The Mormon Mirage: A Former Member Looks at the Mormon Church Today

by Latayne C. Scott

In the first edition of The Mormon Mirage, Latayne C. Scott shared her remarkable journey out of Mormonism as she uncovered shocking inaccuracies, inconsistencies, and contradictions in the faith she had loved and lived. Thirty years later, Mormonism and Mormon scholarship have evolved with the times. In this third, revised and updated edition of her well-known book, Scott keeps pace with changes and advances in Mormonism, and reveals formidable new challenges to its claims and teachings. The Mormon Mirage provides fascinating, carefully documented insights into

*DNA research's withering implications for the Book of Mormon

*the impact of new 'revelations' on Latter-day Saint (LDS) race relations

*new findings about Mormon history

*increasing publicity about LDS splinter groups, particularly polygamous ones

*recent disavowals of long-held doctrines by church leadership

*the rise of Mormon apologetics on the Internet

More than a riveting, insider's scrutiny of the Mormon faith, this book is a testimony to the trustworthiness of Scripture and the grace of Jesus Christ.

Genres: Nonfiction, Religion, Mormonism, Christian, Audiobook, Cults, Lds

368 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1979

About the author

Author of about two dozen books, most published by major publishers such as Zondervan/Harper Collins, Howard/Simon & Schuster, Moody, Word Kregel and others. Over 150,000 copies sold. Now writing, in a patron-based ministry, books published by TSU Press (Albuquerque, NM): Passion, Power, Proxy, Release; Just You, Me and God; The Heart's Door; The Parables of Jesus; Time, Talents, Things.

New books: What Will Be Made Plain: An Amish Ghost Story (TSU Press, 2019), and (with co-author Beth Robinson) Protecting Your Child From Predators: How to Recognize and Respond to Sexual Danger (Bethany, 2019.)

Award-winning fiction: A Conspiracy of Breath; historical literary fiction based on the premise that a woman wrote the biblical Epistle to the Hebrews (TSU Press, 2017.)

If you'd like to read additional reviews of my books, you can access them on my Goodreads reader page here: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2...

Reviews

[Krisko Isackson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wish the promotional materials had made it clear that this was a book about switching from one version of right-wing Christianity (Mormonism) to another (evangelical Christianity). I'm sure other Christians would like this book to justify that their flavor of religion is the right one. But I couldn't help reading this and being amazed at how the author could scrutinize the contradictions and logical fallacies in the Book of Mormon, but not those in the Bible.

[Vini · Rating 5 out of 5]

Scott does a great job of thoroughly refuting the Mormon position. As an ex-Mormon, she talks about doctrinal changes that she witnessed like Lamanite ancestry and Black priesthood. The way that the book is written makes the Mormon Mirage a great resource to refer back to. I highly recommend this book.

[drowningmermaid · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel so torn about this one. On the one hand, it's the first 'anti-Mormon' book I've encountered in which a genuine love for Mormonism and the LDS people shines through. But that's not the only thing that shines through. Scott converted from devout Mormonism to equally devout Bible-belt Christianity, and the book is positively riddled with statements that boil down to "OH NOES! All these Mormons will BURN IN HELL FOREVER if I do not convert them one and all!!!"

There was a time when this book would have really resonated with me, when I, too, wept and prayed for my poor, lost Mormon brethren. It is terrifying to believe that the majority of the world will burn for all eternity if they do not, at some point in their lives, confess Jesus Christ as savior and lord. A bittersweet kind of terror, because with it comes the "Christian-man's burden" to lovingly cajole, browbeat, and otherwise herd the poor lost souls toward 'Jesus.'

As it stands now, though, I identify much more with her much-despised 'postmodern Christians' who view spiritual truth as relative and personal. (Yes, I do believe in 'real' truth. Some things happen. Others do not. But spirituality takes many forms that are beneficial, and not harmful.)

What I really appreciated about this book is the fact that Scott has taken the trouble to keep herself up to date. She does not only talk about the Mormonism of her day, when the LDS church taught that all Native Americans and Pacific Islanders were descended from the Lamanites described in the Book of Mormon, that blacks were inherently spiritually inferior, that Joseph Smith was a real, literal translator.

