Brigham Young and blood atonement; What's the deal? Ep. 85

Brigham Young apparently believed that some sins were so bad that the atonement of Christ would not cover them, and that the only way to atone for those sins would be for the sinner to willingly have their blood shed. But despite Brigham’s harsh language, there is no irrefutable evidence that anyone was ever actually ‘blood atoned’ by order of Brigham or the Church.

CORRECTION: In the video I mention that I was able to find 5 references to blood atonement in the Journal of Discourses. Actually, one of those references is from some remarks Brigham gave during a Utah legislative session, and is not found in the Journal of Discourses (inter-racial marriage reference).

More on our website: https://bit.ly/2CmJszB
2010 statement from the Church on blood atonement: https://bit.ly/2L6JcFy
“Blood Atonement” in Encyclopedia of Mormonism: https://bit.ly/35w90nN
From the Church’s website: https://bit.ly/2W11Ogy
19th century Utah violence in surrounding cultural context: https://bit.ly/2L5DSlH
On Brigham Young’s preaching style (Ronald Walker): https://bit.ly/2W23nuq
What about the Parrish-Potter murders? Isn’t there an incriminating letter from Brigham Young? Read this article, with special attention to the footnote on page 73: https://bit.ly/2YnpnQD
I highly recommend this Quora response from a non-Latter-day Saint anthropologist: https://bit.ly/30nu9jH
“The Mormon Reformation,” by Gustive O. Larson: https://bit.ly/3fpHkWv
One commonly used quote from BY about blood atonement: https://bit.ly/2YDQ0lU
1889 statement from the Church about blood atonement: https://bit.ly/2WLSyvQ
A letter from Elder Bruce R. McConkie concerning “blood atonement”: https://bit.ly/3cem9Vq
An extensive look at the argument critics attempt to make concerning “blood atonement”: https://bit.ly/2SH2Jk3
How to deal with Brigham Young’s racist remarks and still call him a prophet of God: https://bit.ly/2LbNs6A
“Trial of Your Faith,” by Neil L. Anderson: https://bit.ly/2SMNWEv
“How can I know if something I hear is ‘official doctrine’?”: https://bit.ly/3dwxfW1
“The Doctrine of Christ,” by D. Todd Christofferson: https://bit.ly/3bfiyos

Notes:

-In the words of apostle Neil L. Anderson, “...doctrine is taught by all 15 members of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve. It is not hidden in an obscure paragraph of one talk [or in this case, relatively few talks]. True principles are taught frequently and by many.”

-The following quote is just one piece of a larger essay (Quora response) on this subject by non-Latter-day Saint anthropologist Manu Padro. It’s rather blunt, but offers some interesting perspective:

-Superintendent of Indian affairs, Jacob Forney (a non-Latter-day Saint), said in 1859, “I fear, and I regret to say it, that with certain parties here [in Utah] there is a greater anxiety to connect Brigham Young and other church dignitaries with every criminal offence than diligent endeavor to punish the actual perpetrators of crime." Source: Hubert Howe Bancroft, “History of Utah,” https://bit.ly/3bgs76C

-From B. H. Roberts: “I am not so blind in my admiration of the Mormon people, or so bigoted in my devotion to the Mormon faith as to think that there are no individuals in that Church chargeable with fanaticism, folly, intemperate speech and wickedness; nor am I blind to the fact that some in their over-zeal have lacked judgment; and that in times of excitement, under stress of special provocation, even Mormon leaders have given utterance to ideas that are indefensible.” Source: “Defense of the Faith and the Saints,” p. 76.

-Deseret News, 1882-5-10 (Charles Penrose, Editor): “It has been represented that our leaders claim and are accorded infallibility; that everything they say is taken for God’s word; that their orders are sufficient to condemn a person to death; and other such absurd powers are imputed to them as Church authorities. Those ideas are altogether foreign to the very genius of our faith, and never entered into the framework of our creed or constitution of our system. They are purely the manufacture of our enemies who demonstrate the weakness of their cause by never contenting themselves with the truth in any of their assaults.”

-More notes on website!

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