teens also!



4. Simply put, this book is excellent. It is definitely one of my favorites and one that I can see myself reading again.



5. I really enjoyed this book overall. The story is great, and is a lot of fun to read.
   
   The biggest problem I had about this book is that at the end it spells out what the lessons are in the most boring way. It isn't like they were subtle in the book originally. I recognize that Lund wanted to emphasize his point, but it ended up taking away from it.
   
   At the end the story remains very good, but the implementation is only decent.
   
   The book is very good, but was kind of a guilty pleasure (like the Harry Potter series and others). Very tasty, but in the end, not as filling as it could be.

5 comments about Predators, Prey, and Other Kinfolk: Growing Up in Polygamy.

1. This book started off strong and with much promise, but soon deteriorated.I really could have done without the 3-4 chapters of great-great-grandmothers and other ancestors. The story never really recovered after that and I kept reading in hope that the power from the begining would show up.
   
   However, the story was interesting and the author's brash honesty was refreshing. While it is not pertinent to the book itself, it is easy to see that this woman is a genuinely good person and has ever turned out normal despite such an unusual upbringing. She has the traits of forgiveness and tries to really see the best in people-- something we could ALL use a lesson in.



2. I recently discussed this book with a friend whose an avid reader and an active participant in a women's book club. She was afraid the younger women wouldn't care for the book because it lacks dialogue. Such a shame and yet I wonder if it's that glamor and glitz that so many autobiographers interject into today's books (such as James Frey's "A Million Little Pieces") that contemporary readers look for and are disappointed when it isn't provided.
   
   I, on the other hand, found this a fascinating tale that really delved into the mindset of those involved, regardless of how they were involved, in polygamy. Dorothy Allred Solomon, the daughter of a polygamist, writes about her experiences and recollections of life on the compound that expands into a detailed historical account of the polygamist movement, the fight to disband and abolish polygamy, the covert movement in the polygamist following and the shame that the by-products of polygamy, which includes Dorothy, had to come to terms with as they began blending in with monogamist families to escape the persecution that ensued.
   
   The author writes the majority from the viewpoint of when she was a child, so I felt there was a fair amount that may have been influenced by the age she was when these events occurred. As the author recounts events that occurred later in her life, I felt some important elements may have been left out as it became devoid of the detail, bereft with the emotion that pummelled the first portion of her life and the book.
   
   Yet, it's still a moving book that while it's dry in dialogue, allows the reader to get a good sense of what the author's family and the author herself had to deal with whether it was raw emotions and confusion or the outward reproach of society.



3. What a scintillating assertion of a lifestyle so foreign to most people. People are often in awe of the idea that such practices are still observed. This book matches personalities to the unnamed faces so often seen in the media relating to polygamy. Losing the idea of "polygamy is good/polygamy is bad," Ms. Solomon does an excellent job of turning individuals into protagonists and antagonists, making these characters live for all readers.



4. The book is not a sitting by the ocean summer read. However, if you are interested in this subject, it is a wonderful book that enlightens you to another side of the story.
   
   Dorothy Solomen tells the story of growing up in a polygamous family in an honest but compassionate way. The book brings the reader into the homes of each of the wives, how they had to move about while being hunted down by police, and how they leaned on one another for support.
   
   Unlike many books on this subject, the wives of of Allred made a conscious decision to enter into polygamy, with the sister-wives being supportive of one another. If this were possible, this family seems to have been as functional as any family except for frequent moves in order to hide their lifestyle from the authorities, and the burden of caring for so many children. Life was not easy for this family, but it was not full of the abuse we read about in some of the modern groups. One of the sons was suspected of sexually abusing his sisters: however, this happens even in molygmous families.
   
   After finishing this book, I found myself wondering if the family could have have had a more peaceful life if they had not had to hide their lifestyle. Since our country was founded on freedom of religion, one must ask if this is a violation of that given right. This family had a deep religious belief that their lifestyle was the only one that would guarantee being alowed to enter into celestrial heaven at death. They did not receive welfare, and for the most part were taken care of by the father, who was a Dr. Although the visits to each family were once a week, he devoted himself to each child during those visits.
   
   At times the book is confusing as she intertwines stories, events, children and wives. However, in the end I felt like I had been there watching the stories unfold.
   
   Solomom does touch on the story of a corrupt polygamy group who were responsible for multiple murders, including her own father, and how they were able to avoid prosecution. The fact that the crimes were happening to those practicing polygamy caused family members to be hesitant to bring forth evidence that could incriminate themselves.
   
   I would recommend reading this to anyone interested in learning about this lifestyle.



5. The book is worth reading to further expand your exposure to a person's first-hand experience with Polygamy in America. (By the way, this book is the very same as one by the same author entitled "Daughter of the Saints: Growing Up in Polygamy". I didn't know that, and bought them both.) For me there are two main issues, in general, with the book(s).
   
