5 comments about The Infinite Atonement.

1. Mr. Callister carefully lays out the meaning, the purpose and full scope of the atonement in brilliantly written prose. Unlike many religious writers, Mr. Callister is easy to read and understand, although the doctrines of which he speaks are integral to all of Christianity. I have never read a book more powerful on the this subject than The Infinite Atonement. My own copy of the book now sports over a 100 post-it notes on its pages marking noteworthy comment and thought. This is a must have for every Christian on the face of the earth. You won't regret purchasing it.



2. The infinite atonement is the most comprehensive, complex, and saving doctrine, a man can learn. Focus is the key. One could spend their whole life reflecting and pondering about the atonement and its power to save.
   
   The infinite atonement includes an understanding of Christ's suffering, Christ's power over death and sin, Christ love for us, and the possiblity of exaltation. The atonement makes weakness and infirmity bearable because Jesus descendant below all things, overcame all things, and trumphets as Lord of Lord and King of Kings.
   
   I found Callister discussion of the atonement scripturally comprehensive and his sources for doctrinal support familar and solid. Callister instructs the reader to study the atonement and warns against the adversary distractions that remove a person from focusing on the mercy and beauty of the atonement. All doctrines can be measure in terms of relevancy and save capacity by relating the doctrines to the atonement.
   
   I have seen the atonement and testify it is more than a concept. The atonement is the most beautiful and merciful experience in my life and I would not worry about all the scriptural argument relating to the atonement, when you seen the atonement in action, one's life changes because it is glorious and powerful and it transcends the critical mind, it is mercy and compassion. We are the sheep and the Lord is the good sheppard and seek to hear the words of the the good Sheppard by seeing with ones spiritual eyes and listening too the still small voice and feeling with the heart. The atonement will change ones life, if one will seek to understand and become obedient to God's laws.
   
   Callister seemingly expresses many of the emotions associated with the grace of Christ. Callister highlights numerous church leader thoughts relating to the grace of Christ. We learn that Jesus has compassion on the descendants of Adam and is merciful to the children of men. We learn that the suffering in garden of getheseme pressed the Lord with the weight of sin and infirmity until great drops of blood flow from every pore. Everything in the garden bore testimony of the atonement, the symbolism, and the sacrifice of the only begotten.
   
   Christ demonstrated obedience to the will of the father and kept his premortal pledge too be a savior. Jesus is real, he is not a concept, a story, or a myth. Through the atonement, Jesus knows how to succor us in our infirmities. Justice extended credit to the Messiah and many penitent were reconcilled and received forgiveness and eternal life, prior to the garden of getheseme. The atonement bridges the separation between man and God and provides a way home. As in the story of the one leoper out of ten, who returned and worship Jesus, we learn that Jesus connects us to our heavanly home.
   
   Jesus alone suffered the sins of the world. The father's spirit withdrew as the sins pressed against the Savior, Jesus cried out, "Father why hasth thou forsaketh me?". Three times, Jesus requested comfort and support from his disciples and did not receive comfort. The atonement was carried by the Messiah, alone. Jesus suffered the atonement because he loved us, "Greater love hath this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." The great Jehovah completed the will of the Father, defeated Lucifer's evil forces and hordes, and provided everlasting hoping. The atonement grant every man the opportunity too be resurrected, learn between good and evil, and prevail over evil.
   
   The infinite atonement covers the fall of man, redemption through Christ and the saving ordinances, and glory and exaltation.



3. I rarely rate religious books this highly - mostly because I lose interest faster than I should. (I guess my loss of interest says more about me than the subject matter.) I took just under 6 months to read this book, ponder its meaning, and research scriptural and other sources to see if it is correct in its teachings. And after spending a lifetime as a follower and admirer of the carpenter from Nazareth who is the Son of God, I can only say that this book did more for my understanding of the doctrine of the Atonement than any other book short of scripture.
   
   The writing is clear and concise. The author has obviously distilled the study of a lifetime into this volume because it carries quotes from so many disparate sources that would have taken years to accumulate. From his background as a lawyer, the author is uniquely qualified to discuss justice, mercy and other related concepts. His main sources are scriptures - that is the Bible and also scriptures unique to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon). C.S. Lewis and Joseph Smith are also two common sources.
   
   The 300 pages of this book contain chapters on why an atonement is needed, what is the nature of the atonement, what it means, and how it was accomplished. The atonement is the central doctrine of Christianity and is so comprehensive and overwhelming in its scope that a guide such as this one is extrememly useful.
   
   And besides the high intellectual content of this work, I found myself pondering over and over again the particularized question, "Considering what a failure I am, how is it possible that a Savior could care enough for me to suffer and die for me?"
   
   I recommend this book highly to anyone.



4. The Infinite Atonement is, hands down, the best book written on the atonement. It includes a compilation of quotes and teachings with extremely important insights regarding this important topic. This is a must read for anyone with a desire to learn more and understand better the doctrine of the atonement.



5. "The Infinite Atonement" gives great, thought provoking insight into the most important religious doctrine of our lives. Many of the chapters are not long, but give a lot to ponder. The scriptural references built into the text are a great feature in addition to all the footnotes.

5 comments about Out of the Cocoon: A Young Woman's Courageous Flight from the Grip of a Religious Cult.

1. I read this book and found it very enthralling. It kept me interested from beginning to end. After reading it I was able to pass it along to my neices who, never being JW's were able to understand what we (those of us former JW's) went through. They could understand it in simple language and we shocked and stunned by the simplicity of the book and yet the complications of being a JW. I wholely recommend this book to any and all who are or have left the JW's to understand the simpliest form of abuse that takes place without even knowing it.



2. I can't say enough about this book. Admittedly the child abuse Brenda describes is sometimes very disturbing to read but what makes it disturbing is that it actually happened and was condoned by this religious group. Chapter 1 starts out with a graphic story that Brenda wrote called, All Alone in the World. You might think her writing isn't good, but that's because she was only 12 when she wrote Chapter 1. The rest of the book is so wonderfully written...Brenda is a remarkable story-teller. I truly felt like I was in her shoes. I felt her pain, confusion, guilt, fear, joyful triumphs. You may think this sounds like a totally depressing book but it's actually quite light-hearted and funny. It contains a lot of Brenda's off-beat humor and many inspiring quotes. Sometimes I laughed and sometimes I cried.
   
   Out of the Cocoon shows how Brenda's mom, a normal all-American Methodist Sunday school teacher could be swept up in the destructive rules imposed by the Jehova Witnesses and how those rules could ultimately sever her family ties forever.
   
   Brenda's book is about so much more than growing up in a cult though. She talks about being a single mom and struggling to survive, feeling vulnerable and alone and rejected by those she loved, being in a bad relationship because she was afraid to be all alone. Every teenager and adult in America should read this book because it helps the reader understand how our childhood so dramatically affects our choices once we become adults. Very insightful!
   
