Rating: 
Summary: Not to be confused with better commentaries
Review: The author presents facts and quotes and, as many books do, selectively presents them and couches them amid carefully-placed adjectives to come up with the conclusion he wants--to discredit the Mormon religion. A rather suspicious "I've finally seen the light" review here seems to be more the intent of this author than presenting a real study of Mormonism. Far better studies have been done by the Mormons and by others.For those not familiar with histories and expose works on the Mormons, it must be noted that there are no new facts here. This is, frankly, my biggest disappointment with the work. The same facts and quotes have been used countless times before (and with more context for proper review). The same facts and quotes have have also been used by the Mormon church and its supporters to defend its beliefs just as often. In that respect, this book is neither the damning blow that enemies of the Mormon church will claim it is, nor is it the collection of lies that some defenders of the Mormon church will claim. But make no mistake, the author wrote this book for the primary purpose of trying to discredit the Mormons and it should be read in that light to be understood. In the end, this book is simply an overly-dramatic retread of many, better, books that have been written before on both sides of the argument. It is neither scholarly nor comprehensive and anyone who claims it can seriously be treated an unbiased study of Mormonism would have be to ignorant of this genre of book or be in possession of an ax to grind. This book is most interesting as a window into the author's intentions. If you will click on the author's name, a review of the resulting list of works should dispell any misconception of real scholarship and lack of agenda. Any real student learns quickly that the inclusion of an extensive list of referenced readings and/or footnotes do not scholarship make. It appears that the author's main literary theme is to discredit the beliefs of others and find evil in children's books and closets. The presentation of facts and quotes in this book mirrors his list of works and in that respect, is somewhat interesting. In my estimation, volume, being fairly large large and not what most would consider to be a "good read", is of interest to three groups: (1) Mormons--of whom the vast majority will interpret the facts and quotes in this book in the opposite way as the author (any will likely do so by incorporating the vast amount of facts and teachings that are well-known to Mormons but were left out of this book). I likewise imagine that may of those people will also react strongly and negatively to the book as would any group being attacked; (2) Those who actively try to discredit Mormons--most of whom will likely like the book and praise it as defending their version of the truth; and (3) Religious historians (of which I am)--most of whom will find the list of references in the back to be far more informative than the actual text of the book, especially after considering the source. Those who don't fall into these groups would be better served looking elsewhere.
Rating: 
Summary: One-sided view of Saints
Review: This book is fascinating and extensively researched, though I found it unbalanced. Certainly, for the sake of history, the true story of the Latter Day Saints (LDS) needed to be told, and necessarily by a non-Saint. I am impressed that even professional skeptic Michael Shermer found value in this book, written by a conservative Christian. I agree with author Abanes that the polytheistic LDS faith cannot accurately be called Christian. Yet it is tempting to say, who are we to judge if the Saints define themselves as Christians? Abanes presents LDS prophet Joseph Smith as an idle, libido-laden opportunist who misrepresented his extraordinary imagination as revelation. Yet millions of people derive spiritual sustenance from the faith Smith founded. Couldn't Abanes have found something positive to say about the LDS faith, such as its magnanimous view of salvation? Abanes says that secrecy is one important factor in calling a faith a "cult." But what religion does not engage in hiding some of its secrets? Two that come to mind readily are the Roman Catholic Church and the Jehovah's Witnesses. We should not forget that Christianity itself (arguably) began as a Jewish cult. I would recommend this book for open-minded Saints (not that I want to speak for them) and for those who already have some knowledge of the LDS faith and would not take Abanes's word as final on the subject.
Rating: 
Summary: My challenge to Mormons
Review: If I was presented with conclusive, objectively-documented evidence that Christ's tomb had been found with His bones still there, and with hard, copious evidence that the four Gospels had been forged or fabricated by cynical opportunists, I would reluctantly have to stop being a Christian. However, Abanes' book does just that kind of difficult presentation with regard to the Mormon church. I won't take space repeating the observations of positive reviewers, other than to say that this book contains a wealth of evidence from too many sources, many of them LDS, to deny what must be painful to Mormon readers. Their comments on this page express that pain, either honestly, or (as for the negative reviewers) by angry rationalizations and emotional denial. I hope Mormon readers will accept the challenge, accept the pain, and push through it to find that unlike Mormonism, the origins of true Christianity quite happily do stand up to tough scrutiny. There is a true, and unshakable, way out. Abanes' book is only the first step.