Since all these major doctrinal points that Mormons used to believe have been pretty well disproven, Mormonism has morphed in recent decades, changing its beliefs and even the text of its scripture to fit what is now known. Lamanites are now "among" the ancestors of the Native Americans, blacks are fine, Joseph Smith's 'translations' were inspired imaginings that he got from looking at papyri. (This despite the fact that he also created his own made-up alphabet for his imaginary version of Egyptian, told people he was a translator, and gave speeches using his made-up version of Egyptian. To me, this proves that he thought of himself, or desired himself to be thought of, as a real, literal translator in the common sense.) Scott addresses these and other LDS attempts to muddy the waters and/or offer convincing to those who wish to be convinced clearly and concisely.

She also includes a lot of wonderful LDS flavor: means of determining whether you are facing an evil spirit, the fear of water, and the deep sense of love and loss that she still feels for having lost her spiritual family.

[A.L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Latayne C. Scott is a scholar of both Mormonism and Christianity with a heart for sharing her Christian faith with her former church, the Latter-day Saints. This book is a detailed challenge to Mormon doctrine that exposes its historical, archaeological and scientific inacurracies. It is also a well-reasoned argument for Biblical Christianity.

Here are a few excerpts:

“It wasn’t easy to leave. I owed, and still owe, The church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its members a great debt of gratitude...
But [now:] I am regarded by them as a traitor and an apostate. I left Mormonism after tasting some of its sweetest fruits. “ (17)


"...I believe that someone who has not lived a doctrine has no ground to criticize it – just as grade-school science student cannot reasonable speak with authority on nuclear physics. I lived Mormonism; I loved it – and I left it." (19)

“The greatest battles a cult can wage over the soul of the ignorant person, I believe, are already won when the proselyte is too lazy, or afraid, or unwilling to see a more correct interpretation of Scripture passage that is presented to teach a supposedly “new” doctrine. We have nothing to fear but ourselves when we ignore the admonition to “search the Scriptures.” (26)

Disclaimer: I work for this publisher. I still believe it's an excellent book, but if you're reading this and you don't know me personally, I thought it fair to mention that. Blessings, AR.

[Bishop · Rating 5 out of 5]

Latayne is a very good writer and her book on her Mormon experience is very well written and compelling. As is often said about a very good book, "I could not put it down." I learned much from this book of the Morman experience as seen through the eyes of the author. Her own story was quite moving as she recounted how she was compelled by the evidence and her conscience to leave the church that she loved and that meant so much to her. She tells of her painful loss and the intense grief that followed as well as how she was able to recover her faith in God within an Evangelical Christian context. She also gives a very thoughtful and intelligent survey of Mormon history and belief. I think that many Roman Catholics who are presently struggling with the institutional abuse of their own church would find that they could identify with the the similar institutional abuse of the Mormon heirarchy. The parallels between the two religious institutions are remarkably similar. It demonstrates what can happen when a religious institution over reaches itself and begins to make extravagent claims of authority for itself. This book by Scott is not just another polemic leveled at the LDS Church but rather an honest reflection of a very personal journey of a woman of deep faith and committment to truth. I highly recommend this book!

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Writing with skill and grace, former Mormon Latayne Scott offers a loving treatise on why she left Mormonism. Her writing is skillful, at times even entertaining. Her documentation is outstanding. What impressed me most of all, though, was that while she pulled no punches in her presentation of the dark side of Mormonism, the love and respect that she still has for Mormons and Mormonism shines through on every page. This really is a remarkable book. It is detailed, scrupulously documented, and still highly readable.

It also makes a nice contrast after having just read Allan Bloom, who in The American Religion praised Mormonism to the skies without offering a single critique.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

There was so much information packed into this book, I’d be lucky if I walked away knowing half of it. But it was incredibly fascinating and the author was so kind in explaining her testimony and presenting the facts. Thank you Dr. Knowles for letting me borrow it 😁

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, I have fallen deeper into the ex-Mormon rabbit hole and it just keeps getting more eye opening.

