2 comments about Colorado City Polygamists: An Inside Look for the Outsider.

1. Ben Bistline's history of the First Ward of Colorado City is unique excursion into a secretive group dedicated to a non-mainstream set of beliefs and practice. The Colorado City Polygamists is the shorter version of this history and is more suited to the general (and in particular) non-LDS reader. While a background in restorationist religious history is useful it is not essential to enjoying this insider view of the Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints (or FLDS). The book is full of names and events of the 20th century development of a utopian group dedicated to a practice now shunned by the mainstream LDS church. For a student of American utopian experiments this story has the typical and sad end of most American experiments in group living with the rise of charismatic and erratic leader leading the people into the wilderness in the nominal pursuit of purity and truth. Do not look for sensational from this book but a respectful yet tough telling of the inside religious story of a eccentric group of American utopians.



2. This is a very interesting book which helps explain why the polygamists believe what the do. It would have been helpful if there was a guide that stated the various peoples names and who they are.

5 comments about Inside the World of Warren Jeffs: The Power of Polygamy.

1. Using Warren Jeffs' name in title was a cheap trick -- inside you'll find a total of maybe 3 pages about jeffs. Author seems to know very little about him and intead filled the book with relatively dull stories of Mormon fundamentalists. Steven Singular's new book, When Men Become Gods, really tells the story of Warren Jeffs and is a much better read. If you like stories of the lives of Mormon fundamentalists. I recommend Irene Spencer's Shattered Dreams and Carolyn Jessup's Escape -- all well-written page-turners.



2. Dear Professor Western:
   
   I LOVED YOUR BOOK. My teacher says it was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize.
   I have read a lot of books on polygamy, but I liked yours the best of all because it talks about all kinds of polygamous groups in America. It really is a different "world". I intend to do my research paper on your study. I was sorry to hear that some polygamous people are giving you a hard time for telling the truth. I THINK THE MEDIA AND EVERYBODY SHOULD READ THIS BOOK BECAUSE IT SO DIFFERENT FROM THE OTHER 'ESCAPE' TYPE BOOKS. It explains why polygamist men behave like they do, and all their different doctrines--fascinating. Keep up the good work, I learned a lot. - Thanks Rick.



3. I could not put this book down. I ordered it in a time where polygamy was all over the news. A ranch down in Texas was raided & 400+ children taken out of there, with only 100+ mothers. I thought this book really gave you a great idea of what it was like to live believing in this horrible religion of FDLS. It is sickening. I found it to be horrifying that young boys are tossed out of the community as to not be "competition" with the old men for the child bearing women!! I can't even believe there are people in the world that would believe this type of thing, but this book really gave me an understaing first hand of what it really is like. As a woman, you are basically stuck, you have no rights of your own, your children can be taken from you & raised as someone else's & you can be given to another husband if someone else sees fit. The "first wife" keeps track of the "sister wives" menstrual cycles, as to know when to let them sleep with her husband to produce as many children as they can. Children are abused, as are sister wives most times. Sometimes only the MAIN family eat well, dress well, etc, depending on the views of the husband. The sister wives & children eat scraps & ketchup sandwiches & wear rags, sewn together, while the first wife & their children together eat like royalty & wear new clothes. All to get a good spot in Heaven. I love this book, it is a bizarre religion, so I was in AWE alot, but it is a great inside view of their life. I read this book in 3 days flat. It was wonderful!



4. 
   While this book is worth reading, it is not about Warren Jeffs as anyone might expect from the title. While it does tell about the women in polygamy the dialog in most of these stories reads like that in a harlequin novel. Since I was expecting to learn about the life of Warren Jeffs I was disappointed.



5. First of all, this was a great book! Somewhere in the middle of the book, I went from feeling very sorry for these women, to actually being sort of mad at some of them. Some of these same women contined to find yet another Polygamy family even after leaving a horrible one.
   I feel mostly sorry for the children :(
   Great book otherwise !!

5 comments about Standing for Something: 10 Neglected Virtues That Will Heal Our Hearts and Homes.

1. Hinckley has done a masterful job of reminding us all about the basic, eternal virtues that have always been the core of righteous living. This book is a "shot-in-the-arm". After reading it I felt encouraged to look for ways I can apply these virtues in my life everyday. I'd recommend this book to anyone!



