Decent thriller, indecent grammar or “The complete mystery of Matthew Alcott” by Michael Oborn

We meet Matthew Alcott incompletely dressed, beaten and left to die somewhere at a desert in Arizona. Second impression – drinking himself to death in a bar in the middle of nowhere – isn’t very flattering either. In a not very distant past, though, Matthew led a quiet, devout and clean-shaved life of a Mormon husband employed in a research center. The LDS Church wasn’t happy when Matthew discovered compromising material related to Joseph Smith (as if the generally available information wasn’t compromising enough). It was even less happy when he decided to keep them instead of burying them deep, far from the public eyes and to write a tell-all book. As a result we got modern Danites, the mentioned beating at the desert and binge drinking. And that’s just the beginning.

Michael Oborn has his own issues with the Mormon Church. Instead of a memoir, he settles his bills with a thriller. The bad thing of that decision is the language of the book. Looking at the repetitions he must have really poor vocabulary and the grammar used indicates, that compound sentences are a difficulty too. The good thing of that decision is that we get a very decent thriller. The plot is well thought of, twists appear where they should and even the construction of a book within a book is well executed. Most of the characters are interesting too. Matthew himself isn’t a knight in the shining armor, as the protagonists fighting with the Evil Church often are. He feels malicious satisfaction when he discovers that he needs to give his ex-wife a recommendation if she’s to ever marry again and he seriously considers not publishing his book when offered huge amount of money. In comparison to halo-wearing Robert Langdon whose only fault is claustrophobia this is a relief.

Of course we aren’t talking about a masterpiece. In the genre of thrillers related to religions of the world there are more gripping and better written and edited pieces. Nevertheless, this book might be an enjoyable experience if one is able not to grate their teeth at the disastrous language.

 

M(ormon)I6, or where is the mystery, or “Baptism for the dead” by R. R. Irvine

Baptism for the dead is a concept that really awakens one’s imagination, it makes a good title too. Here we are with another novel proudly called “Baptism from the dead”, but it couldn’t be any further from Libbie Hawker’s work. The latter is “a slow unfolding story. There aren’t secrets to discover nor unexpected plot twists”[1]; the book reviewed today, on the contrary, is a whodunit crime story.

Moroni Traveler, named so gracefully after his father and the angel, left behind the Church and the football career and is working now as a private detective. His office is located at the Temple Square and has a nice view on the golden Moroni statue on the temple roof; the location and the name should make him the most popular detective in the Great Salt Lake area, but somehow he isn’t very busy. Apparently among Mormons there is no crime nor adultery. One day there comes a client: Penny Varney, daughter of a high official retains Moroni to find her mother, whom she fears might be dead. Soon afterwards there comes another request: the Church wants him to observe Penny. The Church and its main representative in this novel and the whole series reminds rather MI6, they are too well informed not to have their agents with license to do whatever positioned everywhere. LDS is indeed a corporation with files on each and every member, but in this novel they were missing only Q’s inventions and an Aston Martin.

What do both Baptism for the dead novels have in common is, besides the title, the predictability. The villain’s identity is obvious from the moment they appear on the pages. The secret of the missing mother isn’t very well hidden either. One information leads smoothly to another without plot twists or red herrings. It doesn’t mean “Baptism for the dead” a bad book. But it’s not exactly exciting either.

 

[1] https://booksonmormons.wordpress.com/2015/12/13/a-tiny-gem-of-a-sad-yet-uplifting-story/

A tiny gem of a sad yet uplifting story

We continue with the topic of leaving Mormonism, but this time the reviewed book is somehow unique: it’s a work of fiction. Not based on own experience, not fictionalized account of a friend’s friend’s story; a pure invention, that is, nevertheless, much more human than many of the memoirs we’ve dissected.

Our protagonist lives an apparently perfect Mormon life in an apparently perfect Mormon town, Rexburg, Idaho[1]. She has just three problems: she keeps obsessing about her first love from when she was in her early teens; she doesn’t believe in God; her marriage is for appearances only, as her husband is gay. Then one day a stranger comes to town, a stranger with facial features very similar to those of the mentioned first love. This one meeting is enough and the main character decides to leave the Saints and the life built on sand she has been living.

If anyone wonders why a wandering artist took interest in this particular Mormon wife in a city with 95% Mormon population and many wives to choose from, the answer is metaphysical: she’s a look-alike of HIS greatest love. Supposedly there’s fate at play, but there’s something very creepy about entering a relationship not because of the person but because of whom they remind us. A self-doubting person wouldn’t stop comparing, wondering and analyzing for a minute. Somehow I can’t believe our protagonist embraced the fact so easily, even though her interest in the man is based on same principles.

Leaving the Saints means leaving not only the whole life behind, but also leaving the loved ones at mercy of very judgmental Mormon community. The parents have to bear looks saying “how did they raise her”, the husband loses his guarantee of entering the Celestial Kingdom and what protected him from the gossip regarding his sexuality. In this aspect this book is much more human and warm than the memoirs: because those left behind and their needs are recognized. The main character doesn’t just whine that she needs to be accepted the way she is, but she truly cares about her family and what will happen to them. Her husband isn’t an iron chain that doesn’t permit her to live her life; she wants him to be happy and to embrace his true self. Isn’t it sad that there’s more empathy and second thoughts about the loved ones in a work of fiction than in true stories? This is additionally proved when the merciless Mormon community shows mercy, understanding and help in difficult circumstances. Completely different people from the brainless sheep described by Martha Beck and Deborah Laake.