[Joel · Rating 4 out of 5]

read a bit more like a textbook than I anticipated, but very thorough and informative!

[Dina (ReviewTime) · Rating 5 out of 5]

What's Inside
The Mormon Mirage is a collection of Mrs.Scott's finding from years of research as a devout Mormon. The 3rd edition is the latest version of her book, in this edition you will also find her more recent research and opinions. Mrs.Scott writes in a conversational non-scholarly tone, and is very strait forward in her statements. In the back of this book you will find many references so that you can do your own research and draw your own conclusions.

Table Contents

Part One

1. A Gentle Apostasy: Mrs. Scott's personal history and conversion story.
2. The Joseph Smith Story: The of life Joseph Smith from Mormon, Non-Mormon, and Ex-Mormon sources.
3. The Book of Mormon: " The Most Correct of Any Book"?: Information about the Book of Mormon, how it was transitioned, its contents, what it means to Mormons today.
4. One Bible, Two Books of Commandments, and Unlimited Wives: How Mormons view the Bible and the translations used by the LDS church. The history, contents and teachings of the LDS Scripture "The Doctrine and Covenants".
5. The Perils of the Pearl: The history, contents and teachings of the LDS Scripture "The Pearl of Great Price".
6. The Precarious Summit of Continuing Revelation: The different groups who follow Joseph Smith's teachings. The nature, and mechanics of LDS Revelation. Joseph Smith's successors and continuing revelation.
7. The Mormon Pantheon: Topics covered in this section are the eternity of man, the idea of preexistence, the Mormon veiw of God ,The belief that one may attain godhood (or goddesshood), The Mormon view of God as a progressive being, the Adam-God doctrine, the Mormon view of Christ, his conception, marriages, other LDS doctrine, the Mormon view of the Holy Ghost, the Mormon view of Satan and evil spirits. the Mormon veiw of angels as resurrected and translated beings.
8. Salvation and Exaltation: The idea of Salvation vs Exaltation, The Mormon veiw of Baptism, Baptism for the dead and Proxy Baptism. The different types of Endowment for Exaltation, Temple Ceremonies, Sins which prevent Exaltation, The Mormon Doctrine of Resurrections.

Part Two

1. Issues and Challenges Facing Mormonism in the 21st Century- Part One
2. Issues and Challenges Facing Mormonism in the 21st Century- Part Two
3. Conclusion

Addendum-Evangelizing Mormons in the 21st Century
For Further Reading
Notes
Subject Index
Mormon Scripture Index
Scripture Index

Pros
Latayne C. Scott was a devout Mormon for 10 years, she served as a Sunday school teacher, and participated in lady's groups, and children organizations. She received her eduction with the help of scholarships provided by LDS for Brigham Young University. "I lived Mormonism; I loved it-and I left it." ~Latayne C. Scott

Cons
One must always be aware when reading books written by an individual that sometimes personal opinion will come through, even when one is trying to write objectively. The reason I point this out is because she writes very passionately.

About The Author
Latayne C. Scott is the award-winning author of over a dozen books, published by major Christian publishers such as Zondervan, Moody, Baker, Word and others. In addition, she has published poems, radio plays, and hundreds of articles in magazines such as Today’s Christian Woman, Guideposts, Writer’s Digest, The Upper Room, Christian Research Journal, Christian Retailing, and Military Officer. A full-time writer, she also speaks at seminars, retreats, and on television and radio programs. She is the recipient of Pepperdine University’s Distinguished Christian Service Award for Creative Christian Writing, and makes her home in her native New Mexico.

Web Site: http://www.latayne.com

My Personal Opinion
The Mormon Mirage is defiantly an interesting, and shocking book. According to Mrs. Scotts research the majority of Mormon beliefs are very different from traditional Christianity. Before writing this review I had never talked with a Mormon missionary, because of this I went to the LSD website and asked a Mormon missionary some questions. My questions were "What are your views of the Trinity?, Will faithful Mormons attain godhood after death? and does God the Father have a flesh and bone body?" the answers I was given were basically the scholarly version of what I found in Mrs. Scott's book. She encourages the reader to do their own research, and gives multiple references. Many of the references are Mormon books of scripture, such as the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price.