2. The book Standing for Something by President Gordon B. Hinckley, who is also the Prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Standing for Something starts off with a foreword by Mike Wallace talking a little bit about the life of Gordon B. Hinckley, and then leads into the main part of the book where Gordon B. Hinckley talks about the "10 Neglected Virtues That Will Heal Our Hearts and Homes." President Hinckley has written many other inspirational books such as Stand a Little Taller: Counsel and Inspiration for Each Day of the Year, and Way to Be! 9 Ways to Be Happy and Make Something of Your Life. Standing for Something is full of great quotes and stories that attempt to enrich the readers' life.
   In this book Gordon B. Hinckley uses many stories in order to enrich his 10 values. For example he explains to us in the first chapter that love is a binding force that can bring people together, and that it is, "the only force that can erase differences between people (pg. 3)." He also goes on to say that "love is the very essence of life (pg. 3)" President Hinckley tells of a story of an oddly matched couple, both attending the same university. He tells us about the boy, who was a poor boy who lived on a farm, whose seemingly only redeeming quality was his work ethic. He tells of a girl, from a wealthy family who is pretty and wears nice clothing. They meet and somehow make something out of their differences. He tells of some of their struggles and how they overcome them.
   Another good example of a story he tells is in the next chapter on honesty. He gives some thoughts on what honesty is and some tips on how to try to include it into our daily lives, and some other examples of how it will help us. Gordon B. Hinckley then tells of a story his father told him when he was a boy. It tells about how two boys were going to trick a man but ended up doing a nice deed for him instead, which ended up benefitting the man and making the boys feel good about themselves. If they had tried to deceive the man by hiding his shoes from him, they would have ended up in a bad situation, rather than helping him out, even anonymously.
   In the chapter where Gordon B. Hinckley teaches the value of optimism, there is another good story. He teaches us about having a good attitude towards things and always try to be positive. He says that being negative is never a good thing and to always look for the best in things. He leads into a story about him and his father, where he was being critical of something and his father taught him about being optimistic and about not being cynical about things, but trying to make the best of the situation. The stories that President Hinckley includes with his 10 values help to emphasize them, and give them greater meaning.
   The next thing Gordon B. Hinckley uses in this book is the use of quotes by famous and other prestigious people. In the chapter where he teaches us morality, he uses a quote by Channing Pollock, a writer in the early 1900's, to help highlight some of the concepts of morality. "A world which believed in purity... would be a very different world, but a grand place to live in. (pg. 51)" That quote basically sums up the entirety of almost the entire book, but does an excellent job of stressing the chapter's theme of trying to be moral.
   In the chapter where Gordon B. Hinckley explains the virtue of learning continuously, there is a quote by Dr. Joshua Liebman, a Rabbi in the early 1900's which is used to help emphasize the rest of the chapter. "The great thing is that as long as we live we have the privilege of growing. We can learn new skills, engage in new kinds of work, devote ourselves to new causes, and make new friends. Accepting then the truth that we are capable in some directions and limited in others, that genius is rare, that mediocrity is the portion of most of us, let us remember that we can and must change ourselves. Until the day of our death we can grow. We can tap hidden resources in our makeup. (pg. 77)" The rest of this chapter Gordon B. Hinckley explains that learning throughout all of our lives is a gift, and we should take advantage of it. I think the quote that he used was in good place and works well.
   In conclusion I think that the use of stories as well as quotes gives Standing for Something a lot of extra emphasis on the values which are outlined by President Hinckley. While this book isn't an exciting, action packed book, I feel that it is a great book with a lot of great inspirational value with great things to learn from it.



3. I was raised by great parents who taught me most of these virtues, not only by teaching, but also by example; so I know that they work. As with most people, I find myself lacking and find that I need reminders from time to time of these basic principles of happiness. Gordon B. Hinckley has done a great job of articulating and providing a compelling argument for these ten virtues. It has caused me to reflect on my life and make resolutions to improve where I need to, and to teach my children those same things. Any book that does this for me is worth reading.
   
   I also loved his discussion on the guardians of virtue; marriage and family. I agree that the secret to a great society is to have strong families anchored by a strong marriage. I strongly recommend this book for anyone willing to be reminded of such important points.



4. If more people followed the ideas in this book, the world would be a better place, filled with better people, and thus a more pleasant place to live!



5. Wonderful! Being happy doesn't have to be so complicated. This book is so well written. I use it as a reference often. I also use it to cheer me up. It reminds me not to get caught up in the world. I have given this as a gift many times. Thank you. Mr. Hinckley. It was fabulous!

5 comments about A Train to Potevka.

1. I have read many of the previous reviews for this book, and sense a very polarized view point. Read it if you wish to learn of experiences of someone sent undercover to Russia, his subsequent escape, and how experiences along the way changed his attitude, humbled him, and increased his appreciation of those things we take for granted every day. As I read it, I was thinking -- this would make a great movie. I understand that movie rights have been given. Can't wait!