It is a slow unfolding story. There aren’t secrets to discover nor unexpected plot twists. The ending is actually predictable. Nevertheless, the book is mesmerizing. The style and language are beautiful and it’s to be savored like good wine. There are so many descriptions coming so quickly and folded into the deep thoughts and emotions that you have to take them all in slowly, so you can grasp what you’re reading, and savor the skill with which it was written. This is a journey worth following, it’s an experience worth having, and it’s a book that you should really take the time to enjoy. Even though sometimes the enjoyment might be painful.

 

[1] http://www.ldschurchnewsarchive.com/articles/46189/Rexburg-unique-in-all-the-world.html

Leaving the common sense: how Martha Beck lost her mind

This is one of the most famous and definitely one of the most controversial out-of-Mormonism stories. The reasons for the latter are various: the form, the content, the author and the people involved: true Mormon royalty. Martha Beck’s father[1] was one of the most influential and respected figures in the LDS Church. The book, published only a couple of weeks after his death, shook not only the Mormon community.

Martha and her husband were both enjoying their scholarship at liberal Harvard, but when their son Adam was born with Down Syndrome they decided to come back to their Utah homeland. According to Mormon teachings, the sweetest spirits occupy the frailest bodies and handicapped people are treated kindly and specially as “the chosen ones”.

The title of the book is all wrong. Leaving the Saints did eventually happen, when both Martha and her husband resigned after the excommunication of the September Six[2], but overall the Mormons aren’t more than a prop in this memoir. There are weirdos in a creepy underwear who can be made fun of because of their naivety and lack of Harvard experience and whose obligation is to treat Adam well. Every mother would do anything for the wellbeing of her child, but Martha’s purely utilitarian attitude toward people should in no way be disregarded. Her disrespect to her old/new community is portrayed in many examples, for instance, that she decides to make home-made jam (and complains what a boring task it is) like a good Mormon wife should, but doesn’t attend the boring church. There are many “dos” and “don’ts” in the LDS community and appearances do matter, but church service is still considered more important than home-made fruit products.

The true core of this book is the story about Martha and her father. It starts like a thriller, with the ninety years old Nibley being brought to a motel room, where Martha starts her interrogation. The whole conversation is recorded and there are spies hiding in the closets. I understand a fantasy of living a James-Bondlike adventure at least once, but applying such measures against a man on his deathbed is laughable. The reasons for those we learn quite soon, because soon after moving back to Utah Martha starts having visions. True visions, with golden spheres leaving someone’s body, voices and appearances. Her need to look spiritual and close to God made her actually look ridiculous. A description of a warm feeling or conviction of God’s presence would have worked much better, but any Mormon pheasant can declare that and Martha is oh-so-special. Finally the visions start having a plot and they apparently turn out to be repressed memories when her father abused her in her childhood. This is what the man was supposed to confess in the motel room full of spies. As a punishment for his denial this book was written, to make publish both the alleged abuse and to let people know, that Nibley’s abundant literary work was pure fiction and the footnotes he was famous of not based on any source but invented.

Only two people know with certainty what happened, Martha and the late Nibley. As was to be expected, it was the latter that received more posthumous support. Even the divided Nibley family stood suddenly united denying the accusations.[3] There is no chance to know what truly happened and I am not going to guess, having only this not really objective book as a basis. Sexual abuse is one of the worst things that can happen to anyone and I truly wish it never happened to anyone. I am in no way accusing Martha of lying, but there are indeed issues with her credibility. And if someone is not trustworthy in small things, it’s not possible not to doubt in the big ones.

First there are the mentioned visions. Second, in order to present Mormons as mindless imbecilic sheep who lack reasoning capabilities, she invents or conveniently modifies claims and events so that they fit her story. The need for drama is such, that even the Danites reappeared after a hundred years underground to threaten Martha and only Martha. Even her (now ex) husband, portrayed in this book perfect like Moroni incarnated, bashes the lies without mercy.[4] Third, a person who wrote a whole book treating homosexuality as compulsive behavior like bulimia[5] and currently lives in a homosexual relationship herself doesn’t seem as the most consistent and trustworthy.

Overall, it’s an exhausting book. Pseudo-witty gags about how Mormon women need to ask their husband if they can get a haircut, Mormon men wearing socks because hair on legs is an extension of pubic hair that and can’t be shown under any circumstances or putting drinking coffee at the same level as murder combined with somber accusation of child rape don’t go together. Add to this Martha’s haughtiness and feeling of superiority and the result is unbearable. There are many out-of-religion memoirs, most of them very bitter and vindictive, but none has left such a horrible aftertaste after the lecture.

 

 

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Nibley

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_Six

[3] http://www.deseretnews.com/article/600109810/Nibley-siblings-outraged-over-sisters-book.html?pg=all

[4] http://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R2CIH77GM4PVJS/ref=cm_cr_pr_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=0307335992

[5] http://www.amazon.com/Breaking-Compulsive-Behavior-Martha-Nibley/dp/0875792901/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

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