Under the Banner of Heaven facts for kids
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| Author | Jon Krakauer |
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| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Subject | LDS Church |
| Genre | Fiction |
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Publication date
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July 2003 |
| Media type | |
| ISBN | 1-4000-3280-6 |
| OCLC | 842901458 |
| Preceded by | Into Thin Air |
| Followed by | Where Men Win Glory |
The book Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith is a nonfiction book written by Jon Krakauer. It was first published in July 2003. In this book, Krakauer explores two main stories. He looks at the history and growth of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). He also investigates a modern crime linked to a small group that followed a very strict version of Mormonism.
The book talks about brothers Ron and Dan Lafferty. They were part of a small group called the School of Prophets. This group had beliefs similar to the early LDS Church, especially before the 1890s when the church stopped the practice of polygamy. The book also looks at the ideas of both the main LDS Church and other groups that practice fundamentalist Mormon beliefs, like the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS Church).
This book was later made into a TV series. The series started airing in April 2022 on FX on Hulu.
Contents
Exploring Historical Connections
Krakauer compares events from the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement to the beliefs of modern FLDS groups. He also looks at other smaller Mormon groups, such as the Crossfield School of the Prophets.
The Mountain Meadows Massacre Explained
The book discusses the 1857 Mountain Meadows Massacre. This event happened during the Utah War. During this time, some Mormons and local Paiute Native Americans attacked a group of travelers. About 120 people from the Baker–Fancher party were killed while passing through the area.
People tried to hide what really happened in the massacre. For example, some Mormons dressed like Paiute people. Investigations were stopped by the Civil War. No one was officially charged until 1874. For almost 20 years, people wrongly believed only the Paiute were responsible. The only person found guilty was John D. Lee, a member of the LDS Church. He was executed in 1877 for his part in the crime.
Krakauer gathered information from interviews with Dan Lafferty. He also spoke with people who were part of the Crossfield School of the Prophets. He used many historical records about the start of Mormonism. This helped him connect the religion's origins to its modern forms.
Meaning of the Book's Title
The title of the book comes from a speech given in 1880. John Taylor was the third president of the LDS Church. He was defending the practice of plural marriage, also known as polygamy.
In his speech, John Taylor said:
God is greater than the United States, and when the Government conflicts with heaven, we will be ranged under the banner of heaven against the Government. The United States says we cannot marry more than one wife. God says different.
This quote shows a strong belief in following religious rules even if they go against government laws.
From Book to Television Series
In July 2011, Warner Bros. bought the rights to make the book into a movie. Ron Howard was planned to direct it, and Dustin Lance Black was set to write the script.
In June 2021, it was announced that the book would become a limited TV series instead. It would be for FX. Dustin Lance Black was still the writer. David Mackenzie directed the series. Famous actors like Andrew Garfield, Gil Birmingham, and Daisy Edgar-Jones starred in it. The series first aired in April 2022 on FX on Hulu.
See also
In Spanish: Por Mandato del Cielo para niños
