Real vs. Rumor

by Keith A. Erekson

Did Joseph Smith really say that? Does the Church have that artifact? How accurate was that story told in Sunday School? Should I trust the information on this website? Can I draw closer to God by learning about history?

Real vs. Rumor explores Church history myths, rumors, and false quotes to demonstrate how to think effectively about the information that swirls around us in our day. Each chapter brims with illuminating examples from scripture, history, and popular culture. By thoughtfully combining study and faith, you will be strengthened as you deepen your discipleship, avoid deception, understand tough topics, and see the hand of God in history and in your own life.

Genres: Religion, Nonfiction, Lds, History, Church, Audiobook, Self Help

265 pages, Paperback

First published May 11, 2021

About the author

Keith A. Erekson is an author, teacher, and public historian.

Reviews

[C · Rating 5 out of 5]

ALL THE STARS.

This is in the top echelon of best LDS books I've ever read. This is maybe some of the most relevant and essential reading for LDS members that I've ever come across.

The Director of the LDS Church's Church History Library has written this book all about how to assess and analyze information. The title, subtitle, and cover don't do the importance and value of this book justice because it's not just applicable to church history nor is it just applicable to church things. The author takes a particular lens that focuses on historical things related to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but most of this book is broadly applicable to all types of information, news, opinions, history, scripture, stories, myths, lore, etc. What's in this book can be applied to all information, knowledge, and education we can come across in life, helping anyone critically analyze to find actual truth and maneuver through the seemingly unending fake news, bias, scams, dishonesty, manipulation, conspiracy, and other forms of utter or slightly skewed falsity.

The underlying premise of the book is ultimately "how to find truth and not get caught by falsity." And it really tells you exactly HOW to do that with step-by-step processes for how to think about and question everything you hear or read. This is all presented without any cynicism, either. He regularly seeks to apply this critical thinking to common secular and faith-based binaries and perspectives, forcing the reader out of their false dichotomies and into balanced truth-seeking.

In addition, I think this is perfectly tailored to an LDS audience, who I feel can be close-minded and dismissive (rather than open and analytical) but also fragile (not stalwart or resilient) about many aspects of secular and religious knowledge and history. The author provides very robust and logically-driven instruction on how to properly and rationally assess information. He also shares some important but lesser-known truths from the church's history as well as some really insightful myth-busting of some classic church folktales. But most importantly, the author teaches you how to can identify such false or embellished stories on your own, question and analyze them, and find the truth behind the tale (if it exists).

With that said, this book can read pretty academic at times as it is much more about the critical analysis of ideas than church history facts. It is often more like a light textbook on analytical thinking than exposé on fun fake rumors church members believe or perpetuate, which may be off-putting or "missed expectations" for some readers. But the ideas are still introductory-level enough to be palatable, especially for this specific audience.

My only other substantive complaint is that there are a number of more complex (i.e., less friendly) considerations and analytical techniques that the author could have gone into but was left only hinting at...probably at the request of an editor to keep things from getting too complicated/murky. An example is the idea of authorship bias, which isn't really covered much at all and is rarely applied to religious contexts in this book. The author mentions some ideas about questioning the intent of the authors/sources of secular information but doesn't apply that same thinking adequately to religious information, which I wish had been done.

In the end, this is one of the most balanced religiously-voiced takes on learning and critical thinking that I have read because of its balanced focus on finding actual, objective, historical, meaningful TRUTH, rather than just good-enough, mostly accurate, or "sounds about right" conjecture. The author (mostly) fairly applies these basic ideas and techniques comprehensively (e.g., to doctrine, scripture, history, media, education, politics, etc.) and ultimately succeeds to help the reader (or at least ME as the reader) to have a much more careful and truth-seeking perspective about any and all information that is presented to me.

