Customer Reviews

A Mormon Odyssey: Journey to the Center of My Soul

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This book is a well written acount about a young couple whose child is killed in a freak accident and how they dedicate their lives to a church that offers (sells) them HOPE through Mormonism's claimed monopoly on priesthood authority to perform eternal marriages and also the church's "Only Mormon families can be together forever" doctrine. After many years of dedicating large amounts of time and money to this church, the Braithwaites begin to see evidence of deception on a massive scale. Their struggle to overcome powerful indoctrination is heroic. Finally, they become disillusioned and leave Mormonism only to experience ostracism from family and friends who have been taught that this is the way God wants them to treat "apostates." I highly recommend this book to all Mormons and also to all Christians who are considering Mormonism. This book can change a person's life and protect a person from spiritual slavery. It is well worth the price.

I live in St. George, Utah, as a nonmormon. I purchased this book from a group that meets monthly called "The Postmormon Group." The author was at the meeting and autographed my book. This is the fourth authographed copy of books written by four people who live in this Mormon life that I have read.

With apologies to Arza Evans, who commented on this book and has written a fabulous book also, I think this is the best book I have read so far that exposes in a spellbinding manner from personal experience the heartwrenching experience of a woman and her husband trying to break away from the biggest,legitimized cult ever perpetrated on America. Informative and entertaining is all I can say to describe this book. I would recommend all Americans to read this book who like to read and who really want to know what it is like to believe in Mormonism. If you have a daughter or son who plans to marry into this church, you must read this book and stop them.

It is significant to know for all who are Mormon, think about becoming Mormon or who have Mormon friends that The Church in Salt Lake City does not allow any negative books about it read and members must not criticize or question their leaders. The following quotes on page 348 are from the Braithwaite's book:

"From the beginning the Mormon Church members have been told: 'When the Prophet [oh yes, the top man is a prophet] or the leaders of the Church speak, the debate is over." When Larry Braithwaite quit the church, he was told to turn over all the books, journals and information that he had gathered in regard to the Church or face a Church Court. When he said that he would not and he invited the Stake (local church) President to come to his house to discuss what he had discovered, the President declined saying he would not put his wife through such pain. He also told Larry that the general membership of the Church need to to be led around like sheep, for without the leaders the sheep would go astray!

It is the following quote that I take directly from the last paragraph of the chapter called "Exodus" that I must quote from Larry Braithwaite's own words. I would hope that a mormon reading these reviews could have this sink in.

"Is that what we have become, a herd of sheep (sheeples) that can't find our way, can't reason nor think for ourselves? All ancient kings thought of their people as sheep to be pastured, with themselves as the shepherds. Sheep are ideal followers, for they do not think for themselves but will blindly follow anyone without question. This is truly admirable behavior for animals, but extremely unwise for humans. Have we become robots in a religious culture that teaches free agency, and yet denounces it at the same time? If this is true we have lost a great deal more than I am willing to accept. Isn't there some basic natural part of us that is good? Do we need some religioius organization controlling our lives and checking on us with threats of eternal damnation, and loss of family if we don't follow them and their teachings? If we have lowered ourselves to this level, I fear for all of humanity."

If your reading the reviews for this book, it's probably something you should look further into. Give it a read.