Criticism of Mormonism/Books/Blood of the Prophets: Brigham Young and the Massacre at Mountain Meadows/Chapter 2

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Response to claims made in "Chapter 2: The Battle-Ax of the Lord"



A FAIR Analysis of: Blood of the Prophets: Brigham Young and the Massacre at Mountain Meadows, a work by author: Will Bagley

Response to claims made in Blood of the Prophets, "Chapter 2: The Battle-Ax of the Lord"


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Response to claim: 27 - The author claims that Mormons saw Indians as instrument of vengeance for Joseph's murder

The author(s) of Blood of the Prophets make(s) the following claim:

Mormons saw Indians as instrument of vengeance for Joseph's murder.

FAIR's Response

Fact checking results: This claim contains propaganda - The author, or the author's source, is providing information or ideas in a slanted way in order to instill a particular attitude or response in the reader

This is simply the author's speculation, without any evidence to support it.

Response to claim: 27 - The author states that Joseph Smith "plunged into new sealings to married women, sisters, and very young girls"

The author(s) of Blood of the Prophets make(s) the following claim:

 Author's quote: [Joseph Smith] plunged into new sealings to married women, sisters, and very young girls....

FAIR's Response

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  •  [ATTENTION!]
  • Compare treatment in American Massacre: p. 26.

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Response to claim: 33 - The author implies that federal officials "died mysteriously" at the hands of Mormons

The author(s) of Blood of the Prophets make(s) the following claim:

Innuendo about death of federal officials

FAIR's Response

Fact checking results: This claim contains propaganda - The author, or the author's source, is providing information or ideas in a slanted way in order to instill a particular attitude or response in the reader

"Another troubling tendency of Bagley’s is his habit of almost—but not quite—accusing Mormondom of criminal acts for which there can be no answer because no real facts are given. Federal officials “died mysteriously” (39), and Wakara died “probably of pneumonia but perhaps from poison,” all following conflicts with Mormons (33)." [1]


Response to claim; 36 - The author claims that Mormon missionaries "were called to prepare the Indians for their role in the impending apocalypse"

{{IndexClaimItemShort |title=Blood of the Prophets |claim=

  •  Author's quote: [missionaries] were called to prepare the Indians for their role in the impending apocalypse....

|response=

Fact checking results: This claim contains propaganda - The author, or the author's source, is providing information or ideas in a slanted way in order to instill a particular attitude or response in the reader

This is the author's speculation and is not backed up by any evidence.


Response to claim: 37 - The author claims that Indians were regarded by Mormons "as a weapon God had placed in their hands"

The author(s) of Blood of the Prophets make(s) the following claim:

Indians regarded by Mormons "as a weapon God had placed in their hands."

FAIR's Response

Fact checking results: This claim contains propaganda - The author, or the author's source, is providing information or ideas in a slanted way in order to instill a particular attitude or response in the reader

This is the author's speculation and is not backed up by any evidence.


Notes

  1. W. Paul Reeve and Ardis E. Parshall, "review of Blood of the Prophets: Brigham Young and the Massacre at Mountain Meadows, by Will Bagley," Mormon Historical Studies (Spring 2003): 154.