2. I've never read a book quite like Mike Ramsdell's A Train to Potevka, but by the time I was up to page ten or so, I was captivated. I just had to know what was going to happen to Ramsdell, an American intelligence agent from a small town in the Rockies whose career took him all over the world and involved him in exciting, rewarding, and sometimes scary situations.
   
   His description of the escape from attackers and the subsequent journey across the Siberian Railway despite serious injury is graphic and compelling. Imagine a five-day train ride with no seats ( just hard benches on either side), one bathroom shared by over 60 people, freezing temperatures, no hot water, awful smells like sour cabbage and foul body, and extreme hunger and fatigue. That was Ramsdell's experience as he made his way to a safe house, only to find that there was no food there; nor was there food to be found in the desolate community. All of this took place in the midst of the worst snow storm in 50 years.
   
   Ramsdell manages to combine Russian history and facts with memories about his own life experiences, thus making the book both educational and personal. I learned all sorts of new terms like apparatchiks and gulag and refreshed my memory about the Cold War. Reading about his early life in Utah, his relationship with his son, and his romance with his future wife were all the more interesting when juxtaposed with the suspense and drama of his Russian experiences.
   
   There were lots of highlights in Ramsdell's experiences, and it's gratifying to note that he has the ability to recognize and appreciate them. I'm still wondering how his sister's package arrived on Thanksgiving. Coincidence? I doubt it, and so does Ramsdell. And the McDonald's experience with the Mormon missionaries was awesome.
   
   If you want to feel hope, excitement, and love along with a rush of adrenaline, read this book.



3. I appreciate that the author served our country. The book seems to go nowhere, it drones on and on. I was given a signed copy of the book and I felt cheated. At a penny the book is over priced and your time is better spent doing something else. I thru my copy of the book away it was so bad.



4. My daughter's book group read this book and she passed it on to me. I found the story very interesting and I had a hard time putting it down for two days. Although he is a first-time author, and you can tell, I found myself drawn into the story so much that I could feel the cold of the Russian winter. I wouldn't classify it as a "spy thriller" but more as a memoir of a significant experience in the author's life complete with his feelings and reflections during the time of the story. I did like the background information on Russia interspersed throughout the book. I also wonder how the box got there and although it seems far-fetched, stranger things have happened. Thanks for a good read. Are you going to tell us what happened to Sasha?



5. This book was written by an American Military Veteran, with a detailed perspective of the History of the Soviet Union. It is a treasure of information about real day to day relationships of the Soviet people and their government. Although names and place have been somewhat fictionalized, the meat of the story gives any reader a perspective into Soviet living.
   At one point the primary character in the story finds himself in a desperate situation, starving and unable to find food in a town that is between to major USSR cities. The town is almost completely vacant, yet personal virtues prevent him from stealing food from the vacated homes, which is actually one of the first thoughts I had when I read the town was empty. Even more intriguing is the reason the town is empty.
   Every American citizen should at least read the first few pages of this book just to see how and why economies can fail, our own economy is suffering - for example is the Soviet Union bent on making America feel the pain it felt or worse, and how might this happen.
   As a former military veteran myself, I find this book is powerful for uniting people to prevent a similar demise that destroyed a nation. Those who are so petty as to limit their perspective on the man's religion, are exactly the same kinds of perspectives that made Russia an Atheist state.
   Kudos to the Author - This story had to be told, now what about Sasha?

5 comments about Out of Mormonism: A Woman's True Story.

1. Not particularly riveting, as books go, but it is certainly good to read for one's self.
   
   If you were disappointed by this book, why not read what Thomas Stuart Ferguson wrote to the LDS church at the end of his career.



2. I want everyone who is teeter-tottering on whether the LDS church is for them or not to understand this story.
   
   Forget JS marrying a bunch of teenagers, forget about the uneasy history of Mormonism, forget about DNA and the Book of Mormon, and the contradicting doctrines. All churches have these things in common to some degree.
   
   The most screwed up thing about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the way it treats it's own members and families. It claims to be pro family, but it splits up families and screws with people's lives. It makes them pay large sums of money in order to see a loved one's wedding. It takes, and takes, and takes. Whether it is your time, money, or sanity. It sucks you dry and does not give back anything of value except some pipe dream of a perfect afterlife. An afterlife which the church makes you feel is impossible to obtain, and uses this to heap unnecessary guilt upon it's members.
   
   It's not the doctrine that makes the church a damaging cult. It's the way they screw their members over. Such as not letting a father attend his child's wedding unless he pays $4000 in back tithing. He had to get a bank loan to do this.



