All About Mormons

During the 19th century, many Mormons in Utah still had fearful memories of the persecutions we'd suffered in Missouri, Illinois, and on the forced westward exodus. In 1857, one of our leaders, Parley Pratt, was murdered in Arkansas, and the United States government sent 20% of its army to attack us. Mormons feared that the American army was going to kill us all. At this very moment in history, a group of American immigrants from Arkansas heading to California passed through an isolated place called Mountain Meadows in southern Utah. Because of the paranoia and fear of that time, a group of Mormons mistakenly believed that the immigrants should be killed. They sent a letter to Brigham Young, the leader of the Church, asking what should be done, but Brigham Young lived in Salt Lake City, many miles distant. This group of Mormons foolishly chose not to wait for Brigham Young's response and instead killed most of the Arkansas immigrants. After the massacre, the letter from Brigham arrived. It said, "…you should try and preserve good feelings with [the immigrants]…let them go in peace."

While this story is certainly a tragedy, anti-Mormons have used it as a weapon against the Church. They claim that Brigham Young ordered the massacre. They ignore the historical background of Mormon fear and paranoia born of decades of persecution; instead, they paint the Mormons of the 19th century as naturally bloodthirsty and barbarous. And most offensive of all, they try to blame all modern Mormons for a terrible crime committed by a small group of Mormons 150 years ago. This is just as bigoted as trying to blame all modern Jews for the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, despite the fact that only a small group of Jews had a role in that 2000-year-old crime. Bigotry is bigotry.

The Mormon (LDS) Church has wrriten an excellent article about this historic tragedy.

Some anti-Mormons claim that Brigham Young ordered the Mountain Meadows Massacre. There is no convincing evidence that he played a role in the planning or execution of the massacre. Some of those involved in the planning of the Mountain Meadows Massacre were concerned that Brigham Young had not authorized an attack. They sent a messenger to Brigham Young asking what they should do. If Brigham Young had already authorized the massacre, why would the locals seek his council a second time? In the letter Brigham Young sent back to those who were planning the massacre, he said: "In regard to the emigration trains passing through our settlements, we must not interfere with them until they are first notified to keep away. You must not meddle with them. The Indians we expect will do as they please but you should try and preserve good feelings with them." Unfortunately, this letter arrived two days after the massacre, two days too late. If Brigham Young ordered the massacre, why did he tell locals that they should leave the wagon train alone? The Mountain Meadows massacre was a terrible tragedy, but there is no convincing historical evidence to implicate Brigham Young's involvement.

More good information can be found at FairLDS.org.