[BG45 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the most even handed works I've read about the Mormon faith; not effusive with praise certainly, but not as bitter as most ex-Mormons tend to be. Scott almost never makes a claim that she can't back up with a reference, and as another reviewer has said previously, she fastidiously documents those references in the back of the book so you can do your own research if that's what you would prefer.

That said, she lost me at the point where she pretty much went on a tangent about more proof for Creationism than anything the Mormons say. The anti-evolution bias is what kept me from giving an otherwise amazingly well done work a 5 star rating.

[Gabe Chaves · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book about Mormonism from an ex-mormon and now member of the Church. Very well written and informative. Changed my entire view of the LDS movement. An excellent book for anyone interested about LDS beliefs to read!

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally finished this book. It dug deeply into every single issue of Mormonism. Yes was only mildly interested in the Mormon vs. Christian issues, so it took a while, but for someone who really wants to know every single thing, this book is great!

[Cynthia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Older but well written with good information

[Hank Pharis · Rating 3 out of 5]

After listening to this book it was so good that I had to read it as well. This is much more than another memoir about leaving Mormonism. It is an excellent summary of the problems with Mormonism and especially of integrating important studies about Mormonism from the last 2-3 decades. Scott identifies numerous problems with Mormonism. But the foundational issue concerns the credibility of Joseph Smith. Thus I have included below primarily quotes about Smith.

Scott begins by saying: “My reasons for leaving the LDS Church were then, and are now, quite simple. They don’t really have much to do with archaeological findings (nor with the absence of them). Nor do they have to do, so much, with the false prophecies, suppressed history, and constantly changing doctrine of the Mormonism of the past. Its claims that it is a gospel different from traditional Christianity remain unchallenged. No matter how you dress it up or water it down, Mormonism is not Christianity.” (14)

“Brigham Young once stated that Joseph’s consent was required for a person to be able to enter into the Celestial Kingdom of heaven, because Joseph was now reigning there, like God. He also said that Joseph “was a god to us” and that he himself was “an apostle of Joseph Smith,” saying that “every spirit that does not confess that God sent Joseph Smith and revealed the everlasting gospel to and through him, is of Anti-christ.”” (29)

Mormonism . . . must stand or fall on the story of Joseph Smith. He was either a prophet of God, divinely called, properly appointed and commissioned, or he was one of the biggest frauds this world has ever seen. There is no middle ground. If Joseph Smith was a deceiver, who willfully attempted to mislead the people, then he should be exposed; his claims should be refuted, and his doctrines shown to be false. (30)

But the most damaging evidence to prove Joseph Smith’s activities with his peepstone is found in the account of a March 20, 1826, trial that was published in Fraser’s magazine in 1873. Joseph Smith was accused of having used his peepstone for three years to try (usually unsuccessfully) to find such things as hidden treasure, lost property, money, gold, a salt spring, and a buried trunk. He was found guilty of the charges. (34)

Mormons often claim that none of them ever denied their testimony of the Book of Mormon. However, Brigham Young in the LDS Journal of Discourses says that “some of the witnesses of the Book of Mormon who handled the plates and conversed with the angels of God, were afterwards left to doubt and to disbelieve that they had ever seen an angel.” … Most of the witnesses to the Book of Mormon did indeed fall into apostasy. (38)

Not even the testimony of Joseph Smith himself is infallible. On June 15, 1828 - years after his supposed visit from God, who told him that all churches on earth were corrupt - ” he tried to join the Methodist Church but was asked to leave because of his alleged involvement with necromancy. (40)

The Book of Mormon’s first edition was filled with grammatical, punctuation, and spelling errors that necessitated more than four thousand changes to bring it to its present, slightly more readable condition. (40)

