Under the Banner of Heaven

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Summary: The Perils of Certainty
Review: There is a joke in Utah about tall tales: "It's a story so bizarre only a Mormon could believe it." There is plenty bizarre, and savage, and simply unbelievable but true, in _Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith_ (Doubleday) by Jon Krakauer. Krakauer, whose reputation is that of an outdoor adventure writer, might seem an unusual choice to write about the spiritual bizarreness of Mormon Fundamentalism, but it turns out that this is another fascinating and well-written foray into human extremes. It is not much of a step from _Into the Wild_ which had to do with a young man's deadly obsession to get into the Alaskan wilderness, or _Into Thin Air_ about the egomania of those climbing Everest. Krakauer's latest book has already been condemned by the mainstream Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS), although the polygamous, incestuous, and murderous contemporary prophets herein described are from offshoot sects. But the LDS has reason to take offense. Krakauer does not just tell the story of recent crimes attributed to fundamentalists, but gives a history of the mainstream church and how its principles could have allowed such sociopathic cultism.

The central crime in the book is the horrific butchering of Brenda Lafferty and her infant daughter in 1984. Brenda was the wife of Allen, one of five Lafferty brothers who had left Mormonism to enter Mormon fundamentalism, and she spoke out against the change to polygamy. Ron Lafferty got a revelation from God which commanded him to "remove" Brenda and her baby, and he and his brother Dan followed the command. Krakauer shows it was Joseph Smith himself who inserted polygamy into the beliefs of his fledgling church, and he emphasized the importance of personal revelation for all church members. People liked getting revelations directly from God, and if those revelations contradicted the official church revelations, how could anyone tell the difference? Krakauer writes about other chilling examples of Mormon fundamentalism, like the abduction, "marriage," and rape of fourteen-year-old Elizabeth Smart, but he comes back in the end to the imprisoned Dan and Ron Lafferty, whom he interviewed. Dan proved to be a particularly intriguing source. He admits that he has wondered if the murder of Brenda Lafferty and her daughter was some sort of great mistake, but has decided no. He cannot figure out exactly how his acts fit into the imminent return of Jesus, who will welcome him and the faithful to "clear the dance floor for our thousand-year party" after all the nonbelievers are removed. But he is quite certain that he would do it all again: "I was guided by the hand of God."

In his concluding remarks, Krakauer acknowledges the need to be open about his own religious persuasion, which is not emphasized through this fascinating book. He grew up in Oregon and had many Mormon teachers and friends. He is an agnostic, who finds himself praying "in times of great fear, or despair, or astonishment at a display of unexpected beauty." It seems to be more than self-justification when he writes, "... accepting the essential inscrutability of existence ... is surely preferable to its opposite: capitulating to the tyranny of intransigent belief." The tyranny of these particular beliefs, certainly. Mormonism is growing to be a religion that will rank among the biggest, and the fundamentalists it has spawned are not diminishing. We are all too familiar with what Muslim fundamentalists can do, and Christian ones like James Jones, and all the Mormon fundamentalists that are portrayed on these pages. I, too, am writing as an agnostic, and maybe I would simply like to have more people leaning toward my view, but it would not be too bad if those murderous believers all had a good deal more doubt.

