Customer Reviews

Under the Banner of Heaven

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Well-known author Jon Krakauer (Into Thin Air, Into the Wild) originally wanted to write a book titled History and Belief that would focus "on the uneasy, highly charged relationship between the LDS Church and its past." In this not-yet-written book, he planned to see "how does a critical mind reconcile scientific and historical truth with religious doctrine? How does one sustain belief when confronted with facts that appear to refute it?"

Instead of writing this book, though, Krakauer's research led him to write about the dual July 24, 1984 murders committed by the infamous Lafferty brothers (Ron and Dan) in American Fork, Utah. The story told in Under the Banner of Heaven (paperback comes out July 2004) is both intriguing and revealing. In fact, Krakauer makes it very evident that the Laffertys not only held fast to Mormon fundamentalism and a deep-seeded belief in polygamy, but they were also closely aligned with the thinking of numerous early Mormon leaders, especially Joseph Smith and Brigham Young, the first two LDS prophets.

Krakauer opens the book by giving background information on the night when the actual murders that occurred. Ron and Dan brutally ambushed their younger brother Allan's infant daughter and his wife, Brenda, whom they blamed for causing Ron's wife to leave for Florida. The murders are not exactly described until the latter part of the book, but it should be understood that graphic details are given...and it's not a pretty sight.

However, this is more than just a tale centering on the Laffertys. Throughout the book, as the account is unfurled describing how the Laffertys got to the point of cold-blooded murder and thinking their actions were God-ordained, Krakauer weaves in the basic history of the LDS Church, starting with LDS founder Joseph Smith in chapter 5. Events such as Carthage, Mountain Meadow (he points out that only later was it called "Meadows"), and the Manifesto are detailed.

Krakauer intersperses the historical aspects of Mormonism with the different interpretations of this religion as explained by numerous leaders. Since many fundamentalists place special emphasis on polygamy, Krakauer highlights the more well-known polygamous individuals such as LeRoy Johnson, Brian David Mitchell (who kidnapped Elizabeth Smart), Tom Green, and the LeBarons. Displayed are the many problems associated with polygamy including incest, spousal abuse, septuagenarians marrying teenagers, and the stealing from the government.

Although the general history is accurate and can be easily supported, this book is not meant to be a historical work. In fact, Krakauer utilizes other researchers such as Fawn Brodie (No Man Knows My History), Will Bagley (Blood of the Prophets), and D. Michael Quinn. Thus, anyone hoping for new historical nuggets may be disappointed (though I did learn a few new things). Truly this book is tailor-made for the person who doesn't have a deep understanding of Mormonism's roots.

One thing that Krakauer does not provide is the in-text citations of his sources. Instead, he merely uses asterisks and provides the footnoted information at the bottom of the page. No resource/page number addresses are provided, meaning that the reader has to take the author's word for it. While there may be a place for these kinds of books, this type of documentation drives researchers who thrive on specific source/page information crazy. At the same time, Krakauer makes some very astute observations that show how he understands the many inconsistencies in Joseph Smith's philosophical system.

Under the Banner of Heaven, which hit the presses in July 2003, has infuriated many Mormons who consider this tome as an affront to their faith. After all, how dare the author insinuate that these Mormon Fundamentalists are even faintly related to the only true church on earth, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! Yet this thinking is quite flawed. As the author insinuates, if Smith and Young were to return to the earth today, certainly they would recognize the Fundamentalist churches as being more authentic than the LDS Church and its structure. Why should we think so poorly of these modern-day polygamists when their attitude is certainly shared by those who guided the church in the early years?

He has a point, though Mormons have flooded the Internet with their ranting protests. For instance, many of the more than 300+ reviews of this book on Amazon.com are LDS critics complaining that Krakauer is somehow anti-Mormon and therefore must have a vendetta against the Church. Thus, many of these reviewers give the book a "one star" rating and display their ignorance with archaic reviews, which clearly show they never read the book. This proves that there are many Mormons who are more concerned with their religion's public relations image rather than history or, egad, the truth. While Krakauer is an agnostic/atheist and is certainly no friend to Christianity, I believe that he holds no bigoted bent against the LDS Church.

