 "Worth the read" | 2009-10-17 |
| - Reviewed By User: A3LCYZCLMFI2BH |
| Having already been a Krakauer fan, I really enjoyed reading this version of historical commentary on the origin of the Mormon church. True to his previous style, and in a similar vein as Truman Capote, Krakauer bases his premise on a brutal murder by a few fanatical fundamentalists believing in the righteousness of their cause. In a somewhat journalistic style, similar to "Into the Wild" and "Into Thin Air", he explains the notion of "blood atonement", a common ritual among the persecuted Mormons as they strived to maintain their church against all odds. It is an informative look at the conception of the doctorine, as received by Joseph Smith, the founder of the Mormon church, his embrace of Polygamy, the avenging angels, defending their right to plural marriage at any cost, the severing of the church from polygamy, and the different sects that chose to remain followers of the "principle". Most of the focus of the book is on the violence, both past and present, in relation to the faith, which is both gory and lacks remorse. This book is an entertaining account of a bizaar slice of American religious history and the bloody repercussions of unwavering devotion. Both shocking and objective, it is well worth the read. |
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 "Truly frightening" | 2009-10-08 |
| - Reviewed By User: A3H2JLM21TLZ1E |
Assuming this book is accurate, and I do, we should be deeply concerned about extreme Mormons. I knew little about this side of Mormonism until I read this book (I assumed that extreme behavior such as polygamy was no longer acceptable in Mormonism). Part of what is truly frightening about these compounds is that the members are sheltered from the outside world. They are only exposed to their own media and many are completely ignorant about anything else.
I have a lot of questions about these people: for example, how can adults in these compounds get away with raping children and polygamy? Particularly if they go on talk shows to brag about such "achievements," why do the authorities not apprehend them?
I realized reading this, though this should have occurred to me before, that Mormons now outnumber Jews. This is even more disturbing when one knows that Mormons are much, much more fertile and their numbers are only bound to go up. While I have not seen any stats about Jewish fertility, I am guessing our numbers are going down. Jews are largely pretty secular and don't rape children in compounds, so think about that. |
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| "RIP Brenda and Erica" | 2009-10-06 |
| - Reviewed By User: A3FWLWQC0PEGHX |
Jon K says is took 3 years to research this book and 1
year to write it. This is a good book but I found it a little
bothersome switching back and forth from the murder,
to past Mormon history then to the present day.
I expected more about the Lafferty's. I did no want to see
pictures of Brenda and the baby but I wish their had been
pictures of the Lafferty brothers. There were NO pictures.
Not even one of the author. (there are pictures of them
on the net.)
The Mormons are very very touchy about their history.
They want to pretend certain things never happened.
I do not think Jon K picked on them. All religions have
skeletons in their closets.
Dan comes off in a more favorable light than Ron but, they
are still cold blooded insane killers.
RIP Brenda and Erica.....how brave Brenda was to think
she could handle these SICK men by herself. How sad she
did not RUN. SHAME on her husband & mother- in- law.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I'd like to suggest several other true UTAH crime books
for you to read:
1. Mark Hofmann---The Mormon Murders-Steve Naifeh.
..........................Dan Lafferty's is Mark's prison room mate.
2. Ervil LeBaron----The 4 o'clock Murders-Scott Anderson.
3. Frances S--------At Mothers Request--J Coleman.
BOOKS ON POLYGAMY:
Irene LeBaron Spencer, Dorothy Allred Solomon,Susan
LeBaron Schmidt, Kim Taylor, Elissa Wall & Carolyn Jessop.
*interesting note...Elizabeth Smart is in court now/today
to face her monster. She had her childhood stolen from her.
She is a very beautiful young lady. I hope her life is good.. |
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| "A fast paced story of religion and murder in modern day America" | 2009-10-05 |
| - Reviewed By User: A24HMDOMZ34B0U |
This is an excellently written book - fast paced and engaging. Jon Krakauer is adept at interweaving the history of the LDS Church with a present day story of "violent faith".
Based on a "revelation" he received from God, Ron Lafferty and his brother Dan brutally murdered Brenda Lafferty (their sister-in-law) and her 15-month old daughter, Erica. The two brothers never spoke of having remorse for what they did. In fact, Dan openly admits to the murder, claiming God wanted him to do it. It is a haunting notion: that someone's thoughts could be so twisted as to let them believe that by killing another human being they were doing the work of God. Krakauer latches onto this idea and examines exactly what would lead a person to commit murder in present day America because of religious believe.
