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Out of Mormonism: A Woman'S True Story
How one woman's soul-searching journey led her to the Mormon church and how her discovery of Jesus, helped her leave despite horrific persecution.
218 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2001
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 137 reviews
September 19, 2007
Ultra Christian lit, bagging on ultra Mormon lifestyles. Typical of Bethany House publishing.
March 8, 2012
Not sure what to say about this book. The writing has no serious flaws; it's adequate if a bit bland. This is not a meaty book about Mormonism; there is very little really about the religion or the people. There is far more Jesus-pushing and talk about the rightness of non-Mormon Christianity.
Rather than address issues like how women are treated by the LDS church, or how it's tenants may harm families, or any real criticism of the Mormon faith, the author instead decides to go with "the Church of the Latter-Day Saints is a Satanic Cult" as a her main issue with Mormonism.
I got the feeling from reading the book that the author didn't have any real problem with the Mormon church other than it's strangeness. And it is strange to her because she was raised in a different Christian faith (which would be equally strange to someone raised Mormon, or Buddhist, or whatever). That is me giving her the benefit of the doubt; she claims to have been a Mormon-convert for 7 years; it's hard to believe they were a Satanic cult the whole time and she never noticed till the end. Her only proof that they are such is that some of the practices of the Mormon church conflict with passages in the Bible; but what kind of proof is that when most Christian's practices conflict with some parts of the bible? Are Baptists a Satanic cult too, because they outlaw dancing and the bible has almost nothing but positive mentions of dancing? I think not.
Mormonism has some strange beliefs and practices; but so does every form of Christianity. This book is just another case of the pot calling the kettle black. The author has hopped faiths several times but apparently has found her one true faith in Mormon-bashing.
Rather than address issues like how women are treated by the LDS church, or how it's tenants may harm families, or any real criticism of the Mormon faith, the author instead decides to go with "the Church of the Latter-Day Saints is a Satanic Cult" as a her main issue with Mormonism.
I got the feeling from reading the book that the author didn't have any real problem with the Mormon church other than it's strangeness. And it is strange to her because she was raised in a different Christian faith (which would be equally strange to someone raised Mormon, or Buddhist, or whatever). That is me giving her the benefit of the doubt; she claims to have been a Mormon-convert for 7 years; it's hard to believe they were a Satanic cult the whole time and she never noticed till the end. Her only proof that they are such is that some of the practices of the Mormon church conflict with passages in the Bible; but what kind of proof is that when most Christian's practices conflict with some parts of the bible? Are Baptists a Satanic cult too, because they outlaw dancing and the bible has almost nothing but positive mentions of dancing? I think not.
Mormonism has some strange beliefs and practices; but so does every form of Christianity. This book is just another case of the pot calling the kettle black. The author has hopped faiths several times but apparently has found her one true faith in Mormon-bashing.
September 4, 2012
Robertson spills the beans on all thing Mormon in her book, detailing the top secret rituals and beliefs of the Mormons, as she details her seven years in the religion she now calls a cult. While Robertson can be long-winded in her explanations, she uses the scripture to prove that Mormonism is no more Christian than the Jehovah's Witnesses.
While Mormons do believe in God and Jesus, they also believe that God has a wife, that Satan is Jesus' brother, that there are three heavens and no hell, and that good works get you into heaven; all beliefs that are torn to shreds by the Bible. This religion targets Christians without a true knowledge of the Bible and sells them half truths mixed with lies. Their rituals are disturbing and bizarre, but deemed necessary to achieve the highest level of heaven. For example, people go through a long and invasive Temple ceremony for dead family members to baptize them post mortem, which is ridiculous and certainly not Christian. A real eye opener and a warning as well.