Overall, I recommend this book, especially for those who would like to better understand the polygamist mindset that can be found throughout the western United States. Since I personally know polygamists from Utah, I commend Krakauer for accurately displaying the mentality that characterizes many of these sincere folk (i.e. "it's us against the world"). The only caution I would give is that the book is quite graphic when it comes to the description of the murders and the language used by the Lafferty boys.

Finally, though I certainly disagree with Krakauer on theology, I would like to encourage Krakauer to pursue the book he originally set out to write. Of course, Mormons will once again color him with that dirty "anti-Mormon" label, but I for one would be an interested observer should he ever complete that book.

And one last thing. More than 30 people have given this review negative ratings. I'm thinking this is so because you disagree with my point of view. However, you should not rate books based on whether or not you agree with the reviewer. Did I provide information that helped you decide whether or not you ought to buy this book? I think I have. Please be fair in your feedback...thanks.

Jon Krakauer's earlier books, "Into the Wild" and "Into Thin Air," were remarkable for their meticulous reporting and neat writing. Anyone who appreciates good non-fiction will not be disappointed in "Under the Banner of Heaven," which carries the subtitle of "A Story of Violent Faith." Krakauer is not writing about Palestinian suicide bombers or Al-Queda's willing recruits. He's writing about residents of what another writer called "the Republic of Clean"-the Mormons.

In 1984, Brenda Lafferty and her infant daughter were brutally murdered by Dan and Ron Lafferty, her brothers-in-law. The brothers said that God had been ordered them to kill the young woman and her little girl because she vocally opposed her husband's participation in his family's attraction to an offshoot of Mormonism that embraced polygamy. Krakauer uses the murder as a springboard into his examination of the roots of the Mormon religion and its increasingly rancorous relationship with Mormon fundamentalists, the breakaway groups which do not accept Salt Lake City's edicts in regard to banning polygamy or accepting blacks into the religion.

The history of Mormonism is fascinating and bloody, but the real chilling stuff is in the sections on remote fundamentalist enclaves where interpretations of "celestial marriage" has lead to child abuse, incest, degradation of women and children, and always more violence. Krakauer touches on the kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart as well as the Lafferty case.

One of the most important tenets of the Mormon religion is that everyone can speak personally with God, and that God will guide them. In the prison interviews with Dan Lafferty years after the murders, the coherent, affable killer maintains that his only motive was to fulfill God's command. Jon Krakauer does not have to draw comparisons between this type of thinking and the Taliban-in this balanced and farsighted book, they are all too obvious.

Many books have been written about the power of God. This one is about the power of religion. True fundamentalist believers are capable of doing things that are unfathomable to those outside their faith. As a person who grew up on a very fundamentalist religion of another stripe, I was able to identify with that religious tug which borders on insanity.

Jon Krakauer is a writer's writer. His power to captivate and hold a reader is unsurpassed. I have never been a Mormon - not even close - but I have been a student of Mormonism for more than forty years - having visited numerous Mormon historical sites throughout the United States and read countless volumes both by and about Mormonism in its various expressions. That said, Krakauer's research is very thorough and well documented. The bibliography is extensive and his use of quotes at the beginning of each chapter adds interest and breadth to this remarkable work.

This book is not an attack on anyone's faith. It is a truthful investigation and an eloquent retelling of the power of a faith that goes over the edge. Be forewarned, once you start reading "Under the Banner of Heaven" you'll have a very hard time putting it down.

As a Mormon, I know I'm wading into dangerous territory - especially as a Mormon who liked Krakauer's book. I obviously read this book from a very different perspective than most of the other Mormons who have posted reviews.

Let me briefly sum up this book, then explain why I enjoyed it so much. Krakauer tackles the messy world of religious extremism by focusing on two ex-Mormons, brothers Ron and Dan Lafferty. The Lafferty's were active Mormons who fell away from their faith when they embraced ultra-conservatism and "Mormon fundamentalism", aka, polygamy. They became part of a group called "The School of the Prophets". After the Lafferty brothers began refusing to pay taxes, register their vehicles, and even force their wives to churn their own butter, Ron Lafferty's wife abandoned him and took their children to Florida.