The tools in this book are things that I think really should be required reading for all seminary and institute students in the Church. It is, at the least, certainly something I will refer to regularly and eventually use to help teach my children when they are older and starting to really "seek" for themselves.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is exactly what it says it will be: a very good book about how to evaluate information. These techniques and skills could be learned and used by anyone not just in religious contexts but in other every day experiences. There was not a lot that I learned that was new to me here, but it is a good presentation and it is always good to have a reminder. I had hoped that there would be more examples of myths debunked because that would have been more fun to read about, and meant less work for me, but, as no one can predict what the next challenge will be, we do need to be prepared to find out truth and recognize error for ourselves.

[Faye · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone should read this book in the age of social media sharing! The principles taught in this text are at the heart of what it means to build on a solid foundation. I have always fought and clawed to build my belief system on core truths and reject anything contrived or superfluous. We have been consistently reminded in recent years that we need to develop discernment; this book defines in a practical way just what that means and how to go about it.

[Heather C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good stuff. Something everyone who is interested in any kind of civil discourse ought to read, let alone navigating LDS teachings.

[Rebekah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I loved this book. When I started reading, I expected it to be more like a side table book full of funny myths that members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe and perpetuate. It's actually much deeper and included the professional approach that historians use to understand how myths, misconceptions, and falsehoods get started and spread and how to recognize them and avoid passing them on in talks, family lore, and Sunday school or letting them destroy your testimony. The principles apply to all information, not just Church-specific issues, though the examples are focused on Church history.

Anyone who teaches, studies, enjoys, or doubts Church doctrine, culture, or history would benefit from reading this book. It's also very pertinent for those involved in family history or interested in general history. I had to laugh out loud when the author debunked two specific rumors that came up in a conversation with my mom just a day before I picked up this book.

It's a pertinent and timely study of how to interact with history and how to let or not let history shape our interpretation of today's world.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book focuses on how to break down church history and identify Real vs. Rumor. I appreciated the reminder to always check the original source before sharing a story because that is a critical skill in our day of social media misinformation.

It at times has s textbook-like structure, but it is also clear and concise with great examples of stories that I have heard before, but never critically examined whether the sources are accurate and credible. It is a great refresher on how to evaluate credibility of sources, compare to contemporary accounts, consider the purpose of the writer, and consider how close to the event the story was recorded.

[Tim J Farmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title of this book isn’t a good descriptor, as it makes it sound like it could have an anti-Mormon purpose. It couldn’t be further from that. Overall this book provides useful principles for discerning truth. I actually wish it discussed more examples of “Mormon Myths,” I thought it was fun and interesting to learn more about the apocryphal stories or refrigerator magnet quotes any LDS grew up hearing, and then finding out if it was accurate or not. A whole book of that would be fun.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

A much needed book for our time. Full of helpful "sniff" tests and strategies to help us analyze information/stories before we accept them as real or pass them on to others. I will likely refer back to this book often.

[Christopher Angulo · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent, fun, spiritually informative read.

[Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone should read this book!

[Emily Schultz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Engaging and insightful, clearly written and very relevant. Highly recommended!

[Jason Burt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really good book (maybe 4.5 stars)! It was less about dispelling specific Church rumors (although there is some of that) and more about giving you tools to be able to identify for yourself what is real and what is rumor.

[Chrisanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was talking about The Chosen with a gentleman who objected to the choice to present Jesus Christ as with darker skin because "he was really white." I asked for sources. It's been several weeks and no sources have been produced.

When I was young there was a popular story being shared in various meetings about a certain point in our religious history. It was a nice story about a real occurrence that contained claims about effects that supposedly caused the death of certain persons. About the 6th time I heard it, I said so(I don't like repetition). My grandpa heard my complaints and, with a twinkle in his eye, said "you know it never happened, right?" Without waiting for me to answer, he went on to provide logistical problems, issues with the "primary" source, and public sources that disproved the supposed causes of death. I was curious if that bothered him. No, it didn't, he said. He had faith that the intentions of most of the tellers were good, even if there were better tools available.

