Customer Reviews

Mormonism Shadow or Reality

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

SHADOW OR REALITY
Jereld and Sandra Tanner have done a fine job in their lifetime of research.
Their commitment to upholding the truth and the painstaking effort they have made to supply factual information to the reader in this book is admirable.
In reading reviews on this subject, apparent is a notable pattern regarding Mormon responses. I am left questioning if some have actually read the book they are reviewing... to these I ask, what are you defending? Why defend that which locks one into such deep bondage as to be offended by truth.
Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life....not religion, in my opinion.
I was born into Mormonism and was involved for over 30 years. As I decided to focus more on reading the Bible, I began to see contradiction between Mormon doctrine and the teaching within the Bible.
This led me to question and as I did so, I was cautioned not to go there (asking questions), but instead counseled to simply read my Book of Mormon.
This really made me want to understand the truth of the matter!
Because of the tedious research of Jereld and Sandra and others who have stood up, I have a clearer understanding of the history, which has enabled me to be set free from the strong bondage of Mormonism.
I was so glad to find this book! It helped me find true facts which expose the sandy foundation upon which the Mormon religion is built.

"Shadow or Reality is a strongly informative compilation of information representing many years of research. I find this work to be a good source of information for those investigating Mormonism from a factual perspective.

I'm thankful for the men and women who have devoted their lives to this cause of "getting to the root"... I have no doubt that thousands of lives have been set free by these efforts.

Excellent research

E. R. Hoff

The Tanner's magnum opus has been around in different versions since the sixties (I have a 1972 edition). While I may stipulate that Mormonism - Shadow or Reality? isn't a scholarly work, I'm impressed with the sincerity and general honesty of the writers. Mr. and Mrs. Tanner's greatest contribution to history is their unceasing effort to gather and publish source material which the LDS church has modified over the years beyond recognition. The LDS church would say that a living prophet is better than a dead one, and that any changes have been authorized by God through His servants. Perhaps, but if that's not enough for you, the Tanners give you some of the material you need to come to your own conclusion.

The LDS church itself teaches that "by the power of the Holy Ghost you may know the truth of all things." They should let history stand where it is, without the tampering.

I'm 40 years old and served a 2 year LDS mission to Chile.

This book is a great, detailed discussion of the numerous theoretical with Mormon doctrine. The Tanners have driven Mormon church officials nuts for years, but I find them to be thorough, detailed, even fair and very interesting. For those familiar with Mormon history and theology,with a genuine interest in exploring the issues, this book is a treasure trove of thought provoking information. For those with a limited background in Mormon issues, a better introduction would be Mormon America by Richard and Joan Ostling.

By the way the reviews which give this book zero or one star have not given the book a fair open-minded chance.

Gerald and Sandra Tanner, both formerly "blueblood Mormons" (she a direct descendant of one of the Church's two founders, he a son of one of the 12 apostles of the church)take the position that Truth is universal, doesn't change over time, and that, if it changes, it is not truth. They take every major teaching of the Mormon faith, then, step-by-step, use the Church's own documents (they own a microfilm company)to show how the teachings have changed over the years. For example, at one time, blacks could not attain the priesthood because they had the "mark of Cain" on them. However, following Federal interest in possible Utah discrimination, the head of the Church experienced a new "revelation" that this major church teaching was no longer valid --blacks can now attain priesthood. Want to find why the Mormon Church is opposed to the Masonic lodge? Read this book. It's all there. A must-read for those seeking the truth about Mormon history and teachings.

The Tanners are probably the most serious and "scholarly" anti-Mormons in the business. And that is a very revealing fact about the current state of anti-Mormonism. I have looked at a great many of their references, and have found that they not infrequently distort or misunderstand what they are citing, and that the analysis that rests upon those sources is often misguided and always, always, one-sided. It should constantly be remembered that the Tanners are prosecutors. They are not interested in building a balanced viewpoint among their readers. Everything that counts in favor of their chosen target is discounted or completely ignored. Their industriousness is their strongest attribute; their ability to interpret and understand is their weakest. Sandra Tanner has sometimes commented on the fact that serious historians of Mormonism, in the Church and beyond it, don't take them very seriously. Their all-pervading bias, and its lethally warping impact on their analysis, is the plain and simple reason for the low esteem in which professional academic historians hold their work. The Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies (FARMS) has published a number of responses to some of the Tanners' publications (including portions of this one), and the Tanners have not yet managed to provide a cogent response. I would suggest that those who are interested in an even-handed understanding of the issues the Tanners raise -- I suspect that many of their readers are frankly not interested -- should consult these FARMS reviews.

I was always taught if you are going to undertake a job you should see it all the way through, obviously the Tanners never learned this lesson. They quoted many original witnesses of the Book of Mormon, but never fully. This book stands upon snips and clips which the Tanners have attempted to glue together into a book. If you have questions about Mormons, read the Book of Mormon or ask of God for your own witness.