   I thought the narrative at times bogs down and becomes boring and tedious as I try to keep track of all the great-great, vs great, vs grand, vs. half-sisters, etc. members of the cast. I would have appreciated some kind of easy-access family tree to help keep track of everyone as I read. But it is her story and she is free to tell it the way she wants.
   
   The other issue is that having to face a story about polygamy caused me to have to face the underpinnings of Mormonism in particular, and religious beliefs around the globe in general. I believe this kind of inquiry is healthy. You might be surprised to read what Mormonism's founder said about polygamy, and how the church handled federal and state pressure over polygamy decades later. Are the fundamentalists/polygamists really the TRUE Mormons, or not? If this kind of thing interests you, I strongly suggest you do this reading on your own, and come to your own conclusions.

2 comments about Righteous Warriors: Lessons from the War Chapters in the Book of Mormon.

1. I loved this book! John Bytheway is great at incorporating humor with the spiritual to keep you interested all the way through. He looks deeper and helps you to see that the war chapters of The Book of Mormon are not just stories but that they are true and teach important helps for our day. I would recommend this book to anyone!



2. As someone who wasn't previously interested in the physical strategies of Captain Moroni's war with the Lamanites, reading this book by John Bytheway's helped me develop a great appreciation for the spiritual strategies, as well as the physical, in the war for the Nephites' continued freedom. I believe that all aspects focused on in "Righteous Warriors" are helpful to Book of Mormon enthusiasts and survivors of "the world" everywhere.

3 comments about A Teenager's Tears : When Parents Convert to Polygamy.

1. This is a heart wrenching story of a beautiful young girl born into a middle class Mormon family whose father has made the decision for leave the comfort of their local LDS Ward, friends and family to embrace a lifestyle that will encompass lust, greed, abuse and mind control. Think for moment how you would feel if you came home one day to find that you were going to leave all that you knew and loved to be told you were going into a remote area to join a polygamist cult. Imagine that you will not be able to fulfill your dreams of college; marry the boy you love; not be able to ever think for yourself again. You will have to wear funny long dresses; wear no make up;a hairdo that even your grandmother would have a problem wearing; no TV, movies, boyfriends or girl friends of your choice.
   You may think this is a fictional story, think again, this story is true and happens more often you you can imagine. Yes, the characters are fiction but the lifestyle of polygamy portrayed is true. I know; I live in Southern Utah where several thousand polygamist live. There is rape and abuse in the form of
   underage "spiritual marriage" to men old enough to be their father, maybe even grandfather. It is a cult run by fear and threat. Not to obey is grounds for excommunication; your family given to another more worthy man; your mother given as a "wife" and as her daughter you would be given as his wife also. Your property and money that you earn is no longer yours to use as you want; It is communal. This is a story of one young womans courageous fight for her life and future. It is the story of a woman who loves her husband and has to make some hard choices and decisions that go against the prophets authority that states women are to submit to their husband or lose their eternal salvation and be dammed. Women are required to share their husband with one, two, three or more women called "sister wives"as is the case in this story.
   If you have even a little interest in the polygamist lifestyle this is a MUST READ!!



2. This is a fact based fictional book written by a former polygamist insider who was once a policeman in Utah.
   I feel he did a good job at portraying the struggles a young girl and her family would undergo in such a situation.Although do keep in mind, the real life model for this book was the least oppressive fundamentalist polygamist group in Utah, so although the books main character Emma went through a lot,she did not suffer some of the horrific incidents that have happened in other groups .
   The dialogue was down to earth, free flowing and unpretentious.
   The story was well paced and believable.
   He also has a deft working knowledge of the doctrines and operations of such groups.
   I recommend this book if you are interested in polygamy, Mormon Fundamentalism or just like fact based fiction.



3. It was hard to put this novel down. It's sad to think that this same thing is really happening to real girls in real families. I wish I had the money to help all of them get out of cults like the one in the book so they could have a chance at a happy life. After reading many books on the RLDS, I still can't see why law enforcement and gov't can't put an end to all their illegal activities. Who will stand up and fight for the girls rights? I would highly recommend this book to any one doing a study on anything from cults to women's rights.

5 comments about The Book of Mormon for Latter-Day Saint Families.

1. We have used this as a family to study the scriptures together. The photos and additional features of this book are superb. Our kids love it!



2. My wife is a convert to the church and was having a hard time reading the scripture and understanding it well. I decided to get this edition to see if it would help and it really did. There are some great commentaries and explinations at the bottom of each page. It makes reading the B.O.M. more fun and enjoyable too. I highly recommend this to anyone really.



3. Many people praise this book for its "kid-friendly" set up, but as an adult with no children, I can say it's wonderful for any age. I have a difficult time understanding many verses in the scriptures, but this book not only explains things very clearly, it gives additional insight and gets me thinking about concepts and ideas I would normally not think twice about while reading the regular scriptures. The illustrations are great, too! I love this book!!