3. This story is fine as long as you keep in mind that it is just one woman's perspective. I also grew up Mormon and left the church when I was 27. I do not share her ideas that Mormons are worshipping Lucifer and are a part of a cult. I know them to be good people who are very much living for God. Her descriptions of rituals are all right on as are her feelings a woman goes through as she tries to maintain the perfection the church requires. But not all of us go from Mormon to born-again Christian - so this book is probably for you if you are headed to born-again Christianity.



4. Ths exposes the secret Mormon teachings which the neatly--dressed Brighamite missionaries will not tell you about. They're instructed "meat before milk" so, they won't tell you the surreal teachings, which diverge wildly from traditional Christianity, such as (1)the idea that a man may become Exalted and get to be a God ruling his own planet, while he and his wife or wives get to crank out Spirit Children to inhabit the human bodies on the planet. Nor (2)the idea that God was once such a man. (This (2) is in direct contradiction to Bible passages such as: "the Father of lights, with whom there is no alteration or shadow caused by change." --James 1:17 (NAB))
   
   The book documents each unusual teaching it exposes with authoritative references to books by Brighamite LDS "Church" officials. such as "Apostle" Bruce R. McConkie's Mormon Doctrine, and the collected sermons of Church President Joseph Fielding Smith: Doctrines of Salvation: Sermons and Writings. Another good reference is Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith
   
   It was fascinating; I couldn't put it down.
   
   It has inspired me to do Bible reading more frequently. Thank you, Judy.



5. This book makes so many wild claims about Mormonism, I am surprised anyone can take it seriously.
   The author is a bitter and vengeful woman who willingly became involved in a religion that she didn't even believe in the first place and eventually left because she could not handle her commitments. She uses extremely misinterpreted Bible verses to back up her beliefs that the Mormon church is untrue. On top of this, she creates an anti-Mormon organization with the intent to indoctrinate Christians with false beliefs about the Mormon church - AND her family's income comes out of this organization ... hmmmmm.
   The book falsely claims that Mormons believe that God has multiple wives, that woman's duty on Earth is to have as many babies as possible, that God literally impregnated Mary, and that God is progressive and changing. All of these are untrue statements and I wonder how she could possibly believe those things, having been an LDS member for 7 years.
   The overall tone is sarcastic, spiteful and condescending to the Mormon way of life from page 1. The writing is so forced and the dialog so unnatural that I believe she has made up a lot of conversations that take place in the book.
   I can't help wondering if God would want one of his children to be so negative and hateful to a group of good people who mean harm to no one.
   
   If you are curious about the Mormon church, then please attend church services or read the Book of Mormon. This woman has an agenda and it makes me incredibly sad to know that people may believe her writings.

2 comments about Mormon Scientist: The Life and Faith of Henry Eyring.

1. Henry Eyring fused science and religion. He never felt that his faith and profession were at odds. On the contrary, he felt that science enhanced his faith, and vice versa. I was impressed not only with Dr. Eyring's profession of faith and science, but I was amazed at his level of active involvement in each of them. He led Mormon congregations and scientific organizations, gave faith-promoting talks and wrote ground-breaking scientific papers.
   
   The organization of the book is refreshing for a biography. As the author says in the Introduction, "Rather than proceeding chronologically through his life, we'll look first at the things he accomplished (his Legacy), then at the family experiences that shaped him (Heritage), and then at the unusual way he thought (Paradoxes). We will close with a section called Testament, in which Henry bears witness to those things of greatest importance."
   
   This book not only gives insight into the life and mind of a world-renonwned scientist, but proves that a person does not have to choose science or religion -- both "disciplines" can be embraced.



2. In response to "science?" I'd like to respectfully point out that Dr. Henry Eyring was nominated several times for the Nobel Prize due to his scientific work which is still included in current scientific textbooks due to its relevancy and usefulness.
   
   This book is about an incredible scientist and how he not only contributed to our world scientifically, but how he also believed strongly in God and Christ and remained true to, and active in, his religious beliefs as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
   
   For those who read this book, I hope you do so to see how a person can believe in the importance of science and that this world was created by a loving God who wants us to learn to understand it. If evolution was used to create all life on earth, or not, is really only known to the Creator of us all, Who also knows the truthfulness, or falseness, of statements made by each of us about ourselves and others.

5 comments about Riders of the Purple Sage (Modern Library Classics).

