Under the Banner of Heaven

Rating:
Summary: SexReligionPolitics and the Psychiatry of Fundamentalism
Review: Author/Mountain Climber Jon Krakauer (*Into Thin Air,* *Into the Wild*) says the genesis for his book was a desire to grasp the nature of religious belief. What it grew into was a riveting examination of the double murder of a Mormon mother and child by fractured (and excommunicated) former Mormon Fundamentalists who claimed to be On a Mission from God. Krakauer examines this in the context of the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and break-away cults. He also ponders the conundrum between zealotry and madness (sometimes it's in the eye of the beholder.)

Many religions have deviants, rogues and/or stuff they'd rather hide: Muslims have Al-Qaeda; The Roman Catholic Church has the Inquisition, complicity in the Holocaust (Hitler was never excommunicated) and current Priestly scandals; Southern Baptists have Jerry Falwell and Jimmy Swaggart, and let's not forget Jim and Tammy Faye!

This reviewer is tempted to whine that there are no pictures in Krakauer's book on miscreant ex-Mormon misfits, as photos are often a sine qua non of mine for a 5 Star rating of a True Crime book. But the book is not filed under True Crime (Dewey Decimal 364) but rather Religion (289.3.) Portions could also reside in the 900s (History: Euro-American expansion in North America - "Westward - Ho!")
Wherever one files it, it is a non-fiction book of important and panoramic scope and vision. Reviewed by TundraVision, Amazon Reviewer.

Rating:
Summary: An Un-Biased Opinion
Review: Under the Banner of Heaven isn't Krakauer's best, but it's a good deal better than some customer reviews here tend to give it credit for. I don't think it's surprising it's inflamed the LDS faithful and that's clearly reflected in the one-star comments I've read here, and the occasional bad review in the press. On the other hand, reviewers who suggest we should all get the real truth about the history of the LDS from the Book of Mormon operate with a bias equal in size to that they ascribe to Krakauer.

I'm not Mormon and I don't really give much thought to the LDS church. I've read Krakauer's book and found parts of it compelling, parts of it confounding, parts of it disturbing. In this, I suspect my reaction is similar to most readers outside the LDS church. Despite statements in some Amazon customer reviews, Krakauer takes great care to remind us that the Lafferty brothers were cast aside from the LDS church and that their peculiar brand of religion is the product of their own spiritual odyssey. At the same time, he underscores the key point in his book: that all religions, Mormonism included, give rise to extremists. Without their upbringing in the Mormon Church, Krakauer asks, would the Lafferty's be who they are today? Regardless of their ties to mainstream Mormonism, it's clear that in the Lafferty's case, a parade of oddball fundamentalist associates had an even greater impact on the brothers' spiritual awakening. Certain LDS tenants might be a part of the Lafferty's homebrew religion, Krakauer points out, but a cast of religious misfits contributed just as much or more. All the same, to ignore the Lafferty's LDS background, is to approach the Lafferty story with one eye shut.

In response to critics, it's wholly inaccurate to argue that Under the Banner of Heaven presents an anti-religious theme. And those who defend that viewpoint based on Krakauer's admitted agnosticism or his statements about the irrationality of faith have turned three sentences in the book into an apparently overarching theme. It's the worst kind of criticism, intended, I suspect, to turn mainstream Christians away from the book entirely. Instead, since this attack comes largely from the LDS quarter, it gives the appearance that Mormon faithful have chosen to circle the wagons rather than engage in a thoughtful debate about the historical record, preferring instead to keep their secrets buried in the Utah soil. Consider for instance, the following portion of a September 4, 2003 Amazon.com customer review entitled "Nature Writer Clearly Incompetent in Religion/Psychology," penned by R. C. Barden, Ph.D., J.D: "Mr. Krakauer's best excuse for producing this incompetently researched, deceptive and misleading book is that he spent so many weeks at high altitude with insufficient oxygen." In reading this Amazon review, I'm left to wonder which is more disturbing - that R.C. Barden's review is largely an unsupported character assassination of Jon Krakauer, or that someone might actual seek to retain this individual for legal representation given his insufficient grasp of the simplest elements of argument. Sadly, an overwhelming majority of negative reviews of Under the Banner of Heaven follow a similar approach.