Shortly thereafter, Ron received a "revelation" from God commanding him to kill Brenda Lafferty and her infant daughter, Erica. (Ron blamed Brenda, his sister-in-law, for helping his wife leave him.)

Nothing in this book is as chilling as reading about Ron and Dan Lafferty methodically killing Brenda and Erica, all the while claiming to have been led by God. Throughout the book, Krakauer includes chapters discussing violent episodes from Mormon history as a way to help explain where the Lafferty's got some of their ideas.

Why did I love this book? First, I never saw this as an attack on the Mormon faith. In fact, Krakauer doesn't discuss today's Mormon church all that much. He focuses primarily on those on the fringes of Mormonism - particularly "fundamentalists" who practice plural marriage. There are plenty of positive examples of Mormons in Krakauer's book. For starters, two of the people on Ron Lafferty's "removal" revelation were his Stake President (the head of a Mormon diocese), and his bishop's (a congregational leader) wife. These were two people he also blamed for helping his wife leave him. These people had the sense to help Ron's wife escape, and who recognized that the Lafferty's were nuts. And they were not only Mormon, they were Mormon leaders.

I was especially grateful for the natural questions Krakauer raised that might make some uncomfortable. This book forces all religious people to ask the question, "What makes one person's claim of revelation from God valid, and another's nonsense?" Some might argue that God wouldn't command someone to kill a woman and her daughter. Unfortunately, there are dozens of examples from the Bible and Mormon scripture of God commanding someone to commit acts of violence. The question remains, "Why is the Lafferty's claim that God commanded them to kill Brenda Lafferty crazy, while God's commmandment to Abraham and others to kill valid?"

I'm in no way trying to defend the Lafferty's - I believe they are crazy and that in no way did God command them to kill anyone. But Krakauer raises some very important questions that most religious people have probably ignored.

Krakauer also makes it abundantly clear throughout the book that the Lafferty's were on the fringes of Mormonism and had been kicked out of the LDS Church.

I think there are a variety of reasons why most Mormons despise this book. First, it is more accurate than they may have anticipated. Had Krakauer botched several things, they could have simply dismissed it as nonsense. In fact, dozens of "anti-Mormon" books are published every year. Why is this one raising so much ire? Krakauer has clearly touched a nerve. Second, I think people misunderstand Krakauer's intent. This is not meant to be a comprehensive history of Mormonism. Krakauer uses selective history to prove his point that faith can lead to violence.

When Mormons try and pretend that the Lafferty's, or Brian David Mitchell (Elizabeth Smart's kidnapper) have no connection to the LDS Church, who are they trying to kid? Mitchell kidnapped Elizabeth Smart so she could be one of his "plural wives." Mitchell got his ideas for polygamy from one place and one place only - his Mormon heritage. Does this make the Mormon church responsible for his crime? Of course not! But you can't pretend that the Mormon church doesn't have ties to polygamy.

Third, I believe Mormons dislike this book because we are so focused on public relations. Mormons desperately want to be seen as "normal." We see ourselves as normal, and we wonder why others don't see us that way. When Mormons read Krakauer's book, they see someone on the outside seeing them differently than they see themselves. It's as if Mormons want to shout from the rooftops, "We're just like you! We're normal!" But the reality is Mormons have beliefs that ARE different. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it isn't fair to fault Krakauer when he points them out and we don't like the way they come across.

Lastly, I believe Mormons are still in a "persecution" mentality. After enduring years of physical then cultural persecution, the Mormon church is finally gaining the respect it deserves. However, too many Mormons seem unable to accept criticism of their faith without automatically labeling it, "anti-Mormon." It's as if anyone who disagrees with us automatically earns the label. Yet most Mormons wouldn't consider themselves anti-Catholic, just because they don't always agree with certain tenets of Catholocism. We Mormons need to get out of our persecution complex and accept valid criticism and try and learn from it.

