Deseret News | Mountain Meadows landmark plan aims to heal, unite

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Mountain Meadows landmark plan aims to heal, unite

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Tom | 4:46 p.m. March 29, 2008

Does anybody else think Elder Marlin K. Jensen is an amazing person. I heard him on the PBS documentary discussing homosexuality, and now he's the face of the church dealing with MMM descendents. He is a compassionate and intelligent individual, and I hope he becomes an apostle at some point. Maybe the president, who knows. I just think he's a great guy and could help us become more tolerant and understanding as a group of people.

Remember San Luis! | 5:56 p.m. March 29, 2008

Yeah, years from now that too will be one of things ...that no one living did it. And no one living today pulled a handcart either. But maybe tommorrow when they have to head to Missouri. Don't make it hard on yourself as I send all these blogs to the ones questioning the LDS people. And as a catholic I say San Luis had alot to do with this here shrine , now I'll just go drink my wine!

RDB | 6:24 p.m. March 29, 2008

People who fall back on the argument that we should move on because it happened so long ago, or believe that this is nothing but a venue for anti-Mormon bloggers are failing to see a larger picture. Read these threads. Everyone has their own opinion of what happened, who was responsible, and why. Understanding MMM varies tremendously depending on whose book you read. Independent historical accounts are numerous, and unfortunately, early LDS apologist research relied on heavy speculation in an attempt to understand the reason for the horror. To those who have read independent accounts, the people here who base their understanding of MMM solely on Church sources seem to be making excuses for the perpetrators, further fanning the flames.

Until the history has been de-sanitized and we can all agree on what would be considered the most ï¿½accurateï¿½ account, we cannot move on. Understanding the depth of responsibility that the Church bears OR does not bear is the first step. Beyond that, restitution, forgiveness and finally ï¿½moving onï¿½ can take place.

Comments continue below

Truth | 6:34 p.m. March 29, 2008

We cannot move on until the church admits Brigham Young played a hand in this whole mess! It is not fair to the perpetrators families that their ancestors should take the total blame for his bad leadership and decisions that he made back then. my wish is that the small group of people would continue to hide these facts would quit trying to make him out as having nothing to do with the M M M... It really makes him look like a a coward. And the anti's hate Mormons for it!

Jaye | 7:15 p.m. March 29, 2008

I chuckle when I read so many indignant outbursts from defenders and apologists of the LDS faith regarding how Brigham Young told the Mormons to 'leave them alone!'

For crying out loud people...Young instructed the Mormons throughout the territory that they were NOT to sell or trade with any emigrants that passed through.

So you have a wagon train of emigrants with plenty of money to purchase supplies...or cattle to trade for supplies...but they cannot obtain supplies.

Which goes strictly AGAINST what the Lord taught His followers. 'If a man asks for your coat, give him your cloak as well.' The parable of the sheep and the goats explains how He wants His children to treat one another.

I read all these indignant remarks regarding how badly the Mormons had been treated. But the Lord taught that we should forgive one another, as we OURSELVES wished to be forgiven.

And to return good for evil, kindness for cruelty, and pray for those who persecute us. One wrong does not excuse another wrong.

Someday | 8:19 p.m. March 29, 2008

I'm certain there are more dearies out there that haven't been released to the public. I believe people keep them hidden because they are afraid of revealing the truth, and going against the leaders of the church. It would be awful for everyone to know that their ancestors spoke against Brigham Young. Yeah! It's really something to chuckle about. How arrogant is that?

maxine | 8:39 p.m. March 29, 2008

The evidence shows clearly that BY knew and authorized MMM... and that he was responsible for starting WW1 & WW2.

Re: Truth | 8:42 p.m. March 29, 2008

Why should the Church admit that Brigham Young played a hand in the MMM when there is no evidence whatsoever that he had a hand in it?

All that we ever hear from people who are convinced that he must have been responsible are intimations based on assumptions ... but no evidence. None.

Self-styled "historians" who set out to prove Brigham Young's culpability, are going to find themselves chasing a red herring.

I have watched a relative of mine, now in his eighties, spend his life caught in this whirlpool. He is obsessed. He can never let it go.

In the end, a life spent in the whirlpool is just that.

Re: Someday | 9:00 p.m. March 29, 2008

You can believe that there are diaries out there all you want. Wishing won't make them appear or exist. (Though it might pass the time.)

It's an interesting thing: for conspiracists, the truth is always "out there," but tangible proof is always so cruelly scarce.

You can be "certain," you can "believe" all you want. It won't make the real Brigham Young become your hated template of him, the template you want so much to be real.

freddie | 8:54 p.m. March 29, 2008

To Someday: You're right. I have in my possession "dearies" written by my ancestors that clearly show BY had nothing to do with the incident. And that the Fanchers and their friends actually came with the idea and intent of destroying the Mormons and their church.

jake | 9:02 p.m. March 29, 2008

I'm with freddy, I think the franchers did plan to destroy the church. They hated mormons back then and they hate them now. Nothing ever changes.

Anonymous | 9:23 p.m. March 29, 2008

To Tom,

Yeah, Jensen is good. Maybe Mitt Romney would become his Vice President.

Are you campaigning for Jensen to be prophet?

Silly.

A complicated history... | 10:34 p.m. March 29, 2008

Whether Brigham Young knew or sanctioned the MMM--God only knows. Only God can stand in judgement of those who are culpable. But I would like to believe Brigham Young didn't know and tried to stop it. People need to remember communication was slow, there were no cell phones (ha ha), or telephones period...all of this was in the midst of The Utah War and Mormons has a great deal to be paranoid about having been driven out of several states including Missouri where the Governor gave an Extermination Order.

While the Mormons are peace loving people generally, the Mormons aren't quakers. They will fight back (read the stuff on Porter Rockwell). It wasn't too wise that many in the Arkansas wagon party bragged about killing Mormons with one man claiming to have the gun that killed Joseph Smith. It was generally the wild, wild west (where people took the law into their own hadns) and many bloggers here are looking at things in 1857 like it is 2008.

Still with all that said, this was a tragedy, it was mass murder and indeed the Paiute Indians were also made victims by having their reputations being smeared in these tragic events.

Truly sad | 10:43 p.m. March 29, 2008

While not anywhere near as sad and disturbing as the actual massacre, the comments aired here show how all the lies spread about Mountain Meadows Massacre have muddied the water in ways that will never allow the populace as a whole to appreciate how disturbed the incident really was. I can't believe what I have read here in defense of the massacre! I don't believe anyone should ever try to justify the massacre. We can try to understand the issues involved, and in so doing, try to forgive the perpetrators for their heinous actions, but there is no justification possible, and attempting to do so is sickening. Doing everything that can be done to show sincere regret, is the least that the LDS Church can do, and absolutely what should be done. I am thankful that the official LDS Church response is so much more appropriate than what has been aired in the comments.

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