Rating: 
Summary: Krakauer the Great
Review: Another unputdownable. Krakauer handles religious fundamintalism in a gentle and thoughtful way. In addition, he propely identifies all religious belief for what it is: irrational. Hopefully this book will cause readers to re-examine their own beliefs.
Rating:
Summary: "Behold, and it came to pass ..." Extraordinaire
Review: Jon Krakauer has a special talent. He is able to write non-fiction, that reads like fiction. While he did have a little help with that, as every time I do read something that relates to Mormon history, it does seem like it is fiction, even the "Book of Mormon" itself, reads like fiction. While I will not make any commentary on the "Book of Mormon," as I do not like to comment on other people's beliefs, Jon Krakauer's book, is just extraordinary and explains a goodly piece of Mormon history. Jon does this, because it is necessary in order for the reader to understand the mindset that would allow someone to actually murder another, with no remorse or regret, because they truly believed that God had personally told them to do that.The Mormon faith is unique in its concept, that all "Saints" which are good and right minded members of the Mormon Church, can communicate directly with God. Also, Jon explicitly describes, defines and illustrates the difference between members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints which is distinctly different from members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Before reading Jon's book, I did not really understand HOW different are the two sects. But they are extremely different, even though they use the same theological material. In his book, Jon does succeed in helping the reader actually internalize this feeling of "Murder By God's Command." His truly wonderful and clear, but not at all gory, description of the murders is excellent. And the many personalities that Jon uses to describe the mindset is wondrous. But one of the other things that Jon does, is to introduce each chapter with a quotation from some related piece of work. This one is particularly of note: "Both revelation and delusion are attempts at the solution of porblems. Artists and scientists realize that no solution is ever final, but that each new creative step points the way to the next artistic or scientific problem. In contrast, those who embrace religious revelations and delusional systems tend to see them as unshakeable and permanent... Religious faith is the answer to the problem of life ... The majority of mankind want or need some all-embracing belief system which purports to provide an answer to life's mysteries, and are not necessarily dismayed by the discovery that their belief system, which they proclaim as "the truth," is incompatible with the beliefs of other people. One man's faith is another man's delusion ... Whether a belief is considered to be a delusion or not depends partly upon the intensity with which it is defended, and partly upon the numbers of people subscribing to it." Anthony Storr, "Feet of Clay" That in fact is what Jon Krakauer shows us in his magnificent book. That a belief is a delusion, until many people accept it, and then it becomes an accepted belief, and no longer delusional in that present time. There are between 10 to 11 million Mormons globally today. That number seems significant enough to consider the mindset of the original doctrines and theology a belief. Yet their seem always within almost all religions, groups of people who start to believe that the accepted beliefs, are not a precisely proper interpretation, for whatever reason. This inevitably causes schisms within that religion, and so, new religions are either born, or die if abandoned by their followers. The murders of Brenda Lafferty and her 18 month old daughter in 1984 are inexorably linked to religious belief. And in addition, perhaps, to the subconscious desires of one of the murderers. This book is almost a must read for anyone who wishes to understand the total sociology of American Religions.
Rating: 
Summary: Fascinating
Review: It occurred to me while reading this that if they taught some of this stuff in my highschool history classes I would have been riveted!!! Here Krakauer's investigation of the murders perpetrated by Ron and Dan Lafferty is typical of his style. He creates a fascinating story without attempting to manipulate his reader, even when the sensational nature of the subject might lend itself to that sort of treatment. Instead, he provides a personal, but at the same time even-handed analysis of the murders and of contemporary Mormon fundamentalism. I think that those who criticize Krakauer for unfairly victimizing the Mormon church have not read the book carefully, or at all.
Rating:
Summary: A fascinating read
Review: When I heard Jon Krakauer had written a book about fundamentalist "Mormons", I was intrigued, to say the least. As a member of the LDS Church, this book had a special significance to me. I found the book to be quite well-balanced. For example, after mentioning the Book of Mormon's scientific shortcomings, he writes that other religion's scriptures also have dubious origins and the BoM is criticized more because it's so recent comparatively. He usually makes a clear distinction between the mainstream LDS church and the rogue polygamist groups. In reading other reviews here, I've found one main objection that I also had problems with. Krakauer seems to imply with the history of the Taylor revelation that plural marriage is essential to Mormonism and that we're all patiently waiting for the courts to allow polygamy. This is clearly untrue. This is still an excellent book that I recommend to anyone... especially fellow LDS.
Rating:
Summary: Mormon Trueism
Review: Under The Banner of Heaven is one of the finer books written about the hidden truths of Momonism and the way so many people have distorted what Joseph Smith first realized. The sheep will follow and there is not much that can be changed about that. It's the Colorado City folks that need addressing by our government. If they want to thumb their nose at the law then they need to be denied the fruits of it. Krakauer does an outstanding job of sheding the light on one of the most powerful cults in this world. Utah covers up anything and everything they can when it comes to Mormonism. Krakauer investigated how young Elizabeth Smart was sucked into one of the biggest sins man can be charged with, the rape of an innocent young lady. This is still tollerated among the Mormon fundimentalist and it should be stopped. This isn't a freedom of religion it's pure rape and incarceration.
The book has really fired me up. Living amongst this religious bunch is bad enough. Read it and think about all the lost young ladies. Thanks Jon for a graet book.
