The God Makers: A Shocking Expose of What the Mormon Church Really Believes (Paperback)

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Key Phrases: temple recommend, eight witnesses, magic underwear, Joseph Smith, Book of Mormon, Mormon Church (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

The classic bestseller on the inner workings of the Mormon Church, "The God Makers" (300,000 copies in print) has been updated and expanded. Cutting through the wholesome image projected by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, the book reveals startling truths about the beliefs and practices of Mormonism. "The God Makers" helps prepare people for witnessing to Mormons and encourages Mormons to discover and develop a personal relationship with the biblical Jesus.

Product Details

• Paperback: 300 pages
• Publisher: Harvest House Publishers; Rev Upd Su edition (November 15, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1565077172
• ISBN-13: 978-1565077171
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (189 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #158,888 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

281 of 355 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not for Everyone, December 1, 1999

By A Customer

Being a Mormon for 27 years; I can tell you it is not easy for a Mormon to find out the fallacies of their religion. The Mormon people need to realize it is not the writings of people like Ed Drecker, but their so called prophets that continally contradict the bible and their own teachings.

I do not agree with many of these reviews that claim the book is full of lies--quite the contrary. However, I would not recommend anyone suggest this book to a "True Believing Mormon." True believers tend to be very narrow minded (take it from me I was one; and so are many in my hometown of Rexburg, Idaho, which is an extremely large population of Mormons). This is why I recommend a more loving approach to these true believers. "Mormonism, Mama, and Me" is a book that exposes the corruption in the foundation of the church in a much more loving approach for the "true believer." I was only able to read The God Makers after I had completely left the church--which was a long process and not something that happened over night.

This book is abbrasive; but after many years of research, I belive the truth can withstand scrutiny (it took me many years to come to this realization). Read this book for yourself if you so desire; I did enjoy it. But as I stated earlier do not use this book to witness to true believing Mormons; it is too abbrasive for people who have devoted their lives to not just a religion, but a lifestyle. I pray everyday for Mormons to open their minds and hearts so they may too see the lies in the foundation of the organization they belong to.

God Bless.

70 of 92 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Unfortunately this book is true, March 29, 2006

By	Anna L. "LOVEtoREAD" (Austin, TX) - See all my reviews

It took a very long time for me to read this book. And I mean years. I spent all my youth turning a blind eye to anything anyone said about the Mormon church that made me uncomfortable. It is very true when they say "ignorance is bliss." Also anyone who is raised in any religion is brain-washed to believe what they are taught. But I found myself always not knowing what I was talking about. Would you believe that though I was raised a Mormon I never knew that Joseph Smith was a polygamist and his wife Emma was unaware of some of his marriages and that he married women who already had husbands? (So much for the teaching that Brigham Young only taught polygamy because there was a shortage of husbands.) I also didn't know that Brigham Young strongly taught that Adam was God, and that God lived on a planet called Kolab, and that God came down in the form of a man and had physical relations with Mary to conceive Jesus. I didn't know a thing about blacks being denied the priesthood until 1978, and I could go on and on and on and on. I only started to research these things (against the strong advice of my bishop) because I wanted to be able to "debate" about the truthfulness of my religion to non-members.

Discovery the truth of my religion was a horrible experience for me. I can not express enough how hard it is for a Mormon to leave the religion. Mormonism isn't just a religion. It's your identity and your whole life. It is very important to be understanding to Mormons because leaving Mormonism is no different than leaving your whole life and everyone that loves you. It's a horrible awakening to see the truths of the Mormon church.

Also anyone who goes through the secret rituals of the temple can tell you it's a very shocking experience, whether you believe in it or not. In the temple among many things, I had to promise secrecy with a bloody oath. I drew my thumb across my throat as if my throat was being slit, and I drew my thumb over my abdomen indicating that my bowels would be cut out. I also was angry to learn that someday when I married, my husband would be my way to the Celestial kingdom. In the 80's at BYU we were taught that a woman could only go as high as her husband. (I don't know whether this is still taught or not because many doctrines are changing.)

The final breaking point came for me when I was on my mission in Argentina and I watched at least a few hundred ignorant people who knew nothing about the religion getting baptized. It was honestly like a joke. And I can't count how many children were baptized without their parents even knowing. We missionaries only had permission to take them to church! But the pressure to baptize people is so strong. It's all about numbers. (I myself never baptized because I'm a woman.)

As a former mormon I can tell you first hand how very imbedded the Mormon beliefs are in Mormons. There is no doubt in their mind that their religion is the "one and only true religion." I believe though that someday the Mormon church will be widely known for what it is and that Joseph Smith will be exposed for being a con man. In the meantime, all books and websites written should be done so kindly. Most Mormons are innocent and mormonism is not their fault.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars From the National Council of Christians and Jews, August 13, 2009

By	Craig in Austin (Austin, Texas) - See all my reviews

Here's a review from the National Council of Christians and Jews:

"'The Godmakers' ... does not, in our opinion, fairly portray the Mormon Church, Mormon belief, or Mormon history. It makes extensive use of half-truths, faulty generalizations, erroneous interpretations, and sensationalism. It is not reflective of the genuine spirit of the Mormon faith. It appears to us to be a basically unfair and untruthful presentation of what Mormons really believe and practice.

..."Godmakers II" carries the odious scent of unreasoning prejudice. Let the public beware ... Frank discussion of the truth of claims of different faiths is a legitimate avenue of inter-religious dialogue. But base appeals to fear and hatred have no place in such efforts, and must be condemned wherever they are encountered ... "Godmakers II" is an affront to religious understanding.

As people of good will, we in the National Conference of Christians and Jews join with our national leaders in the condemnation of any attempt to use one's first amendment religious freedom as a smoke-screen behind which one might hide while engaged in actions which must rightly be named as religious bigotry.

It is not the policy of the National Conference to promote one religious faith over another or to champion the views of any religious group. However, it is our intent and our very purpose to oppose vigorously the actions of any group, religious or secular, that would enhance or engender religious prejudice.

It is the view of the National Conference that videos, tapes, books, and other media that are used to foster religious prejudice are deserving of our contempt and condemnation. Thomas Jefferson, one of Virginia's greatest citizens and the author of the Virginia Statute for Religious Liberty, wrote in that document that, "... all men shall be free to profess, and by argument, to maintain, their opinion in matters of religion, and that the same shall in no wise diminish, enlarge, or affect their civil capacities."