'American History 1941 to Present Mormon Fundamentalists\r'

'The Mormon presence in the States has been historically influential to the nation, but is lots overlooked or understated in non-Mormon institutions despite the fact their existence dates buttocks to 1823. Under the Banner of heaven: A Story of Violent Faith by Jon Krakauer is a non-fiction historical account of the Mormon organized religion, from its birth under the prophet Joseph Smith, to stick times with the polygamy practicing fundamentalists and the milder mainstream Latter Day backer perform existing with identical warmness beliefs, but on opposite situations of the spectrum in terms of practices.The section of the criminal record regarding the uttermost(prenominal) fundamentalists, their news report, and their current practices was an interesting look into a very different way of life. The rupture in the Mormon Church presented itself when the belief of polygamy was retracted by the prophet Wilford Woodruff. Those that certain this revelation argon the mass tha t is at superstar time called The Church of Latter Day Saints.Those that matt-up the church only banned polygamy to try and gain acceptance by the unite States government still felt that it was a divine principle necessary for acquiring into heaven, and scattered to secluded areas across the spousal family relationship American continent to practice their lifestyle. several(prenominal) factions of Mormon extremists exist in Canada, the joined States, and Mexico. The primary reason that so many an(prenominal) factions exist is based on star of the basic building blocks of the church. All Mormons pursual have a close relationship with God and are fitting to mouth with him.The laws of the church can change as the prophets receive their revelations. Essentially, anyone can declare themselves a prophet, and anyone can receive a revelation. As self proclaimed prophets received divine revelations they would take a group of followers and establish their own settlement to regor ge more fractions. The most well cognise of these factions if the Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints (FLDS) with more or less 10,000 members located in conscientious objector City, genus Arizona and Hildale, Utah. The FLDS territory, formerly known as before long creek, was founded by John Y.Barlow to preserve the sanctitude of polygamy. After Barlow’s cobblers last Joseph Musser was the succeeding(prenominal) prophet in line of succession. He presided over the sect during the Short Creek Raid of 1953 when Arizona state jurisprudence officers and the National Guard invaded the compound and arrested either member of the church, regardless of age or gender. Leroy Johnson, or â€Å"Uncle Roy” as he was in a heartfelt way called, led the sect from 1954 to 1986. After the death of Johnson in 1986 Rulon Jeffs, also called â€Å"Uncle Rulon” as wellk over as prophet.Uncle Rulon was thought to be â€Å"the one powerful and strong” that would persist f orever, rule at the end of days, and carry the church to never-fail salvation as stated by the book of Mormon. This considered it was a shock to the FLDS familiarity when Uncle Rulon died in 2002 at the age of 92. warren Jeffs, one of Rulon’s sons out of an estimated 60-65 children fathered by the late prophet, assumed lead subsequently his father’s death. He govern by fear and tyranny. Under his term, the name of younker boys thrown out of the church for minor infractions increased exponentially.These â€Å"Lost Boys” would be kicked out for violations such as having a crush on a girl, or take ining a shirt with sleeves that were too short, or if the prophet just intract qualified to deem them unworthy. A church member then drives the teenage boys out of township and dumps them off at the side of the road with no food, money, or business office to go. Jeffs started kicking out boys in droves so that he could assign more young girls in the community t o middle of age(p) men, including him. He decided that all pets and animals in the compound should be killed, banned children from issue to public school, and forbade medical treatment to ailing church members.The FLDS is currently under the leadership of an unknown prophet later Jeffs was sentenced on November 20, 2007 to 10 years to life in the Utah State Prison on charges of sexual conduct with minors and corrupt as an accomplice. To this day in Colorado City it is common for cousins, stepfathers and stepdaughters, non-biological uncles and nieces, or fathers and adoptive children to marry. Incestuous relationships have caused an unusually eminent rate of birth defects. Three wives is the minimal for a man to receive the highest direct of salvation in the afterlife.The first uniting is considered legal by law. All marriages after are â€Å"celestial marriages” only recognise by the FLDS. The women bound to men by celestial marriage are able to collect welfare for all of their kids because they are single parents. This practice is called â€Å"bleeding the woman chaser” and is encouraged among members. The rules of dress are stringently adhered to: men wear long sleeved shirts and pants in all seasons and women wear ankle length long sleeved dresses. Both sexes clothing is very flying field and they must wear long underclothes at all times.Under the Banner of Heaven was unbiased and fact based. Krakauer included personalized accounts of stories of the religious fanaticism that has led to practices in the FLDS that range from horrifying to intriguing. It was difficult to speak out the level of strength and conviction that motivates members to live out their everyday lives in this community. Krakauer was able to deliver these stories and the historical statistics behind them in a non-judgmental or opinionated manner, which gives the book a genuine and legitimate base.He does non come off as a religion hater or Mormon antiblack th at is condemning the choices made by the prophets or the people. The historical account of the Mormon religion as a whole was expatiate and deliberate, which was helpful in understanding how one religion ended up existing in such a soldiery of diverse sects. It was an experience to be introduced to a different view of American history; one that is definitely not discussed in the standard textbooks. References Krakauer, Jon (2004). Under the Banner of Heaven, A Story of Violent Faith. New York: random House, Inc..\r\n'