Mormons: An Open Book

by Anthony Sweat

With the growth and exposure of Mormonism across the country and world, more and more people are curious about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Although most Americans have an opinion about Mormonism, many of them admit they don t really know what Mormons actually believe. Using scriptures, quotes, facts, engaging visual images, and even some humor, this one-of-a-kind book is designed to openly explain the beliefs, practices, history, and culture of Mormonism. Chapters answer such questions as Are Mormons Christians? What Happens inside LDS Temples? and many more. Chapter address topics such as LDS beliefs about marriage and family, the position of women in the Church, and LDS views about politics and America. There are even sections that dispel some common myths and misconceptions about Mormonism. Written from the perspective of those who know and live the religion, the pages of An Open Book invite you to come in, learn about, and better understand a growing body of faith in America and across the Mormonism.

Genres: Nonfiction, Lds, Religion, Mormonism

246 pages, Paperback

First published June 25, 2012

About the author

Anthony Sweat is an Associate Professor of Church History and Doctrine at Brigham Young University. He received a BFA in painting and drawing from the University of Utah and his MEd and PhD in curriculum and instruction from Utah State University.

Before joining the religion faculty at BYU, he worked for thirteen years with Seminaries and Institutes of Religion. Dr. Sweat is the author of several books and articles related to the teachings and history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His research centers on factors that influence effective religious education. As a practicing artist, his paintings center on religious themes, including underrepresented events in Church history. Anthony and his wife, Cindy, are the parents of seven children and reside in Springville, Utah.

Reviews

[Scott Fabel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to confess that I have been fascinated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints for a long time. I was first introduced to Mormons by meeting a pair of young missionaries wandering around the streets (with their white shirts and black name tags!). For quite a while, I thought that Mormonism was simply another crack-pot religion with its own book and set of rules. More recently, my interest has been piqued because of several South Park episodes; the movie, Orgazmo; and most recently, the Tony-Award-Winning Broadway show, The Book of Mormon. (Trey Parker and Matt Stone are geniuses!) Anyway, I came across this book at Barnes & Noble, and it looked very interesting. I figured I would buy it and give it a read. I have to admit that I knew less about Mormons than I thought I knew. I now know a lot more--and I'm actually really impressed with their religion. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not ready to be be baptized into the Mormon church. Even so, the book was incredibly well written, easy to read, and informative. If you have any interest in the Mormon religion, I would highly recommend this book.

[Lacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible. Especially for anyone who wants to know more about the Mormon church. It breaks things down into a simple way and helps anyone to understand the basic doctrine and principles.

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been a "Mormon" all my life, but I still enjoyed reading this book. Lots of adjustments have been made in the Church in recent years (since this book was written), but reading this book would teach anyone lots about the "Mormons"--leading to better understanding. One of the adjustments is trying to get away from being called "Mormons". Instead, we want people to refer to us as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. That is quite a mouthful, but better represents who we really are--disciples of Jesus Christ. If this book were being published today, I'm absolutely positive it would have a different title. It is a good overview for anyone investigating the Church, as well as for long-time members.

[Cathi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a terrific book, which is written by an active Mormon and explains the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in a very practical, thorough, and engaging way. The three main sections are: Mormon Beliefs, Mormon History, and The Mormon Way of Life and each is packed with great information, including charts, photos, artwork, diagrams, and even a bit of whimsical humor thrown in for good measure. There are a couple of times where the humor is just a bit too flippant for me, but most of the time it works. This is a great resource for those who want to know more or for those who might want to know how to explain things clearly.

[Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Part-way through I discovered that the author, Anthony Sweat, is the son of a man from whom I took missionary discussions as a young adult. Nice coincidence.

I learned a few things I didn't know, but think this book is best suited to those new to the LDS Church or aren't members but are curious. Entries are somewhat encyclopedic and there are tons of photos, pictures and sidebars which makes it accessible.

[Katina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good resource book with sources.

[Erika B. (SOS BOOKS) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hooray for getting your hands on advance copies of books! Thank you job! I am so at war with this star rating simply because I usually give five stars to books that blow me away-and while this book was amazing it was a book of aesthetically pleasing Mormon topics so I don't know what to think! Darn you stars! It's like a fantastic reference book that everyone should read! hahaha Would I recommend this to someone? In a heartbeat! I have been a Mormon my whole life and there was stuff in this book that I was like, "Wow! Really? No way! I didn't know that!" Example-"The LDS Church has more than 28,000 congregations in 177 countries worldwide. Nearly half of the country of Tonga are Mormons. (46%) and there are two million Mormons in Mexico and nearly a million in China." If I had a non-LDS friend asking me questions about my faith I would love to have this handy. I would really give this book to LDS missionaries preparing to to teach people due to the fact it is so basic and a good representation of what the average LDS person believes. I think I'd also recommend it to LDS teenagers because the chapter dedicated to teenagers was very well done. The book starts this way. "In 2009, the comedian and host of The Tonight Show, Conan O' Brien, along with his sidekick, Andy Richter, and drummer, Max Weinberg, did a little song in honor of Mormons. The chorus went, "Oh Mormons, Mormons, Mormons, we haven't got a clue what you folks believe in, or think or drink or do." Conan, you are hilarious-and you're not alone. According to a 2007 Pew Forum Poll, 51% of Americans feel that they know, "not very much" or "nothing" at all about the Mormon Church. " -preface So good ol' Anthony Sweat, the author, tackled the huge task of breaking down Mormonism and making it entertaining to read! Mr. Sweat broke down his book into three parts-Part 1- Mormon Beliefs-where he covers: The message of Mormons, Priesthood Authority, the scriptures, stances on marriage and family, Mormons are Christians, views on the afterlife, and what happens inside an LDS temple. Part two-Mormon History. This covered: the history of the LDS Church in thirty seconds (fun page!), Joseph Smith's story, The Book of Mormon, Latter-day Prophets, and even had a page dedicated to Temple Square. Part three-The Mormon Way of Life. This covered-Mormon vocabulary or "mo-cabulary" (when we say meet at the "stake house" we mean a church building, not a place where you will be served delicious meats), standards, roles of women, views on sex, LDS teenagers, Church organizations, an average Mormon Sabbath Church service, missionary work, money, politics, and our "peculiar" cultural habits". Mr. Sweat covers subjects from CTR rings (jewelry LDS member tend to wear for the acronym Choose the Right-reminding us to lead a good life-making good choices) to polygamy. (Which by the way hasn't been practiced since 1890! I learned that in this book. :) ) If you aren't LDS and read this I definitely think you would be like, "Huh, that's really not such a mysterious religion after all." As always my favorite line from the book was this one-

