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Criticism of Mormonism/Books
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Contents
- 1 Analysis of books critical of Mormonism
- 1.1
- 1.2 Topics
- 1.3 A
- 1.4 Response to claims made in American Massacre: The Tragedy at Mountain Meadows, a work by author Sally Denton
- 1.5 Response to claims made in An Insider's View of Mormon Origins by Grant Palmer
- 1.6 B
- 1.7 C
- 1.8 D
- 1.9 E
- 1.10 I
- 1.11 L
- 1.12 M
- 1.12.1
- 1.12.2 Mormonism 101 by McKeever & Johnson
- 1.12.3
- 1.12.4 Mormonism: Shadow or Reality? by Jerald and Sandra Tanner
- 1.12.5
- 1.12.6 Mormonism Unmasked by R. Philip Roberts
- 1.12.7
- 1.12.8 Mormonism Unvailed by Eber D. Howe
- 1.12.9
- 1.12.10 Mormon America: The Power and the Promise by Richard N. Ostling and Joan K. Ostling
- 1.13 N
- 1.14 O
- 1.15 Response to claims made in One Nation Under Gods by Richard Abanes
- 1.16 P
- 1.17 S
- 1.18 T
- 1.18.1
- 1.18.2 The "Book of Lehi" by Christopher Nemelka
- 1.18.3
- 1.18.4 The Changing World of Mormonism by Jerald and Sandra Tanner
- 1.18.5
- 1.18.6 The Counterfeit Gospel of Mormonism by Norman L. Geisler
- 1.18.7
- 1.18.8 The Kingdom of the Cults by Walter Martin, Hank Hanegraaff (editor)
- 1.18.9
- 1.18.10 The Lion of the Lord by Stanley P. Hirshson
- 1.18.11
- 1.18.12 The Mormon Hierarchy: Origins of Power by D. Michael Quinn
- 1.18.13
- 1.18.14 The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn
- 1.19 U
- 1.20 V
- 1.21 W
- 2 Analysis of articles critical of Mormonism
Analysis of books critical of Mormonism
Topics
A
Response to claims made in American Massacre: The Tragedy at Mountain Meadows, a work by author Sally Denton
Jump to details:
- Response to claims made in American Massacre: The Tragedy at Mountain Meadows, "Chapter 1: Palmyra, 1823"
- Response to claims made in American Massacre: The Tragedy at Mountain Meadows, "Chapter 2: Kirtland/Far West, 1831"
- Response to claims made in American Massacre: The Tragedy at Mountain Meadows, "Chapter 3: Nauvoo, 1840"
- Response to claims made in American Massacre: The Tragedy at Mountain Meadows, "Chapter Four: Winter Quarters—Council Bluffs, 1846"
- Response to claims made in American Massacre: The Tragedy at Mountain Meadows, "Chapter 5: Salt Lake City, August 24, 1849"
- Response to claims made in American Massacre: The Tragedy at Mountain Meadows, "Chapter 6: Sevier River, October 26, 1853"
- Response to claims made in American Massacre: The Tragedy at Mountain Meadows, "Chapter 7: Harrison, March 29, 1857"
- Response to claims made in American Massacre: The Tragedy at Mountain Meadows, "Chapter 8: Deseret, August 3, 1857"
- Response to claims made in American Massacre: The Tragedy at Mountain Meadows, "Chapter 9"
- Response to claims made in American Massacre: The Tragedy at Mountain Meadows, "Chapter 10: Mountain Meadows, September 7-11, 1857"
- Response to claims made in American Massacre: The Tragedy at Mountain Meadows, "Chapter 11: Deseret, September 12, 1857"
- Response to claims made in American Massacre: The Tragedy at Mountain Meadows, "Chapter 12: Camp Scott, November 16, 1857"
- Response to claims made in American Massacre: The Tragedy at Mountain Meadows, "Chapter 13: Cedar City, April 7, 1859"
- Response to claims made in American Massacre: The Tragedy at Mountain Meadows, "Chapter 14: Mountain Meadows, May 25, 1861"
- Response to claims made in American Massacre: The Tragedy at Mountain Meadows, "Chapter 15: Mountain Meadows, March 23, 1877"
- Response to claims made in American Massacre: The Tragedy at Mountain Meadows, "Chapter 16: Mountain Meadows Aftermath"
Response to claims made in An Insider's View of Mormon Origins by Grant Palmer
Summary: In Insider's View of Mormon Origins was developed during a period of time that its author worked as a teacher in the Church Educational System (CES), and was published after the author's retirement from Church employment. The book attempts to explain many otherwise clearly described events of the restoration by reinterpreting them as spiritual rather than physical events.