While Mormons do believe in God and Jesus, they also believe that God has a wife, that Satan is Jesus' brother, that there are three heavens and no hell, and that good works get you into heaven; all beliefs that are torn to shreds by the Bible. This religion targets Christians without a true knowledge of the Bible and sells them half truths mixed with lies. Their rituals are disturbing and bizarre, but deemed necessary to achieve the highest level of heaven. For example, people go through a long and invasive Temple ceremony for dead family members to baptize them post mortem, which is ridiculous and certainly not Christian. A real eye opener and a warning as well.
August 26, 2007
This is a great book. It doesn't go into a lot of the history of the Mormon church, but it gives a "behind the scenes" look at the church and what it was like for the author's family. I had the chance to hear her speak at a local bookstore and she was very interesting.
May 3, 2008
A good account of leaving a church that supports its congregation until questions are asked, then quickly and heartlessly turns its back on the asker. Gives a thorough personal insight into the author's experience.
March 4, 2012
Glad to hear the final outcome. So many people are caught up in traditions and working their way to heaven. It's through faith, by grace in Jesus Christ ONLY. Gives a little insight of what goes on in the Mormon (church)
January 7, 2008
Although the author doesn't have the best writing skills, she has a very interesting and important story to tell. A worthwhile read!!!
February 12, 2024
My objective in reading this book was not to despise the Mormon church which I felt the story slant towards for multiple chapters. A more neutral sharing of facts and events would have been more constructive for those seeking to learn instead of having their conclusion drawn for them.
The author’s writing style is simplistic, not quite equal to the profound emotion she was attempting to convey.
The author’s writing style is simplistic, not quite equal to the profound emotion she was attempting to convey.
May 20, 2008
This exposes the secret Mormon teachings which the neatly--dressed Brighamite missionaries will not tell you about. They're instructed "meat before milk" so, they won't tell you the surreal teachings, which diverge wildly from traditional Christianity, such as (1)the idea that a man may become Exalted and get to be a God ruling his own planet, while he and his wife or wives get to crank out Spirit Children to inhabit the human bodies on the planet. Nor (2)the idea that God was once such a man. (This (2) is in direct contradiction to Bible passages such as James 1:17, which describes God as: "the Father of lights, with whom there is no alteration or shadow caused by change."(NAB. The book documents each unusual teaching it exposes with authoritative references to books by Brighamite LDS "Church" officials. such as "Apostle" Bruce R. McConkie's Mormon Doctrine, and the collected sermons of Church President Joseph Fielding Smith: Doctrines of Salvation: Sermons and Writings. Another good reference is Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith
It was fascinating; I couldn't put it down.
It has inspired me to do Bible reading more frequently. Thank you, Judy.
As another reviewer wrote, the description on Goodreads is wrong.
It was fascinating; I couldn't put it down.
It has inspired me to do Bible reading more frequently. Thank you, Judy.
As another reviewer wrote, the description on Goodreads is wrong.
December 31, 2012
This book isn't what I expected, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have value. I expected it to be a detailed and personal account of living the Mormon life. Instead, it's a very brief account of why a woman (and her family) became Mormons, her feelings about that life (which are brief), and a handful of specifics about that religion.
What this book is good for, however, is teaching Christians how Mormonism is greatly different from Christianity (even though many - but not all - Mormons will tell you they are Christians) and for counseling Mormons on the problems with their religion - especially Mormons who are already thinking about leaving LDS.
The best part of the book, in my opinion, is the back matter, which includes far more compelling details about why Mormonism isn't Christianity.
I should add that the book is in no way hate-filled. You won't find nasty remarks about Mormons or the LDS church here. The author clearly has a love for Mormons and a desire to bring them to Christ.
What this book is good for, however, is teaching Christians how Mormonism is greatly different from Christianity (even though many - but not all - Mormons will tell you they are Christians) and for counseling Mormons on the problems with their religion - especially Mormons who are already thinking about leaving LDS.
The best part of the book, in my opinion, is the back matter, which includes far more compelling details about why Mormonism isn't Christianity.