   The message is clear that if you think you're too strong-willed or smart to ever become a member of a harmful group or cult, you have probably just moved one step closer to becoming one. Don't believe your family is safe like her mom did. She thought Jehova Witness seemed so nice when they offered a free study but this is how they trapped Brenda's family into joining them. I was SHOCKED to learn that they even have a door-to-door quota to meet and have to turn in how much time they spend talking to people when they go to people's doors. Then they become downright cruel and shun their own children if they don't want to be a member of their church! Unbelievable!
   
   I highly, highly recommend that you read this book because it could prevent you from losing your child or parent someday. As a parent myself, I feel fortunate that I can share this knowledge with my family. I have a cousin who is a Jehova Witness and now I understand why she became so distant from me when she joined this church.
   
   Bravo to Brenda for being so courageous and saving/helping others through her story!!



3. Reviewed by Kam Aures for RebeccasReads (1/08)
   
   "Out of the Cocoon: A Young Woman's Courageous Flight from the Grip of a Religious Cult" by Brenda Lee is a memoir chronicling the author's escape from the binding hold that the Jehovah Witness religion had on her family and life and the consequences that met her afterward. When Brenda was a young girl, Jehovah's Witnesses visited her Pennsylvania home with their literature and talked her family into doing a free bible study. That one knock on the door would forever change Brenda's life and her relationship with her family. Her mother became immersed in the Jehovah beliefs and decided that the whole family would be baptized as Jehovah's Witnesses. Brenda's father refused and was the only one not baptized although he did attend the meetings at Kingdom Hall.
   
   Jehovah's Witnesses have a very rigid belief system without any room to bend. Growing up in the Jehovah faith was very traumatic for Brenda as she found herself isolated from the rest of her classmates. She could not celebrate the events they celebrated, participate in school activities, or date. Also, as a Jehovah's Witness you cannot be friends with or associate with people who are not of the same faith as you. To top all of it off she even had teachers who abused her because of her religion.
   
   When she finally came of age she escaped to live with a cousin that she had never met in Colorado and tried to start her life anew by breaking free from the holds that the religion had on her. However, her insecurities fostered from being isolated and ostracized as a child followed her into adulthood and there were consequences that followed.
   
   Unfortunately in the Jehovah faith once someone leaves the religion they cannot be associated with anymore by those still in the faith. This even applies to family members. So in a sense by leaving the religion she also lost her family, all except for her father (he was not baptized into the faith). After trying to "save her" and failing, they would not talk to her anymore and essentially they cut her out of their life.
   
   While I understand that the Jehovah faith did have a huge effect on the author's life it seems that she blames everything that goes wrong on that premise which I find a little bit unbelievable. There are other factors involved that cause things to turn out the way that they do. I do understand her anger but in some cases it seems that it is misdirected.
   
   All in all, the book is a very engaging and a fast read! I read all 238 pages from start to finish in one night. I learned a lot about the Jehovah's Witness faith and I was actually shocked by a lot of the things that I read. I honestly had no idea that these people who come knocking on my door believed some of the things that they do. To disown a family member because they choose not to be involved in your faith is, in my opinion, ridiculous! I applaud Brenda Lee for having the courage to come forward and write this memoir and hope that others can benefit from reading about her experience. I think that anyone who is considering becoming a member of this religion or any similar religion should definitely read "Out of the Cocoon" before doing so!



4. I ordered this book anticipating a story of someone freeing themselves from a cult as the cover suggests. I guess you can't judge a book by its cover. The first six chapter are from age ten (intro. to JW's) to age eighteen (freedom). After that it is Brenda's life story, with the watchtower popping up every now and then. I have read many books regarding the watchtower, and have personally dealt with JWs. I was bored with the rut the book got into as she told her life story and forgot that her book was about leaving a cult. At times it seemed if anything bad happened it was the watchtowers fault (normal sruggles in life). Many things she went through lots of kids go through when they decide to leave their parents home. Some of the hardships she endured she put on herself. At one point I forgot that the book was about leaving a cult and listened to her complaints about struggles many Americans go through on a regular basis.



5. This was written for me. My next door neighbors were converted to being JW. This was when we were young children. I do stay in touch periodically with this friend who I met when she was only 4 years old. She is still a JW and has raised her children this way. She told me a story of abuse by her Father who was a drug addict and a pedophile. As a child she often went hungry as her father wasn't bringing home income. Her mother allowed her child to associate with me because we had her stay for dinner almost every night, This draws some light for me to her plight. In school where she was forced to stand in the hall during the pledge of allegiance. This is against JW rules. She quit school as soon as possible. She home schooled her children before it was a common thing to do. Not all JW people abuse their children. I can tell you that after her terrible childhood my friend is an excellent mother. She put being a good mother as her top priority in life. Once you are in this religion it's pretty difficult to leave. Normally when you leave a church it's not the end of the world. For these people their whole world crumbles. It's terrible to bully a child because of a parents beliefs. Most people don't realize that joining JW can also effect your health or kill you. You can not get a blood transfusion. A very personal thing for me because I'm alive today because of blood transfusions. I also recommend I Witness which explains in greater detail what JW believes.

5 comments about I Am a Mother.

1. I thought that Jane was right on! I agreed with everything she said and I thought that her person stories added something special. Yes, she is not the average LDS mom, but that doesn't mean that she doesn't know what she's talking about.
   
   I could sense the humility and love for the Lord that she has from reading her words. I am going to start giving this book to every new mom I know, and some old moms too.
   
   I don't think that she was saying that we should be so proud of our selves for simply being mothers and I don't think that she meant in any way that we should expect to be praised for our positions necessarily.
   
   Yes, not all mothers are the best, but most of us are trying REALLY hard to do what's best for our children and a lot of moms get down on themselves. This book simply lets you know that this is the best thing you could be doing. There are great quotes from General Authorities that help to encourage and uplift.
   
   I truly LOVED this book and wish that every mom would read it!



2. Making the decision to stay at home for the first time with a newborn instead of continuing in the workplace is one of the most difficult choices facing women today. In to-the-point style writing, Jane Clayson articulates exactly the feelings that these women have about the huge sacrifice it is - giving up not just money (which is almost the EASIEST to give up), but the appreciation, the promotions, the recognition and simply the feeling that you are good at something. She points out that motherhood largely comes with none of those things and it is downright hard, especially when a lot of people will tell you that you are wasting your talents and time staying at home being "just" a mom. It was refreshing to hear her viewpoint and thoughts about motherhood and its challenges after being in the workplace.



3. I appreciated the perspective this book gives. Jane Clayson Johnson's position is unique in that most of us are not high profile journalists. However, it is true that there are occupations that many women would find enjoyable and fulfilling, and some of the duties of motherhood don't top (or appear on) the charts in those categories.
   
