Mormon Books
| Mormon books come in two main categories: those that favor the Mormon Church and those that oppose the Church, although there are varying degrees within both categories.If you are making an honest inquiry into the Mormon Church or just want to know what the Church really teaches, first decide whether the source is reliable. Check to see who wrote the Mormon book, why they wrote it, and who published it.You wouldn’t read a book about how to care for roses written by someone who has never grown a rose but just seen them, instead you would want to read a book written by a rose gardener. The same holds true for Mormonism. To get a true idea of what the Mormon Church is like you should really read Mormon books written by Mormons, not just someone who has seen and researched Mormons and in so doing believes that they know about the Church.Mormon books that favor the Church
There are a number of Mormon books on faith and other religious teachings by General Authorities, Prophets, and other religious leaders of the Church. There have been numerous books published about Mormon Church history and religious leaders ranging from Joseph Smith, Mormon pioneers, and Mormon polygamy to Mormons in World War II and Gordon B. Hinckley and everything in between. There is also a large LDS Fiction market, with numerous writers writing novels whose characters are LDS. While not greatly delving into Mormon beliefs or history, they do provide a window into the Mormon Church with characters who are trying to live the Mormon faith. They are also ideal for anyone who believes that a book can be romantic or adventurous without being smutty. The Mormon Church: A Basic History is written in a concise narrative and explains the facts, conflicts, and personalities involved in the history of the Church. Heroic Mormon Women tells the stories of a variety of Mormon women from Emma Smith to little known black Mormon heroine, Jane Elizabeth Manning James. The Life of Joseph Smith by his mother, Lucy Mack Smith is enlightening in its personal account of the Prophet’s life and calling. The most recent publication includes more of Lucy’s personal feelings and emotion. Mormon books that oppose the Church Many books that have been written in opposition to the Mormon Church are unreliable, often laced with opinions, falsehoods, and sensationalism. Often, older anti-Mormon books tend to be sensationalistic and even farther from current Mormon practices and beliefs. Also books written by ex-Mormons do for obvious reasons portray the Mormon Church in a negative light. As you read Mormon books, realize that if the purpose of the book was written to persuade Mormons that their religion is false, it will contain the bias of the author who wrote it. Therefore it is likely to be a less accurate portrayal of what the Mormon’s really believe. Many Mormon books claim to show unbiased objectivity. But this is particularly difficult when it concerns religion. A person either believes something is true or they do not. If the writer does not believe in Mormonism, then that is transferred to the book by the tone and subject matter the author chooses to use. Signature Books is a publishing house that tries to adhere to standards of honesty and objectivity, but is not a Mormon publisher, so therefore all works should be read objectively and carefully. Mormon America: The Power and the Promise is a book on Mormonism written by a Protestant couple. The book tries to give a balanced, objective, and comprehensive view on Mormonism. Yet it leaves out many elements that Mormons consider pertinent to their faith and fails to recognize that the Mormon Church is a worldwide organization. The God Makers, which gained headlines when it was first released is all about sensationalism and was written by disillusioned ex-Mormons trying to get revenge. It is in no way an accurate portrayal of the Mormon Church. Other interesting sites about Mormonism: www.lightplanet.com Go to the next article in the Beliefs section: Priesthood. |