1. There are two basic styles of English prose. One is that of Dashiell Hammett - short words, short sentences, short paragraphs, short chapters, short novels. The other basic style is that of Charles Dickens - long passages of minute, detailed description. Zane Grey wrote in this second style, and he did it very well indeed. The American West comes alive in the pages of this book, a true classic. Calling this "purple prose" is like calling the music of the Grateful Dead "boogie" - it's a putdown that doesn't really mean anything. (Incidentally, a Grateful Dead offshoot band, New Riders of the Purple Sage, was named after this book.) Just as Alice chased a rabbit into Wonderland, so Venters chases a rabbit into Surprise Valley. He discovers true spirituality in the natural world and in other people - not in organized, denominational religion. The theme of this novel is that tyrannical fanaticism - religious and/or political - is dangerous and wrong. Grey was not specifically anti-Mormon. In fact, some of his Mormon charactors were good people. He was against any religious system that was out of control in its lust for power. Think of todays' "religious right", or for that matter, Islamic extremism. Grey would have disliked both.



2. I'm not much of a "Western" reader. But, this was Zane Grey's first book so I thought I'd give it a try. It turned out to be an interesting story. I "read" it as a book on tape. The reader of the book on tape was able to change his voice for each character so the result was like a "radio play". Very enjoyable!
   Email:boland7214@aol.



3. One of the first Westerns, with plenty of action and the romance of the west. It features a rugged individual with a dark past, an independent and hardy woman who is in trouble and a cast of other interesting characters.
   
   I think one of the reasons why we don't hear more about it is that most of the villians in this tale are ... (wait for it) ... Mormons. So there is probably some pressure in various publishing houses, etc not to promote it. Zane Grey paints the LDS group here as patriarchal, polygamous ruffians. You would guess that an early Western would use Native Americans, not Mormons, as the villians.
   
   Anyway, if you are not offended by the choice of bad guys, it's a good story.



4. I thought the movie was very good, so I bought the book.
   The book has the little girl Fay who isn't in the movie.
   The details about the Mormons in this era were in the book as well, but not the movie.
   I have read books considered classic in English and European literature
   that aren't as good as this one!
   With this book the American western became literature.



5. The word Lassiter is a name synonymous with gunslinger, hard-edged men with no fear and little room for mercy and love. But when a particular Lassiter entangles himself in the lives of a small Mormon border village, among the purple sage wilderness of Utah, it is anything but slow or dull.
   
   The plot is very complex, blending romance and love, adventure, religion, mystery, suspense, hero mythology, rough and tumble adventure, introspection of man's frailty, and the blind and honest realizations that life, when the moment is right and with right people, becomes more than it could have been.
   
   What Grey does is incredible, both describing the Utah canyons and sage fields with such vividness and detail; and weaving an intricate tale into an epic odyssey of four people, richly depicted and alive: Jane Withersteen, a devout and wealthy Mormon gradually comes to question the churchmen whom she put so much faith in, who are slowly and sneakily trying to break her by taking away everything she loves. Bern Venters, a young Gentile who is caste out, a hunted and marked man who sheds his youthful fervor when he shoots then saves the life of a young innocent girl, Bess. And then, there is Lassiter, a man haunted and wrath-filled by the disappearance of his sister and the loneliness of his trade, has roamed for over ten years to find out what became of her, arriving just in time to meet Jane and save the life of Venters. But when he meets Jane...everything changes. In fact, all gradually change, become so much more as each meet their opposite and struggle, their stories which are told with such care, it will make you heart pound and react TO THEM. It's wonderful! Have you ever read a book where you're shouting at the characters: 'Don't do that!' or 'Why can't believe him!?!'? Grey evokes imagery and emotion, drawing in the reader, forcing them to interact, react and feel as the characters do.
   
   While the there is a strong negative representation on Mormanism, it is not the religion itself that is denounced but the men who abuse that belief in order to control others. It is more about true belief in people and what it means to believe, for oneself, versus domination and subjugation of its followers and the harsh punishment of those who do not belong, i.e., the Gentiles. This is a concept that is universal, so please, please don't be offended or come into the story with bias. Remember: this book was written in 1912, and is both a relfection of the times, some history of the area and also, it is an extremly integral vehicle for the plot and an important impetus of change.
   
   Some one commented that the dialogue wasn't good. Heed his opinion with caution, please. While the venacular and style can be distracting, the words are magnetic, the meaning moving. In a way, the dialogue is Grey's own way of further describing and individualizing each character. It adds texture and layers of meaning to words and discussions that are relevant and modern. Give it a chance--Really! I never marked so many places in a book to write down, and remember.
   
   I can't express how incredible this book was, it was truly an experience and for someone who has never liked westerns, in any shape or form, I couldn't put this down. But it is not a book to read quickly or skim over. If you can't put the time in, wait until you can invest effort to reading it, because if you read it fast, you'll dislike it for sure. Read READ this book!

5 comments about Kingdom of the Cults, The.

1. A wonderful illustration for those not wishing to approve or condemn other religions, but simply to compare them with true Christianity as written in the Bible.



