Mormon reformation and apostates

[20/20hind]

This article is very detailed on people who left Mormonism in the 1850s.

It's surprising to me that many of them list the same reasons people leave today. One member wrote that he wanted to think for himself and the churches preaching of obedience was to much for him to take.

http://files.lib.byu.edu/mormonmigratio ... 30_NO2.pdf

[NotKeepingQuiet]

This is a fascinating read! Thank you for passing it along. I just read excerpts from my own gg grandfather's journal from the 1850s and sure enough, his property in Salt Lake City was confiscated by his bishop to repay the debt from the Perpetual Immigration Fund that his father in law incurred. It left him and his family destitute at the time. When he took the matter to Pres. Young, he was told that the Lord would bless him and to not worry about it.

My gg grandparents came straight from England to Kiokuk, Iowa where they joined up with one of the companies heading to Zion. I can't imagine what they must have thought when they arrived. They stuck it out through the horrendous winters, diphtheria epidemics, (losing 7 children in a week) and the Reformation. For some reason, they kept their faith intact.

[Charlotte]

Interesting! Favorite short quote:

"I could not and would not be clay in the hands of anyone."

[particularly not since "Brother Brigham was the Potter"]

[Palerider]

It's interesting to note that many of the polygamist groups, especially those of Colorado City, still have church ownership of the entire town and it's homes. So if an individual or family wants to leave the "community" the church still allows them to take nothing but the clothes on their backs when they go.

It's like spending the better part of a lifetime attempting to build something for yourself and then being forced to walk away and start from scratch.

The current LDS church looks on this practice with abhorrence, proudly telling everyone they would never do such a thing.

I wonder who they think the polygamists learned it from?????

[20/20hind]

This is a fascinating read! Thank you for passing it along. I just read excerpts from my own gg grandfather's journal from the 1850s and sure enough, his property in Salt Lake City was confiscated by his bishop to repay the debt from the Perpetual Immigration Fund that his father in law incurred. It left him and his family destitute at the time. When he took the matter to Pres. Young, he was told that the Lord would bless him and to not worry about it.

My gg grandparents came straight from England to Kiokuk, Iowa where they joined up with one of the companies heading to Zion. I can't imagine what they must have thought when they arrived. They stuck it out through the horrendous winters, diphtheria epidemics, (losing 7 children in a week) and the Reformation. For some reason, they kept their faith intact.

I feel that i am one of the lucky ones to get out. While i repect and honor my relatives choice to join the church. I resent the idea that my choice to leave is any different than their's to join.

Thier choice to join, left me with some hell to deal with when i decided to leave..

Its interesting to see your relatives caught up in this. It truly affects all of us down the line generationaly.

[Emower]

Its interesting to see your relatives caught up in this. It truly affects all of us down the line generationaly.

Our stake right now is really pushing the multigenerational family thing in the context of keeping your faith and family together. It is almost like the church is retreating into a safer place of brainwashing. I hate the guilt trip of "don't screw it up for your family down the road."

[20/20hind]

Also in the article it talks about people who joined the church in England and asked the missionaries about polygamy. They denied the church practiced it. Then to their dismay, they arrive in salt lake to find polygamy going on.

They feel betrayed because of the lies that where told to them. They become disillusioned and leave the church.

Any of this sound familiar? This has been going on since the founding of the church. Dishonesty and subterfuge.

[deacon blues]

Also in the article it talks about people who joined the church in England and asked the missionaries about polygamy. They denied the church practiced it. Then to their dismay, they arrive in salt lake to find polygamy going on.

They feel betrayed because of the lies that where told to them. They become disillusioned and leave the church.

Any of this sound familiar? This has been going on since the founding of the church. Dishonesty and subterfuge.

Yup. "Milk before Meat" is code for "Bait and Switch."

[moksha]

Forcibly preventing the European immigrants from leaving once they learned of polygamy was one of the features of the Mormon Reformation. If they up and took their daughters, what would the patriarchs do?

[deacon blues]

The paper points out that leaving Utah was especially hard for poor immigrants, because they weren't allowed to leave if they still owed the perpetual emigration fund.