About halfway through this book I was the recipient of several screenshots of information from a FB friend from an unnamed source who called a man of high-ish rank* who, supposedly, negated several false and true claims and advocated for behavior outside proper and designated channels. Upon checking the history of my messages with said "source," I also was reminded of a message containing "info from Newsmax that highly encouraged writing dissatisfied letters to Penn Ave"--- Info/encouragement that was never on Newsmax and wouldn't have done any good anyway.

All this is mentioned to say that this book is needed. That the info/tools in this book should not just be used on religious claims. Erekson's paragraphs regarding conspiracy theories, identifying fake photos and documents, and ways to sort through hearsay (a friend of a friend said...) is very valuable. That's why I don't think I'll categorize this as religious. Though I particularly think that it is important to remember this info when watching that TV show in the first paragraph. Some of the backstories lack sources. ;)

The good news? It's crazy popular in my neighborhood. Hopefully that's a sign that people want to do better. And hopefully Deseret Book will publish more books of this caliber.


*A google search revealed that they, conveniently, got the name wrong.

[Keith · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Stories get collected and retold by other people for many reasons – to entertain an audience, instill gratitude, sell a product, shape public oinion, inspire by example, or lobby for change. … … The combination of a persons perspective and goal is often called bias.” (Page 54 in Chapter 4)

Often I like to summarize a book for my reference, and so other people can get a flavor of what is in the book. This book did it for me between pages 235 and 240, plus 252-253. That is too much to summarize in a medium length book review. So, this book is engagingly written by a historian who had extensive experience with rumor, innuendo, and like techniques. To get a quick overview, those pages (Appendix A, and C) give a summary of the questions to ask when evaluating new information.


He is well qualified: “Keith A. Erekson is an award-winning author, teacher, and public historian who currently serves as the director of historical research and outreach for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He also sits on the editorial board of the Church Historian’s Press.”
https://www.keitherekson.com/about/

Best resources to authenticate photos and videos on the Internet (Chapter 10, Page 140)
Whois.icann.org
Majestic.com
Afrefs.com
Images.google.com
Www.tineye.com
Fotoforensics.com
EXIF.regex.info/exif.cgi
Citizen-evidence.amnestyusa.org

Websites that help trace stories to sources (Chapter 11, p 148)
Snopes.com
Hoax-slayer.com
Fact-check.com
Politifact.com
Washingtonpost.com/news/fact-checker
Quackwatch.org
Sourcewatch.com

I was delighted to find this book which was published in 2021 in a thrift store in the same year year was published. I had been alerted to it’s value by a podcast interview with the author. It met and exceeded my expectations.

[Aleisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was okay. Read like a textbook for critical thinking and evaluating sources. I'm a fan of both, teach them to students in fact, but there's only so much to say about it and then it gets repetitious. I was expecting a book about LDS rumors vs. facts and thought that would be fun. This...wasn't.
UPDATE and added star: okay, after my initial disappointment I finished the book and liked it more (included lots more examples). I especially enjoyed the Bonus Chapter about family history.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Growing up as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, I heard many rumors ranging from the mundane to the outrageous. Some were presented by people trying to convince me that the church was lead by wicked frauds and others were presented during Sunday classes as potential faith building experiences. Still others were just presented as random nuggets of information just considered interesting.

When I picked up this book, Real vs. Rumor, I mostly expected it to be a listing of dozens or even hundreds of stories that would then either be proven as fact or debunked as fake. What I found was somewhat different.

The true content and intent of the book is elaborated by its subtitle: "How to dispel latter-day myths". While the book does use a handful of rumors and stories as examples, the real purpose of the book is to present readers with a sort of blueprint or methodology for evaluating these stories and rumors on their own to try and determine their veracity.

The author, Keith A. Erekson, is a historian who worked for many years as director of the Church History Library and so he had many opportunities to hone his research methods and to uncover truth and error. He shares some of his experiences and points out some of his findings related to a handful of the well known myths but mostly he wants readers to come away from this book with a better strategy for finding and accepting truths.

