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In Mormon Circles: Gentiles, Jack Mormons, And Latter Day Saints
Describes the history and doctrines of the Latter-Day Saints, and discusses their way of life and their relationships with the outside world and with their own fundamentalist fringe
- GenresNonfiction
16 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1991
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
September 24, 2026
AN INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER LOOKS AT THE LDS CHURCH
James Coates (b. 1943) was an investigative reporter for the Chicago Tribune and the Daily Times; he is also the author of other books such as ‘Armed and Dangerous: The Rise of the Survivalist Right.’
He wrote in the Preface to this 1991 book, “This book flows from a lifelong fascination with Mormondom. I don’t accept the church’s beliefs and even my political inclinations are out of step with much of my Mormon neighbors’ secular style. Their down-home brand of Republican-type civic boosterism---locker-room camaraderie for the men and sewing circle sweetness for the women---is overseen by 15 stern-faced but loving elders at their magnificent Salt Lake City Temple…
“This book is intended as a glimpse inside Mormon circles to reveal the people and the institution who together make up America’s fastest-growing religion. Mormonism today is a movement that enjoys social and political power far greater than its substantial membership might be expected to wield. Much of this power is a direct result of Mormons’ robust tithing, an all-but-ironclad requirement that every family give back at least 10% of its earnings to support the church treasury. Amazingly enough, that tithing seems only to make LDS numbers grow.” (Pg. ix-x)
“Incredibly enough, even within the ranks of practicing Mormons there are degrees of inclusion and exclusion, degrees of us versus them. On one side within the church there are the apathetic church members LDS slang calls ‘Jack Mormons.’ On the other side are the ardent fundamentalists or ‘polygs,’ oftentimes believers in polygamy, ‘blood atonement,' and other now-outlawed practices that are remnants of a past when Mormons fought to survive in a world of unfriendly Gentiles. In the middle is a growing congregation of mainstream Mormons that now approaches 7 million members.” (Pg. xi)
He notes that after Joseph Smith’s death, Brigham [Young] started to lead… he thundered his dictates from the pulpit vacated by Joseph, and the Saints followed... [Sidney] Rigdon and William Smith were first shunned and then driven away. Next Brigham asked none other than Emma Hale Smith [Joseph’s first wife] to become one of his wives. Emma, who hated the [polygamy] Principle, rejected Young and married a hard-drinking, non-Mormon businessman named Lewis C. Bidamon. The Bidamons stayed behind when the Saints headed west, and Emma thus proved a source of embarrassment to those who gave their all to the memory of Joseph, even as she chose to marry a Gentile.” (Pg. 54)
He explains, “The Book of Mormon, with its strong parallels to Old and New Testament stories, dictums, and parables, is nowhere near as removed from the Judeo-Christian tradition as are subsequent Mormon theological writings. Those scholars who would move LDS doctrine toward the mainstream shy away from the third volume of Joseph Smith’s sacred trilogy, ‘The Pearl of Great Price,’ which contains allusions to the inferiority of blacks and the multiplicity of Gods and has upset church critics.’ (Pg. 80)
He reports, “Recent estimates place the cost to the family of keeping a young missionary in the field at $350 a month of $8400 for a typical 2-year mission. Additionally, missionaries need about $1000 in cash to buy clothes, obtain needed medical and dental exams, passports and visas, and to pay a share of their travel costs. Mindful that they are making one of the best investments possible, church leaders pay all but the first $50 a trainee spends traveling… for training, and they pay all but the first $100 in travel costs to get the missionary to the field. Such costs are recouped when the converts start tithing and making other contributions.” (Pg. 138)
He notes, “A common criticism leveled at the Mormon missionary program is that it lacks the altruistic qualities common to other Christian missions. There is virtually no effort to feed the hungry, clothe the poor, care for the sick, or adopt the orphaned. Instead resources are channeled into an inexorable quest for converts.” (Pg. 150-151)
He recounts, “Yet another strain of Mormons are those mainstream Saints who are anticipating the fast approach of the Millennium and preparing for the worst… While Gentiles may take similar steps out of nuclear age anxiety, Mormons are driven by a different set of beliefs. Indeed, survivalism is a major concern of just about everybody in Mormon circles.” (Pg. 166)
He states, “Polygamy helped make the Mormon elite prosperous as well as notorious. Recent demographic material shows that taking plural wives vastly increased the number of children each Mormon man produced and thus added greatly to his wealth. A study [at BYU] estimated that 72% of Mormon men living in frontier polygamy had broods of between 11-30 offspring. In a harsh desert agrarian society like late 19th century Utah, producing large numbers of children to work the land was key not only to wealth and the fulfillment of religious beliefs, but to survival itself.” (Pg. 176-177)
This book will interest those seeking an ‘outside’ (but not unsympathetic) perspective on the LDS Church.
James Coates (b. 1943) was an investigative reporter for the Chicago Tribune and the Daily Times; he is also the author of other books such as ‘Armed and Dangerous: The Rise of the Survivalist Right.’
