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The official story of the church in Missouri casts the members of the church as innocent victims of mob violence. While there were atrocities like Haun’s Mill committed against the Mormons, the official history fails to include the atrocities committed by the Mormons against the Missourians that precipitated responses like Haun’s Mill. This week’s episode recounts some of these forgotten facts that show just how un-Christian the church was acting in 1838.
D&C 103:5-8, 26
Romans 12:9
3 Nephi 3:20-21
D&C 98:33
Mormon 3:14
2 Nephi 27:5
D&C 124:28
General Conference:
Moroni 6:9
D&C 20:45
D&C 46:2
D&C 84:85
D&C 100:5-6
Wow! When you are so thoroughly convinced of something it’s hard to realign your thinking. When I was first exposed to the idea that US cavalry massacred Indian villages I refused to believe it for a long time. All the black and white westerns I had seen showed only honourable soldiers. This has been an eye opener and I will go to. Rough Stone Rolling for other references. I’m just wondering why did Joseph not intervene and correct the usurpation of the stake presidency in Missouri. He was still alive this time. Thank you for the podcast. I remember thinking that US preemptive strike on Iraq after 911 was an example of not doing it the way our example, the most noble Lachoneud, did things in Third Nephi. Thank you again for all your work.
Lachoneus… sorry typo. What was that verse about destruction again? I mean the one that was taken out between 1833 and 1835 and who took it out and why? Where would I find that journal entry of Joseph’s about the Danites?
The revelation that we know today as D&C 5 first appeared in the Book of Commandments in 1833 as Section 4. Joseph made significant changes to several revelations between the 1833 and 1835 publications. The official explanation is Joseph received further light and knowledge, but there is no analysis of the changes to show how they are consistent with further light and knowledge…because the changes contradict that narrative. When you understand the church rejected the fullness in 1834, the changes between 1833 and 1835 make sense. For example, these two verses were completely removed from D&C 5 in 1835:
And thus, if the people of this generation harden not their hearts, I will work a reformation among them, and I will put down all lyings, and deceivings, and priestcrafts, and envyings, and strifes, and idolatries, and sorceries, and all manner of iniquities, and I will establish my church, like unto the church which was taught by my disciples in the days of old.
And now if this generation do harden their hearts against my word, behold I will deliver them up unto Satan, for he reigneth and hath much power at this time, for he hath got great hold upon the hearts of the people of this generation: and not far from the iniquities of Sodom and Gomorrah, do they come at this time: and behold the sword of justice hangeth over their heads, and if they persist in the hardness of their hearts, the time cometh that it must fall upon them.
That warning was given in 1829 and published in 1833. Yet in 1835 it was removed entirely. Was that because Joseph received further light and knowledge? Or was it because the church had already hardened their hearts and were now on the path to being turned over to Satan? By 1835 it was too late to warn them, so the warning was removed.
The Reformatted Scriptures (http://measuringdoctrine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/LoF-DC-PoGP-1.pdf) show all the changes between 1833 and 1835. Many are trivial, others quite significant. They are all shown so you can decide for yourself.
Joseph’s journal entry discussing the Danites can be found here: https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/journal-march-september-1838/47
Thank you very much. I find it mind boggling that Brother Rigdon gave those unsettling talks. That is opposite to the Sermon on the Mount “blessed are the peace makers”. I have noticed in listening to world history podcasts that Christians of not just one denomination punished others who did not agree with them, for example, the Spanish Inquisition and the Anglicans and Catholics in Nortern Ireland. This behaviour was in contradiction of the most basic scriptures like the Sermon on the Mount or just the Ten Commandments. You don’t have to be a great scriptorian to understand the basics of Christianity like the golden rule. Unfortunately, the basic bottom line kindness was evidently lost on many pretend Christians and blood and horror resulted. I’m sad that this lack of basic application of the teachings of the Saviour was lost on many of the brethren of the so called restoration. Just processing stuff here.
Thank you very much.
Is there a list of prominent church leaders who were excommunicated under Brigham Young’s direction? If so, it would be interesting to see the dates and locations also. I didn’t know he was so involved in the events in Missouri.
I googled’ people excommunicated by Brigham Young ‘ and was sent to a Wikipedia article which breaks down excommunications before 1844 and after. It lists the names of the excommunicated people and a link to read more about each one. I started reading through the list trying to figure out which ones Brigham was involved in primarily. That will take a while (there are 41 names) but it has proven interesting. For instance, a man named Gladden was excommunicated and rebaptized nine times according to the article on him. He even started a group known as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints ( Gladdenite ) it appears. There is a lot of interesting stuff as you go through the list.
In my years of genealogy research i discovered that my 1830-baptized (& later excommunicated) ancestor Joel Shearer was Francis Gladden Bishop’s #2 man in the Gladdenite “Church of Jesus Christ of the New Jerusalem”, and Joel published “Mysteries Revealed” in 1856 at Winter Quarters (digitized version is online). Google it. Joel’s twin brother Daniel married Vienna Jaques. Daniel’s son Norman B. Shearer spent six months in the jail at Richmond Mo. with Parley P. Pratt & five others. My Tanner ancestor saved the Kirtland Temple from foreclosure, & his sons marched in Zion’s Camp & later in the Mormon Battalion, & they fought in the battle of Crooked River. John Joshua Tanner was among the many arrested Mormon prisoners in Far West but he & his brother Nathan were released & ordered to leave the state rather than being kept in prison over the winter like Joseph Smith & others at Liberty, and Pratt & others at Richmond. In addition, another ancestor of mine, Joseph Warthen, was murdered in Provo in 1852 in a manner very similar to the shooting of Gov. Boggs of Missouri (through a window at night). Joseph had argued with Brigham Young & then planned to leave Utah, so was seen as an apostate & was apparently killed by Danites before he could leave. His murder, & the trial of any suspects, was completely covered up & received no mention at all in newspapers of that time, & we don’t even know where he is buried. Anyhow, there’s a lot to be ashamed of from the reality of our Mormon past, but are we really any better today? I think not. U.S. society & culture is much worse & more worldly & violence-filled today; most of us have embraced it completely & divided up into contending political, economic & racial factions, & we have a lot of individual & collective repenting to do. To humble ourselves as a people and strip ourselves of pride & other sins (Alma 5), & plead for the Lord’s forgiveness & mercy that we may become one, and if we exercise faith he will work a mighty change in our hearts minds & souls. For those interested: I recommend “Divergent Paths of the Restoration “ by Steven L. Shields; “Differing Visions: Dissenters in Mormon History” by Launius & Thatcher; and “Scattering of the Saints: schism within Mormonism” by Bringhurst & Hamer.
Also http://www.sunstonemagazine.com/continuing-along-the-divergent-paths-of-the-restoration/
I love how the LDS Church like to paint JS incarcerated in Liberty Jail as unjust as he was innocent of any wrong doing.