4. We bought this to replace our old one because it's definitely one that gets used. The explanations it has about the scriptures definitely helps when trying to understand the complex imagry and stories. One thing I think it lacks is a more in depth analysis of some of the scriptures, especially the ones that quote Issiah (sp?). But with this being for the family, I suppose deeper analysis would be more appropriate in a different book.



5. If you are a Mormon, I want you to know that I respect your open-mindedness in reading this review. I also want you to know that I like Mormons, and even love a few, some of whom I consider to be the finest people who ever walked in shoe leather, as my grandmother used to say.
   
   Note: Your helpful votes are appreciated. Thanks, and please check my reviews of the bogus books by Hugh Nibley and John Sorenson, as well as my review of "Echoes and Evidence for the Book of Mormon."
   
   Here then are the cold hard facts (the following has never been answered by a Mormon):
   
   Joseph Smith demonstrated his ability to write Book of Mormon scripture by composing the scripture-sounding "Preface" (now dropped) as well as the two testimonies (originally at the end of the book). Note the following:
   
   PART OF THE PREFACE TO THE BOOK OF MORMON COMPOSED BY JOSEPH SMITH
   
   As many false reports have been circulated respecting the following work, and also many unlawful measures taken by evil designing persons to destroy me, and also the work....notwithstanding my utmost exertions to recover it again....Satan had put I into their hearts to tempt the Lord their God, by altering the words, that they did read contrary from that which I translated and caused to be written; and if I should bring forth the same words again, or, in other words, if I should translate the same over again, they would publish that which they had stolen, and Satan would stir up the hearts of this generation, that they might not receive this work....Wherefore, to be obedient unto the commandments of God, I have, through his grace and mercy, accomplished that which he hath commanded
   
   SLIGHT CHANGES TO SHOW THAT JOSEPH SMITH COULD COMPOSE BOOK OF MORMON SCRIPTURE:
   
   As many false reports had been circulated in the land, many unlawful measures were taken against Nephi by the evil designing Lamanite king. But notwithstanding Nephi's utmost exertions, Satan had put it into their hearts to tempt the Lord their God, by altering Nephi's words, that they did read contrary from that which he caused to be written as testimony on gold plates. And it came to pass, that Nephi said, If I should bring forth the same words again, or, in other words, if I should write the same over again, they would publish that which they had stolen, and Satan would stir up the hearts of Lamanites, that they might not receive this work. Wherefore, to be obedient unto the commandments of God, I, Nephi have, through his grace and mercy, accomplished that which he hath commanded.
   
   The preface also shows the back-tracking style found throughout the Book of Mormon.
   
   Note the following examples:
   
   l. "I have charity for the Jew--I say Jew, because I mean...."
   2. "And now if Christ had not come into the world, speaking of things to come as though...." (Supposedly written in 148 BC-before Christ)
   3. "...so long as there should be a band of Christians remain to possess the land--For thus all the true believers of Christ...." (Supposedly written in 73 BC)
   4. "And behold in the end of this book...Behold I do not mean the end of the book of Helaman, but I mean...."
   5. "...it must needs be expedient that Christ-for in the last night an angel spake unto me that this should be his name...." (Written in the sixth century BC)
   6. "...and if I should bring forth the same words again, or, in other words, if I should translate the same over...."
   7. "...that my name should be had for good and evil among all nations, kindreds, and tongues, or that it should be both good and evil spoken of among all people."
   
   NOTE: Number "6" (above) was written by Joseph Smith in his 1830 preface of the Book of Mormon, a preface now deleted, and number "7" was also written by Joseph Smith as he later described his visit with an angel.
   
   Also, remember that Joseph Smith didn't know when to quit talking. His prayer for the dedication of the Kirkland Temple, according to the guides, was a couple hours long. Thus, again he demonstrated his ability to spin scripture as fast as his scribe could write it down.
   
   Published in 1830, the original Book of Mormon bears all the marks of a novel written by a relatively uneducated man. Some 4000 changes have been made in grammar (also deleting the overuse of "and it came to pass").
   
   Also, some significant errors corrected (King Benjamin was dead at one point and it was changed to Mosiah). In addition, it contains errors that are found in the King James Bible at the time.
   
   Taking the popular folklore of the lost white race of "Mound Builders" and that the Indians were descended from the Jews, Joseph Smith had all the makings of a novel set in his lap. He was not a scholar, but he used a few books as references--notably "View of the Hebrews," published in Poultney, Vermont, where his chief scribe and third cousin, Oliver Cowdery, came of age.
   
   The project took about a year. At the age of twenty-two-and-half, Joseph Smith dictated 116 pages over a two month period. When these pages were lost or stolen, he waited some nine months (with some composition in between) before starting again. Then after three months, he completed his novel at age twenty-three-and-a-half.
   
   At the time, Joseph Smith was not a teenager or "farm boy" as many Mormon writers say, deliberately confusing Joseph's teenage visions with his dictating of the Book of Mormon. He was a married man of 22-23 when he began his novel.
   