Jump to details:
- Response to claims made in An Insider's View of Mormon Origins, "Chapter 1: Joseph Smith as Translator/Revelator"
- Response to claims made in An Insider's View of Mormon Origins, "Chapter 2: Authorship of the Book of Mormon"
- Response to claims made in An Insider's View of Mormon Origins, "Chapter 3: The Bible in the Book of Mormon"
- Response to claims made in An Insider's View of Mormon Origins, "Chapter 4: Evangelical Protestantism in the Book of Mormon"
- Response to claims made in An Insider's View of Mormon Origins, "Chapter 5: Moroni and 'The Golden Pot'"
- Response to claims made in An Insider's View of Mormon Origins, "Chapter 6: Witnesses to the Golden Plates"
- Response to claims made in An Insider's View of Mormon Origins, "Chapter 7: Priesthood Restoration"
- Response to claims made in An Insider's View of Mormon Origins, "Chapter 8: The First Vision"
- Response to claims made in An Insider's View of Mormon Origins, "Conclusion"
Answering Mormon Scholars by Jerald and Sandra Tanner
Answering Mormon Scholars (Vol. 2) by Jerald and Sandra Tanner
Archaeology and the Book of Mormon by Jerald and Sandra Tanner
B
Becoming Gods: A Closer Look at 21st-Century Mormonism by Richard Abanes
Summary: This book could best be described as an Evangelical apologetic work against Mormonism. The book spends much time refuting LDS interpretation of scriptural passages in the Bible, often claiming that Mormons have misinterpreted the scriptures and that they require "deeper study." In fact, it is claimed that LDS scholars have only a superficial knowledge of the scriptures, at one time stating that "[p]roperly interpreting them is not as simple as reading today's newspaper"- Index of claims—
Brief Summary: Responses to specific critical or unsupported claims made in Becoming Gods: A Closer Look at 21st-Century Mormonism indexed by page number. (Click here for full article)∗ ∗ ∗ - Use of sources—
Brief Summary: An examination and response to how the author of Becoming Gods: A Closer Look at 21st-Century Mormonism interprets the sources used to support this work, indexed by page number. (Click here for full article)∗ ∗ ∗
- Index of claims—
Blood of the Prophets: Brigham Young and the Massacre at Mountain Meadows by Will Bagley
- Index of claims—
Brief Summary: Responses to specific critical or unsupported claims made in Blood of the Prophets: Brigham Young and the Massacre at Mountain Meadows indexed by page number. (Click here for full article)∗ ∗ ∗ - Use of sources—
Brief Summary: An examination and response to how the author of Blood of the Prophets: Brigham Young and the Massacre at Mountain Meadows interprets the sources used to support this work, indexed by page number. (Click here for full article)∗ ∗ ∗ - Omissions—
Brief Summary: A listing of notable events which were omitted or not acknowledged by the author of Blood of the Prophets: Brigham Young and the Massacre at Mountain Meadows. (Click here for full article)∗ ∗ ∗
- Index of claims—
By His Own Hand upon Papyrus: A New Look at the Joseph Smith Papyri by Charles Larson
C
Covering Up the Black Hole in the Book of Mormon by Jerald and Sandra Tanner
- Index of Claims—
Brief Summary: Responses to specific critical or unsupported claims made in Covering Up the Black Hole in the Book of Mormon indexed by page number. (Click here for full article)∗ ∗ ∗
- Index of Claims—
D
Decker's Complete Handbook on Mormonism by Ed Decker
Deconstructing Mormonism by Thomas Riskas
Do Christians Believe in Three Gods by RBC Ministries
Summary: This article is in response to a pamphlet that attempts to explain LDS beliefs to non-LDS readers. Unfortunately, the pamphlet sometimes misrepresents LDS beliefs and uses standard anti-Mormon arguments to make its point.E
Early Mormonism and the Magic World View by D. Michael Quinn
- Index of claims—
Brief Summary: Responses to specific critical or unsupported claims made in Early Mormonism and the Magic World View indexed by page number. (Click here for full article)∗ ∗ ∗ - Use of sources—
Brief Summary: An examination and response to how the author of Early Mormonism and the Magic World View interprets the sources used to support this work, indexed by page number. (Click here for full article)∗ ∗ ∗ - Apologetics—