In any religious setting, it is important that we take things on faith. But blind faith is often counter productive and can sometimes be dangerous to our long term beliefs. Erekson presents a number of "sniff tests" to help us decide if something we hear should be believed on face value or if it warrants further investigation. And if it does require additional investigation, he provides advice for how and where to seek out that information.

In this age where anything and everything can be shared at the tap of a button, there is more information that we can possibly digest. So when we come across something that seems a little off or a little too "share-worthy", before we hit the "share" button, we should pause and do a little bit of digging to validate the accuracy. Otherwise, we just continue stirring the pot of confusion and diluting the faith and beliefs of those around us. Good advice not only for the truths of the LDS Church but for any type of information we find and share.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is needed. It's not the only one out there though on this topic. More books, like Anthony Sweat's SEEKERS WANTED are telling us to focus on the sources. What kind of sources are they? Current, reliable, untrustworthy, etc. This book had some stories that I had heard and considered true that were shown false from the sources. Like the story of a Japanese pilot who tried to bomb the Hawaiian Temple. Some of the book was stories and some of it read more like a text book. The following are items from the book that got my interest:
*The White Horse prophesy and the idea that the constitution would hang by a thread before being rescued by latter-day saints is a story highlighted in the book that through sources doesn't stand up exactly with the source of Rushton, but there are some facts that do corraborate the underlying idea.
*The story of Brigham Young who told the temple designers to leave a shaft through the temple without any idea why. Discovering later that the size of the shaft was exactly the right width for an elevator! Apparently everthing in this story is wrong. This story, Erekson says is one of the reasons stories like this continue to exists. People assume they are true without question. When the architect finish the interior design in the 1880's electricity was included as was elevators and telephones it wasn't Brigham Young that finished the interior design of the the temple.
*Some best resources to identify the original source when you think it came from a general conference talk: LDS general conference courpus, LDS scripture citation index, lds.org not the best way to search, instead us google site and enter: site:churchofjesuschrist.org before your search terms, BYU speeches, BYU religious studies center
*Studying church history is not testimony, it is an activity, like listening to music or talking to a friend, that can serve as a means to other important ends, such as inviting the spirit, declaring the truth and witnessing the marvelous works of God.

[Tanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book was going to focus on debunking a lot of the myths that run through LDS culture, and while it does some of that it is more a primer on how to evaluate what you hear and read. Honestly, the content reminded me of what I learned back in The Historian's Craft (the introductory course to BYU's History Major): Survey, analyze contents, connect to larger contexts, and evaluate significances. Church historian Keith A. Erekson is well-qualified for this task, and does a good job teaching us how to be our own fact-checkers. I didn't gain as much new knowledge as I had hoped from Real Vs. Rumor, just because I was so familiar with the historical evaluation skills he introduced, but I am completely sold on this as a book every inquiring Latter-day Saint should read.

Scattered through the analytical skills instruction, Erekson did debunk particular myths. He digs back to find the source of the rumors, and talks about how we can avoid perpetuating falsehoods. Unfortunately, so many of those faith-building stories out there can't be substantiated or are simply not true, and it does no one any good if we keep them in circulation. No, there is no evidence that a Japanese pilot tried to bomb the Laie Temple during the Pearl Harbor attack. Yoda is not, in fact, modeled after Spencer W. Kimball. And all the NYC missionaries did not receive promptings to stay out of midtown on September 11, 2001.

Erekson also addresses the challenging gaps and contradictions we have in church history, which become much less challenging when one understands how all historical remembrance and recording work. He encourages us to embrace complexity and stop insisting on definitive answers, all stuff that I absolutely agree with.

Anyway, this book is must-read material for those wanting to understand church history, those who want the skills to analyze both the past and the cultural present of our religion.

4 stars.

[Britni · Rating 4 out of 5]

I consider this more 3.5 stars, but I am rounding up because I think the subject matter is important. This book is meant for people who affiliate with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is essentially a book that teaches more about history and how to properly use/trust sources and how history evolves with more time and discovery. It also spends a great deal of the book bringing up common stories and quotes commonly shared among members in the church and shows how some of them are embellished, out of context, never happened or have left out important details.