   I had a similar "plan" to Johnson's in that motherhood was my career of choice. Even though (1) it was my goal, (2) it still is what I want to do, and (3) I enjoy many things about it, there are times where it is terribly difficult and I feel like I'm going insane! The never ending day-to-day duties are often exhausting. "I Am a Mother" helped me remember motherhood's importance and gave me ideas on how I can keep going and improve and enjoy my "career".
   
   From the debunking of myths to the many quotes by others, I inhaled this book. I plan on sharing it with many people. I appreciated Johnson's thoughts and the opportunity it gave for me to refine and reaffirm my own thoughts.



4. The author definitely makes a statement, but I guess because I feel so honored and blessed to be a mother, I didn't get much out of it. Still, it is a nice book to read, especially if you can borrow it from you Mom or something like that. It took me 90 minutes to read it from cover to cover.



5. This book is wonderful! I read it in 3 days. I am not yet a mother, but I still find this book insightful and fulfilling.
   
   I don't think Jane was out to change the world or push her life stories on anyone(I rather enjoyed them though). I think her writing is sincere and I feel that she truly just wanted to share some aspects of her life that may help others.
   
   I think her example is a good one, and her book is well worth reading.

2 comments about Claiming Christ: A Mormon-Evangelical Debate.

1. Brazos Press in Grand Rapids, Michigan - which describes itself as "faithful to the wide and deep embrace of God, publishing out of and to all the major streams of the historic Christian tradition," has produced the latest entry in the respectful dialogue now taking place between some members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ("Mormon") and its evangelical neighbors. On the evangelical side of this published back-and-forth is Dr. McDermott, a professor of religion and philosophy at Roanoke College and teaching pastor at St. John Lutheran Church.
   
   While I did not consider this book nearly as engaging as "How Wide the Divide" - a book so terrifically engaging that it is banned from some Christian bookstores (i.e., the Mormon guy won big!) - "Claiming Christ" is a fascinating study in the notorious back-pedaling that always occurs when an honest evangelical comes face-to-face with a real Mormon and real Mormon doctrine. I have no doubt that Drs. Millett and McDermott are dear friends - and that their efforts in writing this book were hardly to create this kind of reaction in someone like me - but I have rarely seen such stark proof that evangelicals have been libeling Mormons in the most egregious ways for nearly two centuries now. They did it without shame, and they did it for money. A lot of them still do it, though a few of them - while unwilling to embrace the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ - are at least repenting somewhat for those past sins.
   
   This book demonstrates that, again and again, in-the-pew Christians have been grossly misled by their leaders on the issues of Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon, and LDS doctrine - and someday there is going to be an accounting. Until then, here are some highlights from the "tipping point" to come (all of the following quotes are concessions made by Dr. McDermott):
   
   pp. 55-56, I'm afraid I am one of those who has misunderstood and misrepresented Mormons. ... I mistreated a distinguished Mormon historian when he came to speak to my class more than a decade ago. Besides treating him rudely, I did not understand how central Jesus Christ was to his faith and to the LDS Church generally. ... I suspected he wasn't telling me the whole truth when he insisted he was trusting in Jesus for his salvation, and I suggested as much to my class by my repeated counter-assertions and questions.
   I have since learned that ... Jesus Christ is indeed at the center of Mormon faith. As I have learned from my own reading of the Book of Mormon, Jesus Christ is central to the story .... The Mormon view of Jesus Christ is different from that of evangelicals and other orthodox Christians, but the fact remains that Christ is central to LDS consciousness. I am struck by [one Mormon scholar's] calculation that Christ or his ministry is mentioned on the average of every 1.7 verses in the Book of Mormon.
   ... [V]erses [in the Book of Mormon] that would surprise evangelicals who have been led to believe that all Mormon doctrine is totally wrong on Jesus are 2 Nephi 11:4 and 7. These passages assert plainly that there is no salvation apart from Jesus Christ .... They also proclaim that Christ is God .... This and many other passages in the Book of Mormon prove clearly that the Mormon Jesus is not ... less than fully God[], despite the belief of many evangelicals and other Christians.
   
   pp. 63-64, Evangelicals and Mormons agree on lots of things about Jesus. Many evangelicals are surprised to learn, for example, that Mormons believe not only that Jesus is the Son of God but also that he is God the Son. I find that many evangelicals have somewhere picked up the idea that Mormons deny the deity of Jesus Christ. They are often amazed to learn that, unlike Jehovah's Witnesses and other groups they typically classify as "cults," which do indeed deny the deity of Christ, Mormons declare emphatically that Jesus was and is incarnate God. ... I have to say that evangelical agreement with [Mormons] on Jesus is significant and, when compared to a history of evangelical denunciations of Mormonism, remarkable.
   
   p. 102, This chapter by Professor Millet has been, I suspect, another surprise for many evangelical readers. They were amazed to see such emphasis on the suffering and death of Jesus as the events that save you and me. Some might find it hard to believe that the Book of Mormon teaches that "there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah" (2 Nephi 2:8).
   
   pp. 163, 169, 171, In the "fog of theological war" we evangelicals often accuse Mormons of teaching salvation by works, even when they protest they don't and try to prove it with passages from the Book of Mormon or Doctrine and Covenants. ... Many of us have wrongly accused Mormons of teaching salvation by works because they have put some strong emphasis on works. We have become convinced that Mormons do not understand or teach grace ....
   One of the problems with this evangelical view of LDS teaching is that ... Jesus also teaches the necessity of works. ... So let's put some old staples of evangelical anti-Mormon apologetics to rest. Let's stop saying incessantly that Mormons teach unadulterated salvation by works and that they have no conception of grace.
   
   pp. 177, 190-91, What I am about to say may cause all of my evangelical friends to desert me, or think I have lost it. But I think we evangelicals have something to learn from our Mormon friends on th[e] subject [of salvation] that is absolutely integral to faith. ... Perhaps we can learn from the Mormons that we have wrongly separated faith from works, that we have created a false dichotomy between justification and sanctification, and that while we are saved from being justified by the law, nevertheless, the law is still "holy, and just, and good" (Rom. 7:12). ... We evangelicals are often guilty as charged, failing to admit the possibility that we could be wrong in our estimation of what Mormons really believe. ... Evangelicals have most typically dismissed Mormonism as unchristian because it was thought to teach salvation by works. I hope this chapter will show the case to be significantly different.
   
   pp. 218, 220, Early on in my evangelical life I was told that Mormonism is a cult with radically un-Christian beliefs. Chief among these, I was told, were the ideas that we are saved by our works and that Jesus is not God. Their focus, I thought, was on Joseph Smith rather than Jesus Christ.
   Then, a number of years ago, ... I ... discovered that there was more emphasis on grace in the Book of Mormon and other parts of the LDS canon than I had imagined and that Mormons worship Jesus as God. I saw a concentration on Jesus that I had previously thought to be absent. ... [I]t is clear that the LDS Church is related to the family of Christian communities. It is quite different, obviously, from Judaism or Islam, which reject the gospel explicitly. Mormons reject the relativism of some postmodern religions and, unlike many other spin-offs from the orthodox tradition, robustly profess the full deity of Jesus Christ.



