There are many good and bad things in Mormon history. Some people leave the Church over these issues. John Larsen of the Sunstone Podcast puts Rick on the hot seat and asks why he stays in the LDS Church. John: So why are you still Mormon? Rick: (Chuckling) So you know, at Sunstone they have that, Why I Stay series.
The 1890 Manifesto was issued saying the LDS Church no longer practiced polygamy. However, it was practiced secretly. LDS Apostle Reed Smoot was elected as a US Senator from Utah in 1902, causing Congress to investigate whether the LDS Church had continued to practice polygamy. Lindsay Hansen Park, host of the Year of Polygamy podcast, will give us more details
I’m excited to introduce Lindsay Hansen Park. She has her own podcast, Year of Polygamy, and is the Executive Director of Sunstone, where she coined the phrase “More Than One Way to Mormon.” She has done a lot of work in polygamy communities, and we will get acquainted with her in our first episode. Lindsay: My name is Lindsay Hansen
There is dispute among historians about Brigham Young’s knowledge about the Mountain Meadows Massacre. Is it true Brigham knew in Sept 1857? Did John D. Lee tell him the truth about the massacre? Mel: Well, Brigham Young argued that he didn’t know the story for a long time after. I agree with Will Bagley and others that John D. Lee
John Pierce Hawley rode with the Fancher-Baker party through Utah for a short time. Mel: On the way back, the Hawleys end up riding along for about a week with the Fancher-Baker wagon immigrant train, and then they go on their way. GT: So they got on their way before they got to the Mountain Meadows, Mel: Yes. GT: Good
While it seems likely that Brigham Young was initially lied to about the Mountain Meadows Massacre, at what point did he learn that Mormons were involved? Turley: Well, basically Brigham Young knew that he had received a letter from Isaac Haight. Again, this is a story that you’ll see in our book. He knew he had a letter from Isaac
John D. Lee was the only person convicted (and executed) for the Mountain Meadows Massacre. Was he the guiltiest? Richard Turley answers that question, as well as many others. Turley : Contrary to popular belief, John D. Lee is not the only one who was indicted. A grand jury in September of 1874 indicted nine persons. The key figures in
Richard Turley is not only an amazing historian but is Director of Public Affairs for the LDS Church. In our next conversation, we’ll get acquainted with him and learn about a few of the books he has written, including the recent release of Saints: The Standard of Truth. Turley: So Saints, the story of The Church of Jesus Christ in
In our final conversation with Barbara Jones Brown, we’ll talk about who was most culpable for the massacre. Was it John D. Lee, Brigham Young, or militia leaders in Iron County? Barbara: [Brigham Young] starts to come to believe that John D Lee and Isaac Haight we’re involved. Now at this time, he doesn’t have civil authority. He just has