Brief Summary: Throughout the revised edition, the author often refers to the efforts of LDS apologetics related to his own works. He appears to have a particular issue with a review of the first edition of Early Mormonism and the Magic World View written by LDS scholar Bill Hamblin. This page addresses specific claims made by the author related to LDS apologetics. (Click here for full article)∗ ∗ ∗
- Index of claims—
I
Inside Today's Mormonism by Richard Abanes
Summary: This book is a 2007 re-issue of Becoming Gods.L
Letters to a Mormon Elder by James White
Losing a Lost Tribe: Native Americans, DNA, and the Mormon Church by Simon G. Southerton
- Index of claims—
Brief Summary: Responses to specific critical or unsupported claims made in Losing a Lost Tribe: Native Americans, DNA, and the Mormon Church indexed by page number. (Click here for full article)∗ ∗ ∗ - Use of sources—
Brief Summary: An examination and response to how the author of Losing a Lost Tribe: Native Americans, DNA, and the Mormon Church interprets the sources used to support this work, indexed by page number. (Click here for full article)∗ ∗ ∗
- Index of claims—
M
Mormonism 101 by McKeever & Johnson
- Introduction (Click here for full article)
∗ ∗ ∗ - Index of Claims—
Brief Summary: Responses to specific critical or unsupported claims made in Mormonism 101 indexed by page number. (Click here for full article)∗ ∗ ∗ - Quote mining—
Brief Summary: Some critics mine their sources by extracting quotes from their context in order to make the statement imply something other that what it was originally intended to mean. We examine instances of such "quote mining" in Mormonism 101. (Click here for full article)∗ ∗ ∗
- Introduction (Click here for full article)
Mormonism: Shadow or Reality? by Jerald and Sandra Tanner
- Index of claims—
Brief Summary: Responses to specific critical or unsupported claims made in Mormonism: Shadow or Reality indexed by page number. (Click here for full article)∗ ∗ ∗
- Index of claims—
Mormonism Unmasked by R. Philip Roberts
- Index of claims—
Brief Summary: Responses to specific critical or unsupported claims made in Mormonism Unmasked indexed by page number. (Click here for full article)∗ ∗ ∗
- Index of claims—
Mormonism Unvailed by Eber D. Howe
- The Hurlbut affidavits—
Brief Summary: Many of Joseph Smith’s friends and neighbors signed affidavits that accused him and his family of being lazy, indolent, undependable treasure-seekers. (Click here for full article)∗ ∗ ∗
- The Hurlbut affidavits—
Mormon America: The Power and the Promise by Richard N. Ostling and Joan K. Ostling
- Index of claims—
Brief Summary: Responses to specific critical or unsupported claims made in Mormon America: The Power and the Promise indexed by page number. (Click here for full article)∗ ∗ ∗ - Quote mining—
Brief Summary: Some critics mine their sources by extracting quotes from their context in order to make the statement imply something other that what it was originally intended to mean. We examine instances of such "quote mining" in Mormon America: The Power and the Promise. (Click here for full article)∗ ∗ ∗
- Index of claims—
N
Nauvoo Polygamy: "... but we called it celestial marriage" by George D. Smith
- Index of claims—
Brief Summary: Responses to specific critical or unsupported claims made in Nauvoo Polygamy: "... but we called it celestial marriage" indexed by page number. (Click here for full article)∗ ∗ ∗ - Use of sources—
Brief Summary: An examination and response to how the author of Nauvoo Polygamy: "... but we called it celestial marriage" interprets the sources used to support this work, indexed by page number. (Click here for full article)∗ ∗ ∗ - Prejudicial language—
Brief Summary: An examination of how the author employs loaded and prejudicial language in this work in order to discredit Mormonism. (Click here for full article)∗ ∗ ∗ - Presentism—
Brief Summary: “Presentism” is an analytical fallacy in which past behavior is evaluated by modern standards or mores. We examine some of our favorite examples of this fallacy in Nauvoo Polygamy: "... but we called it celestial marriage". (Click here for full article)∗ ∗ ∗ - Mind reading—
Brief Summary: The author often attempts to interpret what Joseph was thinking as a way to lead the reader to a predetermined conclusion regarding Joseph Smith. (Click here for full article)∗ ∗ ∗ - Censorship—