   Note, also, that Joseph Smith didn't have to "write" a single word. He had various scribes do that as he "translated" from behind a curtain by looking at a magic stone placed in a hat.
   
   For a fascinating look at the problems of the Book of Mormon, read "American Apocrypha," a collection of essays by former Mormons. American Apocrypha: Essays on the Book of Mormons (Essays on Mormonism Series)
   
   The following is from an essay by Professor Edwin Firmage, who tells a compelling story of how he came to abandon his belief that the Book of Mormon is an ancient document. The other essays in this book are also fascinating. Highly recommended for anyone interested in the Book of Mormon.
   
   Professor Edwin Firmage, Jr. writes:
   
   "Nearly twenty years ago, as a first year-graduate student at the University of California, Berkeley, my ambition was to become another Hugh Nibley, whose writings I loved since I was twelve...."
   
   "Still a neophyte, but armed with German and a little Arabic, Greek, and Hebrew, and intent on acquiring the requisite apologetic tools, I cameo Berkeley to study ancient Near Eastern languages, particularly Egyptian, the language of mysteries par excellence.
   
   "Not long after my arrival, I was asked to teach the Book of Mormon in the Gospel Doctrine class in my Berkeley ward. I welcomed the opportunity, as it would give me a chance to delve deeper into the book. By any standard, my wife and I were faithful Mormons who attended church, visited the temple, and prayed together. I expected my study of the Book of Mormon to result in an increase of faith as it had done on my mission. But within six months, I no longer believed the Book of Mormon to be an ancient text.
   
   "To this day, I am not sure how it happened, although I can isolate several issues that played a role in my change of mind....I have often thought that what happened to me in Berkeley was fundamentally a conversion, or, if you like, an anti-conversion. The process had all the inscrutable suddenness that characterized some of the conversions I had witnessed as missionary. Like a conversion to faith, the effect of my change of mind propagated with amazing speed. Almost overnight my whole outlook on life was different."
   
   "The remaining pages of this essay will present a few of what, for me in 1984, were discoveries of some importance. These do not by any means constitute a comprehensive explanation of the Book of Mormon. Nor are they offered as proof of my thesis that the book is modern, but as examples of how the assumption that is modern resolves otherwise significant difficulties."
   
   Further, there is no archaeological evidence for the claims of the Book of Mormon. Read the following:
   
   Robert J. Sharer is Professor of Anthropology and Curator of the American Section of the University Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology at the University of Pennsylvania. His fascinating and heavy book analyzes the Maya from every angle. Although Sharer does not mention the Book of Mormon, he does give a devastating answer to those who would link Meso-American civilization with the ancient Hebrews, placing such theories squarely in the 19th century.
   
   Sharer writes: "After more than a century of gathering and analyzing archaeological evidence, we have discovered nothing to support the idea of intervention by people from the Old World." "This is not to say that accidental contacts between the Old and New World peoples could not have occurred before the age of European exploration" (p. 6).
   
   "On the basis of the available evidence, then, the courses of cultural development in the New and Old Worlds seem clearly independent of each other and devoid of significant contact until 1492" (intro., p. 7).
   
   The ancient Maya civilization, Sharer continues, "are to be `explained' not as a product of transplanted Old World civilization, but as the result of the processes that underlie the growth of any culture, including those that develop the kind of complexity we call civilization."
   
   "The idea, which either explicitly or implicitly asserts that the peoples of the New World were incapable of shaping their own destiny or developing sophisticated cultures independently of Old World influence, is still popular in quarters." "But this is but one more popular myth devoid of fact, for the evidence points unmistakably toward the evolution of civilization in the New World independently of developments in the Old World."
   
   The Ancient Maya, 6th Edition
   
   Lastly, every Mormon should read Robert Silverberg's book, "The Mound Builders: The Archaeology of a Myth." This book provides the context for the novel called the "Book of Mormon.
   
   MOUND BUILDERS OF ANCIENT AMERICA: The Archaeology of a Myth
   
   Another great book is Robert Wauchope's 150-page "Lost Tribes and Sunken Continents: Myth and Method in the Study of the American Indians."
   
   Lost Tribes and Sunken Continents Myth Method in the

5 comments about By His Own Hand Upon Papyrus: A New Look at the Joseph Smith Papyri.

1. The author's objective is to show the world that what Joseph Smith 'translated' into The Book of Abraham resembles in no way whatsoever the scholarly translation of what we have today known as the "Joseph Smith Papyri". This he does stunningly. Prior to the rediscovery of the fragments of papyri in 1966, the Church taught (and officially still does) that Joseph Smith translated Egyptian papyri through divine revelation. However, that viewpoint is forever changing by LDS apologists into mind-stretching and far-fetched 'theories' to explain the lack of cohesion between what has been canonised into "The Pearl of Great Price" and the original manuscript. The author investigates each one of these theories in a methodical and objective manner and is able to address each with sound arguments.
   
