Straight Talk About Gospel Principles: What They Are, What They Are Not
Burgess, Allan K., and Max H. Molgard. 1994. Straight Talk About Gospel Principles: What They Are, What They Are Not. Bookcraft Pubs.
Rating:
1
Summary:
This is a poorly-written exegesis on Mormon doctrine.
I thought this book was so problematic that I actually outlined the entire thing to provide a framework for my comments (see ‘outline’ below). In short, the authors are trying to explain basic gospel principles.
Review:
This is one of the most poorly written exegeses on Mormon doctrine I have ever read. In addition to my specific comments (see the outline below), there are several criticisms that apply to the text generally.
First, the book is poorly-written. There are incomplete sentences and poor grammar and vocabulary choices throughout the text. The writing is not colorful or imaginative. This is not a well-written book. I repeatedly asked myself while reading it if the authors had disallowed an editor from actually reading the book. Just one additional person brushing through this book quickly could have pointed out some of the major problems.
But the poor-writing pales in comparison to the illogicality of the arguments. Chapter after chapter is chock full of contradictions. Perhaps the best example of the author’s contradictions is chapter 3 on repentance. They begin by arguing that repentance cannot be done piecemeal. The implication is that you can’t just repent for one sin at a time. If you are going to repent, you have to repent for everything. But then they point out that no one is ever perfect (which implies a need for repentance) and that we need to be constantly striving for perfection and repenting along the way. When you try to bring both positions together you realize one of the two (or both) has to be wrong. If you can’t repent piecemeal but are never perfect, then how does repentance work? This is a contradiction that a simple proof-reading by a critical eye would have caught.
Additionally, the authors take some very extreme liberties that are beyond the pale. For instance, at one point they re-write a scriptural passage to bolster their argument (p. 36). They also claim that certain things are ‘laws’ when, in fact, they are not laws but rather recommendations (e.g., Chapter 28 – The Law of the Fast). Finally, and this point was probably the most annoying to me, the authors’ use of stories was horrendous. I would submit that 1 out of every 8 stories in the book actually seems to fit with the principle they are trying to discuss. The other 7 are either indirectly related (probably 3 out of the 7), not at all related (3 out of the 7), or actually illustrate the opposite of the intended point (1 out of the 7, e.g., p. 67). In addition to the stories not being relevant, nearly 70% have no reference and I would guess about 30% were made up by the authors (see, for instance, the story on p. 107).
As a result of these problems the text reads like a rough draft of a 4th grade school project. I’ve read more profound thoughts written on the walls of bathroom stalls. Why the authors felt the need to re-hash what has already been covered in a number of more authoritative books is beyond me. Most Mormons are probably familiar with Gospel Principles, which is published by the Church itself and considered the basic source for information on these principles. Additionally, Mormon Doctrine, which isn’t officially doctrine but is likely the perspective of the majority of members, is still in print and referenced much more commonly than this text will ever be. I would highly recommend reading Gospel Principles for a simple exegesis of these principles instead of this book. For conservative Mormons, stick with Mormon Doctrine; it’s the most exclusivistic and offensive to outsiders and will likely best represent your perspectives. For more liberal-minded Mormons, I’d recommend The Encyclopedia of Mormonism (Ludlow 1992), which often comes in electronic form, is closer to actually reflecting current Mormon doctrine (it has changed over time), is better written than Mormon Doctrine, is less-offensive, and includes a lot of additional information, including Mormon demographics and history.