Post by Ryan Thames on Jan 27, 2005 23:42:52 GMT -5
Blood Atonement in Mormon Fundamentalism
In the 1990's Blood atonement is alive and well. It is a wide
spread belief. Brigham Young, the second prophet of the
Mormon Church, publicly preached a doctrine called "blood
atonement." Although one might think that the name of this
doctrine came from the atonement of Jesus on the cross,
the truth of the matter is that it relates to people being put
to death. Brigham Young explained this in a sermon given on
September 21, 1856:
"There are sins that men commit for which they cannot receive
forgiveness in this world, or in that which is to come, and if they
had their eyes open to see their true condition, they would be
perfectly willing to have their blood spilt upon the ground, that
the smoke thereof might ascend to heaven as an offering for their
sins; and the smoking incense would atone for their sins,
whereas, if such is not the case, they will stick to them and
remain upon them in the spirit world.
"I know, when you hear my brethren telling about cutting people
off from the earth, that you consider it is strong doctrine; but it is
to save them, not to destroy them....
"And further more, I know that there are transgressors, who, if they
knew themselves, and the only condition upon which they can
obtain forgiveness, would beg of their brethren to shed their
blood, that the smoke thereof might ascend to God as an offering
to appease the wrath that is kindled against them, and that the
law might have its course. I will say further; I have had men come
to me and offer their lives to atone for their sins.
"It is true that the blood of the Son of God was shed for sins through
the fall and those committed by men, yet men can commit sins
which it can never remit....
There are sins that can be atoned for by an offering upon an
altar, as in ancient days; and there are sins that the blood
of a lamb, or a calf, or of turtle dove, cannot remit, but they
must be atoned for by the blood of the man." (Sermon by
Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, Vol. 4, pages 53-54);
also published in the Deseret News, 1856, page 235)
On another occasion Brigham Young made this chilling statement
regarding a person's obligation to spill the blood of those who
committed serious sins:
"Now take a person in this congregation who has knowledge with
regard to being saved... and suppose that he is overtaken in a
gross fault, that he has committed a sin that he knows will
deprive him of that exaltation which he desires, and that he
cannot attain to it without the shedding his blood, and also
knows that by having his blood shed he will atone for that
sin and be saved and exalted with the Gods, is there a man
or woman in this house but what would say, 'shed my blood
that I may be saved and exalted with the Gods?'
"All mankind love themselves, and let these principles be
known by an individual, and he would be glad to have his blood
shed. That would be loving themselves, even unto an eternal
exaltation. Will you love your brothers and sisters likewise,
when they have committed a sin that cannot be atoned for
without the shedding of their blood? Will you love that man
or woman well enough to shed their blood? That is what
Jesus Christ meant....
"I could refer you to plenty of instances where men have been
righteously slain, in order to atone for their sins. I have seen
scores and hundreds of people for whom there would have
been a chance... if their lives had been taken and their blood
spilled on the ground as a smoking incense to the Almighty,
but who are now angels to the Devil... I have known a great
many men who have left this Church for whom there is no
chance whatever for exaltation, but if their blood had been
spilled, it would have been better for them....
"This is loving our neighbor as ourselves; if he needs help,
help him; and if he wants salvation and it is necessary to spill
his blood on the earth in order that he may be saved, spill it....
if you have sinned a sin requiring the shedding of blood, except
the sin unto death, would not be satisfied nor rest until your
blood should be spilled, that you might gain that salvation you
desire. That is the way to love mankind."
(Sermon by President Brigham Young, delivered in the Mormon
Tabernacle, February 8, 1857; printed in the Deseret News,
February 18, 1857; also reprinted in the Journal of Discourses,
Vol. 4, pages 219-220)
In the 1990's Blood atonement is alive and well. It is a wide
spread belief. Brigham Young, the second prophet of the
Mormon Church, publicly preached a doctrine called "blood
atonement." Although one might think that the name of this
doctrine came from the atonement of Jesus on the cross,
the truth of the matter is that it relates to people being put
to death. Brigham Young explained this in a sermon given on
September 21, 1856:
"There are sins that men commit for which they cannot receive
forgiveness in this world, or in that which is to come, and if they
had their eyes open to see their true condition, they would be
perfectly willing to have their blood spilt upon the ground, that
the smoke thereof might ascend to heaven as an offering for their
sins; and the smoking incense would atone for their sins,
whereas, if such is not the case, they will stick to them and
remain upon them in the spirit world.
"I know, when you hear my brethren telling about cutting people
off from the earth, that you consider it is strong doctrine; but it is
to save them, not to destroy them....
"And further more, I know that there are transgressors, who, if they
knew themselves, and the only condition upon which they can
obtain forgiveness, would beg of their brethren to shed their
blood, that the smoke thereof might ascend to God as an offering
to appease the wrath that is kindled against them, and that the
law might have its course. I will say further; I have had men come
to me and offer their lives to atone for their sins.
"It is true that the blood of the Son of God was shed for sins through
the fall and those committed by men, yet men can commit sins
which it can never remit....
There are sins that can be atoned for by an offering upon an
altar, as in ancient days; and there are sins that the blood
of a lamb, or a calf, or of turtle dove, cannot remit, but they
must be atoned for by the blood of the man." (Sermon by
Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, Vol. 4, pages 53-54);
also published in the Deseret News, 1856, page 235)
On another occasion Brigham Young made this chilling statement
regarding a person's obligation to spill the blood of those who
committed serious sins:
"Now take a person in this congregation who has knowledge with
regard to being saved... and suppose that he is overtaken in a
gross fault, that he has committed a sin that he knows will
deprive him of that exaltation which he desires, and that he
cannot attain to it without the shedding his blood, and also
knows that by having his blood shed he will atone for that
sin and be saved and exalted with the Gods, is there a man
or woman in this house but what would say, 'shed my blood
that I may be saved and exalted with the Gods?'
"All mankind love themselves, and let these principles be
known by an individual, and he would be glad to have his blood
shed. That would be loving themselves, even unto an eternal
exaltation. Will you love your brothers and sisters likewise,
when they have committed a sin that cannot be atoned for
without the shedding of their blood? Will you love that man
or woman well enough to shed their blood? That is what
Jesus Christ meant....
"I could refer you to plenty of instances where men have been
righteously slain, in order to atone for their sins. I have seen
scores and hundreds of people for whom there would have
been a chance... if their lives had been taken and their blood
spilled on the ground as a smoking incense to the Almighty,
but who are now angels to the Devil... I have known a great
many men who have left this Church for whom there is no
chance whatever for exaltation, but if their blood had been
spilled, it would have been better for them....
"This is loving our neighbor as ourselves; if he needs help,
help him; and if he wants salvation and it is necessary to spill
his blood on the earth in order that he may be saved, spill it....
if you have sinned a sin requiring the shedding of blood, except
the sin unto death, would not be satisfied nor rest until your
blood should be spilled, that you might gain that salvation you
desire. That is the way to love mankind."
(Sermon by President Brigham Young, delivered in the Mormon
Tabernacle, February 8, 1857; printed in the Deseret News,
February 18, 1857; also reprinted in the Journal of Discourses,
Vol. 4, pages 219-220)