   The book begins with a history of how it all began, the translation process, the loss and rediscovery of a portion of them, the Church's initial reaction of excitement to the rediscovery, the scholarly approach taken by the church to verify them, followed by the lack of any announcement or follow through from those in authority since. He also addresses why the evidence presented has had no effect on the membership of the Church as a whole - which in itself is a fascinating area of research on its own.
   
   The book contains a 4 page width glossy colour reproduction of the found fragments, a side by side comparison of the JS translation versus the secular translation, and a reproduction of Joseph Smith's "Grammar & Alphabet of the Egyptian Language".
   
   As per previous reviews, the book ends with some Christian propaganda for those who's faith has been shaken. If not for this, it would receive 5 stars.



2. As an ex Mormon, I know the real story about how the "Book of Abraham" was "translated". The current crop of "Mormon intellectuals and apologists" are running for the border to escape the reality of Joe Smith's ongoing fraud. They cannot dodge the vast amount of evidence that clearly states that Joe Smith "TRANSLATED by revelation" the scrolls that make up his "Book of Abraham". Problem is that many of the nasty doctrines of Mormonism come from the "Book of Abraham". Negros and the priesthood, nature of God, multiple gods, ETC. Egyptologists have confirmed this fraud of Joe Smith as a hoax. Joe Smith could hardly read english let alone "translate" any ancient language. Read this book to learn the absolute truth of just how Joe Smith pulled another fast one in his quest to set himself up as God on Earth.



3. This is a very good, precise and exhaustive work of proof not only against Mormonism, but against the man that Mormons revere as a holy prophet. This book proves beyond a doubt that the Book Of Abraham is a complete and utter fallacy, and that Joseph Smith either lied to his congregation, or was led by some sort of mental or spiritual misunderstanding to write the book of Abraham. The papyrus from which the Book Of Abraham is supposedly "translated" has ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with the patriarch Abraham, and everything to do with ancient Egyptian mythology and religious ceremonies. If Mormonism is to survive this huge blow, it will have to do so without the Book Of Abraham, and indeed without the "prophet" Joseph Smith.



4. This is an excellent, eye-opening book on the history of the Mormon Church's "pearl of great price." It provides beautiful, high resolution photographs along with meticulous documentation. And, despite the complexity of the issue, the book is easy to follow. Don't be fooled by Mormon apologists. The issue is not as complicated as they would have you believe.



5. Larson, Charles M., By His Own Hand Upon Papyrus; A New Look at the Joseph Smith Papyri (Institute for Religious Research, Grand Rapids, MI, 1992, Second Printing.) This book contains factual information plus many insights all readers can benefit from.
   
   In 1835 Joseph Smith obtained some ancient papyri with hieroglyphs found wrapped in Egyptian mummies. He claimed to have supernatural ability to "translate" these hieroglyphs that no one else could then read. He said these papyri contained "The Book of Abraham" which he began to "translate" into English.
   
   Larson says, "If Joseph was correct, the Church now had before it the very work from which Genesis had been derived; nothing less than the original, first-hand journal that had been kept by Father Abraham himself. And this account... not only cast new light on the background and experiences of the great biblical patriarch, it also gave scriptural authority to a number of the new doctrines and teachings Joseph had recently introduced." (p. 18).
   
   The "new doctrines" included plural marriage, the plurality of gods, the eternal priesthood, the pre-existence of spirits, eternal progression (we will become gods), etc. Larson says,"...the value of the Book of Abraham was incalculable. It could never be laid aside without forfeiting some of that Church's most sacred and distinctive doctrines. ...in October of 1880, it was officially canonized by unanimous vote at a session of the Church's semiannual General Conference in Salt Lake City." (p. 23).
   
   After Joseph Smith's tragic and untimely death in 1844, his papyri collection passed into the hands of his widow, and it was later thought to have been destroyed in the Chicago Fire, so the papyri were no longer available for inspection during the later decades when controversies raged about the credibility of the Book of Abraham and Joseph Smith's ability to translate Egyptian hieroglyphics. But in 1966 some of these original papyri were discovered in the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the controversy over the Book of Abraham moved into a critical new phase. Mormonism potentially faced a real "identity crisis."
   
   "The stage was finally set for resolving the long, puzzling story of the Book of Abraham papyri....All the requirements for validation which LDS Church apologists and the critics had insisted on for the last hundred years had been met. The question of whether or not Joseph Smith was telling the truth could at last be determined. But more was at stake than Joseph Smith's reputation; more even than the validity of the Book of Abraham. Hanging in the balance was the entire religious system established by Joseph Smith. Mormonism could at last be proven to be either true or false." (p. 53.)
   