Rating:
Summary: A respected author falls from grace
Review: Some authors, because of their previously published works, have gained the respect of their readers. I suspect that is true of Krakauer. Yet, those same authors can write something about which they know very little and can rapidly lose the respect of their readers. That has certainly happened to Krakauer. I, for one, will never read another Krakauer book. Krakauer fails with this book for several reasons. First, much of the information he writes regarding the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is either entirely false, half truths, and misleading. His research in those areas of the book is greatly lacking. For example, Latter-day Saints do not refer to Jews as Gentiles; the new and everlasting covenant is not used as a euphemism for polygamous marriages; the story of Joseph Smith and Emma going to get the gold plates is pure fabrication; Mark E. Peterson was never President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; women are not excluded from positions of authority in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; and the Laban in the Book of Mormon does not turn up in the Old Testament. Second, from an academic, scholarly perspective, this book receives an "F". It is NOT footnoted as another reviewer has claimed. Krakauer indiscriminately quotes and paraphrases statements without properly siting sources - that's an "F", cheating, plagerism, worthy of expulsion, no matter how you look at it. Third, he quietly leaves out information that uneducated readers would not know anything about, thus having to accept his tilted, fabricated version. Fourth, the work is strictly anti-Mormon, biased, and written in an attempt to damage rather than to inform. A good author would attempt some objectivity. You would think that Krakauer would be as objective with this account as he supposedly was with his previous books. This book fails to be worth reading for these and other reasons. The only parts of the book that are interesting, but you cannot trust anything that Krakauer has written, are those accounts of the pediphile, incestuous, wife beating, murdering, polygamists who don't happen to be members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I expected better from Krakauer!

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Summary: Sex, murder, and the lying liars of Mormonism
Review: We took this book on summer vacation, and my son and I competed for reading time. Riveting. The book is on the face of it a detailed case study of some religious nuts, which Krakauer warns are hardly confined to the Mormons (e.g. The Inquisition). But it is most disturbingly a condemnation of the devious ways of the non-fundamentalist Mormon hierarchy, for example their embracing the concept of "lying for the Lord" (i.e. use of any means to thwart the non-Mormon). Krakauer to his credit repeatedly reminds the reader that Mormonism is subject of special scrutiny as it was started only in the 19th century so we have lots of documentation, e.g., on its charismatic and sexually obsessed founder. In any case, the reader is left to draw his/her own conclusions. In one of the best parts, the author shows the parallels between fundamentalist Christianity and Islam. The actions of the murderous forefathers of the newly appointed head of the US EPA are described. Oh - if you just like juicy sex and-murder stories, there's lots of that here too.

Rating:
Summary: A Compelling Narrative, But Overreaching In Scope
Review: In his previous bestsellers, Jon Krakauer proved that he has the gifts of a first-rate storyteller. He's got a true mastery of vivid, compelling narratives, and he puts that skill to fine use in this book. At the core of the volume is the story of a heinous double murder committed in 1984 by the Lafferty brothers, a pair of Mormon fundamentalists. The narrative of the brothers and their crime is interwoven with the story of the Elizabeth Smart kidnapping (also carried out by a Mormon fundamentalist) and visits to entire communities where polygamy still thrives, despite its disavowal by the mainstream Mormon church and the laws of the United States. By winning the trust of some of the key participants, Krakauer achieves a vivid, "you are there" feel to the story.

The book is subtitled "a story of violent faith," and in his search for the roots of this violence, Krakauer also offers us a history of the birth and growth of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. This history seems to focus almost exclusively on the violent side of those early years....from the assassination of founding prophet Joseph Smith to the infamous Mountain Meadows Massacre, which saw a group of Saints, with help from local Indians, brutally wipe out members of a wagon train. Meanwhile, equally compelling but less lurid phases of Mormon history are given short shrift.

It's this second part of the book that loses me. Even though he makes it clear that the Laffertys and their polygamist associates are not sanctioned in any way by the mainline Mormon church, Krakauer seems to be saying that the few brutal stepchildren of the LDS faith are every bit its founders' heirs as are the peaceful, productive, law-abiding millions who have remained part of the mainstream. I find this as hard to accept as I do that the Taliban should be considered on an equal footing with the millions of non-violent Muslims around the globe. Sadly, every faith seems to attract violent and extreme adherents. But it seems to me that blaming their faith for their violence is much like blaming an illness on a symptom, instead of the other way around.

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Summary: A fascinating look at extremist society in general
Review: Mr. Krakauer has generated much pre-release hype for this book, which has indeed painted a rather unflattering - and unflinching - look at the more extremist side of the LDS Church. However, I believe the more central theme of this book is showing that extremist behavior performed under the guise of religion is prevalent in all areas of our society - not just the LDS Church; hence the title "Under the Banner of Heaven". That is what makes the book so effective.