Though the topic is fascinating, it is important to keep in mind that Krakauer only focuses on the extreme parts of Mormonism. He talks about Fundamentalists who openly practice polygamy and the physical and sexual abuse that goes on in those communities. Not all Mormon's are polygamists and not all Mormon's actively seek "blood atonement" against their enemies; it is only a small percentage that is so extreme. Before judging all Mormons too harshly remember, every religion has its radicals. Therefore if you do decide to pick up "Under the Banner of Heaven", read it with a grain of salt. |
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 "Oversimplification, which haunts many journalistic formats, has no place in a book" | 2009-09-29 |
| - Reviewed By User: A1CFYLAOMCSRMJ |
If you don't like Mormons you'll enjoy the book, but if you want to understand them, look elsewhere. As a religious studies major I was dissapointed, expecting a frank impartial look at Mormons but finding instead a classical blunder committed when many read history, which is to project the modern upon the historical. I willingly state that his treatment of present-day events was done very well (which is really his stregnth), but the historical delving, while perhaps well-intentioned, was not skillfully executed. Examination of history should be tempered with a firm grounding in context - the philosophical, social, and other influences that precipitate events, as well as considering the perspective of the participant/observer. If we all decide to hate Islamists, or Catholics, or Mormons, and dig up embarrassing skeletons, we'll find rich mines of problems but we learn nothing. If we eximine events in the light of historical context, we get perspective. Any journalist should know this, and I'm sure Krakauer does, but the tone was snide as though he'd made opinions before inquiry, and extrapolated facts to support an agenda. In this light, journalistic impartiality was not rigorously employed in the book's composition, though admittedly it was attempted. In the end I belive Under The Banner Of Heaven tells us a lot more about John Krakauer than it does about Mormonism.
There are some mistakes in the book, including a few biggies:
1 - Even mainstream Mormons still believe in personal revelation and this forms a healthly tension with authority (Krakauer claims personal revelation was revoked and replaced by authority)
2 - The terms eternal marriage, spiritual wifery, plural marriage, and polygamy are NOT synonyms. Eternal marriage/celestial marriage is what Mormons practice today in temples, that is, marriages performed to last beyond death. Spiritual wifery was a system of institutionalized "adultery" attempted in Nauvoo by those who had heard rumors of polygamy but had not recieved church sanction. It did not involve marriage (but did involved sexual unions) and the Mormon Church opposed it actively. "Plural marriage" is a Mormon-specific term describing the practice the Mormons adopted by which one man was married to multiple women (which was later revoked). It is distinct from polygamy in that the Mormons considered is a spiritual comission, or commandment. When God says do it, it is done, and when it is not commanded it is not done. The majority of Mormons, even in historical times when plural marriage was openly practiced, did not do it because they did not believe it was required of them by God personally, but they had no problem with those who felt it was a commandment for themselves. Polygamy is a blanket anthropological term describing any culture in which husbands marry multiple wives, commonly without a spiritual element.
3 - Mormons don't believe non-Mormons are going to hell. They believe religious freedom extends beyond the grave, and that all people will be resurrected to a world more glorious than the one they currently inhabit. I think most Mormons would agree with their theology which teaches that the current world is the closest to hell anyone will ever get.
I do, however, actually agree with many of the problems the book presents - faith vs reason, God's hand in the universe, the dangers of zealotry, and problematic inconsistencies between the present and historic Mormon churches. One perspective I would offer in pursuing answers is that in studying religion, one must distinguish between a religion's policies and a religion's doctrine. All institutionalized religions that teach "eternal truth" still have apparent inconsistancies between "truth" and practice. One can choose to be cyncial about this phenomenon (cry paradox or hypocryte!). But if you start from a premise that religious people aren't stupid or deluded, that in fact many of them are smarter than you, you may find that all religous people are very well aware of inconsisencies but can live with them because they are of little consquence when compared with the richness of human experience that can be found in holy arts. With that perspective you can, in a productive way, begin to approach the complexities, intricacies, and delicate balances between different peoples and their relationships to the divine. Such a quest for understanding is not the same as a sensationalized expose. Krakauer's book is a great place for questions, but not for answers, unless you are satisfied with the fast-food kind. |
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| "Challenges believers of "reasonable" religions" | 2009-08-28 |
| - Reviewed By User: A3VXSLUJ927PWW |
I read this book several years ago, but it was brought to my mind again after reading The God Delusion. Although Krakauer chose fundamentalist Mormonism, this could have been written about any religion. Krakauer aptly points out that we don't have an objective standard to answer who's hearing from "God" and who isn't.
What makes this so difficult to put down (besides for the heart-wrenching stories of abuse that builds up a great anger against the polygamist communities) is his weaving of two narratives; one of the Lafferty brothers and the other of Mormonism's history. This style (much like the contrast between the narrative of the expedition and the individual in Nathaniel Philbrick's Sea of Glory) adds context to the modern day tail of religion gone horribly wrong.
Highly recommended to anyone wanting to know more about the Mormon faith and the religious experience. |
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