   When several leading experts in Egyptian hieroglyphics were allowed to read these papyri, they all said they were common Egyptian funeral texts. Joseph Smith's "translation" in his "Book of Abraham" has no literal relation to what these "funeral texts" really say! This was no longer simply the old question of whether Joseph Smith plagiarized the Book of Mormon from Solomon Spaulding or other authors, but now the question was whether Smith had perpetrated a deception in creating an extra-biblical "Book of Abraham" to support his "new doctrines"! The story of how Mormons reacted to this fundamental crisis in Mormonism is objectively reported by author Larson in considerable detail.
   
   "All is well--Creating an Appearance. Just as the level of exposure to the subject of the Joseph Smith Papyri varies among Latter-day Saints, so also do their responses to the controversy. Most know little about it, some have come across a few conflicts, yet choose not to investigate them, and still others find themselves considering one or more of the various `intellectual' approaches discussed previously. It is interesting that it seems to matter little to Mormon belief which of these categories the individual member falls into.
   
   "Lack of awareness of the whole papyri issue helps perpetuate the traditional understanding of the Book of Abraham' origins. Confusion, on the other hand, can be a highly effective means of preventing questions from becoming too critical when problems are encountered. A person who finds a topic very confusing will often suspend judgment and keep right on believing in whatever he hopes is true." (p. 141).
   
   "Trust in a system will also help sustain a person through confusion until he reaches a point of no longer caring whether an answer is reasonable or not, or indeed, whether an answer even exists. It is not surprising, then, that the LDS Church heavily stresses the absolute necessity of trusting its system and leadership. Members are taught, for instance, that praying to know the truthfulness of a matter is a more sure way of determining its validity than thoughtful examination of the evidence. But in so doing, the very evidence God has provided to steer us to truth may be ignored
   
   "Contributing to the confusion is the fact that there is no `official' answer from the LDS Church that addresses the issues raised by the discovery of the Joseph Smith Papyri. ... In the absence of official answers from LDS authorities, those with questions are left with only the efforts of the various apologists to provide solutions. Under these circumstances it is not surprising that occasional contradictions occur where a variety of approaches are used to give the impression that `all is well.' ... It appears that the primary reason most LDS articles of an apologetic nature are written is to paint, at all costs, a favorable picture of the Mormon faith--one that is `faith promoting.' Accuracy and credibility seem to be distinctly secondary matters. ...
   
   
   "'Nothing has changed.' This is the approach the casual reader of Mormon apologetic literature on the Book of Abraham is most likely to encounter. It is calculated to create the impression that the traditional viewpoint remains intact, almost as though the Metropolitan papyri collection had never come to light, and no questions or problems have ever arisen as a result.
   
   "This technique is especially common in the popular, non-academic books that are intended to present a favorable overview of Mormonism. These books generally contain a great deal of fluff, but little substance, and are often marked by serious inaccuracies and misrepresentations, as well as the omission of controversial details. Specific mention of newer material likely to challenge traditional perceptions is studiously avoided, and older works undergo only minor revisions, or none at all. (pp. 142-143).
   
   "Not long ago certain General Authorities, in particular Apostle Boyd K. Packer, criticized a number of prominent Mormon writers and historians for what he termed an `exaggerated loyalty to the theory that everything must be told.' Packer felt that an objective approach to Church history `may unwittingly be giving `equal time' to the adversary' since it `may be read by those not mature enough for `advanced history,' and a testimony in seedling stage may be crushed.' Elder Packer went on to insist that the role of Mormon historians ought to be mainly to demonstrate and affirm that `the hand of the Lord [has been] in every hour and every moment of the Church from its beginning till now.' In effect, LDS writers were being told that they should produce only an accommodation history that would exclude anything not `faith promoting.' (p. 146).
   
   "The Criteria for Rationalization. At this point one might wonder how Latter-day Saints can be aware of these things and still maintain belief and trust in the Book of Abraham, and through it, the entire Mormon belief system?
   
   "The key word here, of course, is aware. As has been noted earlier, many Mormons are relatively uninformed of any controversy concerning the validity of the Book of Abraham; or if they become aware controversy exists, will tend to fall back on the trust they have in their system, and avoid further investigation.
   
   "Of course, there are some LDS members who are more active, and there are various reasons why members become active. Commitment to any group or cause can be inspired by a number of personal factors which may have little or nothing to do with having a `testimony' that the cause is true. These factors usually come down to vested interests, such as cultural preference, a sense of appreciation for tradition, family relationships, economic advantage, a desire to exercise authority, or even a feeling of superiority brought on by being part of a select group (these are certainly significant values, but they should never cause us to compromise eternal truths). Given enough vested interests, we often simply do not care whether an objection is valid or not. They have what they want, are comfortable with it, and do not wish to be disturbed. This can hold true within any group; it is an altogether human condition. ...
   
   "In the first case, confidence in the system leads to trust in God; in the second, trust in God causes faith in the system. Either will produce sincerity, but in both cases what makes this sincerity valid and vital is the person's trust in God. This trust in God needs to be recognized as a matter that is separate from the issue of whether or not the LDS Church is true. Until a Latter-day Saint grasps this distinction, he will usually be reluctant to question the validity of the Church as an organization, for fear of threatening his relationship with God.
   