2. Mcdermott concedes that MC has been falsely persecuting the LDS for over a century. The three points he continues to dispute however are the nature of God, creation out of nothing, and modern authorized revelation.
   
   First Mcdermott uses Old testament scripture to support the hellenized Nicence God. What he misunderstands about these scriptures is that nations surrounding Israel at the time worshiped various Gods but they were not the true God. Thus Moses, along with other prophets, would teach and warn there is but one God and no others beside him.
   
   Mcdremott disregards numerous biblical verses that testify that God and Jesus are distinct beings with bodies. Jesus claimed that the father is greater the he, Stephen saw Christ on the right hand of God, God proclaiming that he is well pleased with his son, The great intercesssory pray, Jesus ascending to heaven in front of the disciples and the angels proclamation he will return in like manner, the significance of the resurrection, legion desiring bodies of swine to no body. etc. McDermott calls these plain and simple statments divine mysteries. But if such simple and plain language is a mystery, then what is to stop the whole bible from being viewed in this light. This reminds one of the broad way Christ warned of. That MC represents an anything goes as long as Christ is mentioned form of worship is easily dicernable. The danger is that MC worships a false God fashioned by Greek philosophers which keeps man in the dark. It refuses him lasting peace in this world and the obtaining of eternal life in the next.
   
   
   Light (truth) is shining in darkness and the darkness rejects the light because its works are dark. These works are adhereing to false traditions, and the preaching for fame and fortune. It is the same obstacle Christ and his followers had to confront. Modern and ancient parallels are strikingly similar.
   
   MC rejects the need for modern apostles and prophets (revelation) but the early church was built and maintained upon the rock of revelation. New apostles were ordained when a vacancy arose. If divine revelation ceases to flow through ordained individuals, Christ's church cannot exist. What amazes is that with the abundant evidence provided, MC continues to prefer darkness and keep souls from the light. The LDS church is a warning to MC and the world that it needs to repent and prepare for the return of Christ. The LDS church is going forth in the spirit and power of Elias. Elias has returned and restored these keys. Like Moses pleading with Israel to look upon the serpent and live, the LDS plead with the world to look and partake of the restoration and live.

4 comments about Parenting With Love: Making a Difference in a Day.

1. this is a great resource to help (slightly imperfect) parents change parenting methods, to go from instinctual parenting ("this is how I was raised") to a model of how could I best raise my children. I'd been looking for a book to give me practical examples of how to discipline (train) my children in a calm, loving manner that would also be taken seriously. This book was it. I found it extremely useful.



2. Having studied with Glenn Latham in person, and read other of his books, this book was mostly a summary of his other lengthier books. Its value lies precisely in its conciseness. For me it acts as a quick reference into positive reinforcement.
   
   Raising children is a challenging task, probably the most challenging I've ever encountered. It is daunting to think of the consequences of how you raise your children. It is also extremely rewarding and fulfilling.
   
   This book will help in raising children with love, giving you extra knowledge to understand why they react the way they do, how you may be contributing to bad behavior by reinforcing it (perhaps unknowingly), and why and how to reinforce good behavior instead.
   
   If you're new to positive reinforcement, I would start with one of the other Latham books, such as The Power of Positive Parenting. Highly recommended.



3. This is such a great book. If everyone would parent the way that was taught in this book the world would be such a great place. The things that Dr. Latham teaches are amazing and they work like magic with my five children!!! I would highly recomment this book



4. I am a mom of 8 children under the age of 12. This book is the best parenting book I have ever read. I love reading about this topic, but have felt frustrated in the past as I still make mistakes even after reading a good parenting book. While I am still not perfect, of course, it has made a drastic change in the atmosphere of our home. It is so clear & concise, and it really does help you "make a difference in a day". I will recommend this to all my friends and family.

5 comments about Early Mormonism and the Magic World View.

1. I have studied a great number of religions along with their roots and traditions. Quinn's books in general are among the best I have read on any religion. I feel that this book specifically is the best. It is a scholarly text providing multiple sources for many of the footnotes. In this second edition, Quinn directly addresses the criticisms of Mormon apologists and shows that the criticisms are without basis. This book puts the Mormon Church in a context of the time and events surrounding its formation. It sparked an additional interest in 20th century folk magic, Kabbalism, Gnosticism and Freemasonry. This also lead to additional studies on other early American religions and common roots of doctrine and practice.



2. Mr. Quinn has done it again! He has, for the most part, put together a fine piece that has shed light on a once sketchy subject. He demonstrates how the Prophet Joseph was involved in ritualistic folk magic and - dare I say it - Occultism!
   
   But while I agree with some of his conclusions and points, there are some that I would not agree on, and Quinn did make some glaring errors, which I will discuss about later in this review.
   
   First off, Mr. Quinn introduces his bias and stance on the issue at hand. He describes himself - and I have also heard him personally say this - as a believer of the Prophet Joseph Smith and the doctrines of the LDS church, even if he has been excommunicated. (Hey, I am cool with that. Any friend of Joseph's is a friend of mine.) I find this perfectly fine and even appropriate for a scholar to do. To give his/her personal stance on the issue, that is.
   
   In the first part of this book, Mr. Quinn charts the history of the folk Magic throughout history, including religious history. He effectively demonstrates how many Biblical Patriarchs including Jacob, Moses, Joseph, Solomon and David - yes, that's right Mr. E. Johnson, co-author of Mormonism 101, BIBLICAL PATRIARCHS - were clearly involved in folk magic including not only cabalism but many pagan practices as well. This he does by not only quoting many prominent Biblical commentators but by showing how the Bible itself specifically talks about how those patriarchs practiced the occult - now who's in denial Mr. Johnson! He also points out how many of the New Testament apostles and prophets practiced, in one way or another, some form of folk magic.
   
   Throughout the rest of the first part of this book, Mr. Quinn demonstrates how astrology and occultism was commonly practiced among all social classes throughout history, including throughout American history. He documents how everyone from the lowest classes to the courts of nobility and clergy practiced this folk magic and astrology all throughout history. And he notes the powerful effect that it had on 19th century America. He explains and demonstrates how folk magic was in many ways more popular than even organized religion among the common man and how it carried with it not only medicinal and practical use, but religious and spiritual representation as well. He shows effectively how the magic practiced by the Smiths' was not a Satanic or evil brand, but a very religious - even Christian, I would argue - spirit to it. (The best example that Mr. Quinn uses is a Christian Almanac that features only astrological and magical charts and spells. I can understand how folk magic would have been more popular among people, considering that you either way you were going to Hell if you joined one religion and not the other, and also understand how the practice of folk magic would have had a powerful role in Joseph's early life growing up pennyless in upstate New York. (For indeed treasure digging was one of the most common, and apparently successful, applications of folk magic) Mr. Quinn notes that the practice of folk magic - while not restricted from urban areas like Philadelphia - was especially prominent among the American frontier.
   