2. Speaking as someone who has spent my entire life, since first becoming interested in Christianity and all its sects when I was 8 and got my first Bible from my grandparents, studying all the different faiths I could find the material study - including reading "Science and Health" and "The Book of Mormon" in their entirety - I feel that "The Kingdom of the Cults" commits two cardinal sins that all should strive to avoid in their study of religions.
   
   The first is gauging religions based on something else, instead of taking them on their own merits. This books tells its reader, "Here is the doctrine of a certain faith and here is why it doesn't make any sense at all." You are denied the ability to understand what actually supports opposing faiths because each one is measured based on its distance from (and I hesitate to use this word) "orthodox" Christianity. All you learn from this style of critique is why you do not believe in a certain faith, and even then this is achieved by the author repeating things you already know about your own faith (or at least the author's faith).
   
   The second is not taking the religions seriously. In order to understand a religion you must pay it the initial respect of taking it seriously. If you don't, how could you possibly understand what the adherents of a certain faith believe? They do not take their faith as a joke, or as false, or as a hoax, so how could you possibly present a religion in that light and claim that it is a true representation? If you present this new-found knowledge to someone who practices one of these faiths, they will disagree with you and not just because you are insulting their faith, but because honestly, that is NOT WHAT THEY BELIEVE.
   
   One of my friends was able to summarize the content of the book this way, "Reading `The Kingdom of the Cults' to try to gain an understanding of those faiths is like studying the rear end of an elephant to try to gain an understanding of the elephant."
   
   I know that this has been a lengthy review, so I do not want to dwell on my final criticism very long, especially because it has already been voiced many times. This book also lacks factual and logical accuracy. As a brief, simple illustration I will take a comment that was made on Mary Baker Eddy. Of all religions mentioned in this book, I am most familiar with Christian Science and Christian Scientists. Martin writes, "...contrary to the claims of Christian Scientists that Eddy always enjoyed robust health..." I know no Christian Scientist who believes that Mary Baker Eddy enjoyed anything near `robust health.' It is a commonly accepted fact that she was extremely ill, nigh on invalid for much of her life. I know this is a small and extremely limited example, but it's clearly and completely wrong and it doesn't take any great debate of theology to explain. If you chose to believe that a book would only contain errors and false comments with a clear intent to discredit a belief in marginal comments, then that is your prerogative.
   
   I'm not even going to touch the labeling every non-Christian Fundamentalist religion in the world a cult issue.



3. I originally bought this book years ago. And, I recently bought it for several members of our bible study. A well researched book on the different sects claiming to call themselves Christians. Bible based, factual, contains infomation to understand why their belief systems stand. It doesn't preach hate or ridicule, only gives the facts. Great book!



4. This book is very good for those who really want to know about how cults work and were created. Being a young Christian man, I have always wondered how many cults I have heard about started, and also how they have used and twisted Biblical scriptures to help support what they do. The book talks about many religious cults and other cults that I had never heard of before. It offers supporting Biblical text to support the argument against all of the cults mentioned in the book.
   
   Reading other reviews I have seen good and bad reviews about the book. Some said it was harsh, some like it for what it is, the truth. I can logically see how a mormon or RCLDS or buddhist might take offense to the book, because it exposes the lies behind religious and some none religious cults. But reading through it, it sheds light on what people are falling for, and the founders of these cults who make money off of the lies they tell people and the information they keep from them.
   
   I recommend this book to all who want to know the truth about what or who they believe in. Better to know this info now than to live and believe lies your whole life, then on judgment day find out you were wrong.



5. Kingdom of the Cults is a must have resource for anyone dealing with religious or modern societal issues. Though the authors are slanted a bit too far to the conservative protestant fundamentalist wing to make the book a scholarly objective work, it is nonetheless a valuable and exhaustive resource on a multitude of religious movements. This is a must have for every serious professional or personal theological library.

5 comments about Leaving the Saints: How I Lost the Mormons and Found My Faith.

1. If you've read the book it reads like a foolish tale of a pretty emotionally disturbed, possibly narcissistic and paranoid person. The Mormon Church wire tapping her phone, espionage, ex-CIA operatives, death threats left and right I mean come on please... I especially loved the part of when she wanted to cut her hair to show her uber feminist pride and the male hairdresser said to call her husband and ask if it's O.K. (because male hair dressers are so patriarchal and orthodox LOL...). I have no doubt that never happened at all. It's sad, Martha was probably dealing with her own conflicts over her homosexuality and found a crack pot therapist who implanted false memories of abuse into her brain (because most crackpot therapists immediately think only sexual abuse would lead a woman to therapy). This was thankfully a brief fad that was exposed quickly before too much damage was done, but unfortunately many families were destroyed (read the book 'Mistakes were made but not by me' for a great chapter on the damage done by crackpots and implanted memories).
   
