Daughter of Mormon Scholar Stirs Controversy

Posted on February 25, 2005

The New York Times has an in-depth article about the controversial new book, Leaving the Saints: How I Lost the Mormons and Found My Faith by Dr. Martha Beck (Crown). Dr. Beck, the Harvard-educated sociologist and therapist is the daughter of one of Mormonism's most prominent religious scholars, Dr. Hugh Nibley. In the book, the author accuses her father (a professor emeritus of ancient scripture at Brigham Young University and noted scholar of Mormon teaching) of extreme sexual abuse when she was a child. The book also details many of the Mormon church's sacred and secret practices. The Mormon church is very unhappy with the book, to say the least. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has issued a statement condemning the book. Leaving the Saints has already been featured on Oprah.com and will be released on March 1, 2005.