   Which brings us to my next point. The practice of folk magic was common among people of all walks of life in New York. Mr. Quinn examines how everyone from dirt poor people like the Smith's to many prominent pastors and preachers all had ties with the occult. The next several chapters are then devoted to documenting the Smiths' practice of the occult and folk magic and includes detailed descriptions and wonderful pictures of their various seer stones - one of which Joseph used to translate portions of the Book of Mormon, which Mr. Quinn also talks about - talismans - including the Jupiter talisman that the Prophet supposedly had on him when murdered - amulets, lucky charms, diving rods and magic parchments including the two famous "Holiness to the Lord" and "Jehovah, Jehovah, Jehovah" parchments. And Mr. Quinn discusses the many jobs and activities that the Smith boys were involved in for 1) a means to get money to support the family, as in the case of Josiah Stowell 2) for their own fun and enjoyment. The rest of the book then discusses how this folk magic gradually lost it's prevalence among society and how the Prophet Joseph later during his life began to gradually - though not completely - shift from his involvement in folk magic to more prophetic matters.
   
   However, there are some things that I disagree on with Mr. Quinn. The most critical point that I have with this book is the fact that Mr. Quinn relied on the Hoffmann forgeries and the Slamander Letters for a bulk of his thesis. You can see this in that Mr. Quinn deals extensively with the material in the Slamander Letters in his thesis and in the text, and seemingly has not bothered to take it out of his 2nd edition. This was one of the major flaws with the book, which is one of the reasons that I gave this book only four stars. (I did not give this book three stars because Quinn saved himself by his otherwise good research - in spite of the Salamander Letters fiasco - and his treatment on such issues as
   the "anti-Masonic themes" in the Book of Mormon, for example.)Another problem that I had with this book was that I do not believe - as Mr. Quinn does - that the fact that Joseph once had his head phrenologically examined was magical. It was commonly believed that phrenology was a real science that could explain not only physiology buy psychology as well. And remember what I have said before, Joseph Smith was a prophet, not a scientist. He was still human though, and fallible and imperfect in his knowledge of both temporal and spiritual matters. (But hey, show me a prophet that was perfect in both those areas!) And I also disagree when Mr. Quinn explains that the Book of Enoch must have been accessible to Joseph Smith. I would note, as my good friend Robert Boylan did, that the Book of Enoch, while indeed published in 1828, was primarily only accessible in England to a select few. The only edition appeared in American in the 1830's, too late for Joseph to have drawn from it. And Mr. Quinn does tend to create little annoying gaps to overly-defend himself against critics and others whom he does not agree with, which threw me off several times.
   
   But still, despite some shoddy conclusions and some otherwise poor research and dependance on the Salamander Letters, I was still impressed with this book. I would recommend it to those who wish to study Joseph's early life more and the environment that produced that great Prophet.
   
   Now, before I go, I have a few questions for the likes of Mr. E. Johnson, indeed, even Mr. Johnson himself. What is the big deal? BFD if Joseph was into folk magic and the occult. (Mind you, occult, according to Webster's Dictionary, simply is something that is superstitious or paranormal or even religious in nature. It does not carry a Satanic connotation except in sensationalized definitions i.e. Mr. Jonhson's definition. ) So, once again, what is the big deal? So what if Joseph was into an extraordinarily popular activity that was practiced by not only rural village idiots - not that Joseph was one of those - but by many educated and respectable members of society and the clergy. So, sue him! Stop straining at a gnat! Stop being a hypocrite! As Mr. Quinn so brilliantly notes, even Biblical Prophets did the exact same thing during their own time! Joseph was not involved in some baby-killing virgin-sacrificing cult or devil worship, he was simply doing what was popular and widely accepted during his time. In an age of superstition and wonder, it is no surprise that magic was so popular. In fact, Mr. Quinn points out, and I agree, that not only was this brand of magic very religious and spiritual in it's time, but that Joseph would have been weird and an outcast had he not been involved in folk magic during that time. And it is people like you, Mr. Johnson, who makes Joseph's folk magic look like some lurid and evil cult. You sir, are nothing more than a sensationalist! How dare you, sir. How dare you twist the past and throw dirt on a man, when all he did was try to be accepted by the same "pious little Christians" like yourself, who spits venom on the Prophet Monday through Saturday, but is then front and center that Sunday, worshiping from your little spotless and perfect Bible and preaching love and acceptance towards all people. It is people like you, Mr. Johnson, that Jesus warned about. It is "Christians" like you, that Jesus foresaw would tare apart the fabric of love and kindness in these last days. I am sorry, but I had to say it after reading all that you are saying about Joseph Smith. (Oh, and if anyone thinks that I have an axe to grind, I most certainly do. So, sue me!)
   
   I am sorry to the other readers who had to read that, but I had to say it. Anyways, I would recommend this book. It is interesting, though far from perfect, and deserves four stars in my opinion.



3. An extensive and comprehensive review of the beginnings of Mormonism and the actual driving forces behind the movement. It was written by a much maligned but none the less excellent Mormon historian. It is a must read for all those who want to understand the real roots of Mormonism and not the public relations blurbs generated by the Church Of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints/Mormon church in this day and age.
   
   Michael Quinn has been excommunicated for his honesty about a church that he still professes to love. He loves it warts and all and some of the warts are in his book. Not for the believer who only wants the gloss. It isn't the "faith promoting" take on the church that the church advocates its members read and in fact, only read. For the serious investigator or student of Mormonism, this is a must read. The fact that so many church members and the church itself has come out so strongly against Dr. Quinn and his books is proof that the unattractive truth is there for all to see.
   
   The research for this book was done over years of study in the well hidden files and records of the LDS church at Brigham Young University and LDS archives, during the time that Dr. Quinn was allowed access to these. This book wasn't written out of Dr. Quinn's hat as Joseph Smith wrote the Book of Mormon. This is the real deal!



4. Quinn's research, and great perspective on things shine through with this analysis into magic and how it affected Joseph Smith and his family and followers. It is quite interesting the evolution of this book. From being frowned upon, to having deseret book sell it in their stores (which is another subject).
   Quinn is superb in this book. The writing style is easy to pore over, and the research is quite impressive. His organization, to me, is fine and what he goes over seems to be a thorough dig into the magic aspect of early mormonism. I recommend this book for those who are very sturdy in their faith, or for those looking for another aspect of Joseph Smith after they have read a couple of his biographies already.



5. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints,like evangelicals and Pentecostals,discourages its followers from pursuing the occult. This is ironic, considering their founder Joseph Smith's fascination with it. "Early Mormonism and the Magical Worldview" is a scholarly,and somewhat dry,work from controversial Mormon historian Michael Quinn. In it, Quinn explains how early Mormons used divining rods and seer stones,wore amulets,engaging in folk magic that is now officially condemned.
   
   Like other Mormon scholars,Quinn draws parallels between Mormon temple rituals with Gnostic mysteries and Freemasonry. In Gnostic texts,initiates are taught magic passwords to become exalted,as Pres.Brigham Young spoke of "passing angels who stand as sentinels being enabled to give them they key words,the signs and tokens,pertaining to the Holy Priesthood."
   
   Joseph Smith's occult practices went beyond the temple. When he and his wife Emma excavated the Book of Mormon,it was on September 22,the autumnal equinox. They performed specific rituals such as wearing black and riding black horses. Joseph Smith also gave amulets to his plural wives Eliza Snow and Zina Huntington (a polyandrous woman) with mysterious sigils. Some of his plural wives had Venus amulets,sexual emblems. He also had Jupiter talismans to symbolize power. Joseph Smith also believed in astrology. The occult helped bring about the Mormon faith as it is today.
   
   The magical worldview lives on in Mormonism. This partly explains why Mormons,unlike evangelicals&Pentecostals,tend to not condemn the Harry Potter series. Mormons regard their temple undergarments as amulets,protecting them from harm.Mormon athletes are more likely to have "good luck practices" (carrying special coins,wearing lucky charms) than Catholic or Protestant ones. While official Mormon publications have condemned astrology,belief in astrology thrives among ordinary Mormons. In 1998,an LDS apostle told the General Conference that the church was founded on April 6,1830,because "there was a full moon shining." As in earlier times,Mormons still believe in pyramidology,even in its highest echelons. The Salt Lake Temple itself is a testament in stone to Mormon magical thinking,with its sunstone and carvings depicting the lunar phases. Of all the homegrown forms of spirituality, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints remains the most magical.

1 comments about No One Can Take Your Place: Premortally, in the most difficult of circumstances, we stood loyally by our Father and His Son, and we did not flinch.

1. Another great book from the pen of Sheri Dew! Highly recommended to all who love her works!

5 comments about The Book of Mormon Made Easier, Part III (New Cover).

1. I love this book! I don't get to participate in adult conversations while at church so this is a great way for me to still get input right in my home anytime I want.I love this book.Convenient and well written!The Book of Mormon Made Easier: Part 1 ( New Cover) (Gospel Studies Series, 4)



2. 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 books by Hugh Nibley and John Sorenson, as well as my review of "Echoes and Evidence for the Book of Mormon." And other liars for the Lord.
   
   
   
   Here then, are the cold hard facts:
   
   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."
   
   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



3. "RC"'s diatribe against The Book of Mormon is a great example of why Christianity is losing members. He's so wrapped up in his version of doctrine, he forgets the entire purpose of religion, worship, or just being faithful.
   
   I am not a Christian - I am currently searching. And during my search, I have spoken to possibly hundreds of people who walk in many faiths. Latter-Day Saints are the most genuine Christians I have ever met, simply because they live their faith, quietly, every day. They are deeply spiritual people who are openly friendly and welcoming to those of any faith. I am more inclined to study the religious texts of those who live a good and gentle life - those who actually take the words of Jesus to heart.
   
   There seem to be many "Mormon bashers" - supposed Christians who feel it is their duty to spend their lives on Earth arguing against and ridiculing others instead of actually studying the words of their Savior and walking in His path. It is these people who make Christianity look bad to non-Christians. I wonder if RC ever feels any presence of Spirit at all. Maybe he's too busy bashing others to really notice.
   
   So - back on track. David J. Ridges has definitely made studying all of the scriptures easier. I especially like his BoM series as well as The Book of Isaiah. You don't have to be a religious scholar to receive the benefits of this book. Think of it as another teacher who can point out parts of scripture you've never seen before.



4. I like all the commentary within each chapter. It's like being in a institute class



5. Thank's so much for an easy to read scripture study guide. David Ridge teaches spiritual truths in an easy to understand language withoug using 50 meter long sentences. His short parenthese commentaries are an invaluable help in understanding the holy scriptures. I highly recommend this book as well as the other books in these series.
   
   John

5 comments about American Massacre: The Tragedy at Mountain Meadows, September 1857.

1. When reading the reviews of this book, it is clear that those who were raised in the Mormon faith are blinded by their own prejudices and the dogma they learned from the LDS Church on the Mountain Meadows Massacre. Denton's investigation into this atrocity is impressive, and her retelling of the massacre is excellent. Don't be dissuaded from reading the book by those who seek an end to the discussion/investigation of the massacre. Some (see below) even have the audacity to state, "Just let sleeping dogs lie." It's easy for them to call for this, as it's not their loved ones who were brutally and cowardly murdered by Mormons.
   
   All those who were involved in the murders, including Brigham Young, stained their souls with the blood of their victims. Rather than call for an end to examining this horrid moment in our nation's history, LDS members today should be demanding that their church acknowledge the massacre, the role of church leaders in it, and issue a full apology to the families of the victims.
   
   "Vengeance is Mine," saith the Lord. Vengeance is not Brigham Young's, or his followers, or mine. But then, I'm sure Brigham Young now knows this.



2. Sally Denton does a superb job at adding to the body of knowledge surrounding the Mountain Meadows Massacre which remains the largest single slaughter, by gunfire, of innocent people in America today - even though one hundred and fifty years have transpired since it occurred. Based upon her extensive research, which includes sources not previously uncovered (no pun intended) including the recent infamous exposure of human remains dredged up by a backhoe in 1999. This occurred while the mormons (who, pathetically, still own the land) were preparing to rebuild a cairn that fallen into a horrible state of disrepair. As Denton reports, the original cairn had been built by the United States Army, shortly after the massacre only to be desecrated by none other than Brigham Young who, in responding to the inscription on the wooden cross raised upon the monument which said, "Vengeance is mine: I will repay, saith the Lord," arrogantly proclaimed that, "Vengeance is mine, and I have taken a little." Immediately preceding Young's use of the secret "Danite signal," members of his vile death squad (the Danites) tore the memorial down. Since then, "memorials" on the site had come and gone.
   
   Ironically, the cult brought in Shane Baker, an archeologist from Brigham Young University (where else?), to "examine" the site of the bloodbath prior to rebuilding the cairn "just in case" - of course, the cult wouldn't want to admit that they really had butchered so many innocent people and wouldn't begin work unless they were assured that nothing damning would be uncovered. Almost immediately after Baker stupidly proclaimed to the media that "the archaeological evidence (of the massacre) was 100 percent negative" the backhoe exposed the bones of the the cult's victims. Needless to say, the cult's attempt to further hide their involvement was immediately exposed and rightfully caused them another PR scandal. According to Utah State law, investigations are required whenever human remains were uncovered. As a result, experts (real ones, not the cult's shills from BYU) were brought in who quickly determined that large numbers of men, women, and CHILDREN had been slaughtered. The forensic evidence also revealed that the men had been shot, point blank, in the head, while most of the women and CHILDREN were bludgeoned to death. Furthermore, these investigations also revealed that the butchery was entirely attributed to white men rather than by the Paiute Indians. That, of course, is in direct conflict with the cult's long-standing contention that "the Indians did it." The cult's lame attempt to blame on "the Indians" is further exposed as a complete fraud is further supported by Ms. Denton's considerable research of records available from the National Archives, military sources, court records, etc., etc.
   
   Not surprisingly, after the bones were exposed, the cult quickly moved in to hide their complicity with this atrocity - they had another one of their members, former Governor Mike Leavitt (who also just happens to be a descendant of Mormon polygamists as well as the direct descendent of Dudley Leavitt - one of the participants in the massacre), intentionally side-stepped state law and had the remains prematurely reinterred in order to prevent the already damning investigation from being completed. How convenient. Isn't it comforting to know that Leavitt is now serving as the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services?
   
   Perhaps the most vile recent act concerning the cult's continual refusal to accept responsibility for their evil is the statement of Satan's child, Gordon B. Hinckley at "dedication" of the new Mountain Meadows monument just a month after the bones were accidently uncovered. Hinckley had that audacity to state, "That which we have done here must never be construed as an acknowledgment of the part of the church of any complicity in the occurrences of that fateful day." From Brigham Young's involvement in stirring up the cesspool of hatred that lead to the loss of so many innocent lies to the mad ramblings of the cult's current false prophet, Gordon B. Hinckley, it's apparent that the evil will only continue. It's a good thing that books like "American Massacre" are published to expose the truth.



3. A very interesting, fair-handed glimpse into the Mormon faith and its history, early theological foundations. I don't get the sense this book is anti-mormon propaganda as a previous reviewer complained. In my opinion, it is a passionate attempt to assemble available data on what happened at the meadows massacre, for the sake of the murdered. Ms. Denton does a commendable job to maintain evenness while documenting a well researched history of a crime that certainly deserves re-opening the inquiry. This book is very much worth reading.



4. So this is "history"??? One has to ask because Denton's "investigative" skills are severely lacking...she self-righteously bludgeons the Mormons but can't keep her facts straight. Denton's only new "twist" is to hysterically proclaim the "true" motive for the massacre: Brigham's and the Mormon's greed. Wow...that's original...Will Bagley and Mark Hoffman didn't even come up with that...she must have been inspired by those Zane Grey westerns or old family wive's tales. The fact that thousands of emigrant parties (many of which were much richer than the Fancher Party) passed through Utah both before and after this Massacre with no incident to speak of certainly would clue our crack investigator to come to this conclusion. Further, the coincidence of the Fancher Party passing through Utah when a belligerent Federal Army was marching on a persecuted religious population (First Amendment??) in context of newspapers around the country calling for the extermination of the Mormons at that time couldn't possibly have had anything to do with it...
   
   This book is a pathetic joke because it purports to be objective and historical but only achieves bias and bigotry. Thomas Kane was instrumental in stopping a genocide, but Denton attacks him probably because he did just that...those Mormons deserved to be PUNISHED!! Bagley, while biased, at least is not hysterical. Just another personal vendetta in the "Why I hate Mormon's" genre...I'm surprised someone had the bad taste to publish it. Don't waste your money...



5. If you liked the 2007 film SEPTEMBER DAWN, then you will probably like this book, AMERICAN MASSACRE by Sally Denton, which takes you more in-depth into the real life characters and situations surrounding the Mountain Meadows Massacre. September Dawn
   
   This book retells the stories surrounding the infamous Mountain Meadows Massacre of 1857, when a peaceful wagon train of settlers headed west were unmercifully massacred by Mormons disguised as indians. Why? How? Will the guilty get away with it all?
   
   The author can be hard to quote because she seems to constantly quote other sources, yet, if you ignore the abundance of endless quotation marks, the reading is very smooth and highly interesting, even fascinating.
   
   Early on, the book has a great origin of the Mormon religion, then spends the rest of the book leading up to the Mountain Meadows Massacre, and its aftermath. Strangely, the massacre itself does not get so much space in comparison to the before and after events. It is still a great read of a book.
   
   I enjoyed the expose' about Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism. This book paints him as a showman and charmer who tricks his followers into believing his bizarre religious explanations and events. Between the strange beliefs and seedy activities of Joseph Smith and his followers, (revenge, murder, adultery and polygamy abound), it is a wonder how anybody could become a Mormon, under these circumstances. You would have to be not too bright to become a follower of Joseph Smith, at least, as portrayed in this book.
   
   The greater bulk of the book concerns Brigham Young, the successor of Joseph Smith. Brigham is the focus of this book about the Mountain Meadow Massacre. How much did he know and authorize, before, during, and after the Massacre?
   
   The book expands on characters seen in the film and also introduces many characters not even hinted at in the SEPTEMBER DAWN film. John D. Lee, the patsy and fall guy, is the only person sentenced to death for the massacre. His life and loyalties are explored in detail, as are also the key members of the victimized Fancher-Baker wagon train. Thomas Kane is a sort of un/official covert ambassador of the US government to coordinate tensions between the Mormons and the US. It seems that they came very close to having their own little war between Mormons and the USA, and the details are explained in this book.
   
   This book reminds me of HELTER SKELTER by Vincent Bugliosi, in the way that it talks about the lives and beliefs of Charles Manson and his followers, I find a strange parallel with Joseph Smith, Brigham Young and the Mormons. What makes their followers so loyal to these unlikely, unlikable, yet highly charismatic leaders? Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders
   
   I will leave it to others to defend the Mormons, if they so choose, but all that I know about Mormonism comes from this book, and I am left with a lack of enthusiasm for Mormonism, as a strange cult and a false branch/spin-off from the mainstream Judeo-Christian teachings and faith.
   
   The Mormons are a self-described spin-off of the Old Testament Jews, but they have weird beliefs which do not jibe with Old and New Testament teachings as understood by Protestants, Catholics, and even Jews. At least, that is the perception that I have after reading this book.
   
   This book reads like dishy gossip, at times, which should be avoided, yet it seems to equally warn of a false religious path to avoid, Mormonism, making it equally educational and edifying. I don't plan to spend any more time researching or going after the false religious teachings of Mormonism, but I enjoyed this book, which seemed to bring me up to speed about the dark origins and beliefs of Mormonism.

5 comments about Hooligan: A Mormon Boyhood.

1. This book could have been written easily about anyone. It shows how things have changed over the years and the usual rites of passage growing up.