Is "Under the Banner of Heaven" a damning expose of LDS culture? In some respects, it may be. The plain fact is that the fundamentalists that Mr. Krakauer focuses on in this book are practicing some very important tenets of LDS faith that have never been fully disavowed by that church at large. Further, the LDS Church has seemingly turned a blind eye to the fundamentalists, so in essence they are accepting of their ideals while publicly stating the opposite.

The LDS Church became the focal point of Mr. Krakauer's book because - as he states consistently - it is a truly "American" religion, and one of the fastest growing religions in the world. Also, it is these funadmentalists that have been the center of some large, unsettling news over recent years. The fact that the LDS Church has never fully dealt with these fundamentalists is, in my mind, a good reason for Mr. Krakauer to delve into the church's history and attempt to find how its beliefs were twisted in such a horrible way.

As with his famous mountaineering books, Mr. Krakauer brings a great deal of objectivity into "Under the Banner of Heaven". A criticism in some reviews is that he never truly espouses his own opinion, but I think it is his journalistic objectivity and impartiality that strengthens the book. The fundamentalists are a sick and twisted group, and while Mr. Krakauer does drop in a few subtle - if justifiable - criticisms, he is on balance very fair to both the fundamentalist and the LDS Church alike.

I also enjoyed the way he weaved the LDS history in with the recounting of fundamentalist society and the gruesome Lafferty murders. LDS history is something not very well known if you are outside the faith, and it is refreshing to have an account as told from an "outsider". I knew very little about the foundations of the LDS Church, and since I have no intentions of being a member, the book was enlightening in that regard.

Mr. Krakauer also has the keen ability, in his writing style, to pull the reader in, almost putting you right next to him in his interviews. So, the emotional responses to the questionable and sickening practices of the fundamentalists were stronger. It is this type of writing style that is outstanding - when done right - in nonfiction writing, and Mr. Krakauer is one of the best in that craft.

As I said, though, I think that the true point of "Under the Banner of Heaven" is that there are these extremist groups throughout society - not just in the LDS Church - that purport to be affiliated with religious organizations or faith in general. Whether it be Christianity, Islam, or other faiths, these groups do exist, and are not doing God's work. I think that Mr. Krakauer was trying to relay the point that although these extremists are not representative of the religion at large, they are frequently tied to that religion because of the hesitancy of that religion's leaders from completely disavowing them. I think that Mr. Krakauer effectively demonstrated that although we tend to focus on Islamic extremists, there are extremists in our own backyards, too, and they should not be overlooked.

All in all, despite being in sharp contrast to his previous writings, Mr. Krakauer has crafted a very strong, powerful, and important book. It is very timely in this era of renewed focus on religious extremism, and deserves to be read by a broad audience. I would recommend it to all (adult) audiences of all faiths - LDS included. It may not be flattering to the LDS Church, but in reality, it could be written about any religion.

Rating:
Summary: LDS vs/ TRUTH
Review: It is most difficult for a LDS member to read a book about some of the machinations of the Mormon church. As a former LDS member, I was interested very much in the D&C 132 revelation and the "new" revelations. This is where I believe the author is at his best, pointing to the history of the revelation and then allowing the reader to make up their own mind. Did God say yes to plural wives, and then change his mind, for the government?
Did God say "no" to the negro and then change his mind?