   There was a study where psychologists interviewed 10,000 holocaust surviors who were children at the time of the holocaust. Not a one had any repressed memories uncovered later about the trauma they endured, not one. In fact it was the opposite, they remembered the trauma in frightening detail, the smells, the heat, the colors of rooms from when they were only three years old. Repressed memory syndrome doesn't exist without corresponding brain trauma... No I'm not LDS, in fact I've been called an "anti-Mormon" more than once, but let's call a spade a spade here, Martha Beck has some issues and being ritualistically raped by her father isn't one of them.
   
   The book screams of unbelievability, like the entire spiel of her wondering if her new Therapist Mrs. Grant is related to a past General Authority of the same name, and this causes her great distress and she's worried she won't be able to tell her story (she worries about this often but always ends up telling everyone who will listen, rooms full of people). but in reality the womans name isn't Mrs. Grant at all, it was changed for the story making this entire diatribe completely nonsensical (the real womans name is not that of any General Authorities at all). the entire book is full of nonsense like this, from beginning to end.
   
   The near death experiences, the white light, and being filled with peppermint flavors that she knew was God, being a leaf in a stream blah blah blah come on now. This woman had so many otherwordly mystical experiences and one on ones with the all powerful God of the Universe it has to tip the reader off to the fact that the author is either pulling someones chain or disturbed. It screamed of a new age crackpot and an emotionally disturbed angry person. That's what killed me, she writes like she's at such peace with herself and the Universe, but there is this seething anger underlying everything she writes, even when laying underhanded compliments to the people in her life she is really insulting and incredibly angry at everyone. And what exactly was the faith she found? Do whatever you want and there aren't any consequences for any of your actions?
   
   Don't waste your money, I can't believe I actually finished it...



2. I am an active member of the Mormon Church, come from good old pioneer stock, was married in the temple and my Father is a former Bishop and Stake President.
   I absolutely LOVED this book. I grew up in Provo and Martha Beck has older siblings who were my age. How she described living in Utah, getting married in the temple and other aspects of being a Mormon couldn't be more accurate.
   I have also read much about SRA (satanic ritual abuse) and what Beck described in her book is identical to many other victim's memories who grew up in the Catholic Church, Jehovah's Witnesses and other religions.
   I have read John Beck's review and find it to be extremely bitter, distasteful and misleading. Martha is very kind, gracious, and complimentary to him and his parents in the book. Someone in the church (along with someone in the Nibley family) must have gotten to him. His review must have hurt Martha a great deal which I'm sure was John's intent.



3. Anyone who knows both Hugh Nibley and Martha Beck knows who is telling the truth--it isn't Mrs. Beck.



4. I'm always intimidated to write a review for a really good book because I'm afraid I won't do it justice. This woman is one hell of a writer. If her father had one half of her talent for language I can understand how, through the "apologies" he wrote, he would be able to keep people faithful to a religion that is KOOKY at best. I'm sure this story of Martha's successful journey through her dark night of the soul into true spiritual peace and understanding will be a beacon for others who have experienced any kind of personal tragedy or challenge. The insider's view of the history and workings of the Mormon Church is enough of a reason to read it.



5. I found Martha Beck's book very healing. Having grown up near Provo Utah, I could really understand and identify with the situations and challenges she talked about. Seeing Mormonism from a more objective viewpoint I could let go of some of the guilt I have felt and understand why some of the beliefs just didn't feel good.
   Thank you Martha, I can't believe you really said that.

5 comments about Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling.

1. I bought this book because I wanted to know more about Joseph Smith. I wanted to know why Mormons enthusiastically attest to their faith in him as a prophet of God. I'd done a little internet research but was frustrated by all the "noise" i.e. expressions of feeling, positive or negative, rather than fact.
   
   I learned of two books regarded seriously as historical: Bushman's Rough Stone Rolling and Fawn Brodie's No Man Know My History. Reviews say notwithstanding that both are good factual historical works both are biased: Fawn Brodie is apparently against Joseph Smith and Bushman is for Joseph Smith (Bushman is a Mormon). I haven't read Fawn Brodie's book yet and am still considering whether to or not.
   
   In Rough Stone Rolling Bushman is open about his bias. Page after page Bushman puts a spin of events in Joseph Smith's life that, despite controversy, leaves the reader thinking Joseph Smith could really be a prophet of God anyway. For example Bushman explains how Joseph as an adolescent and young man used his "gift" to try to find buried treasure. Joseph is portrayed as having a desire for wealth (owing to his family's indigent circumstances), but that this irreverent desire had to be overcome before God would allow Joseph Smith to become a prophet.
   
