Jimspeak

I am from Illinois and didn't realize that the founder of the Mormon faith was killed there and that there was an expulsion of people following the Mormon faith. An Illinois appellate justice recently issued an apology to the Mormons for these acts. Interesting.

I haven't read this book yet, but the book Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer, details the onset of this religion and the acts played out by the founder and his followers. And I have to say, based on the book I wouldn't be real happy about living in a town whose Mayor was Mormon-at least back in the early day. One of their beliefs-one way to save a 'non-believer' is to shed their blood. In other words, kill/hurt a non-Mormon and it saves their soul-doesn't matter why you hurt them (land, money, etc). And their legacy in early Utah is not all that great either. Last year there was an article in the paper (and I forget the details) that was talking about a big massacre site, carried out by the M's, that they have now apologized for. I think they killed a bunch of non-M's that were nearby. I forget (which makes that excerpt pretty useless).

Regardless, it doesn't sound like the early M's very a very nice group of people. I will read the above mentioned book and do some more research so I can add to this.

Sidenote: I don't consider myself prejudiced, but I think I am pretty open minded. I don't mean to attack the Mormon faith or its followers, this was more of a comment on HISTORY and the acts they were involved in. So I am not randomly attacking them, my comments are based on actual events. You can't dispute history (though many people-including our government-try to, or at the least they ignore it)

Synopsis-based on the actions of the early Mormons, I am not sure an apology was necessary (for the killing, sure. Vigilante justice ain't the best solution. But for kicking out some violent closed minded folks? Nah)