I can't argue one way or another regarding the accuracy of Krakauer's history of the Mormon church, nor do I wish to, but it's clear most Mormon's don't come to the debate armed with any facts at all, choosing instead to attack Krakauer's integrity and credibility rather than any specific portions of the book.

Under the Banner of Heaven is a difficult book, lent intrigue mostly by the fact that Mormon's are so unabashedly hateful of it. It's not Krakauer's best, but the fact it's gotten so much attention from the Mormon Church, just might mean it warrants some attention from you.

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Summary: These reviews are almost as interesting as the book itself
Review: After I finished reading this book, I came to Amazon looking for the official Mormon response to the book, which I suspected would be quite angry. I haven't been disappointed. The reviews here, especially by detractors of the book, are almost as entertaining as the book.

The detractors to this book have a number of complaints, which boil down to three general themes: 1) it is hard to read, 2) it is inaccurate or sources biased accounts, 3) it is anti-Mormon or anti-religion. The first is somewhat true, but perhaps unavoidable. The second is hard to refute without an exhaustive investigation into Mormon history, but seems misplaced. The third is just absurd.

HARD TO READ/UNREADBABLE
This book is harder to read than Into Thin Air, which I could not put down. That's why I gave it only 4 stars. But that may be unavoidable because there are multiple facets to this story: the Lafferty storyline, the FLDS storyline and the Mormon storyline. You can't really tell the first without the second, or the second without the third. I don't know if the book would be more or less readable if broken into three sections or told chronologically, but Krakauer doesn't try these approaches. Instead, he jumps back and forth between the three stories throughout the book. The result is that the book seems somewhat disjointed, and you can lose track of who he is talking about. To his credit, he repeatedly describes how different people are related to the story as he brings them up after an interlude, but even so, the story is not a "smooth" read even if it is an interesting one.

INACCURATE HISTORY, NO FOOTNOTES
I cannot vouch for the accuracy of the facts on which Krakauer bases his book. But if you look for citations to specific inaccuracies in among the reviews of the detractors -- some of whom claim to be scholars in the LDS church -- you will be hard pressed to find them. Some of these reviews provide citations to other histories of the LDS church, but all are sanctioned by the LDS church itself. One of the points Krakauer's makes is that the LDS church has done everything possible to control its history, including by excommunicating those who challenge official accounts. (And the LDS church seems to have excommunicated just about anyone having to do with the FLDS church - a point made by several detractors in these reviews -- so its hard not to credit Krakauer's point here.) He also alleges that the LDS church has sought to rewrite, or at least soften, the original violent history of the church and some of the more extreme actions and beliefs of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young. If this is true, looking to the sources favored by the official church will hardly get you closer to the full truth. It would be interesting to see a debate between Krakauer and officials from the church over these facts, but I doubt that will happen anytime soon.

BIASED AGAINST MORMONISM/RELIGION
You can't tar Krakauer with being anti-religion because he freely confesses in the author's remarks that he is an agnostic. Everyone approaches issues of religion and morality with some bias, whether you admit it or not. Frankly, I thought it was refreshing to have him admit where he was coming from. And I don't think you can fairly tar those who ask how to reconcile faith and reason with being anti-religion. If it bothers you to have to think about those issues, this isn't the book for you.

Every religion asks its believers to believe in certain storylines which seem fantastic and inherently unreasonable. Many of these stories describe disturbing events which are used to illustrate a point. For example, the Old Testament story of Joseph about to sacrifice his son to God to show his obedience to God. We read that story today as a parable of religious devotion in a holy time, but taken literally it is quite alarming. Moreover, if Joseph tried that today, he would certainly be locked up (and would lose custody of his son).