While at Kirtland, Joseph made a prophecy that is unfamiliar to most Mormons. Just before the first general Church conference, he predicted that “not three days should pass away before some should see the Savior face to face.” (43)
Joseph Smith announced a revelation that identified Missouri as the promised land. When he and a number of others traveled to the area near Independence, Missouri, they chose a site for a new temple to be built there. This was to be a special place, this “New Jerusalem,” as Joseph called it. (43)

Mormons sincerely believe today, confident that Jackson County, Missouri, will be the site of the New Jerusalem, where all the lost tribes of Israel59 will gather at some future date. (46)

False prophecy became a habit for Joseph Smith. Most estimates of the number of recorded false prophecies that Smith made range from fifty to sixty. Edmond Gruss and Lane Thuet have documented the fact that Smith made at least one false prophecy per year from 1829 until the year of his death. (45)

Mormons are taught that abstinence from tea, coffee, alcohol, and tobacco is essential for entrance into the celestial kingdom. If this is true, Joseph Smith must be a candidate for the terrestrial or telestial kingdom, because he repeatedly violated the Word of Wisdom. … the drinking habits of early Mormon leaders have been purged from the original records. In other words, a great cover-up has been effected. In one instance, Joseph Smith asked “Brother Markam” to get “a pipe and some tobacco” for the Apostle Willard Richards. These words have been replaced with the word “medicine” in recent editions of the History of the Church. At another time Joseph Smith related that he gave some of the “brethren” a “couple of dollars with directions to replenish” their supply of “whiskey.” … But the fact that he compromised on one of his own rules compromises him. Add to this evidence that for a short while he kept a well-stocked bar in his own home in Nauvoo. (46-47)

Joseph’s intemperate use of alcohol and tobacco (he openly smoked cigars while in Nauvoo) are not as embarrassing to modern Mormons as his boasts of knowing many languages. On one occasion he quoted from seventeen different languages (not always accurately). At another time he claimed, ‘I know more than all the world put together.” (47)

Joseph Smith’s self-avowed abilities as a great linguist have been shown to be fraudulent by scholars studying the LDS scripture called the Pearl of Great Price. Joseph Smith supposedly “translated” a part of this book — the “Book of Abraham” — from some ancient Egyptian papyri. Until the late 1960s, his translations could not be challenged with certainty because the papyri were thought to have been destroyed in the great 1871 Chicago fire. But in 1967 the original papyri were rediscovered in a research room of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. … modern archaeological linguists (even the braver Mormon ones) agree that the writing on the scrolls has nothing whatsoever to do with Abraham, Moses, Joseph, or anything else even remotely Judaic or Christian. (48)

Part of the prosperity in Kirtland was due to Joseph’s ingenuous issuing of bank bills which paid everyone’s debts off, until it came to light that they weren’t backed by gold, silver, or anything of value. (48)

In Illinois, Joseph founded a city that he called Nauvoo. He said this name meant “beautiful plantation” in Hebrew, but the word never existed except in his mind. … What most popular LDS histories do not record, in recounting the virtues of Nauvoo, though, is the brewery authorized by Joseph Smith, nor the bar he had in his own house, nor the short-lived Nauvoo whorehouse, nor the Masonic temple where Joseph himself “became a first-degree Mason on the night of the installation, and the next night rose to the sublime degree.”69 Though the Mormonism-Masonry connection was flatly denied when I was a Mormon, LDS scholars now not only acknowledge the connection but have written quite extensively on it in recent years. (52)

Joseph Smith actually had himself ordained a king, according to LDS author Klaus Hansen. (52)

Joseph Smith embraced the role of military leader with as much gusto as he wore his role of spiritual leader, and preferred the title of Lieutenant General (given to him by Illinois Governor Carlin) above even the title of president of the Church. (53)

Joseph Smith was always “a great favorite with the ladies.” He once said publicly that he had to “pray for grace” whenever he saw a pretty woman. … He got a “revelation” permitting him and other faithful Mormon men to have as many wives as they pleased. (53)