Krakauer has done a masterful job in tackling religious violence and and extremism. There are a handful of errors only an "outsider" of Mormonism would make. But these aside, the book is an especially insightful look at the fringes of Mormonism. Highly recommended.

Anyone interested in learning about the Mormon faith and it's origins may find this book tolerable. I think I found it boring because the cover and other sources made such a big deal about a pair of murders in the book, that I thought that was what the book would focus on. The actual part about the murders was very well written and extremely interesting, but it isn't as if murders don't happen in the name of religion and God every day. Most notable about this book would be the correlation one could make between our current situation with the Taleban and the Mormon faith a long time ago. I also got the impression that just about anyone in the Mormon faith can call themselves a prophet. It's a strange book and I got bored quickly and had to push myself to finish it.

I am reposting my review of this book because I want to comment on the apparent voting patterns for reviews of this book. Virtually all of the reviews have a large number of negative votes. In my own case, this review originally received 13 positive votes and 37 negative votes. It seems that Mormons vote against all the positive reviews and gentiles vote against all the negative reviews. I am not really sure that this is constructive behavior. Let's see how this review does this time around. Here is the review . . .

My own experience with Mormons has been unfailingly positive. As a small Gentile (non-Mormon) child in Ogden, Utah, I noticed no difference between our neighbors and anyone else in the world. While visiting my daughter when she was in school in Utah, I found Mormons cheerful and hard-working. The Mormons I have met in my professional life have invariably been serious, capable individuals. Until reading this book, I knew nothing about the history of the faith outside of vague ideas about Joseph Smith, the emigration to Utah, and Brigham Young saying, "We will make this valley blossom like a rose."

To say I was flabbergasted to learn the details of the history is a gross understatement. Joseph Smith emerges as a charlatan and a con-man, Brigham Young as a ruthless manipulator, and the Mormon pioneers as bloodthirsty villains who massacred over a hundred members of a passing wagon train. Polygamy is revealed to be little more than ill-disguised lechery (frequently incestuous), and a technique for keeping women under the thumb of a male-dominated theocracy.

The book entertwines a history of the church with the story of a recent murder of a woman and her infant child by two Mormon fundamentalist brothers. Sprinkled through the pages are interviews with various people who shed light on the inner workings of the fundamentalist sects. Reading the account of the murders, and hearing the statements of the brothers who did it, I was strongly reminded of another book that examines the relationship of crime to religion: Terror in the Mind of God, by Mark Juergensmeyer. Like Under the Banner of Heaven, this book chronicles what human beings can do when convinced they are on a "mission from God."

In many ways, however, this book is about all religions. If we know that the Book of Mormon is a demonstrably false story seemingly concocted by a charismatic fanatic because it was written in historical times, what does it say about the Koran and the New Testament that were written prior to the invention of the printing press? There are no unflattering newspaper stories about Mohammed or Jesus that can be accessed by modern historians. In fact, what does it say about all of us, including myself, who believe in God?

I am neither a historian or an expert in the lds church and I was still able to find many significant errors in this book. For example, 'Laban' in the Old Testament and 'Laban' in the Book of Mormon are not the same person, as Mr. Krakauer believes. Not only are they separate individuals, but several hundred years separates their time on the earth. Ooops. This is just one of many...

This is more than an attack on the lds church. It is an attack on all religions. If the need for a few wasted hours is present in your life, feel free...just give the information you find the credit it deserves...similar to the credit of a super-market tabloid.

Still want to waste your money? Here are some other reviews...from real critics...

The Boston Globe, Terryl L. Givens, 27 July 2003

"To understand how an ostensibly nice religion that produced Donny and Marie Osmond could also produce brutal murderers, we are told, we need to take a 'clear-eyed journey into Mormonism's violent past.' Really? To understand Ron Lafferty, legally declared a paranoid delusional murderer, Krakauer says we need to go deep into 'this history of an American religion practiced by millions.'

Trying to extrapolate profound truths from isolated examples of religious excess is a dangerous game. The Laffertys were not the first murderers to hear voices, and they won't be the last. But applying Krakauer's model, every David Berkowitz (''Son of Sam'') would provoke an inquiry into the sinister potential of Judaism (after all, Abraham heard voices telling him to kill Isaac). But that would clearly be anti-Semitic. Exactly.