Rating:
Summary: Here's To Abanes
Review: After reading the rather caustic and if I may be so bold, mean-spirited, attacks leveled at Abanes by the Mormons here at amazon, I just knew I had to get ONE NATION UNDER GODS. I was surprised in several ways upon reading this well-written, and thoughtfully organized volume. First, it is much more thorough than I thought possible in a single volume. True, at 600 plus pages, it is not a one-night read. However, the text is written so cleanly and in such a straightforward manner, that it did not take me long to get through the pages. It is a very quick read, with subjects being grouped well and in chronological order for ease of reference (and there is an index). Second, I was surprised, and a bit amused, by how far removed this book is from ANYTHING even remotely similar to how it is being described by Mormons, who are obviously upset by Abanes' work. I thought perhaps they might have SOME valid issues, and I was keeping my eyes open for errors, faulty logic, unwarranted opinions -- but I found none. Third, most surprising was how the media has been all but completely dupped into touting this organization as a fine upstanding example of American conservatism and Judeo-Christian values. The Mormons, as this book clearly reveals, put on a good show, but scratch the surface and see what you get. This is not to say all Mormon people are evil in any way, no, and Abanes makes that clear. It is not the average Mormon that is the problem, but the institution of Mormonism, which is run by what appears to be power-hungry, white males, who believe that someday they will be gods. There hope, according to a Joseph Smith prophecy, to rescue America from ruin, and in so doing take up positions of global dominion. (NOT CONSPIRATORIAL, very different and fascinating). The INSTITUTION as a monolithic structure is the matter. And there is a LOT of money involved, which always leads to problems. This is an excellent book, contrary to what Mormons may have posted, and certainly will continue to post. It is neither sensationalistic, nor does it have the air of someone who has an ax to grind. It is hard-hitting, however, and covers some thorny issues. Read it for yourself and decide the debate. Finally, Abanes' impartial approach shows through by his willingness to post at the end of the book a RECOMMENDED RESOURCE section. He includes Internet web links to MORMON sites like the official LDS church site and F.A.R.M.S. a scholarly association of mormons dedicated to defending their church from critics! Obviously, Abanes must have nothing to fear. And from the looks of his copious endnotes, and the reactions of Mormons so far, I don't think he has much to fear either.
Rating:
Summary: Anti-Mormon???--No Way
Review: ... It is not anti-Mormon in any way. It is hard-hitting, true. But no more so than a time magazine article piece or a Network investigative piece. Think of it reading as if Abanes or Mike Wallace had gone back in time with the crew of 60 Minutes and looked at Mormonism. That's a good picture of it. The chapters move quickly and avoid unnecessary bogging down due to extraneous material. The endnotes further expand nearly every issue discussed. The endnotes are so copious (150 pages) that one might as well consider it another book, since it, too, contains actual texts, rare documents, charts, and graphs. Most interesting were issues such as: Are Mormons Christian, the history of polygamy, LDS leaders suppression of history, doctrinal beliefs, and how Mormonism fits into nineteenth century Americana. ...
Rating:
Summary: Cannot be lightly dismissed
Review: I anticipated that the LDS response would be something like, well, he didn't like Harry Potter, and none of this stuff is new. But notice how such a response completely evades the substance of Abanes' book. True, much of this book relies on the work of others, and the LDS folk, including those at FARMS (the BYU apologetics group) will no doubt look askance at the endnotes referencing the hated Tanners and the excommunicated Quinn. Yet, Abanes has done something that I believe is new: he has placed the historical problems of the LDS church in chronological order and by doing so presented certain issues with such amazing clarity. And he has added some new material, including the printed program from an LDS service directly comparing Joseph Smith to Jesus Christ. The book is a quick read and much of its material is a truncated version of very prickly ongoing issues for the Church, but Abanes achieves in breadth what he often openly acknowledges his book at times lacks in depth. The issues he discusses, although often not new, are deeply troubling. The standard line of attack by LDS apologists is to engage in ad hominem (hence the "Harry Potter" criticisms) and to avoid the issue (the this-has-been-around-for-a-long-time defense.) And, yes, the LDS faithful believe that the U.S. Constitution will hang by a thread and the righteous LDS Elders will save it. Notice Mitt Romney's gubernatorial campaign in Massachusetts. His father ran for President of the United States.
