Under the Banner of Heaven: a Story of Violent Faith.

• Author: Kreyche, Gerald F.
• Position: Book Review

UNDER THE BANNER OF HEAVEN: A Story of Violent Faith BY JON KRAKAUER DOUBLEDAY 2003, 373 PAGES, $26

The author of the fascinating Mount Everest bestseller, Into Thin Air, probes the nature of religious Pellet in this volume centering on the fundamentalism of Mormons, who broke away from the main church of the Latter Day Saints. Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints (FLDS) seek a purity of doctrine by returning to the original teachings of the charismatic Joseph Smith, the sect's founder. They want to reestablish polygamy, which was banned by the church hierarchy in 1890 due to pressure by the Federal government.

The FLDS do not recognize the edicts of the head of the Mormon church, who is "President, Prophet, Seer, and Revelator." In turn, the polygamists are regarded as simple apostates. They number about 40,000 and are found nationwide, although Colorado City, Ariz., is their most notorious place of residence. Their peccadillos in practicing polygamy largely are overlooked by authorities. Mainline believers, meanwhile, are about 10,000,000 strong and are spread throughout the world, as this is a proselytizing religion.

The Latter Day Saints proudly designate themselves as "a peculiar people," and indeed, that is an understatement when one reviews their history and doctrines. Krakauer traces their beginnings from Palmyra, N.Y, and the discovery of the golden tablets at Mt. Cumarah, which outlined the doctrines to be taught and followed. There, Joseph found a "seer" stone, which, if stared at when put in a dark hat, revealed where the tablets were to be found.

Picking up a small following of renewed religious fervor, this new American church moved on to Kirkland, Ohio, in the mid 19th century, and then established a town in Illinois called Far West. They subsequently built a full-blown city called Nauvoo (again in Illinois) and constructed a temple so marriages could be "sealed" for eternity Smith next organized a police force (more like an army) and a set of laws to govern by. As the Mormons became more politically powerful--Smith even ran for president--the local...