This book was still very uplifting. It just taught the importance that we share REAL quotes and faith promoting stories. He also touches on how sometimes leaving out nuance and details of certain faith promoting stories can also be harmful to some. All in all, it gave a lot of great tips to “sniff” out problematic claims and stories and how to better check things out before sharing/teaching to our families and peers. It ended with some words of encouragement and thoughts on the relationship between testimonies and church history and the relationship between faith and doubt.

Because the subject matter is based on research strategies and history, this may be incredibly boring to some. But to people like me that over analyze and are always questioning what they read and hear, this book is very helpful and enjoyable.

[Jeff Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book. Keith Erekson does a good job at examining how myths and half-true stories develop and get perpetuated, and then how we can discern the real from the rumor. The first section of the book talks about the myths that circulate around the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the second about how to investigate stories to see if they are true, and the third how to dispel those rumors.

Many stories that get shared in talks and lessons are not accurate, and it is important that we do all we can to ensure we are not sharing rumors or untrue tales.

One section of the book challenges the way that people view the history of the Church. Some people leave the Church when they come across elements of Church History that are difficult to understand. This book gives a few examples of how there are many ways to view and think about historical events. The section, "Dispel These Bad Assumptions" provides different perspectives on how events in Church History can be viewed.

[Kaileychan88 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think that this is a fantastic book that really breaks down how to critically think about church history. In recent years the trend that Erekson refers too has truly picked up. As a young person I’ve seen many people my age struggle with these issues because of reading the CES letter or other ex/anti church posts and then claim that because their classes at church never taught them these things the church was hiding them or had other nefarious reasons. Ereksons’s reminder that it’s also our jobs as members to educate ourselves, and have been in fact encouraged to study and ponder ourselves is just one of his points that I think really starts to dispel the trend of “well the church didn’t teach (insert nefarious reason) I’m leaving/my testimony is broken.” I think he also does a wonderful job at reminding members that history is not a black and white issue it is a complicated and nuanced subject that needs to be carefully thought over. I think every member should read this book!

[EJ Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Real VS. Rumor
How to Dispel Latter-day Myths by Keith A. Erekson

This didn’t turn out to be what I was expecting when I bought it. I thought I was getting an entertaining book that would take often-repeated stories and debunk them or verify them. There are some stories told in that way but mostly the book is about teaching skills for how to evaluate stories to determine for ourselves if they are true or not. It was written to educate and give skills so the approach is much more didactic in nature. I didn’t read it in one setting. The author is the Church History Library Director for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The examples used to illustrate and teach the discerning skills are taken from scriptures and history of that church which might be hard for non-members to understand. However, the skills taught are really valuable for everyone especially in our world filled with false information.

[Haley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved all the tools given in this book of how to analyze and think effectively about what is real and what is rumor about church history. It is worthwhile applying those same strategies towards all the information/misinformation out there about politics from both sides. I'm reviewing this book later than I like, so it's hard to remember everything that stood out to me. I did immediately read it again to try to catch anything I missed the first time. The book was longer than I expected it to be, not having looked at the page count ahead of time.

Testimonies should be built on the foundation of Jesus Christ not on stories from church history, etc.
It was interesting to hear more facts about stories such as the Seagull Miracle and gain greater context on details that are left out of that retelling.
The importance of quoting and citing sources correctly.
Not expecting perfection from Church leaders.

