Criticism of Mormonism/Books/One Nation Under Gods/Use of sources/Murder unfaithful Mormons to save souls

An Example of Biased Histories

A FAIR Analysis of: Criticism of Mormonism/Books/One Nation Under Gods A work by author: Richard Abanes

Destroying Governments and Religions

Murder unfaithful Mormons to save souls?

The Quotes

One Nation under Gods, page 234-235(hardback)

• Brigham "encouraged faithful Saints to murder, out of 'love,' all unfaithful Mormons so their souls might be saved."

One Nation under Gods, page YYYY (paperback)

 ^{[needs work]}

The References

Endnote 45-46, page 560(hardback)

• Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 4:219-220.
• Heber C. Kimball, Journal of Discourses 4:173-174.

Endnote 15, page ZZZZ (paperback)

 ^{[needs work]}

The Problem

Once again, when the sources are seen in their complete context, the author's claims collapse. They are situated during the Mormon Reformation.

Brigham Young

Brigham Young said:

We talk about the reformation, but recollect that you have only just commenced to walk in the way of life and salvation. You have just commenced in the career to obtain eternal life, which is that which you desire, therefore you have no time to spend only in that path. It is straight and narrow, simple and easy, and is an Almighty path, if you will keep in it. But if you wander off into swamps, or into brambles, and get into darkness, you will find it hard to get back....

And I will say that the time will come, and is now nigh at hand, when those who profess our faith, if they are guilty of what some of this people are guilty of, will find the axe laid at the root of the tree, and they will be hewn down. What has been must be again, for the Lord is coming to restore all things. The time has been in Israel under the law of God, the celestial law, or that which pertains to the celestial law, for it is one of the laws of that kingdom where our Father dwells, that if a man was found guilty of adultery, he must have his blood shed, and that is near at hand. But now I say, in the name of the Lord, that if this people will sin no more, but faithfully live their religion, their sins will be forgiven them without taking life.

...Now take a person in this congregation who has knowledge with regard to being saved in the kingdom of our God and our Father, and being exalted, one who knows and understands the principles of eternal life, and sees the beauty and excellency of the eternities before him compared with the vain and foolish things of the world, and suppose that he is overtaken in a gross fault, that he has committed a sin that he knows will deprive him of that exaltation which he desires, and that he cannot attain to it without the shedding of his blood, and also knows that by having his blood shed he will atone for that sin, and be saved and exalted with the Gods, is there a man or woman in this house but what would say, "shed my blood that I may be saved and exalted with the Gods?"

As always with his discussion of blood atonement, Brigham emphasizes the the sinner must voluntarily submit to this penalty. This is not a call for mayhem or murder.

All mankind love themselves, and let these principles be known by an individual, and he would be glad to have his blood shed. That would be loving themselves, even unto an eternal exaltation. Will you love your brothers or sisters likewise, when they have committed a sin that cannot be atoned for without the shed[d]ing of their blood? Will you love that man or woman well enough to shed their blood?

Now take the wicked, and I can refer to where the Lord had to slay every soul of the Israelites that went out of Egypt, except Caleb and Joshua. He slew them by the hands of their enemies, by the plague, and by the sword, why? Because He loved them, and promised Abraham that He would save them....

I could refer you to plenty of instances where men have been righteously slain, in order to atone for their sins. I have seen scores and hundreds of people for whom there would have been a chance (in the last resurrection there will be) if their lives had been taken and their blood spilled on the ground as a smoking incense to the Almighty, but who are now angels to the devil, until our elder brother Jesus Christ raises them up—conquers death, hell, and the grave. I have known a great many men who have left this Church for whom there is no chance whatever for exaltation, but if their blood had been spilled, it would have been better for them. The wickedness and ignorance of the nations forbid this principle's being in full force, but the time will come when the law of God will be in full force.

Those who voluntarily submit to blood atonement must, therefore, be executed by those charged to do so. This is an onerous duty, but the righteous so charged may have to carry it out upon those who request it, when the law is in force.

We note too that the principle is not "in full force" when Brigham spoke. Thus, he cannot be advocating blood atonement in the present.

Further reading

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