I should add that the book is in no way hate-filled. You won't find nasty remarks about Mormons or the LDS church here. The author clearly has a love for Mormons and a desire to bring them to Christ.
September 2, 2008
This is a shallow, thinly veiled attempt at anti-mormon propaganda. The author seems to have missed the point of what it means to be "Christian". While I have serious issues with LDS Doctrine, if it is true that, "By the fruits of their labors ye shall know them", then few religions today compare to the service and sacrfice offered up in Christ's (not Joseph Smith's) name.
Anytime somebody finds happiness, it's a positive and a wonderful thing. I just find it curious that the author feels obliged to impose her happiness on others. While the LDS lifestyle is not for everyone, there are millions of content and happy members doing their best to live by the teachings of Christ as they understand them. It is nothing short of intolerance and bigotry to demean a people because you don't agree with or understand them.
Anytime somebody finds happiness, it's a positive and a wonderful thing. I just find it curious that the author feels obliged to impose her happiness on others. While the LDS lifestyle is not for everyone, there are millions of content and happy members doing their best to live by the teachings of Christ as they understand them. It is nothing short of intolerance and bigotry to demean a people because you don't agree with or understand them.
April 1, 2012
Ok, so now I see why Christians say Mormons aren't Christians. But as a non-Christian, I find mainstream Christianity strange as well (although a lot less than Mormanism). I suppose when you grow up with a religion, it's not so strange as it seems to outsiders.
The book is biased from the beginning (which is to be expected given the title of the book). I would have preferred a little more neutral introduction to how the author found herself drawn to Mormonism in the first place and choice of chapter titles. I get the message that Mormonism is false, tricking, you name it, but I din't need the reminder in every single sentence. If I read more into Mormonism, I'll pick out a book written by someone who practices the faith and still believes in it.
The book is biased from the beginning (which is to be expected given the title of the book). I would have preferred a little more neutral introduction to how the author found herself drawn to Mormonism in the first place and choice of chapter titles. I get the message that Mormonism is false, tricking, you name it, but I din't need the reminder in every single sentence. If I read more into Mormonism, I'll pick out a book written by someone who practices the faith and still believes in it.
May 8, 2012
I seriously question Bethany House's decision to release this as a free Kindle book.
The title implies one sort of book. The actual text is another sort of book altogether and one that is not well-written.
I am myself a devout Christian, but as I read this book I found myself thinking "anybody reading this outside the faith has EXCELLENT cause for thinking we are equally bonkers."
As ridiculous as Robertson makes Mormonism sound, her Christianity seems equally unbalanced. Her narration makes it appear that she traded one delusion for another.
While most practicing Christians understand her spiritual moments they won't play well for readers outside the fold.
The title implies one sort of book. The actual text is another sort of book altogether and one that is not well-written.
I am myself a devout Christian, but as I read this book I found myself thinking "anybody reading this outside the faith has EXCELLENT cause for thinking we are equally bonkers."
As ridiculous as Robertson makes Mormonism sound, her Christianity seems equally unbalanced. Her narration makes it appear that she traded one delusion for another.
While most practicing Christians understand her spiritual moments they won't play well for readers outside the fold.
March 9, 2012
I am not sure what astounds me more: that reviews tout this as "balanced" and "thorough" (it is neither) or that a ghostwriter wasn't hired to overhaul the manuscript before it went to print. There's no doubt that the Robertson family has a story to tell, but the low quality of the writing and the melodramatic style are severe detractions.
April 4, 2008
Wow. All I have to say is wow!
all-aboard-the-nope-train
June 11, 2020First week back in the library after a three month COVID induced hiatus and this is the crap I shelve? Anti-Mormon propaganda published by Bethany House and categorized under "cult"? Are you freaking kidding me? I thought all Bethany House did was publish Christian housewife Hallmark worthy romances but apparently they're also horrible. Any respect I had for them is completely gone. I'm disgusted with this.