"Last, of all the beautiful creations on earth, we believe that women are God's crowning creation, His signature stroke in the masterpiece of the universe." -pg. 170

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

I mainly read this book because I'm not very good with words and I feel like sometimes I don't do a good job explaining my beliefs and/or answering people's questions about the church.

I thought the author did an excellent job describing all the main points of doctrine, beliefs and practices of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints as well as answering all the main FAQs people have about the church and its members in a simple and interesting way.

I like how this book is organized and has a lot of pictures and graphics to look at. I thought it was cool how the author uses QR codes that link the reader to a website or video relating to the topic at hand. For example, in the section about temples, you can scan a QR code to meet some Mormons discussing the blessings of the temple and see a video of temple exteriors and interiors.

The book was published in 2012. A lot of the statistics used in the book will be really out-dated in the years to come and who knows how long the QR codes will work for? But that's to be expected. Maybe the author will come up with an updated edition of the book every few years.

*Note: Since the book was published, the missionary ages have changed. Young men can serve a mission as early as age 18 (instead of 19) and young women can serve as early as age 19 (instead of 21).

Anyways, this book is the perfect reference book for me to use to help explain my beliefs to others and to help answer people's questions about the church.

[Shanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mormons: An Open Book is an informative book, packed with explanations and clarifications as well as gorgeous color graphics and photos inside a pretty, minimalistic cover. I enjoyed reading various articles about my religion as I paged through the book. Most of the information was familiar, but there were a few things that were new even to this lifelong member.

There are three sections to the book, with several articles addressing different topics in each section. I really like the way the information is presented. Mormons: An Open Book is a great reference for those who want to better understand The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Throughout the book the author addresses “Mormyths” and whether these beliefs others have about the Mormons are true or false.

I am glad to have this book to which I can refer curious friends and neighbors. With the national attention the Latter-Day Saints have received due to the upcoming election, having a resource like this is beneficial for every church member with curious friends and loved ones.

Review originally published on www.ldswbr.com (http://www.ldswomensbookreview.com/wo...)

[Kelsey Shugart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super fun book to read.

This book talks about the Church's history, doctrine, lingo, meetings, organizations, and the orgin of how it all come to be. It teaches in a very light-hearted, easy-to-read way. It has cool facts and intriguing quotes. Even as a member I learned more about the church reading this book, even though it being a few years old!

The best part was reading about the churches stance on the Plan of Salvation. Knowing where I came from, why I'm here, where I'm going after this life brings such great clarity into my heart and mind. Knowing your divine identity as a child of God is something every human needs to experience.

Thanks Anthony Sweat for making this book!

[Kristen Seaton · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I love about this book is that it was written by an active member of the LDS Church, with the intention of educating people about the beliefs (not preaching or converting). Too many books on Mormons are written by disgruntled ex-Mormons or people who have never even been Mormon. This is a great book for setting the record straight about doctrine and beliefs. It is the perfect resource for anyone looking to learn about the church in a very non-threatening, non-confrontational format.

[Verona · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book! One of the best, most comprehensive books about Mormons I have ever read. It is divided into 3 parts: Mormon Beliefs, Mormon History, and Mormon Way of Life. Every detail is covered in detail, with completely accurate information. I am so impressed with the honest, open writing and the illustrations, graphs, and graphics are beautifully done. I loved this book! It made so proud to be a Mormon; I am proud of this author for "getting it right."

[Susan Dalley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even as a lifelong member, there were still many things I learned. I really appreciated how articulate the author was in answering the questions. The light and appropriately tone made for easy reading.

[Sharon Ivey-Swofford · Rating 5 out of 5]

If anyone is curious about us "Mormons" or members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, this is definitely a book you will want to read. Then after you finish this book, get a copy of The Book of Mormon and read it, too.

[Heather]

Read an exclusive author interview and enter to win one of two copies from now until July 4th at http://fireandicephoto.blogspot.com/2...

[Cassi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great reference book for all the many questions mormons are asked everyday.

[Jon Webber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crisp and clearly written, this from a Mormon's point of view, things the author wishes members of other faiths would ask. An easy read.

[Valorie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very interesting and informative book about the LDS church and beliefs. Well written and easy to follow.