   In the end the reader is left to decide for themselves whether they believe Joseph Smith really did the work of God or not. I liked wondering whether it is true. I am glad I read this book. I believe I have gained a better understanding of the human condition. I recommend this book to anyone for or against Mormonism if they want more than just noise, i.e. if they want the truth.



2. Having previously read Fawn Brodie's No Man Knows My History: The Life of Joseph Smith, I read this one to get the believer's view. Bushman is at his best describing the evolution of Smith's thinking and revelations. Although the book is long, it is well written and authoritative. It gives a deeper understanding of Smith's religious philosophy than does Brodie's book.
   To his credit, Bushman confronts many of the crucial controversies surrounding Smith. From my non-believer's perspective, however, the defenses of Smith are not remotely convincing. Some examples:
   1. DNA analysis shows without question that the American Indians came from east Asia. This fact is in direct contradiction of the traditional LDS view that Native Americans are lost Israelites. Bushman argues that Smith may have been writing about a small tribe somewhere in New York, or about people outside North America altogether. Within a few pages, Bushman has forgotten about this controversy altogether, and happily describes the Book of Mormon as a history of the American Indians.
   2. Smith made the huge mistake of reproducing parts of the hieroglyphics he claims to have interpreted as the "Book of Abraham." These documents have been translated by scholars and have nothing to do with Abraham. Bushman (pp. 291-2) puts forth the argument that Smith's translation may not have been a true translation, but instead may have been a divine revelation simply inspired by the presence of the scrolls. Bushman suggests the same for the Book of Mormon. This is a truly shocking stance for an LDS believer to take: if Smith's "translations" weren't translations, why should anyone believe that his revelations were divinely inspired? Ironically, Bushman's view here sounds much like Brodie's: Not anticipating that scholars would use the Rosetta stone to translate hieroglyphics, Smith imagined that bogus translations would not be found out.
   3. Smith repeatedly lied about whether he and the Saints were practicing polygamy. Bushman's defense of Smith in this context reminds me of Bill Clinton's statements regarding Monica Lewinsky: Smith held a secret definition of the term "polygamy," and thus felt free to mislead (or lie) with impunity. The facts, as reported by both Brodie and Bushman, support the conclusion that Smith coerced women into his bed by arguing that their eternal salvation was at stake. The stain of Smith's lustful "revelation" regarding polygamy continues to haunt the LDS, which claims to recoil from earthly polygamy but argues that men (not women) get to have harems in heaven.
   Despite these complaints, I recommend this book to non-believers who are patient enough to get through it. I feel that I have much greater insight into the LDS mindset than I did before.



3. I also am studying the Mormons. Should I venture to say - studying the way God has provided a candle accross a night football field.
   
   Neuroplaticity - brain change from environment input. Brain grey/white thickness, hippocamus reshape/theta(memory - locations, scenes, color, smells, sounds), two stage memories ("visions"), pattern recognition (visions-imprint/representations)... Being a neural engineer putting probes in the ventral stream (cortex), getting image/time correlation through V1->V4. Lay speak- how does sight/sound get understood/retained?
   
   My thinking is Joeseph was on a very fast track. A lot of large stuff (Palmyra canal/ambitious family, Harmony, Harris etc., etc.) No societal concerns(read rouge?) being in poverty,but with extensivly developed genetic brain (6 generations?). I think God, please excuse the familiarity, replaced the distant candel with a spotlight strapped to his head, and used him until Joeseph burned out. He lost Emma, sad. God appears to have provided 30 vision channels, thick copper wires to Joeseph, with vision dumps.
   
   These concepts are overwhelming, even I hae a very hard time accepting this, and jumping off this cliff, letting God catch me in the responsibility net. 10 million mormons with priesthood responsibile for saving 5 billion Chinese, Hindus etc, I think I am quite comfy in my no responsibility 1 hour a week protesteant world. I can see why God cracked open the door to this lightning rod man... :)



4. Excellent book. Tells the story of a human being, with all the foibles and weaknesses that entails, who was learning to lead people in religion.



5. Bushman is no doubt an historian with enormous credibility.
   However, his book is for "Mormons in denial," or those folks who wanna feel like they're getting a scholarly scoop on this complex man-- who wanna feel like if this book sits on their shelf or even if they crack it and read it, that they've defended their faith.
   
   If you wanna know the REAL story of Joseph Smith Jr, who he was, what he REALLY did especially in those crucial early years, you MUST read An Insider's View of Mormon Origins by Grant H. Palmer, and Michael Quinn's masterwork, Early Mormonism and the Magic World View.