May 29, 2014
BACK OF THE BOOK BLURB
"You'll be back." The Bishop walked slowly to the door and held it open, dismissing them like children.
As the door clicked shut behind them, Jim took a deep breath and looked at Judy. They were leaving everything behind. And they never looked back....
When Judy and Jim Robertson felt a spiritual void in their lives, they found "the finest people in the world" to embrace them and a beautifully packaged religion to entice them. Once drawn into Mormonism, they quickly climbed to leadership positions and became worthy temple Mormons, only to become disillusioned with the teaching and demands of the Latter-day Saint religion.
From her unique insider's viewpoint, Judy shares her life as a Mormon woman, her rediscovery of the Jesus of the Bible, and how she and Jim found freedom as they left the LDS church in the face of persecution and confrontation.
The Robertsons are not alone in leaving Mormonism. In this edition of the book, you'll find brief stories of others who have chosen to follow the Jesus of the Bible.
MY REVIEW
My what an enlightening and interesting book! It really held my interest and it wasn't even Amish, Historical Christian or any of my second genre choices to read. I had heard some of these things about Mormonism and by reading this I am more willing to accept it as truth but I will say that you should read it for yourself and make your own decisions, do more research if you feel the need.
"You'll be back." The Bishop walked slowly to the door and held it open, dismissing them like children.
As the door clicked shut behind them, Jim took a deep breath and looked at Judy. They were leaving everything behind. And they never looked back....
When Judy and Jim Robertson felt a spiritual void in their lives, they found "the finest people in the world" to embrace them and a beautifully packaged religion to entice them. Once drawn into Mormonism, they quickly climbed to leadership positions and became worthy temple Mormons, only to become disillusioned with the teaching and demands of the Latter-day Saint religion.
From her unique insider's viewpoint, Judy shares her life as a Mormon woman, her rediscovery of the Jesus of the Bible, and how she and Jim found freedom as they left the LDS church in the face of persecution and confrontation.
The Robertsons are not alone in leaving Mormonism. In this edition of the book, you'll find brief stories of others who have chosen to follow the Jesus of the Bible.
MY REVIEW
My what an enlightening and interesting book! It really held my interest and it wasn't even Amish, Historical Christian or any of my second genre choices to read. I had heard some of these things about Mormonism and by reading this I am more willing to accept it as truth but I will say that you should read it for yourself and make your own decisions, do more research if you feel the need.
November 4, 2014
The strongest aspect of this book is what it reveals about the mysticism and cultic nature of Mormonism. Temple rituals are shown for what they are: unbiblical, cultic, and just plain eerie. What bothered me about the book is the lack of character development of the author or her husband. (Add the right organ music and you'd have a perfect episode of "Unshackled," that gospel radio show that's been on the air forever. That is to say, the story has value and deserves telling, but don't expect a lot of depth.) Perhaps the publisher wasn't interested in character development, as the focus is primarily on why this couple left Mormonism--a good focus, one people should be aware of--but I can't help but think that better writing could have made it a better book. There is a certain sense of dissatisfaction that is unavoidable as a result of the missing sense of understanding these people--what fueled their decisions, both entering and leaving the cult. If you're interested in the secrets of Mormonism, however, particularly the creepiness of what takes place in the Temple for initiates, this book will shed light.
July 27, 2011
Out of Mormonism was first published in 1997 under the title No Regrets: How I Found My Way Out of Mormonism. In 2001 it was republished under its current title and now, ten years later, it has been revised and redesigned by Bethany House. Robertson’s story has remained unedited, but twenty-three pages of testimony by four other ex-Mormons has been added. There are also four appendices (these were also in the old edition) which explain how Mormon doctrine contradicts Christianity and provide guidance for Mormons who are trying to break ties with the church.
Continue reading this review here: http://parchmentgirl.com/book-reviews...
Continue reading this review here: http://parchmentgirl.com/book-reviews...