2. I enjoy memoirs, so I wanted to like this book. The title was intriguing. "Hooligan" made me think of the McCourt lads, and some boys I knew in my childhood--the ones our parents used as Bad Examples, because they were always in some kind of minor trouble that pre-disposed them to entanglement in the bigger and more dangerous kinds. "A Mormon Boyhood" suggested I would learn things about growing up Mormon in Utah that would be different from growing up Methodist in Pennsylvania. Not only did the book fail to live up to its title, it failed almost completely as a memoir. Yes, it is full of recollections, in general terms, of boyhood in Provo, Utah, in the years just before World War II. But most of these recollections, far from being in any sense personal, enlightening or unique, could have come from the memory of my brother, whose boyhood was spent at the other end of the country, 3 decades later.
   
   Hooligan is not a story, in any sense, and it lacks a main character. This memoir's biggest failing, for me, is the total absence of the author as a person. I didn't know who Douglas Thayer was when I began reading, and I still had no idea who he was when I finished. I did know there was very little of the "hooligan" about him. Life events that must have been critical to the boy Doug, and that could have been moving or revealing to the reader are treated as asides; his parents' divorce, his father's death, the accidental shooting death of another boy, the coming of the war are mentioned, but in a detached and general manner that gives us no insight into their formative effect on the author.
   
   For a teacher of creative writing, Thayer has a rather monotonous style. His childhood is often reduced to laundry lists of activities, foods, and common mothering expressions without particular context. ("You'll put your eye out," was funny in A Christmas Story. Here, it's just another cliché in a basketful.)
   
   Only in rare passages does the child of this narrative come alive, and these few instances are remarkable. Thayer's description of riding his bicycle out of town to go fishing alone (in Chapter 10) made me catch my breath and wonder if I just hadn't been paying attention up to that point. Most of the book is written in the first person plural, as if the author were part of a collective, or in the second person, which distances him even further from his own life. When Thayer lapses (and it does feel like inadvertence) into using "I", there is a suggestion of potential brilliance in his writing, and I got the feeling he might be capable of conveying so much more. But in a little under 200 pages, I marked less than half a dozen paragraphs for their lasting impact. Here's one of them: "All summer in our trips down to the fields we'd watched for pheasants, especially after the hay and grain were cut and you could see the flocks along the edges of the fields in the early evening, maybe twelve or fifteen hens and three or four roosters. If the setting sun was just right and the rooster turned, his whole breast shone like fire. Riding our bikes down the lanes, we heard the rooster cackling, the sound sharp, sudden and thrilling." If only he'd given us more of that and less of this: "Pick-and-shovel work was considered the least skilled and hardest of manual labors, and you were warned that it was what you would end up doing for the rest of your natural life if you didn't get a good job, the rest of your natural life being somehow longer and worse than just your life. Working on the railroad as a section hand laying track was also considered quite limited...You were constantly told you needed to amount to something, but you were never told what..."
   
   When I read, I sometimes hear a voice in my head speaking the words. In this book, it was Andy Rooney's voice I heard. I realized that the style of Thayer's memoir reminded me of Mr. Rooney's style in the short pieces he does at the end of "60 Minutes", where it works quite well. Over the course of a full-length book, it wears very thin.
   
   A blurb on the back cover of Hooligan asserts that Mr. Thayer is "known in some circles as a Mormon Hemingway." Another touts him as "One of the finest writers the LDS Church has yet produced". I don't much like Hemingway, but I don't see the parallels, either. I can't dispute the latter claim, because I don't know of any other writers "produced" by the LDS church. In a genre that includes works by Annie Dillard, Bobbie Ann Mason, Rick Bragg, Russell Baker, Robert MacNeil, Pete Hamill, Joan Didion, Elie Wiesel (I, too, can make lists), Hooligan falls far from the standard of excellence. Read An American Childhood, or A Drinking Life. You'll learn something, you'll feel something. You'll wish you could meet the author. That's what reading a memoir should do for you.



3. This memoir is truly a boy's story. The narrator tells the story from a boy's point of view with vivid details and wonderful vignettes. From the first page, where he comments "We were to be seen and not heard.", the narrative is filled with moments that resonated for me even though my own boyhood was much different than the author's. I found the episodic style another aspect that made this like a boy's story for it seemed more natural that he would tell it in this, somewhat unorganized, manner. Nevertheless I looked forward to each chapter and the new events and information that it would bring. The characters and events seemed real even when we learn few details about them.
   
   The memoir provided sufficient detail to bring a different place and time alive. The accumulation of episodes and events led to a rich picture of another era when things were truly simpler. Again this rang true to me based on my own boyhood. The narrator includes changes in his life like the separation of his parents and his school experiences that provide an additional layer of meaning for the memoir. While there was a certain detachment of the narrator from all of this, the result for this reader was that the memoir took on a dreamlike quality that enhanced the feeling of difference in this particular place.
   
   Through its presentation as an episodic boy's story the overall effect was one that made me feel that I was a participant in this story. I was satisfied as the narrative ended that I had shared some part of this interesting boyhood.



4. Childhood is rich with feelings and with things; ideas come later. The "hooligan" of Doug Thayer's memoir has few ideas, most of them gleaned from adults and skewed because who can understand grown-ups anyway? ("Stark naked" is worse than "buck naked," but why?) The feelings and the everyday things are his own, however, and given to us with a richness and a clarity readers will treasure.
   
   It's all here--from the chores a boy must finish before he can burst out into the day, to the underwater wonder of swimming (buck naked) with the fish he can emulate if not yet catch. Comparisons to Twain's Tom Sawyer are inevitable and appropriate; in addition, I keep thinking of Thornton Wilder's Our Town and The Happy Journey--simple narratives that include "nothing less than everything": family life, food, work, nature, the stars, sickness and health, death and faith, sexuality, mystery, war--and all of it offered up in immediate, boy-sized images. (The hand-made slingshot, the ice pan beneath the ice box that required more tending than a young puppy, the indignities of the doctor's examination.)
   
   This book is a gem: months after reading it, you will remember some detail with such fondness and clarity you'll think it was a memory of your own. To make a work both universal and unique is the epitome of art, and with this book, Douglas Thayer has achieved just that.



5. 
   Hooligan: A Mormon Boyhood is the memoir of author Douglas Thayer, a.k.a. "Mormon Hemingway", who grew up in Utah Valley during the Great Depression and World War II. Brimming with nostalgia for an era when life was simpler, and boyhood was filled with mysteries, delights, and dreams, Hooligan is a cheerful tale of adventure and surprisingly ingenious pastimes. "The best material for a hand grenade was the dust from a vacuum cleaner, wrapped in toilet paper and tied with a string. The idea was to hit the enemy on the head so the hand grenade exploded and blinded him temporarily. This was hard, but it could be done. The effect was well worth the effort." Recommended for a pleasant and leisurely stroll down memory lane.