Brief Summary: The author claims that the Church deliberately hid or obscured information. We examine those claims in this section. (Click here for full article)∗ ∗ ∗ - Romance—
Brief Summary: We point out some instances in which the author pursues his quest to show that Joseph was "romantic" with his plural wives. (Click here for full article)∗ ∗ ∗ - Assumptions—
Brief Summary: In many cases, Joseph is simply assumed to be guilty of any offense. (Click here for full article)∗ ∗ ∗ - Magick—
Brief Summary: The author, following the lead of D. Michael Quinn, emphasizes "magick" in Joseph's early life. (Click here for full article)∗ ∗ ∗
- Index of claims—
No Man Knows My History: The Life of Joseph Smith by Fawn McKay Brodie
- Index of claims—
Brief Summary: Responses to specific critical or unsupported claims made in No Man Knows My History: The Life of Joseph Smith indexed by page number. (Click here for full article)∗ ∗ ∗
- Index of claims—
O
Response to claims made in One Nation Under Gods by Richard Abanes
Summary: In early 2002 a new book entitled One Nation under Gods (ONUG) appeared on bookshelves, promising to tell the "real" history of the Mormon Church. The author attempts to pull disparate sources together to paint a picture that, when compared to objective reality, more closely resembles a Picasso than a Rembrandt—skewed and distorted—obscuring and maligning the actual doctrines and beliefs as understood and practiced by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for more than 150 years. FairMormon's original review of One Nation Under Gods was of the original 2002 hardback edition. The author has responded that there were editorial problems with this edition. We acknowledge that corrections were made in the paperback edition released in 2003 in response to some of the original reviews. Consequently, all previous FairMormon reviews have been edited for accuracy and tone, and the paperback edition of this work has been evaluated on its own merits. (It should be noted that the corrected paperback edition bears no markings indicating that it is a second edition or an updated edition; it simply appears as a paperback edition of the original.) This is an index of claims made in this work with links to corresponding responses. An effort has been made to provide the author's original sources where possible. In the subarticles linked below the hardback edition is represented by "HB" and the paperback edition by "PB."
Jump to details:
- Response to claims made in One Nation Under Gods, "Introduction: A Thread of Prophecy"
- Response to claims made in One Nation Under Gods, "Chapter 1: Vagabond Visionaries"
- Response to claims made in One Nation Under Gods, "Chapter 2: Moroni, Magic, and Masonry"
- Response to claims made in One Nation Under Gods, "Chapter 3: From Profit to Prophet"
- Response to claims made in One Nation Under Gods, "Chapter 4: Smith's Golden Book"
- Response to claims made in One Nation Under Gods, "Chapter 5: People of Zion"
- Response to claims made in One Nation Under Gods, "Chapter 6: No Rest for the Righteous"
- Response to claims made in One Nation Under Gods, "Chapter 7: Woe In Ohio"
- Response to claims made in One Nation Under Gods, "Chapter 8: Big Trouble In Little Missouri"
- Response to claims made in One Nation Under Gods, "Chapter 9: March to Martyrdom"
- Response to claims made in One Nation Under Gods, "Chapter 10: A New Beginning"
- Response to claims made in One Nation Under Gods, "Chapter 11: Bloody Brigham"
- Response to claims made in One Nation Under Gods, "Chapter 12: Wars and Rumors of Wars"
- Response to claims made in One Nation Under Gods, "Chapter 13: Unholy Matrimony"
- Response to claims made in One Nation Under Gods, "Chapter 14: The Politics of Compromise"
- Response to claims made in One Nation Under Gods, "Chapter 15: Making the Transition"
- Response to claims made in One Nation Under Gods, "Chapter 16: Mormon Racism: Black Is Not Beautiful"
- Response to claims made in One Nation Under Gods, "Chapter 17: Is Mormonism Christian"
- Response to claims made in One Nation Under Gods, "Chapter 18: Cover-Ups, Conspiracies, and Controversies"
- Response to claims made in One Nation Under Gods, "Postscript" (paperback only)
- Response to claims made in One Nation Under Gods, "Appendix A: Abraham's Book?"