March 18, 2012
I downloaded this book for free on my kindle because I thought it would be an interesting look into the specifics of Mormonism... I now know why it was free. It quickly became apparent that what I was reading was just Mormon-bashing propaganda. It was melodramatic and hateful, and had it been any longer I wouldn't have finished it.
May 10, 2016
Well written. Very fascinating and convicting
Well written. Very fascinating and convicting. I was curious about the Mormon religion and this book answered a lot of my questions and made me want to research even more!
Well written. Very fascinating and convicting. I was curious about the Mormon religion and this book answered a lot of my questions and made me want to research even more!
March 19, 2013
There is so much TRUTH in this book that can and is verified by author. Will open the true seekers eyes to the deceptions of the Mormon Religion.
October 14, 2012
I picked this book up on amazon when it was available for free. For the last few years, I've been interested in reading about the Mormon lifestyle (lifestyle, not so much the religion itself) & about how people have escaped the life.
I couldn't have been more disappointed with the book.
The book begins with her life pre-Mormonism, but the author, Judy, only gives the most basic explanation of why & how they converted to Mormonism. Something as life changing as CHANGING YOUR RELIGION isn't going to happen overnight; I think she was trying to simplify the story, in order to move the plot along, but she oversimplified way too much. As she talks about converting, she kept talking about how internally she kept screaming that this was wrong -- and I just don't buy it. Maybe it's the way she wrote it or maybe it just seems way too awfully convenient to me that she had doubts - because seriously, if she had doubts, why on earth would she have converted? If she did have doubts, then she should have explained it better so the reader would better understand where she was coming from.
The next section of her book explains how they converted, some of the things that they had to do day to day, & then all of a sudden they decide not to be Mormons any more & they are just allowed to leave. I don't really know much about that (which is why I read the book in the first place) but it just seemed way too easy to just leave. If it was really that easy to leave, why wouldn't more Mormons who want to leave the church, actually leave the church? So their friends were disappointed... so what? I just didn't get that.
The last half of the book was extremely preachy: I think what Judy & her husband is doing is wonderful, helping other Mormons to escape, but the whole second half of the book is devoted to that work. If that was the whole point of the book (which after reading the book, it seems that way to me), then the book should have been called How I Help Mormons to escape, instead of Out of Mormonism, because little was devoted to her escaping.
On TOP of all that, the book was so badly written & edited, I kept cringing inside, & I'm by far not the best writer. So if I'm cringing, imagine how bad the writing was.
I couldn't have been more disappointed with the book.
The book begins with her life pre-Mormonism, but the author, Judy, only gives the most basic explanation of why & how they converted to Mormonism. Something as life changing as CHANGING YOUR RELIGION isn't going to happen overnight; I think she was trying to simplify the story, in order to move the plot along, but she oversimplified way too much. As she talks about converting, she kept talking about how internally she kept screaming that this was wrong -- and I just don't buy it. Maybe it's the way she wrote it or maybe it just seems way too awfully convenient to me that she had doubts - because seriously, if she had doubts, why on earth would she have converted? If she did have doubts, then she should have explained it better so the reader would better understand where she was coming from.
The next section of her book explains how they converted, some of the things that they had to do day to day, & then all of a sudden they decide not to be Mormons any more & they are just allowed to leave. I don't really know much about that (which is why I read the book in the first place) but it just seemed way too easy to just leave. If it was really that easy to leave, why wouldn't more Mormons who want to leave the church, actually leave the church? So their friends were disappointed... so what? I just didn't get that.
The last half of the book was extremely preachy: I think what Judy & her husband is doing is wonderful, helping other Mormons to escape, but the whole second half of the book is devoted to that work. If that was the whole point of the book (which after reading the book, it seems that way to me), then the book should have been called How I Help Mormons to escape, instead of Out of Mormonism, because little was devoted to her escaping.
