This video discusses the horrors of the Mountain Meadows Massacre, what led up to it, if Brigham Young ordered the massacre, the aftermath and some lessons we can take from this stunning and horrific event.
The Mountain Meadows Massacre took place just a year after the Handcart Rescue. Richard Turley and Emily Utt discuss both events and consider what factors can lead us toward tragedy or heroism.
Barbara Jones shares her insight with Gospel Tangents on this horrible tragedy:
Geneticist Ugo Perego shares his research as part of understanding this tragedy (near the end).
Ugo first talks about DNA and Joseph Smith’s polygamy, followed by DNA and the Book of Mormon.
Click below to hear Ugo on LDS Perspectives Podcast:
Episode 6: DNA Detective Work – Ugo Perego
Wonderful podcast about an awful part of our history:
Episode 66: After the Mountain Meadows Massacre – Richard E. Turley
The Mountain Meadows Massacre (MMM) used to be a top 3 for LDS critics. However, because of exhaustive research this topic no longer occupies such a position.
In the recent past the LDS Church utilized massive resources to look at every journal & every possible connection to the MMM. The results were published by Oxford University Press. Nothing to hide.
Most critics don’t ever publish their jumble of claims in journals. Instead, they repeat what they have heard, which isn’t always based on confirmed research. The most significant critical claims: blood atonement & God told Brigham to do it.
If critics are honest they’ll see Latter-day Saints were reacting to many factors at the time. Of course, the Saints were not justified to murder. Anyone. And Brigham Young didn’t hatch the plot. He tried to stop it.
Side note: Joseph’s supposed polyandry will likewise soon fall out of everyone’s top 3. It’ll take more time and understanding of the research done by Brian Hales.
The above video is only 28 minutes long. Continue to the end of Bro. Turley’s speech by watching #3 and #4 below:
Another video on this topic — by LDS geneticist, Ugo Perego — that discusses genetics that were long debated. Now, they’re understood and that understanding make the picture clearer.
LDS scholar Gene Sessions discusses the Mountain Meadows Massacre in his 2003 FAIR conference address: