Below you will find a list of books that I have read, enjoyed and found valuable insights in during my journey outside of Mormonism.
It’s the original text of the Book of Mormon without chapters or footnotes. It’s useful if you want to read it the way people first saw it in 1830. This went a long ways in helping my to see the Book of Mormon as a novel, rather than as legitimate scripture. The text is not broken out into verse, and the chapter structure is different than later versions.
This is a later publication of a series of studies conducted by Roberts, which he presented to general authorities of the church. While he seeks to find faithful answers, this book presents many legitimate concerns surrounding the Book of Mormon. It does so a way that doesn't come across as aggressive as books written by church critics.
This book helped me understand how the Book of Mormon was able to resonate with American people. While the main premise of this book is to demonstrate how early Americans used the Old Testament as a political text, Shalev includes a chapter on the Book of Mormon, placing the work within a broader genre of writing which he dubs psuedobiblicia.
Dawkins, a biologist and atheist, argues that faith is not only irrational but harmful. He takes on common arguments for God’s existence, challenges the morality of religious teachings, and explores how science offers a more grounded and honest way to understand the universe.
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This page is a work in progress. I will add to it as time permits.
Please contact me if you have any other reading suggestions
-Mason