On TOP of all that, the book was so badly written & edited, I kept cringing inside, & I'm by far not the best writer. So if I'm cringing, imagine how bad the writing was.
January 17, 2014
A while ago, I reviewed My Name Used to Be Muhammad: The True Story of a Muslim Who Became a Christian and mentioned that I didn't agree with Mormon theology. A while later, I found this book. It's a personal account of one woman's conversion to (and away) from Mormonism, and I found it fascinating.
Of course, like the title indicates, the author left Mormonism after a while. You see, Judy and her husband were initially attracted to the Mormon lifestyle. They thought that these were Christ-fearing folk, and they admired the way they lived.
But, as they got more involved with Mormonism, Judy started to feel like things weren't right. She was striving to be right with God, while the past Sunday School lessons were saying that something wasn't right. Even a trip to the temple, considered to be one of the most spiritual experiences, just reinforced the sense that something was wrong.
And so, after carefully studying the Bible, she and her husband came to realise that Mormonism is not Christianity and left the Church. Now, she and her husband run a ministry helping Mormons who wish to leave the Church. In fact, the later part of the book is filled with stories of people who have left.
What I like about this book is that the author tells her story simply. I understood how she felt, and why she made her decisions, and at the end of the story, I felt like I was with her through the whole thing.
If you're looking for a personal account about Mormonism, I'd recommend this book.
This review was first posted at Inside the mind of a Bibliophile
Of course, like the title indicates, the author left Mormonism after a while. You see, Judy and her husband were initially attracted to the Mormon lifestyle. They thought that these were Christ-fearing folk, and they admired the way they lived.
But, as they got more involved with Mormonism, Judy started to feel like things weren't right. She was striving to be right with God, while the past Sunday School lessons were saying that something wasn't right. Even a trip to the temple, considered to be one of the most spiritual experiences, just reinforced the sense that something was wrong.
And so, after carefully studying the Bible, she and her husband came to realise that Mormonism is not Christianity and left the Church. Now, she and her husband run a ministry helping Mormons who wish to leave the Church. In fact, the later part of the book is filled with stories of people who have left.
What I like about this book is that the author tells her story simply. I understood how she felt, and why she made her decisions, and at the end of the story, I felt like I was with her through the whole thing.
If you're looking for a personal account about Mormonism, I'd recommend this book.
This review was first posted at Inside the mind of a Bibliophile
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April 11, 2011I chose this book from our Church library after having two mormons come to my door. I didn't feel like I had a good understanding of their beliefs in order to properly share my own. I love a memoir, and so I really enjoyed the story of the author, Judy, and her family and their journey through mormonism. It was fascinating and challenging to me that two people raised in the Christian faith could choose the mormon beliefs simply because they didn't know their bibles well enough to see the lies they were being told. It is a good reminder to study and know the Word of God to stand firm against the lies of the enemy and be able to share the Truth with everyone in my sphere of influence.
March 2, 2011
Wow...I read this because a friend of mine read it and had some questions about whether or not parts of descriptions of Mormonism were exaggerations in the book. Well, yes. Some exaggerations, some half truths, and some definite oversimplifying and stereotyping going on. Interesting to read her perspective, but hard to take seriously. This is certainly a far cry from a true description of Mormonism, but of her experience of failing to find and accept Christ while a member of the LDS chuch.
May 9, 2011
Robertson writes about first converting to, and then leaving, the Mormon faith. I found her insider's account of Mormon temple rituals fascinating, especially given her new-found fundamentalist Christian perspective. The writing isn't great by any stretch, but I did find myself mouth agape at more than a few points in the text. At only 160 pages, it's an easy read.
August 10, 2010
My rating reflects the fact that the author is, well.....not an author. It does a good job of exposing facts about Mormons. Then it quickly becomes a propaganda campaign by fundamentalist Christians who are equally as scary.
March 3, 2008
Shocking!
May 1, 2012
Interesting. Definitely biased though...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 137 reviews