| Title: The Mystery and Controversy Surrounding “Mormonism”
Author: Walt Scott
Publisher: Dog Ear Publishing
ISBN 978-159858-500-1
6”x9” paperback, 172 pages, $16.95 + S&H
To order a copy(s) click on the publisher's link (Dog Ear) at the bottom of this page.
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The Mystery and Controversy Surrounding “Mormonism” addresses the public interest in Mormonism, stimulated by Mitt Romney’s run for the Presidency. Shining the spotlight on this religion has made it a frequent topic in magazines, newspapers and on talk shows. Many opinions have been expressed and lots of questions have been raised, but little light has been shed on the mystery and controversy many feel.
According to The National Council of Churches’ 2007 Yearbook, the Mormon Church is the fourth largest church in the US. It was organized in 1830 and has a current worldwide membership of over thirteen million, and annual growth rate of about three hundred thousand members. To support this rapid growth, the Church completes a new chapel somewhere in world every business day. Most of these are designed for the use of three congregations and all are fully paid for when completed.
In spite of such success and acceptance, the Mormon Church (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) is without a doubt, one of the least well-understood major churches. A 2005 Pew Forum study found the following surprising “public disapproval ratings”: Jews 7%, Catholics 14%, Evangelical Christians 19%, American Muslims 25%, Mormons 46% and Atheists 50%. This and other surveys show that most people like the members, but many people have problems with the doctrines and history. Public reactions range from curiosity to animosity. Something is wrong here!
Some of the statements one reads or hears are absolutely out rageous. These reactions are caused by wide spread lack of information and by misinformation. Mormonism has a rich literature, but virtually everything has been written by members to members. The Church has extensive information available at places like www.lds.org. But there is also a lot of anti-Mormon information in many forms, including sites on the Internet. The production of such materials is practically an industry in itself! If you want to know something about a people, ask them, not their critics or antagonists.
But for oh, so long, Mormons have “turned the other cheek” to false and misleading characterizations, such as claims that their church is not a Christian church, or that it is a “cult,” (in a pejorative sense), with the result that many assume that what they have been told must be true.
This well researched and documented book was written specifically for the public. It gives objective and clear, but also candid and comprehensive responses to frequently asked questions, discusses differences and commonalities with other Christians and people of other faiths, and explains the reasons for the differences. It also presents some new perspectives on the Culture War.
The book is written at two levels; the first part gives a quick presentation of perspective and issues; the second is a more in depth coverage with facts and historical context.
This timely book is designed to demystify by replacing ignorance, misunderstanding, and misinformation with clear, factual, and comprehensive explanations. It deals candidly with the issues and questions people are asking. And it gives the reasons behind the answers, with supporting facts. The author hopes to increase tolerance, mutual respect and good feelings. We are not all going to see things the same way, but we can at least try to understand each other and, if necessary, agree to disagree, on a friendly basis. It’s worth trying.
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