One of the interesting things about this story is that it all happens in the last 175 years and in the United States. That makes the claims of the original founders that much harder to swallow and makes the issues of religious fanaticism vs. devotion that much more real. After all, if it is true that even one person can receive instructions from God, and if those instructions necessarily override man-made laws, how can you deter any religious extremist, whether they started out Mormon or Muslim, Christian, Jewish, etc.?

There are no doubt better books about LDS history, FLDS history and faith and reason and religious extremism. Perhaps there are even better journalistic accounts of the Lafferty murders somewhere. But Krakauer does a good job of distilling a lot of information in a short amount of space to provide a context for the murders and to ask the tough questions that they raise.

Rating:
Summary: A shocking true to life story of a violent faith
Review: A well written story about mormonism. Mr. Krakauer investigative journalism revealed unbiase/balanced report of the subject religion, mostly taken to previous publish report and people inside the congregation. LDS and its officials should read it with an open mind and an open heart to understand truly their origin of faith. But Jon forget to include some bible passages such as Isaias 34:16, 1 Timothy 3:1-16 and Matthew 26:51-52 that would strenghten his story that Joseph Smith is a FALSE prophet that lead millions of people today to follow blindly. An eye opener for those who believe they are God's Chosen people.

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Summary: Why the Mormons Hate This Book
Review: There is a reason why so many Mormons hate this book with a passion: It explodes their weakly constructed fantasy they are God's one true people. It's very comforting for Mormons to have this belief and hope. John Krakauer brilliantly tells the story of those believers who fell for the shennenagans of the charismatic Joseph Smith so many years ago and still do today.

Having grown up in a cult myself, Jehovah's Witnesses, and having talked to Mormons who have knocked on my door, it is amazing to see how both groups gulp down fantastic nonsense without making sure what they believe stands the test of truth. The Mormons who knock on my door are massively ignorant of the origins, good and bad, of their own faith. Now I understand why.

This book is rich in history and is written with a disciplined view of telling the truth as it happened and letting the reader judge for themselves. Highly recommended.

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Summary: Joe Smith - A Rockefeller of Faith
Review: I will keep this review brief, as plenty of other people have exhaustively discussed this book. Besides, the Lord has commanded me to go get some nachos. . .

Krakauer casts a wide net in this book, covering everything from the origins of Mormonism (Joseph Smith was basically a John Rockefeller of faith) to the vigilante wars of the 1840s to the abduction of Elizabeth Smart to the double-murder that forms the crux of this book. Sometimes it is difficult to keep all the players straight, particularly the various tribes of fundamentalists in their enclaves throughout the West. Krakauer doesn't Mormon bash here - if anything, I have a newfound appreciation for the religion and its adherents. Nor do I see the LDS being indicted for the violent crimes in the book anymore than I see the Christian community getting blamed for David Koresh and Jim Jones. As for the fabulous beliefs held by the Mormons - what makes an angel giving gold pages to Joe Smith any less ridiculous than old Noah cramming two of everything into his homemade lifeboat? All religion is nothing more than shared mythology.

Well-researched and not particularly biased, the book does begin to lose a bit of steam and focus in the last 40 pages. A parallel the author draws between the murderous Lafferty boys and Bush / Ashcroft seems like a bit of a simple-minded reach. And Krakauer descends occasionally into lurid prose (ex ". . . and let her life drain across the floor of the kitchen in a viscous crimson flood.") But overall a worthy examination of a peculiarly American faith and those who find themselves estranged from its current incarnation.

Rating:
Summary: A Violent Religion
Review: The history of the Mormon church is one of violence, perpetrated both against and by members of the church. This book focuses on four aspects of that violence.

1. The persecution of the church in its early days, culminating in the murder of its founder, Joseph Smith;

2. The Mountain Meadow Massacre, the most disgraceful incident in the short history of the church, in which Mormons disguised themselves as Indians and acting upon the orders of Brigham Young, attacked and murdered 150 immigrants crossing southern Utah in a wagon train on their way to California;

3. The ongoing assaults and rapes perpetrated upon 12 to 14-year-old girls by men twice their age or more, often their own fathers, to perpetuate polygamy among fundamentalist Mormon sects (while the main LDS church does not officially condone bigamy, the state of Utah does little to discourage it); and

4. The brutal knife murders of an innocent woman and her innocent child by her brothers-in-law, Ron and Dan Lafferty, both fundamentalist Mormons.

