Are Mormons Christians? Perhaps you've heard someone say Mormons are just like Christians. Perhaps you've been taught Mormonism is a cult. I imagine you may have researched the topic and formed some sort of personal opinion, but it's possible you've simply accepted whatever you've been taught without investigating for yourself.
If you're unsure of what to think, there's nothing like the power of a story to show truth. I just finished reading a book that is part of a fiction series that's sure to be a tool in helping others understand the truth behind the Mormon culture, as controversial as it might be to tackle the topic.
Meet Allison Pittman
Allison Pittman is very familiar with the world of Mormonism. Her husband left it to become a Christian in high school and she grew up in Utah, the center of Mormonism in America. She now lives in San Antonio, the site of a new Mormon temple.
So when Allison writes an emotional story of a woman married to a member of the Mormon church--when she pens a story so gripping you don't even realize you're being shown the stark differences between Mormonism and Christianity, so deep are you within this woman's heart and mind--readers are about to lose a night of sleep.
Book Description- For Time and Eternity
When Camilla Deardon hears their songs coming on a breeze, they sound just like the songs in her own church. This is all she knows of the Mormons camping near her family's farm. Mama and Papa warned her to stay away, but she doesn't understand their fear, especially after meeting a young Mormon man named Nathan Fox. So handsome. So charming. His eyes hold the very image of this Zion he talks about, and his step seems a promise to take her there.
Though Camilla knows she should obey her parents, she can't refuse her heart. But Nathan's promises can never prepare her for what she will face in Utah. She's been willing to share her husband's faith, but can she share her marriage with another woman?
Though Camilla knows she should obey her parents, she can't refuse her heart. But Nathan's promises can never prepare her for what she will face in Utah. She's been willing to share her husband's faith, but can she share her marriage with another woman?
Michelle's Review of "For Time And Eternity"
I’m so disappointed in this book. That is, so disappointed that I have to wait for book two until Summer 2011. In “For Time and Eternity,” Allison Pittman draws the reader into the story, then leaves the reader hanging at the end wondering how there could possibly be any sort of resolution for the mess that Camilla Deardon is in. Estranged from her parents and her past, she’s torn between the children she loves with all her heart, a husband whom she loves despite many marital complications, and the reality that she simply cannot stay where she is.
This book is not only a good read as far as mechanics of writing go, but it is also does a great job educating the reader about the Mormon culture. Pittman was brave in tackling such a topic in fiction because there are sure to be some who will not like a frank look at a culture that stirs controversy. In this story, the author shows how easy it is for someone to go down a path that looks like truth until the real truth comes out. It’s a heavy story, not lighthearted fiction by any means.
I’ll be looking forward to seeing how the story ends. I love series, but in all honesty, I’m not a huge fan of books that leave the reader with no resolution at all. The whole plot of the book hangs on a “to be continued” that won’t be coming for a while. I much prefer stand-alone books that are joined by a common thread, each having its own plot.
Want to know more about Mormonism? Check out this article from Christianity.com.
This book is not only a good read as far as mechanics of writing go, but it is also does a great job educating the reader about the Mormon culture. Pittman was brave in tackling such a topic in fiction because there are sure to be some who will not like a frank look at a culture that stirs controversy. In this story, the author shows how easy it is for someone to go down a path that looks like truth until the real truth comes out. It’s a heavy story, not lighthearted fiction by any means.
I’ll be looking forward to seeing how the story ends. I love series, but in all honesty, I’m not a huge fan of books that leave the reader with no resolution at all. The whole plot of the book hangs on a “to be continued” that won’t be coming for a while. I much prefer stand-alone books that are joined by a common thread, each having its own plot.
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I have not read the book. I am Mormon. I was born in the mid 20th Century. I live on the East Coast. I have never lived in Utah. Today, less than one third of American Mormons live in Utah. I only have one wife. Come to think of it, everyone at Church is monogamous. Maybe that is because the Church abolished plural marriage over a century ago. So what exactly have you learned about my culture from this book?
ReplyDelete@Murdock Wallis
ReplyDeleteThank you for commenting Murdock. I appreciate your taking the time to read my review of this book.
This is a historical novel,set around 1850, so I learned about how this particular group of Mormons lived on their pilgrimage to Salt Lake City. They camped out on the edges of towns because they weren't well received in town.
I learned about the history of polygamy and how the Mormon faith at that time taught that having as many wives(sister wives)and children as possible were part of a husband's salvation, a promise of an eternal family that would get him to the highest level of heaven.
Most of all though, the book showed how true Bible teaching became so blurred with the teachings of Joseph Smith that people didn't see how his teaching contradicted the Bible.
In this book, a young woman, whom the Mormons referred to as Gentile, married a young Mormon man. At first, the teaching of the Mormons seemed similar to her Christian background. But the more she listened and learned, the more she realized how vastly different Mormonism was from Christianity, especially in the teaching on salvation and Jesus Christ.