Rating:
Summary: Fact and Fiction
Review: This book is full of interesting facts. Unfortunately, the author looks through colored glasses, and they're not rose-colored. Granted, neither is the history of the Mormon church. But Abanes uses careful wording, quietly sliding adjectives and adverbs into his prose,to lead the reader to erroneous conclusions. His intent is to arouse anger, indignation, and fear. Abanes obviously has an agenda--and it is not to "tell the whole truth." It is to sully Mormonism. "One Nation Under Gods" is religious propaganda masquerading as history--no matter how many facts are represented. If you're looking for a book written by an actual historian, look elsewhere.
Rating:
Summary: speechless
Review: ok, history fans, i'll keep it short. this book is an excellent resource: tons of really interesting endnotes (like a separate book in themselves), excellent flow of text (no jumping from subject to subject), little use of personal opinion, clear presentation of doctrinal beliefs of Mormons for those interested, appropriate Bible verse scattered throughout where appropriate, and very cool (rare) photos.not anti-Mormon (although most dyed-in-the-wool Mormons will not be happy), not sensational, not wordy, not boring. get one before they are sold out, I have a feeling they will go fast based on the current amazon ranking of 155. A bit pricey, but worth the bucks since it'll keep you reading for quite some time, depending on how deep you want to go. nice straight-forward prose. intersting appendices and a LONG index to help you negotiate your way through the pages...
Rating:
Summary: MORONI MADNESS
Review: I am nearly finished reading this whopping 650 page book (but haven't even begun to delve into the rich material in the endnotes), and every time I have closed the cover, my mouth remained dropped open in disbelief. I am aghast at the unbelieveable events that brought Mormonism up from what it was in the 1800s to what it is today. What impressed me most about this book was the fact that Abanes does not pull primarily not from anti-Mormon sources, but instead uses Mormon pioneer journals, private diaries, and speeches delivered by the highest ranking Mormon leaders -- Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, John Taylor, even today's president Gordon B. Hinckley. The content is arranged in a absoutely complete chronological order for clarity (something I have never seen), the style is on the level of say, a TIME magazine article, and the personal observations are -- thankfully -- a rarity. Abanes seems to be a first rate journalist with a very keen understanding of not only Mormon history and beliefs, but Mormon attitudes about themeselves and the world around them. The most intriguing part of the book is the history of Utah and its development as part of the US, especially regarding the whole polygamy thing. Weird, just plain weird. And unlike what you see on the media, the Mormon church is STILL rather bizarre when you see what really is going on in teh organization -- intellectual censorship, cover-ups, deception, and media manipulation. Get this book, read it, and then think about what could happen if the Mormons achieve their ultimate goal -- control over the USA.
Rating:
Summary: Leaving the Church
Review: I am a Mormon, but I don't think I will be one for very long. I have been doing my own research into the history of the LDS church for several years now, and can assure readers that everything Abanes says in this volume is true. I have personally looked through many of the documents he used, although certainly not all of them by any means, and he accurately represents their contents. And despite my own investigation, which has been very deep, Abanes was still able to furnish several bits of data I never knew-- those missing pieces I could not find on my own. My heart is heavy, but my mind and soul have been enlightened. It's time to move on, and I encourage other Latter-day Saints to do the same thing. Abanes' book is a great place to start learning the truth. It contains no sarcasm, no anti-Mormon comments, no nasty tone so often present in books about the church. The tone is respectful, fair, and true. I quote one of my favorite shows: "The truth is out there."
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