   "But to respond constructively to issues that challenge our existing views, we must meet three conditions:
   1.We must be knowledgeable of the objective evidence in the controversy. ... But since we sometimes allow feelings and emotions to overrule incontestable facts, a further quality is necessary.
   2.We must be reasonable enough to consider the implications involved. God has given us the faculty of reason as a means of discerning truth and error. An examination of the facts is not a threat to true faith. A person who closes his mind to issues he is uncomfortable with and refuses to allow for the existence of any possibility other than his own attitude of `I am right--what I want to be so is so,' is running roughshod over the God-given gift of human reason. Such a person cannot expect others to respect his position. More importantly, he runs the risk of being deceived by counterfeit spiritual claims. [See John 3:18-21; 2 Thess. 2:3-12, 15.] But there is also a final ingredient.
   3.We must be honest enough with ourselves to care about what the truth really is, even if it goes against what we want. The desire to accept and act upon the truth must outweigh any vested interests.
   
   "Those who do not apply these standards to investigating controversy must resort to rationalizing, rather than facing reality." (pp. 161-163)
   
   "Sometime during the mid-1850s ...an LDS Apostle named Orson Pratt confidently laid a dramatic challenge before the world:
   `...convince us of our errors of doctrine , if we have any, by reason, by logical arguments, or by the Word of God, and we will be ever grateful for the information, and you will have the pleasing reflection that you have been instruments in the hands of God of redeeming your fellow beings from the darkness which may see enveloping their minds.'
   
   "Orson Pratt was no doubt confident that a successful case against the claims of Mormonism would never be presented because one simply did not exist. Over a century-and-a-half of close scrutiny, though, has proven the opposite to be the case. It is this fact which probably best explains why the contemporary LDS Church has shifted from the bold, confrontational stance of Pratt's day, to one of cautioning members to `rely on faith and not historical fact' (see article on p. 170). The message coming from LDS spokesmen today appears to be more and more of accommodation: If facts fail to justify faith (what one wishes to believe), then faith should overrule facts. This sort of thinking is evasive, and must be set aside if any real reckoning with the facts is to take place.
   
   "But going back to Pratt, the challenge he made is a valid one, and the tendency of contemporary LDS figures to rationalize away problems instead of confronting them only underlines the fact that serious problems do exist. If error or falsehood within a religious system exists, it should be exposed, and using reason and the Word of God to do so makes a great deal of sense. Exposing error is the right thing to do, as only good can be the ultimate result of people learning the truth.
   
   "We are not only justified, then, in examining the evidences challenging the truth of the Book of Abraham which God has graciously allowed to come forth, we are firmly obligated to do so. And it is quite possible that the case against the Book of Abraham is the strongest evidence ever provided to test the truthfulness of Joseph Smith's claims."(p. 170-171)
   
   "'To a professional historian, for example, the recent translation of the Joseph Smith papyri may well represent the potentially most damaging case against Mormonism since its foundation. Yet the `Powers That Be' at the Church Historian's Office should take comfort in the fact that the almost total lack of response to this translation is uncanny proof of Frank Kermode's observation that even the most devastating acts of disconfirmation will have no effect whatever upon true believers. Perhaps an even more telling response is that of the `liberals,' or cultural Mormons. After the Joseph Smith papyri affair, one might well have expected a mass exodus of these people from the Church. Yet none has occurred. Why? Because cultural Mormons, of course, do not believe in the historical authenticity of the Mormon scriptures in the first place. So there is nothing to disconfirm.'" (p. 236, quoting a Mormon writer named Klaus Hansen.)

5 comments about Mormon Country (Second Edition).

1. Yes, Stegner has a beautiful gift of words. His love for the area is very well described in fun folk lore and historical legends that form Utah's rich heritage and history. Stegner claims to be a historian, giving credit to several other great Utahan and Western historians like Bernard De Voto.

   But in his presentation of an attempt to explain the area and its unique people, he conveniently leaves out facts about historical events, like polygamy or tragedies like the Mountain Meadow Massacre.

   Stegner is not a member of the church but pretends to be an expert or an authority. This view is misleading and the reader needs to be cautioned to view the book as opinion and satire. Stegner's growing up in the Salt Lake City area, but not being a member of the majority has led to many tensions. His commentary or tensions include his being against the LDS Church organization, which he uses only its nickname, "Mormon," against his love and admiration for what the people in the church have overcome, adjusted to, and have achieved.

   Stegner loves the land and unique stories describing the culture, but he is not an authority, knowing everything. He is just one man trying to represent hundreds of thousands, not to mention it was written about 60 years ago, he writes well, but not objectively at all.

   This is a collection of stories, which if one know the definition of story knows it isn't always fact, it's stretched. It seems he has taken the most far-fetched or extreme stories to represent a whole of religion and society. The area is unique in many ways, with many tensions in its history. My main point in writing is to point out Stegner's personal bias and tension with the people in the area.




