After reading The 19th Wife, I wanted to read more about Mormonism and polygamy so I picked up Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer.
Krakauer gives the history of Mormonism and particularly how fundamentalists broke off to create sects where polygamy is still practiced. He frames it around the brutal murders of Brenda Lafferty and her daughter by he fundamentalist brothers-in-law.
The story is well told and he expanded on history that was touched upon in The 19th Wife giving a broader understanding of the faith. However, I was left with a bad taste about fundamentalist Mormonism. I know not all Mormons are like this, but the extremism and using religion as an excuse for violence was disturbing.
At one point, Krakauer asks one of the brother's convicted of the murders how he is different from the 9/11 bombers (both believe they have been told by God to act and murder) and his answer is basically that he is listening to the true Prophet, they were listening to a false prophet.
Makes me afraid for the future of our country and world.
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