- Response to claims made in One Nation Under Gods, "Appendix B: Failed Joseph Smith Prophecies"
- Response to claims made in One Nation Under Gods, "Appendix C: Recommended Resources"
P
Passing the Heavenly Gift by Denver C. Snuffer
Summary: This account of Church history contains numerous inaccuracies, distortions, and misrepresentations of the data.S
Same-Sex Dynamics Among Nineteenth-Century Americans: A Mormon Example by D. Michael Quinn
- Index of claims—
Brief Summary: Responses to specific critical or unsupported claims made in Same-Sex Dynamics Among Nineteenth-Century Americans: A Mormon Example. (Click here for full article)∗ ∗ ∗
- Index of claims—
Studies of the Book of Mormon by B.H. Roberts
Summary: The content of this book is not written by a critic, but its purpose and audience are often misrepresented by critics in an effort to make it appear that Roberts lost his testimony of the Book of Mormon.- Index of claims—
Brief Summary: Responses to specific critical or unsupported claims made in Studies of the Book of Mormon indexed by page number. (Click here for full article)∗ ∗ ∗
- Index of claims—
T
The "Book of Lehi" by Christopher Nemelka
Summary: The author claims to have been commanded to translate the sealed portion of the Book of Mormon, as well as the lost 116 pages. As part of his 'prophetic call,' the author produced what he claims is a translation of the lost 116 pages, or "Book of Lehi." This portion of Mormon's abridgement (from Lehi to King Benjamin, roughly) was lost by Martin Harris after the manuscript was loaned to him by Joseph Smith.The Changing World of Mormonism by Jerald and Sandra Tanner
- Index of claims—
Brief Summary: Responses to specific critical or unsupported claims made in The Changing World of Mormonism indexed by page number. (Click here for full article)∗ ∗ ∗
- Index of claims—
The Counterfeit Gospel of Mormonism by Norman L. Geisler
The Kingdom of the Cults by Walter Martin, Hank Hanegraaff (editor)
- Index of claims—
Brief Summary: A claim-by-claim examination of the chapter dealing with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (Click here for full article)∗ ∗ ∗
- Index of claims—
The Lion of the Lord by Stanley P. Hirshson
- Index of claims—
Brief Summary: Responses to specific critical or unsupported claims made in The Lion of the Lord indexed by page number. (Click here for full article)∗ ∗ ∗
- Index of claims—
The Mormon Hierarchy: Origins of Power by D. Michael Quinn
- Index of claims—
Brief Summary: Responses to specific critical or unsupported claims made in The Mormon Hierarchy: Origins of Power indexed by page number. (Click here for full article)∗ ∗ ∗
- Index of claims—
The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn
- Index of claims—
Brief Summary: Responses to specific critical or unsupported claims made in The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power indexed by page number. (Click here for full article)∗ ∗ ∗
- Index of claims—
U
Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer
- Index of claims—
Brief Summary: Responses to specific critical or unsupported claims made in Under the Banner of Heaven indexed by page number. (Click here for full article)∗ ∗ ∗
- Index of claims—
"Understanding Mormon Disbelief: Why do some Mormons lose their testimony and what happens to them when they do?" by Open Stories Foundation
Summary: Responses to a "study" which claims to illuminate the reasons for Mormon disaffection.V
Visions of Glory by John Pontius
Summary: This work, which purports to give an account of near death experiences (NDE) and visions of the last days contains some true principles, but violates Church doctrine in both content and approach. It also contains some ideas that contradict LDS doctrine on key points.
W
Who Really Wrote the Book of Mormon? The Spalding Enigma by Wayne Cowdery, Howard Davis, and Donald Scales
Summary: This book attempted to revive the moribund Spalding manuscript theory for the Book of Mormon. Cowdery et al. claimed to have discovered Spalding's handwriting in the Book of Mormon original manuscript. In addition to the insurmountable historical problems with the Spalding theory, the supposed "Spalding" handwriting has likewise been found in documents produced in June 1831--fifteen years after Spalding's death.
Analysis of articles critical of Mormonism
Summary: FairMormon analyzes and offers a claim-by-claim analysis and response to articles critical of Mormonism.
Jump to Subtopic:
- Response to "Changing Dramatis Personae in Early Mormonism", a work by author: Ronald V. Huggins
- Response to "LDS Church Authority and New Plural Marriages, 1890–1904", a work by author D. Michael Quinn
- Response to "Reinventing Lamanite Identity", a work by Brent Lee Metcalfe