Rating: 
Summary: Latter-Day Sensationalism
Review: A book such as 'Under the Banner of Heaven' only works if the author is truly objective-- if the author, like a true journalist, begins with a question, and takes the reader along on his/her search for the answers to that question. Unfortunately, Krakauer fails to do just this. From the beginning, it is apparant that Krakauer already has his mind made up with regards to the conclusions he will eventually come to about the LDS Church and its fundamentalist offshoots-- and many religions in general. Thus, rather than accompanying the author on a journey into the heart of a mystery, and into the discovery of unknown facts about events 'ripped from the headlines' (as happens with the best true crime books), the reader is instead subjected to a 350+ page defense of Krakauer's presuppositions. His research is one-sided and his conclusions are debatable. Since this is a book purporting to look at a Christian religion, perhaps a Bible analogy would best describe the results: Krakauer seems to have built his house on the sand this time around. And perhaps saddest of all, after two winners like 'Into the Wild' and 'Into Thin Air' that had readers holding their breath, afraid to reach the end, 'Under the Banner' simply has readers counting pages to the end of each chapter and the next logical excuse to break away from Krakauer's pedantry. Bottome line: skip the latter and reread one of the former. Hopefully Jon Krakauer will revert to true, objective journalism next time around.
Rating:
Summary: Good book about true LDS beliefs
Review: I am an ex-mormon and have been waiting for someone to talk about many of these things. It is amazingly accurate. I love how the orginal teachings and what happened in the early 80's (the main topic of this book) are tied together. I have been told I can't have children because I left the church, that my mother's death was because she was a non-member and as little as two weeks ago, a morman wife told me she would allow her husband to practice plural marriage as long as she is the most important. (She is NOT a fundamentalist but a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.) I believe everyone has the right to their own belief system but for Heaven's sake tell the truth about what you believe and this book is true to everything I experienced.
Rating:
Summary: Problems with sources
Review: I've enjoyed both of Krakauers previous bestsellers but have been aware of the controversy and criticism of his sources that always seem to pop up. Under the Banner of Heaven has such problems which seem even more acute to me, myself being a Mormon. The book is not objective. Krakauer has sought a one-sided history of the church and often relies on faulty folklore and 'historians' who've been questioned for numerous works (ie.. Fawn Brodie whom most Jeffersonian historians discredit). There is also a lack of primary sources when Krakauer discusses Mormon history. He relies on the speculations and biases of others rather than utilizing primary texts and artifacts. I find this very disappointing as a historian. Finally, as a Mormon woman I'm a bit shocked to see how my role in my church is generalized. I'm a very well educated woman who has attended a very prestigious (and liberal) college. Krakauer states that women in the Mormon Church hold no positions of authority and are passive companions to their spouses. These generalizations are not only utterly untrue of my life but utterly untrue of the lives of other women I know within the church. Women do have positions of authority, many of which surpass that of male authority in the church. It is a great unjustice for Krakauer to state the above generalizations as fact repeatedly throughout the book. Furthermore, the comment that Elizabeth Smart was easy prey due to her beliefs is a terrible leap to make or conclusion to draw. The Mormon church does not dictate individual lives; members have freedom to make whatever choices they make. I know young Mormon girls who are more assertive and driven than others I grew up with or knew/know outside of the church. Mormons are not weak, rationality-deprived people. As a matter of fact, many are extremely educated, well-rounded, NORMAL individuals. Education has been encouraged for men and women alike since the onset of the church (Brigham Young even encouraged women to become doctors, lawyers, and teachers). You would not know this from reading Krakauer's book. Finally, I am dismayed that most of the Mainstream Mormonism that is discussed in the book centers around Utah and its Culture. As Krakauer himself stated, the majority of LDS Church membership is outside of Utah. Overall, the book lacked a well-rounded, objective view of both LDS history and current LDS culture, teachings, etc.
Rating:
Summary: Erudite fiction
Review: Utah is a Mormon "reservation". It's early citizens were driven there by a real and violent force. The Mountain Meadows massacre occurred during America's only war declared against a religion. In light of such reality, Krakauer's claim that Mormonism needs to come to terms with it's violent past seems absurd. Only someone who believes that Native Americans are on reservations because they enjoy living there can believe that Mormons, more that Protestants, have a special problem with violence. Just as the mythologized versions of the Battle of the Little Big Horn and the Alamo defined who the real victims were and who the real villains, Krakauer's mythology insinuates that whatever violence Mormons experienced, they simply deserved it. Book's like Krakauer's stigmatize and socially disenfranchise the Mormon community. To counter the stigma Mormons feel compelled to conform to a higher model of wholesomeness. Mormons are then condemned for being conformists and cardboard cutouts. Writers like Krakauer then discover human frailties beneath this perfect exterior. And the cycle starts all over again. Apparently, few have the honesty to see the paradox of this perennial American prejudice.
Rating:
Summary: Rampant Generalizations and Untenable fallacies.
Review: The type of generalizations made in this piece should be nonexistant in modern society. It is hard to imagine why some one would use people who were expelled from a church for not following the church's beliefs, as primary sources for the beliefs of said church. To any logical person, this should at the veryleast, be questionable, both morally and professionally.
Of the fallicies made in this work, I am apalled. Words taken out of context, unsupported claims, rumors, and blatent falsities, are used to invent a work of graphic fiction. In my opinion and for reason's stated above, this work should be avoided as a waste of time; and were it to appear in a book store should be placed in the fiction section.
Were the author to make similar claims about a more litigous party he could be legal trouble for lible. I am not sure of his motivations, however they appear to be at least leaning towards malice.
Just as with any group, if you want to know more about them talk to someone who actually belongs to the group. For Example, one would not seek information about the green party from a lumberjack's union, or vice versa. Besides the obvious adversarial postions, there is a lack of first hand knowledge.
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