This book is a facinating read, although a family tree would do well to help us keep the players straight. Some of the information is not pretty and if you are a LDS you will find it difficult, but then the truth is not always pretty. Two sides to every story? Absolutely, and that is where this book polarizes the reviewers. LDS vs. Truth.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent, Well Researched
Review: Krakauer does his usual exhaustive research with footnotes on almost every page. His maps of areas he introduces is helpful too. Unfortunately, I wish he had through to toss in a few family trees. With the large families he chronicals, with many people having the same last names and similar first names, it is easy to get lost in some of the narative.
Sometimes this book is difficult to read not because it is poorly written, but the contents stir consternation. It is not directed just at Mormons, but our society in general. Why is it so terrible that the Mormons didn't allow African Americans into the priesthood until the 1970's when to this day, they still don't allow women (a much larger percentage of people)? Is it because Catholics do the same thing and they are an "acceptable mainstream" religion? Why are some forms of discrimination acceptable and others not? Krakauer's book doesn't just reveal weaknesses in the LDS, but at our religious notions as a nation in general.

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Summary: A most important book.
Review: This book is not meant to be scary, but it is.

If I lived in Utah, after reading this book, I would move out.

This book is sobering, but true. READ IT!

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Summary: Negative Reviews prove Krakauer's point
Review: A fantastic book! Krakauer proves he really can write about anything. As someone who is not LDS, and lived for 5 years in Salt Lake, it was obvious to me from the beginning that this book would be polarizing in this part of the country. The number of negative reviews from what appear to be mainstream LDS individuals, confirms a people who to this day are still prickly. Their persecution was indeed real and tragic, but I have friends who's parents and grandparents died in the gas chambers in Poland that might think the protests are a little over done.

Krakauer repeatedly stresses there is a difference between the LDS church of today, and the FLDS church. But what is undeniable is the roots of their belief's coming from a central figure, Joseph Smith. And like him, the FLDS participants always take a position that "plural marriage" is the cornerstone of both their belief in restoration of the true church, as well as a central theme in his. And for those mainstream Mormon's out there, how does something that was always against the law, become a "requirement" for the Saints on one hand, and then get conveniently "revealed" away when Statehood is on the line?

You've got to ask yourself, "Is this convenient, or what?"

It's easy to see how things could get so confused and Krakauer makes an excellent point of this. He is one of the first writers on the topic I've seen ask the question, "When everyone is being "talked" to by God, who's prophesy prevails?" Well, that's the reason the additional prophesy was necessary to make "The Prophet" the only one capable of getting "genuine" direction from God. That being the case, who was really talking to the Lafferty brothers, or any of the other dozens of people that Krakauer cites in his book.

The prevailing problem is that in the Bible it states specifically that prophesies will cease. Makes you wonder if more people read their bible, how many Mormans would we really have?

Time after time, even the mainstream LDS church has made Jon's point for him. Free thought and reason are not cornerstones in the Mormon arsenal. Obedience, and faith in men are. Brenda Lafferty died for one simple reason. She thought for herself, which is even an accomplishment for many women in the LDS church. Polygamy may not be in the Church's doctrine anymore, but it's no less male dominated.

There's no getting around admiring a people who almost single handedly created a society and community in a savage and unfriendly environment. I just wish they could be more honest about where they've come from without throwing out an excellent book because it reminds them of a past they'd rather forget about.

One last struggle I've always had. The Dead Sea Scrolls gave historical crediblity to the Bible. It's just always seemed so convenient that all the scripture was given to one man and then it was taken away, back to Heaven. Hmmmmm.....

Rating:
Summary: Another fine book by Krakauer
Review: I have read two other books by Jon Krakauer and enjoy his writing style immensely. Although I think it is painfully obvious who the Mormons are who have read this book in most of the reviews on this website, I think it is probably impossible to review it fairly without having any distance from the Mormon religion. I spent a great many years in Utah, making this book even more interesting. I think Krakauer does a fine job in not passing his own moral judgement while adequately conveying the true history of the Mormon religion, parts of which the Church of Latter Day Saints wants everyone to forget. The core of this book is about a brutal murder performed by Mormon Fundamentalists (extreme ex-communicated faction of the Mormon Church) and taking the reader from the beginnings of the Mormon religion and relating it to the current Mormon Fundamentalists today. Excellent read!