[Larsen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a crash course in historiology with too much crammed in for comfortable reading. It would be an excellent reference book for history majors or suggested extra reading for a history class. Very few readers will remember "The Sniff Tests" developed throughout the book and listed in Appendix C. There are a few interesting examples provided that are bright spots, especially in Chapter 17 "Know the Dealings of God." It is reassuring to learn that the author, an obviously capable historian, Keith A. Erekson is the director of The Church History Library of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Epilogue makes clear that the objective of this book is to provide an excellent set of tools to help in dispelling specific rumors and myths. The book should be remembered when a need arrives for such tools for one's self or a friend.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Real vs. Rumor explores Latter-day myths, rumors, and Church history to demonstrate how to think critically about the information that swirls around us. Each chapter brims with illuminating examples from scripture, history, and popular culture. By thoughtfully combining study and faith to investigate myths and rumors, you will deepen your discipleship, avoid deception, understand tough topics, and see the hand of God in history and in your own life." Keith A. Erekson is an award-winning author, teacher, and public historian. Since 2014 he has worked for the Church History Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, directing the Church History Library and encouraging historical outreach and public engagement. He also serves on the editorial board of the Church Historian’s Press.
This book is helpful in learning to ask questions and use processes to determine when information is evidence based and truthful. I heard Keith Erekson speak on the Sunday on Monday podcast. His topic was, What's Real and What's in Rumor in Your Family History. Then I decided to read his book and I wasn't disappointed.

[Kylee Baker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not what I was expecting, but full of great through provoking information. I thought it would be a list of myths perpetuated in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, instead it was tools for research and critical thinking to find out for yourself. I have already found myself questioning and searching more.

Although it was an important subject matter it was not a thrilling read. I read it because I found it important but it felt like a chore at times. The author also was a little condescending at times. It bothers me when people that's could use their knowledge to teach use it to make others feel stupid. He didn't do it often but it did happen and it rubbed me the wrong way.

I still suggest it especially for those wrestling with questions about Church history. It brought some peace and clarity.

[Beks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book. It wasn't what I expected - I had thought that it would be a "these are all the myths that you thought wrong about" kind of thing. Instead Erekson goes chapter by chapter offering tools to help you see truth from fiction. From his historian perspective he helps battle the us vs them mentality, helps guide on the use of quotes and gives plenty of sniff tests to use when stories pop up.

Side note - I was devastated to learn the seagulls are myths...like that was 5th grade utah history! Not the seagulls!

I've already put some of the pointers to use in my online story sharing. And the chapter that talked about sitting with people who are doubting almost left me in tears when I was reading it because I'm strugglin right now.

Great book, I think every member of the Church should read it.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was fantastic. Especially in today’s world when so many people online are quick to judge information shared by others without actually fact checking the content they’re viewing. So many people take someone else’s opinion as their own without actually reading the article, book, viewing the video content or directly asking the individual. It’s so easy for our information to get skewed because we’re all so quick to believe that what other people are saying or posting IS ACTUALLY what the author meant. This book gives many different suggestions on how to fact check something that is real or rumor and what we should do when sharing information ourselves. I’m going to buy a hard copy for myself because this book will help me.

I listened to it via my subscription to Deseret Book Shelf.

[Brett Folkman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Keith did a wonderful job, I didn't know what to expect but my mother recommended it to me. I really enjoyed the detailed teaching on how to approach researching and critical thinking. My favorite part of the book was when Keith would take an example from church history or some LDS story that takes on a life of it's own and explain the real facts behind them. I had hoped Keith would have tackled a lot more of the "Mormon Myths" out there, as there's no end! haha. However, there is also no end to real, factual, miraculous events and experiences - using our intellect to help discern truth from error is what God expects of us! Highly recommend - especially in this internet age of fake media, exaggeration and constant cunning employed by so many to get gain - it can be applied to all aspects of life, not just history.

Brett Folkman, Doctor of Ministry

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've heard the rumors. I've heard the myths. There were a few in the book that I was surprised they were debunked--made me feel a little foolish. There were others that were verified--which made me feel surprised.

But mostly what this book does is give you the tools to figure it out for yourself--what is true and what is not. Although it focuses on using these tools in relation to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, they can be used for other urban legends that circulate. The internet is full of them.

It was a good reality check and will be helpful when the rumors and myths start flying around. And it reminded of the practical nature of faith, prayer and reason working together.