FAIR is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing well-documented answers to criticisms of the doctrine, practice, and history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Difference between revisions of "Did 19th century church leaders have a list of crimes that were "worthy of death?""
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==Further reading== | ==Further reading== | ||
Revision as of 10:03, 13 July 2008
This article is a draft. FairMormon editors are currently editing it. We welcome your suggestions on improving the content.
Contents
- 1 Criticism
- 2 Response
- 2.1 Blood atonement: what it is?
- 2.2 Critics expand "blood atonement" to include a list of unrelated crimes
- 2.3 Murder
- 2.4 Adultery and immorality
- 2.5 Stealing
- 2.6 Using the name of the Lord in vain
- 2.7 Not receiving the Gospel
- 2.8 Marrying an African
- 2.9 Lying
- 2.10 Counterfeiting
- 2.11 Condemning Joseph Smith
- 3 Conclusion
- 4 Endnotes
- 5 Further reading
Criticism
- Critics expand to idea of blood atonement to include a long list of crimes that were alleged to be "worthy of death."
Source(s) of the criticism
- Bill McKeever, "Blood Atonement - If It Was Never Taught, Why Do So Many Mormons Believe It?", Mormonism Research Ministry (web site)
- Jerald and Sandra Tanner, The Changing World of Mormonism (Moody Press, 1979), Chapter 20.( Index of claims )
Response
Critics have created a long list of crimes for which they claim the 19th century church required death through blood atonement. The critics conflate blood atonement with captial punishment in order to promote the idea that the 19th century church was willing to kill anyone who disobeyed the law.
Blood atonement: what it is?
Main article: Blood atonement Blood atonement is a concept taught by Brigham Young and several other early Church leaders. It states that:
1. There are certain sins of apostacy that may not be covered by Christ's atonement. Such apostacy would involve church members who had already been endowed and made covenants in the temple.
2. That a person willing to repent of such sins might need to be 'willing allow their own blood to be shed to do so.
Critics mine statements from early church leaders to make it appear that "blood atonement" was being applied to others for a variety of crimes against their will. The following table lists the crimes that the critics claim were "worthy of death," and the sources that they use to support this assertion.
| Crime the critics claim was "worthy of death" | Critics' use of sources |
|---|---|
| Murder | History of the Church 5:296; Doctrines of Salvation 1:136; Mormon Doctrine, 1958, p.314" |
| Adultery and immorality | Journal of Discourses 7:20; Journal of Discourses 6:38; Journal of Discourses 7:19; Journal of Discourses 1:97 |
| Stealing | Times and Seasons, vol. 4, pp.183-84; History of the Church 7:597; Journal of Discourses 1:108-9; Journal of Discourses 1:73" |
| Using the name of the Lord in vain | Journal of Hosea Stout, vol. 2, p.71; p.56 of the typed copy at Utah State Historical Society |
| Not receiving the Gospel | Journal of Discourses 3:226 |
| Marrying an African | Journal of Discourses 10:110; Wilford Woodruff's Journal, January 16,1852; Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, Spring 1973, p.26 |
| Lying | "Manuscript History of Brigham Young," December 20, 1846 |
| Counterfeiting | "Manuscript History of Brigham Young," February 24,1847 |
| Condemning Joseph Smith | Quest for Empire, p.127; Daily journal of Abraham H. Cannon, December 6, 1889, pp.205-6 |
Murder
Adultery and immorality
Stealing
Using the name of the Lord in vain
Not receiving the Gospel
Marrying an African
Lying
Counterfeiting
Condemning Joseph Smith
The critics really have to stretch on this one, since if everyone who condemned Joseph Smith were "worthy of death," there would have been few critics left! This was obviously not the case during the 19th century, and the only support that the critics can gather for such a far-fetched idea is a single entry in Apostle Abraham H. Cannon's journal, which says:
- About 4:30 p.m. this meeting adjourned and was followed by a meeting of Presidents Woodruff, Cannon and Smith and Bros. Lyman and Grant.... Bro. Joseph F. Smith was traveling some years ago near Carthage when he met a man who said he had just arrived five minutes too late to see the Smiths killed. Instantly a dark cloud seemed to overshadow Bro. Smith and he asked how this man looked upon the deed. Bro. S. was oppressed by a most horrible feeling as he waited for a reply. After a brief pause the man answered, "Just as I have always looked upon it—that it was a d—d cold-blooded murder." The cloud immediately lifted from Bro. Smith and he found that he had his open pocket knife grasped in his hand in his pocket, and he believes that had this man given his approval to that murder of the prophets he would have immediately struck him to the heart.[1]
Conclusion
Endnotes
- [note] "Daily journal of Abraham H. Cannon," December 6, 1889, pp.205-6.
Further reading
FAIR wiki articles
FAIR web site
- FAIR Topical Guide: