Criticism of Mormonism/Books/The Changing World of Mormonism/Chapter 20

FAIR Answers—back to home page

Response to claims made in "Chapter 20: Blood Atonement"

Chapter 19

A FAIR Analysis of: The Changing World of Mormonism A work by author: Jerald and Sandra Tanner

Chapter 21

490 - Heber C. Kimball claimed that the apostles killed Judas

The author(s) of The Changing World of Mormonism make(s) the following claim:

Heber C. Kimball claimed that the apostles killed Judas. Reed Peck said that Joseph Smith told him of a revelation in which Apostle Peter stated that he had hung Judas.

Author's sources:

• The Reed Peck Manuscript, p.13
• Heber C. Kimball, Journal of Discourses 6:125-126.

FAIR's Response

490-491 - Brigham Young advocated blood atonement

The author(s) of The Changing World of Mormonism make(s) the following claim:

Brigham Young advocated blood atonement.

Author's sources: Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 4:53-54.

FAIR's Response

"Blood atonement"

Summary: It is claimed that during the administration of Brigham Young apostates were secretly put to death, and that the teachings of LDS leaders at the time were that apostasy was the unforgivable sin, and that the only thing an apostate could do to redeem himself was to give his own life, willingly or unwillingly.

Jump to details:

• Question: What is "blood atonement"?
• Charles Penrose (1912): "Do you believe in "blood-atonement"?
• Question: Did early Mormon leaders teach that apostasy was the unforgivable sin, and that the only thing an apostate could do to redeem himself was to give his own life, willingly or unwillingly?
• Question: Were apostates secretly put to death by "blood atonement" during the administration of Brigham Young?
• Question: Was Thomas Coleman (or Colbourn) "blood atoned"?
• Question: Did Brigham Young's preaching style induce people to perform "blood atonement"?
• Utah crime and violence

491-492

Claim

• Jedediah Grant advocated blood atonement.

Author's source(s)

• Jedediah Grant, Journal of Discourses 4:49-50.  ^[ATTENTION!]

Response

• Church doctrine/Repudiated/Blood atonement

493

Claim

• Murder was worthy of death.

Author's source(s)

• History of the Church 5:296
• Doctrines of Salvation 1:136
• Mormon Doctrine, 1958, p.314

Response

• Church doctrine/Repudiated/Blood atonement

493

Claim

• Adultery and immorality were worthy of death.

Author's source(s)

• Heber C. Kimball, Journal of Discourses 7:20.
• Heber C. Kimball, Journal of Discourses 6:38.
• Heber C. Kimball, Journal of Discourses 7:19.
• George A. Smith, Journal of Discourses 1:97.

Response

• 19th century crimes alleged to be "worthy of death"

493

Claim

• Brigham Young said that he would put a javelin through the heart of an adulterous woman.

Author's source(s)

• Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 3:247.

Response

• Church doctrine/Repudiated/Blood atonement

496

Claim

• Stealing was worthy of death.

Author's source(s)

• Times and Seasons, vol. 4, pp.183-84
• History of the Church 7:597
• Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 1:108-109.
• Orson Hyde, Journal of Discourses 1:73.

Response

• 19th century crimes alleged to be "worthy of death"

496

Claim

• Using the name of the Lord in vain was worthy of death.

Author's source(s)

• Journal of Hosea Stout, vol. 2, p.71; p.56 of the typed copy at Utah State Historical Society

Response

• 19th century crimes alleged to be "worthy of death"

496

Claim

• Not receiving the Gospel was worthy of death.

Author's source(s)

• Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 3:226.

Response

• 19th century crimes alleged to be "worthy of death"

496

Claim

• Marrying an African was worthy of death.

Author's source(s)

• Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 10:110.
• Wilford Woodruff's Journal, January 16,1852
• Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, Spring 1973, p.26

Response

• Race mixing "worthy of death"?

498

Claim

• Breaking covenants was worthy of death.

Author's source(s)

• Jedediah Grant, Journal of Discourses 4:49-51.  ^[ATTENTION!]
• Deseret News, July 27, 1854
• Heber C. Kimball, Journal of Discourses 4:375.

Response

• 19th century crimes alleged to be "worthy of death"

498-499

Claim

• Apostasy was worthy of death.

Author's source(s)

• Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 1:83.
• Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 4:219-220.
• Heber C. Kimball, Journal of Discourses 6:34-35.

Response

• Church doctrine/Repudiated/Blood atonement

500

Claim

• Lying was worthy of death.

Author's source(s)

• "Manuscript History of Brigham Young," December 20, 1846

Response

• 19th century crimes alleged to be "worthy of death"

500

Claim

• Counterfeiting was worthy of death.

Author's source(s)

• "Manuscript History of Brigham Young," February 24,1847

Response

• 19th century crimes alleged to be "worthy of death"

500

Claim

• Condemning Joseph Smith was worthy of death.

Author's source(s)

• Quest for Empire, p.127
• Daily journal of Abraham H. Cannon,"" December 6, 1889, pp.205-6

Response

• 19th century crimes alleged to be "worthy of death"

501-503

Claim

• Blood atonement was "put into practice" in Utah.

Author's source(s)

• Confessions of John D. Lee, 1880, pp.282-83
• Utah Historical Quarterly, January 1958, p.62, note 39

Response

• Church doctrine/Repudiated/Blood atonement

501

Claim

• Modern church leaders have confirmed the principle but denied the practice of blood atonement.

Author's source(s)

• Mormon Doctrine, 1958, p.87
• Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 1, pp.133-36

Response

• Church doctrine/Repudiated/Blood atonement

Notes