Todd Compton, in his book In Sacred Loneliness, provides biographies of thirty-three plural wives — not counting Emma. Eleven of those were aged fourteen to twenty. … Fully one-third of Smith’s wives were legally married to other men when he married them, which logically means of course that Smith also introduced polyandry. (54)

Emma apparently was never really convinced in her heart of hearts concerning Joseph’s spiritual authority, and this must have caused her great emotional turmoil. (Or worse: Brigham Young, in the annual Conference address in October of 1866, claimed that Emma actually tried twice to poison her husband.) … Emma never knew about many of her husband’s other wives. (54-55)

One plural wife, Eliza R. Snow, who wrote the lyrics to some of Mormonism’s most famous hymns, reportedly miscarried Joseph’s child when she fell down a flight of stairs after having been beaten violently with a broom by Emma. … He married five pairs of sisters, and one mother and daughter. … Many of the marriages were performed before the release of the official “revelation” on polygamy, dated August 12, 1843. This revelation contained a threat that Emma (poor Emma) would be “destroyed” if she didn’t submit to the results of polygamy. (However, he had at least sixteen wives before Emma began giving her “approval” for polygamy. (55)

Unfortunately for Joseph’s future reputation as a translator, one of the men who claimed to have “found” the plates also confessed to having helped “engrave” them with acid, using as a model for the hieroglyphics the characters on the lid of a Chinese tea box. … one of the plates is still in existence, though, modern scientists have inspected it and agreed: (1) Its composition and construction are compatible with the theory that they were forged in a blacksmith’s shop of the Midwest in the 1840s, (2) the inscriptions could indeed have been made with acid, and finally (3) the inscription is in the Lo language of China. All of this agrees with the men’s story of forging, aging, and inscribing the plates with symbols from a Chinese box. (56)

For Joseph, being commander-in-chief of the powerful Nauvoo Legion was not enough. Being mayor of a city or the governor of the federal territory of Nauvoo was not enough. Being prophet, seer, and revelator was not enough. Being “king of God’s kingdom on earth” was not enough. Joseph Smith wanted to be president of the United States of America. (58)

[Isa]

Very informative and well-documented! However, it’s mind-boggling to think that someone who can be so analytical and critical of the fallacies of Mormonism can then convert to another conservative ideology without applying the same critical thinking.

[Jennifer DeFrates · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably the most helpful and comprehensive resource on Mormonism! I really appreciated this book. It was generous and gracious and yet pulled no punches. I wish I could get a copy into every Mormon’s hands.

[LWF · Rating 5 out of 5]

Decided to get this Kindle book after reading another book by a former Mormon woman. This book is more about the actual differences between the book of Mormon and the Bible as well as the plagiarisms of the Bible that Joseph Smith used in the book of Mormon. The author goes into deep details about the church history, the original "witnesses", their backgrounds, character and early writings to support her work.

There are Bible verses to compare to book of Mormon verses, etc. I'm only at the third chapter yet have made plenty of notes and highlights in my Kindle. We have been speaking with Mormon missionaries, this book really has helped me to understand their thinking and is helping me to know what they believe vs. what I believe and I am hoping I will be able to speak with the missionaries in a kind, caring and loving way, with the words that God would want me to.

***UPDATE: Now that I have finished reading this book, I have to say the reason I gave this book 5 stars is due to the complete and thorough research which the author used to write this book. The adendum is full of sources/citings which you can use to further research on your own, including books and websites.

This book went in to great details about the Mormon beliefs, explained things of which confused me before and now I have a full understanding of the difference between my true Christian faith and the false views of the Mormon one. I feel I can now speak with knowledge and understanding with a Mormon. I no longer believe we are praying to the same God.

The most INFORMATIVE book about Mormonism I've ever read and most valuable to me as a Christian.