2. Mormon country idealizes early Mormon society. Much of this book focuses on the settling, sustaining and future of Mormon country. Once the Mormons were settled in the west, the "Gentiles" caused the Mormons hardships and were unwelcome in their towns. According to this book the Gentile was an intruder to the Mormon way of life. The author, Stegner, documents many unsuccessful attempts the gentiles made to settle in the west and over power the Mormons. Not until the ends of the book were any positive things said about Gentiles, some of who were detrimental influences in the west. In the beginning of the book the bias is strongly towards Mormons. As the reading continues it becomes more difficult to pinpoint Stegners bias. He speaks highly of non Mormons and their contribution to the west. I believe he admired the Mormon way of life, but understood that other ways of life exist that are as equally successful.

   I believe that Stegners is bias towards Mormon society. It is clear that he esteems their ability to survive, endure and believe. His writing also shows that he understood that it was not only Mormons who settled the region. He speaks with respect about the endeavors of the gentile and the Mormon in different parts of the book. He has the ability to look at an event objectively and the ability to look at it judgmentally. It all depends upon the issue. The overall goal of the book is to show people to the history of Mormon society by exposing the past. Many Mormon authors would not include the Mountain Meadow massacre in their historical writing. The fact that Stegner did shows that he is objective. The book paints a clear picture of early Mormon life through the eyes of the Mormon.
   
   Mormon Country is an opinioned and colorful depiction of the western history. The author was not trained in history, but he enjoyed and studied it. There are many parts of this book that were offensive, judgmental and ignorant. Other parts had beautiful, nonbiased descriptions of places, events and lives. It was difficult to swallow some of the topics discussed, but overall the book was well done. It is important to Utah history because it presents both small and large events to the reader. Because the book was written in 1942 it represents an old world view of the west. It is beneficial to obtain this point of view because it increases our understanding and awareness of the past events. The difficulties suffered by both Mormons and Gentiles were brought to light. Joining the two perspectives allows the reader to walks away with a new, nonbiased perspective of the western frontier.




3. This book is an easy to read collection of essays and stories about the people and places in "Mormon Country". Stegner has one section of the book that deals exclusively with the Mormons and a second section that focuses in on the "Gentiles", which the name the Mormons give to non-Mormons.

   This is the fourth book I've read in recent months dealing with Mormonism (others: Jon Krakauer's "Under the Banner of Heaven", Jack Earley's "Prophet of Death", and Fawn Brodie's excellent biography of Joseph Smith, "No Man Knows My History"). I decided to read this book because it was written by Wallace Stegner and because it seemed to me to be a less sensaionalistic and lurid account of Mormon life (both Banner of Heaven and Prophet of Death dealt with Mormonism and violent crime).

   I was not dissapointed, although I can't say that I was particularly impressed, either.

   This book takes the form of 28 little stories. As you would expect, some are great and some are merely so-so. I felt like the book served as a good survey of "Mormon Country". Stories like "Arcadian Village", which describes the last gasp of Mormon collectivism and "Chief of the Islands of the Scene", which describes the conversion efforts of Walter Gibson in Hawaii, illuminate aspects of Mormon history that had heretofore escaped me.

   Because the book itself was written in the 40's, many of the interviews Stegner conducted consisted of "old timers" talking about events from the late 1800's and early 1900's. This gives the book a "living history" quality that is, in my opinion, it's most outstanding attribute.

   Stegner is certainly sympathetic to Mormon society. His story "the Fossil Remains of an Idea", which is a genial account of polygamy in Short Creek (now Colorado City), was shocking in its good natured attitude towards polygamy. That is about the ONLY thing which can be said to be "shocking" about this book.

   This is a good background resource for readers interested in pursuing self-study of Mormon society.




4. This book consists of several essays that address various facets of Mormon history and Mormon culture, especially in the West and in Utah, though many of the things Stegner writes about aren't Mormon at all but just take place in predominantly Mormon areas.
   The author touches on the interesting Deseret alphabet--a bizarre, phonetic alphabet that Mormon leader Brigham Young tried to get all Mormons to learn--on missing artist-explorer Everett Ruess, on the settlements along the Colorado River, and on the effects Mormon culture had on local Indian tribes.
   Stegner seems to really like and admire the Mormons, though he was never one himself, and his book is almost always fair, and at times even loving, to them.
   This is an enjoyable read for anyone interested in these parts of the West, particularly in Utah and the Colorado Plateau. It's also well indexed and can be easily used as a reference. It's one of Stegner's best, for sure.



5. Prof. Stegner has written an objective and informative book on Mormon ideas and how they are practiced in Utah. Although a non-Mormon, his respect for his subjects has rightfully gained their confidence on many topics. Yet, this is not a "white-wash". Mr. Stegner combined history and contemporary practices to provide a very insightful presentation of this intriguing society.