I recently taught an apologetics class focusing on world religions and cults.  This book has been a great help for me in my research.  It has recently been updated and renamed as What Do Mormons Really Believe? (This review is based on the previous version entitled Behind the Mask of Mormonism).  Authors John Ankerberg and John Weldon provide a thorough critique of Mormonism, officially known as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

     When studying any cult it is crucial to show the difference between it and Biblical Christianity.  The authors have done an outstanding job of this in this book.  Every cult and/or false religion will diminish the person and work of Jesus Christ.  Mormonism has done just that.

     It is also important to study the history of each particular movement so you can gain a deeper understanding of the motives, practices, and teachings of their founders.  This book devotes the first three chapters to the history of Mormonism.  The next four chapters deal with their founder, Joseph Smith, and their claims to being the “one true church on earth.”

     Despite the claims of the ecumenical movement, Mormonism is NOT a Christian denomination.  Section three deals with this issue by defining key terms used by both Christians and Mormons.  It also shows what the Mormon church teaches about Christianity. 

     Section four includes three chapters that deal with the Mormon view of God and the Trinity.  Like every other cult, the Trinity is denied while Jesus’ person and work are attacked.  Mormons view Jesus as the “spirit brother” of none other than Lucifer (Satan). 

     Section five outlines the Mormon teaching on salvation.  Mormons believe that a person is saved by their own good deeds (added to their faith in the Mormon Jesus).  Mormons deny the Biblical doctrine of eternal punishment for the lost.  They teach that there are three levels of glory.  Good Mormons men will have the opportunity to become gods of their own planet while their wives will be pregnant throughout eternity in their efforts to populate that world.

     Mormonism also teaches that the Fall of Man was a good thing!  They are thrilled that Adam ate the forbidden fruit.  That kind of teaching can only come from one place—and it’s not God.  Approximately 30 pages are devoted to the Mormon church’s connection to the occult and Freemasonry. 

     The final two sections of this book detail the various “scriptural” works in Mormonism and some of the “fruits” of this false religion.  It is important to remember that even though Mormons are sincere, kind, dedicated, and loving people they are still lost because they deny the full deity and completed work of Christ.  It is important for us to learn what we can about these people so that we can be more effective in our efforts to reach them with the gospel.  This book is great for anyone interested in that study.

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