[fpk · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'd thought this book was what the summary on Goodreads says: "Latayne C. Scott shared her remarkable journey out of Mormonism as she uncovered shocking inaccuracies, inconsistencies, and contradictions in the faith she had loved and lived." .. This book isn't what it purports to be. Scott doesn't share much about her "journey" at all; it's more an expose of the inconsistencies of the Mormon doctrines. And she spends most of the time talking about Joseph Smith. If I wanted to read a biography about Joseph Smith I would have looked for one. I was hoping this would be Scott's memoir. It really wasn't, I soon realized.

This book would probably interest theology students, and it did pique my interest for awhile.. but I soon grew tired of reading paragraph after paragraph of Joseph Smith quotes, quotes from The Book of Mormon, and the life and times of Joseph Smith. I wanted to hear more about Scott's personal experience, her life in the Mormon church and what it was like for her leaving the church. Not what I'd hoped, so I quit reading this today.

[Chris Doelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is a simple hatchet job on the church Latayne Scott left. She spends most of the time pointing out inconsistencies in Mormon doctrine by showing how it was "clearly written by man." The problem is that her proof is a collection of evangelical doctrines "clearly written by man." It seems she wants it both ways.

She also exposes herself throughout as simply a former Mormon turned hater by consistently using phrases like, "I guess poor Mormons think...." and "it seems that the simple Mormons...." It just reads like she was quit only to spend all her time still focusing on the club she can't be a member of anymore.

The first third of the book is well written and seemingly well researched but after that it turns into a hack piece.

[Tom Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book

Latayne Scott is an excellent writer who writes from the inside of Mormonism as well as our as she was once a Mormon and became excommunicated at her request. I had a Mormon bishop as an Uncle who got converted by his wife after seven years of marriage. According to Scott 39 out of 40 people who marry a Mormon become a Mormon. And he did get involved in a Ponzi scheme that eventually led to his bankruptcy and divorce from his wife, the number third wife he married after his second wife who was a Mormon passed away. I have another uncle who married a Reorganized Latter Day Saint who converted out of atheism. They are both priests in what is now called the Community of Christ. Everything Scott wrote has been confirmed by them over years of discussion.

[Isaac · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's hard to give a rating for a book like this. The account is well researched, empassioned, sincere, fair, and loving. This is one of the best critiques of a religion I've ever read. Would I read it again, yes. Do I "love" the book...no. it is sobering, challenging, and uplifting. Strangely, I found my faith strengthened by this book. But would I read it again and again, no. So that is why I rate if 4 stars, when it's quality is closer to 5 but my "enjoyment" is closer to 3. I'm very thankful to have read this book. And I will be buying it on hardcopy...the highest honor I can give a book, so there is that.

[Jolene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written and easy to read. If you're looking for a memoir this is not it, rather it's a history of how the Mormon church was founded and the changes that have been made to keep it more mainstream. The irony in the changes is that Joseph Smith proclaimed to have restored the perfect church. If it was so perfect...why all the changes?

[Carole Parma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this years ago, and have not read this updated version, but it was a valuable resource for a paper I wrote in college. Ex-Mormons can reveal the deception of the Mormon Church like nobody else. I would recommend Carma Naylor's books as well, if you are looking for information in order to help a Mormon friend see the truth of Biblical Christianity.

[Josh · Rating 5 out of 5]

The biographical information on Scott really enhances this book. I thought it was clear. She's a former Mormon. She talks of how much she loved this religion as a member. She does have a desire to expose truth in this book, but I felt that she was fair and even handed. I think that this book provides an excellent introduction to some of the theology and beliefs of Mormonism.

[Dwight · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book written by a former Mormon.

Gives insight into the changing doctrines of the Mormons, points out difficulties that the church is currently having, and lists current doctrines which current Mormons would attest to that disqualify the group from Christianity.

[Lisa Cline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alot of important facts in is book but the thing that I take away is her heart ache that she suffered as a result of leaving the church. Important to keep in mind. Mormons hearts are invested in this.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a thoroughly researched (and footnoted), easy to understand nonfiction book that helped me to understand Mormon teachings/theology and why so many Mormons are leaving the LDS church.

[Smpaetz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of great value to me in my early search for truth.

[Amy Hagberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eye opening and so well wtitten!