Insofar as Krakauer recounts Mormonism's past, he does it poorly, using outdated sources and discredited reports to portray a Joseph Smith and a Mormonism reminiscent of 19th-century caricatures. His picture of contemporary Mormonism is also seriously misinformed, leaving us with far more overlap between Mormons and renegade polygamists than really exists, and grave misperceptions ... Krakauer irresponsibly misinforms as well on subjects from the ''Book of Mormon'' to the Mountain Meadows Massacre - all in an effort to link deluded modern murderers with a skewed depiction of Mormonism's past and present ... His book is ultimately more about doing violence to a faith than uncovering the violence behind a faith."

The Wall Street Journal, Naomi Schaefer, 11 July 2003

"This is all quite misleading. Anyone who has spent any time with members of the Mormon Church will know that Mormons are not today polygamous, let alone violent. Indeed the church produces some of the most productive, law abiding, patriotic and community-minded citizens the country has ever seen. (Brenda Lafferty, a faithful Mormon and graduate of the church's flagship university, was one.)

"True, 'Under the Banner of Heaven' is purportedly about the off-shoots of the Mormon church, whose members long for the days when the church allowed polygamy and banned blacks. But by linking the history of the church directly to these groups, and lightly skipping over the past 100 years of Mormon history, Mr. Krakauer implies that the fundamentalists are the rightful inheritors of the church's tradition. He regularly quotes the Lafferty brothers citing older Mormon scriptures as precedents for their revelations and behavior, as if there is some damning truth hidden in ravings of criminal extremists.

"Predictably, the theme of the final courtroom scenes - where experts debate whether the Lafferty's are insane or just very faithful - is that all truly religious people share the Lafferty brothers' 'injudiciousness' and might therefore hold similar violent tendencies. It would be difficult to count the number of religious people in the world who would find this characterization frightfully unfair, but one could start with the 11 million members of the Mormon church."

Wow a good read for someone looking for the truth of man made religions. gives you a whole different idea of the background of the mind of those brethern that come to our door selling the "word of God" which is not the word of God at all!!!!

Although Jon Krakauer delves deeply into the early history of the Mormon church, this is not really a book about Mormonism, but about all religious beliefs in general. The fact that Mormonism developed into an organized religion only during the last two hundred years, after the development of the printing press, makes it a very interesting study on how religious faiths begin, and what is necessary for them to survive. Yes, the Mormon church has a lot of kooky beliefs, and the behavior of its early leaders was often far from saint-like, but in the history of any religion there are similar anecdotes, and similar bits of theology which the organized church prefers to ignore.

The main thesis here is not a deliberate knock at Mormonism, nor is Jon Krakauer suggesting that his readers should abandon religion altogether, as some of the reviewers here have implied. He is merely encouraging people of any belief to look at the consequences of an unquestioning, devout faith with open eyes. Horrifically violent acts have been perpetrated in the name of many different gods throughout history. Those with more moderate beliefs are wrong to look the other way when these crimes are committed. Yes, they are typically performed by narcissists like Ron and Dan Lafferty, but black and white, fundamentalist, religious thinking clearly supplies them with the motivation to act, and removes the empathy required to dissuade them from such acts.

This book is an excellent look into the psychology of any religious fundamentalist, and a great discussion piece for those who aren't averse to questioning the nature of their own faith.

Having read Jon Krakauer's "Into Thin Air" I was pleased to find another book by him.
"Under The Banner Of Heaven" is a window into how men will use God as their "Commander" or "Ally" in committing heinous crimes, when in fact He had no hand in it. In fact this book brought some of the memories of the books on Jim Jones and his "People's Temple"....adultery, murder, mayhem and secrecy, an armed camp.
Jon is a superb writer, and I learned a lot from this book, and have recommended it to others.
Jon had no grudges when he wrote this book. He was simply straight forward and informative.
I'm looking forward to reading "Into The Wild".