Mr. Krakauer writes well and pulls no punches in writing about these events. Perhaps the most serious question that the reader comes away with is whether, given the unique background of the Mormons and their religion, they can ever be fully assimilated into American culture.

It is a book that you will remember.

Note: Mormon readers, like other religious enthusiasts, have an unfortunate habit of filling websites with recommendations for books that are little more than church propaganda, which makes it difficult to sort out the wheat from the chaff. Readers desiring more objective views of the church and its history should consider any of the following::

1. "Mormon America: The Power and the Promise" by Richard and Joan K. Ostling.

2. "No Man Knows My History: The Life of Joseph Smith: The Mormon Prophet" by Fawn M. Brody.

3. "The Mountain Meadow Massacre" by Juanita Brooks.

4. "Early Mormonism and the Magic World View," "The Mormon Hierarchy: Origins of Power," and "The Mormon Hierarchy; Extensions of Power," all by D. Michael Quinn.

Rating:
Summary: Full of egregious errors
Review: Mr. Krakauer, in this error ridden diatribe against religion, makes so many errors of fact and logic that serious questions are raised regarding his competence and sincerity.
As Prof T. Givens noted, "To blame Judaism for Son of Sam would be anti-Semitic. To blame Mormonism for Dan Lafferty is no less an act of naked bigotry masquerading as journalistic investigation."
As Jane Lampman has noted in the The Christian Science Monitor, Krakauer's book "delivers a skewed and misleading picture of a faith now practiced by 11 million people worldwide."
Naomi Schaefer, in her review for the The Wall Street Journal, wrote that Krakauer's book "is all quite misleading."
Neurophysiologists may note that Mr. Krakauer's best excuse for producing this incompetently researched, deceptive and misleading book is that he spent so many weeks at high altitude with insufficient oxygen. One can only hope he beats a hasty retreat from subjects like history and religion -- subjects apparently far beyond his abilities.
Emotional fervor and naked bias are not substitutes for responsible scholarship.
R. Chris Barden, Ph.D., J.D

Rating:
Summary: Jumpin' Smokin' Joeseph Smith!
Review: First of all, this is my first Jon K. book, however, this is the second book I have read dealing with the Church of Latter Day Saints. I have also read 150+ of the 260+ reviews that was written on this book. I am an agnostic and I find this whole book well thought out and well written.

Interleaved between the events that led up to the killing of Brenda Lefferty and her infant child, is the history of the Mormon church. Starting with founding by Joseph Smith in the state of New York to their moving to Missouri, to Illinois, to Utah. This gives the readers a sense of the changes and the evolution of the believes of the church. From the vision and the translation of the gold plates to the tar and feather of Joseph Smith to his death by vigilanties and the division within the church over polygamy after Joseph's death.

Jon K. made it clear that the events that happened in the book are by fundamentalists of the LDS, the church have excommunicated these people, but yet they claim to follow the true words of Joseph Smith and the Peace Maker document.

I highly recommend Sally Denton's 'American Massacre, tragedy at Mountain Meadows' as a follow up reading to this book. (If you have not already heard about or read it. It was published about 5 months ago.) And the Sally Denton's book is a wonderful companion to 'Under the Banner of Heaven'.

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Summary: What an eye opener!
Review: I have been aware of a few of the Mormon Fundamentalists trials and had a general idea about the Mormon faith. I've even been to Beaver Island and knew about King Stang. This book was so well written and researched it was like living history! It is a must read for anyone who loves history.I live in the midwest in the Bible Belt/Klan Central. When you compare how close Pat Robertson and the like are with and in our present goverment and then see the Mormon Fundamentalists it is scarier then anything written by Steven King. It is still happening and too many just don't understand how narcissistic,subversive and dangerous these religious fanatics are.