Criticism of Mormonism/Books

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This page is a summary or index. More detailed information on this topic is available on the sub-pages below.

Analysis of books critical of Mormonism

A

  • An Insider's View of Mormon Origins by Grant Palmer—
    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. (Link)
    • Index of claims—Responses to specific critical or unsupported claims made in An Insider's View of Mormon Origins indexed by page number. (Link)
    • Use of sources—An examination and response to how the author of An Insider's View of Mormon Origins interprets the sources used to support this work, indexed by page number. (Link)

B

  • Becoming Gods: A Closer Look at 21st-Century Mormonism by Richard Abanes—
    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" (Link)
    • Index of claims—Responses to specific critical or unsupported claims made in Becoming Gods: A Closer Look at 21st-Century Mormonism indexed by page number. (Link)
    • Use of sources—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. (Link)

C

D

  • Do Christians Believe in Three Gods by RBC Ministries—
    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. (Link)

E

  • Early Mormonism and the Magic World View by D. Michael Quinn (Link)
    • Index of claims—Responses to specific critical or unsupported claims made in Early Mormonism and the Magic World View indexed by page number. (Link)
    • Use of sources—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. (Link)
    • Apologetics—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. (Link)

I

L

M

N

  • Nauvoo Polygamy: "... but we called it celestial marriage" by George D. Smith (Link)
    • Index of claims—Responses to specific critical or unsupported claims made in Nauvoo Polygamy: "... but we called it celestial marriage" indexed by page number. (Link)
    • Use of sources—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. (Link)
    • Prejudicial language—An examination of how the author employs loaded and prejudicial language in this work in order to discredit Mormonism. (Link)
    • Presentism—“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". (Link)
    • Mind reading—The author often attempts to interpret what Joseph was thinking as a way to lead the reader to a predetermined conclusion regarding Joseph Smith. (Link)
    • Censorship—The author claims that the Church deliberately hid or obscured information. We examine those claims in this section. (Link)
    • Romance—We point out some instances in which the author pursues his quest to show that Joseph was "romantic" with his plural wives. (Link)
    • Assumptions—In many cases, Joseph is simply assumed to be guilty of any offense. (Link)
    • Magick—The author, following the lead of D. Michael Quinn, emphasizes "magick" in Joseph's early life. (Link)

O

  • One Nation Under Gods by Richard Abanes—
    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. (Link)
    • Overview (Link)
    • Index of claims—Responses to specific critical or unsupported claims made in One Nation Under Gods indexed by page number. (Link)
    • Source analysis—An examination and response to how the author of One Nation Under Gods interprets the sources used to support this work, indexed by page number. (Link)
    • Loaded and prejudicial language—An examination of how the author employs loaded and prejudicial language in this work in order to discredit Mormonism. (Link)
    • Absurd claims—Some of the claims made in this work are simply absurd. We list and respond to those claims here. (Link)
    • Presentism—“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 One Nation Under Gods. (Link)
    • Mind reading—The author often attempts to interpret what Joseph was thinking as a way to lead the reader to a predetermined conclusion regarding Joseph Smith. (Link)
    • Rewording secondary sources—A list of paragraphs which echo the prose of Fawn Brodie's No Man Knows My History: The Life of Joseph Smith. (Link)
    • Sarcasm—The author of One Nation Under Gods uses sarcasm to belittle what he claims to be LDS beliefs and doctrine. (Link)

S

  • Studies of the Book of Mormon by B.H. Roberts—
    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. (Link)
    • Index of claims—Responses to specific critical or unsupported claims made in Studies of the Book of Mormon indexed by page number. (Link)

T

  • The "Book of Lehi" by Christopher Nemelka—
    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. (Link)

U


W

  • Who Really Wrote the Book of Mormon by Wayne Cowdery, Howard Davis, and Donald Scales—
    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. (Link)


Analysis of articles critical of Mormonism

F

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R


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