He wrote in the Preface to this 1991 book, “This book flows from a lifelong fascination with Mormondom. I don’t accept the church’s beliefs and even my political inclinations are out of step with much of my Mormon neighbors’ secular style. Their down-home brand of Republican-type civic boosterism---locker-room camaraderie for the men and sewing circle sweetness for the women---is overseen by 15 stern-faced but loving elders at their magnificent Salt Lake City Temple…
“This book is intended as a glimpse inside Mormon circles to reveal the people and the institution who together make up America’s fastest-growing religion. Mormonism today is a movement that enjoys social and political power far greater than its substantial membership might be expected to wield. Much of this power is a direct result of Mormons’ robust tithing, an all-but-ironclad requirement that every family give back at least 10% of its earnings to support the church treasury. Amazingly enough, that tithing seems only to make LDS numbers grow.” (Pg. ix-x)
“Incredibly enough, even within the ranks of practicing Mormons there are degrees of inclusion and exclusion, degrees of us versus them. On one side within the church there are the apathetic church members LDS slang calls ‘Jack Mormons.’ On the other side are the ardent fundamentalists or ‘polygs,’ oftentimes believers in polygamy, ‘blood atonement,' and other now-outlawed practices that are remnants of a past when Mormons fought to survive in a world of unfriendly Gentiles. In the middle is a growing congregation of mainstream Mormons that now approaches 7 million members.” (Pg. xi)
He notes that after Joseph Smith’s death, Brigham [Young] started to lead… he thundered his dictates from the pulpit vacated by Joseph, and the Saints followed... [Sidney] Rigdon and William Smith were first shunned and then driven away. Next Brigham asked none other than Emma Hale Smith [Joseph’s first wife] to become one of his wives. Emma, who hated the [polygamy] Principle, rejected Young and married a hard-drinking, non-Mormon businessman named Lewis C. Bidamon. The Bidamons stayed behind when the Saints headed west, and Emma thus proved a source of embarrassment to those who gave their all to the memory of Joseph, even as she chose to marry a Gentile.” (Pg. 54)
He explains, “The Book of Mormon, with its strong parallels to Old and New Testament stories, dictums, and parables, is nowhere near as removed from the Judeo-Christian tradition as are subsequent Mormon theological writings. Those scholars who would move LDS doctrine toward the mainstream shy away from the third volume of Joseph Smith’s sacred trilogy, ‘The Pearl of Great Price,’ which contains allusions to the inferiority of blacks and the multiplicity of Gods and has upset church critics.’ (Pg. 80)
He reports, “Recent estimates place the cost to the family of keeping a young missionary in the field at $350 a month of $8400 for a typical 2-year mission. Additionally, missionaries need about $1000 in cash to buy clothes, obtain needed medical and dental exams, passports and visas, and to pay a share of their travel costs. Mindful that they are making one of the best investments possible, church leaders pay all but the first $50 a trainee spends traveling… for training, and they pay all but the first $100 in travel costs to get the missionary to the field. Such costs are recouped when the converts start tithing and making other contributions.” (Pg. 138)
He notes, “A common criticism leveled at the Mormon missionary program is that it lacks the altruistic qualities common to other Christian missions. There is virtually no effort to feed the hungry, clothe the poor, care for the sick, or adopt the orphaned. Instead resources are channeled into an inexorable quest for converts.” (Pg. 150-151)
He recounts, “Yet another strain of Mormons are those mainstream Saints who are anticipating the fast approach of the Millennium and preparing for the worst… While Gentiles may take similar steps out of nuclear age anxiety, Mormons are driven by a different set of beliefs. Indeed, survivalism is a major concern of just about everybody in Mormon circles.” (Pg. 166)
He states, “Polygamy helped make the Mormon elite prosperous as well as notorious. Recent demographic material shows that taking plural wives vastly increased the number of children each Mormon man produced and thus added greatly to his wealth. A study [at BYU] estimated that 72% of Mormon men living in frontier polygamy had broods of between 11-30 offspring. In a harsh desert agrarian society like late 19th century Utah, producing large numbers of children to work the land was key not only to wealth and the fulfillment of religious beliefs, but to survival itself.” (Pg. 176-177)
This book will interest those seeking an ‘outside’ (but not unsympathetic) perspective on the LDS Church.
November 4, 2009
This was an interesting read. It's a bit dated, but it has some useful information on the origins of the LDS church, as well as some of the controversy that has swirled around the church for the past century or so. The actual tone of the book is admirably middle-of-the-road. James Coates is a former journalist, so he does his best to present all sides of the story in an unbiased manner.
It's a good read for anyone whose interested in sociology, theology, the formation/ growth of religions, or LDS history.
It's a good read for anyone whose interested in sociology, theology, the formation/ growth of religions, or LDS history.
February 22, 2014
I read this book 15 years ago for the first time, and recently re-read it. It's a straight forward and fascinating view of the history of the LDS church. So happy I found this great book at a local thrift shop and bought it for $1.50. Great rediscovery!
December 7, 2008
Not as well-known or as popular as Under the Banner of Heaven but covers much of the same territory in a solid journalistic fashion.
January 27, 2014
An interesting description of the Mormon lifestyle - what works and what doesn't.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews