American freedom, like Mormon faith, also has a peculiar meaning. It is the freedom to conform. If conformance is not forthcoming, the alternative is to leave. Freedom, as a practical matter, does not include the freedom to disagree, debate, or dispute while remaining a part of the polity. This is not a new development in Mormonism but it is a more modern expression of the original European settlers (Recall that the Baptists emigrated to the Rhode Island Plantations because they had been banned from the Massachusetts Bay Colony).

Krakauer asks: “if Ron Lafferty were deemed mentally ill because he obeyed the voice of God, isn’t everyone who believes in God and seeks guidance through prayer mentally ill as well?” [p. 297] Given the nature of, and motive for, the murders of Brenda Lafferty and her child, should Ron Lafferty be considered mentally ill? If so, should all others who “talk to God” or receive revelations—a central tenant of Mormonism—also be considered mentally ill? What would the legal ramifications be of such a shift in thought? Longeretta, Emily (June 16, 2022). " 'Abbott Elementary' Leads 2022 TCA Awards Nominations: Full List". Variety. Archived from the original on June 17, 2022 . Retrieved June 17, 2022. In his prologue, Jon Krakauer writes that the aim of his book is to “cast some light on Lafferty and his ilk,” which he concedes is a daunting but useful task for what it may tell us “about the roots of brutality, perhaps, but even more for what might be learned about the nature of faith” [p. XXIII]. What does the book reveal about fanatics such as Ron and Dan Lafferty? What does it reveal about brutality and faith and the connections between them? Jon Krakauer is the author of Eiger Dreams, Into the Wild, and Into Thin Air and is editor of the Modern Library Exploration series. Suggested ReadingIn July 1984, in a Utah town called American Fork, Dan Lafferty entered the home of his brother Allen, who was at work, and killed Allen's wife and 15-month-old daughter. Dan, now serving a life sentence, has no remorse about the murders and no trouble explaining them. His older brother, Ron, who assisted in the crime and is now on death row, had received a revelation from God mandating that Brenda and Erica Lafferty be ''removed'' so that, as God put it, ''my work might go forward.'' Brenda Lafferty, a spunky 24-year-old, had been bad-mouthing polygamy and in other ways impeding the fundamentalist mission that had seized Ron and Dan. As Bloom has noted, there is a decided gnostic strain in Mormonism. The world, notably but not solely other human beings outside the church are, when not actually evil, a threat to the Mormon faithful. This attitude is expressed in extreme form by the so-called Fundamentalist Mormon Church which doesn’t recognise the legitimacy of civil government at all and openly conducts a strategy of ‘draining the beast’ by exploiting local, state, and federal government to obtain welfare benefits for members. Edwards, Belen (May 14, 2022). "The top 10 most streamed TV shows of the week feature a lot of true crime". Mashable. Archived from the original on October 4, 2022 . Retrieved October 5, 2022.

When the religion is still a cult, the goverment and courts will not allow the teachings of that cult to be a defence for crimes committed. There is much of this, including a truly unholy massacre in this book. But once the cult has the weight of an established religion, then the religion becomes a legitimate defence to crime, the crime has been committed Under the Banner of Heaven. a b Petski, Denise (March 8, 2022). " 'Under The Banner Of Heaven': FX Limited Series Starring Andrew Garfield Gets Hulu Premiere Date — Photo". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on March 9, 2022 . Retrieved March 8, 2022.A Florida native, Dianna met when Ron when he was on a mission in Florida. They married when his mission was complete, and moved to Ron’s home of Utah. They raised their 6 children in an area called Highland, near Ron’s younger brother Allen and his wife Brenda. a b c Stahl, Shane (June 5, 2022). " 'Under the Banner of Heaven': What Happened to the Laffertys?". Collider. Archived from the original on June 8, 2022 . Retrieved March 18, 2023.

Krakauer draws a clear distinction between law-abiding mainstream Mormons and fanatical Mormon fundamentalists. However, as he alternates between the history of Mormonism in the nineteenth century and contemporary cases such as the Lafferty murders and the kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart, Krakauer reveals a religion steeped in violence almost since its inception. Murderous clashes between Mormons and gentiles in Missouri and Illinois nearly led to civil war in the 1840s. After Joseph Smith was killed, the Mormons were forced to settle in the Utah Territory. At that time, Brigham Young petitioned Washington to establish a Mormon nation so that he could unite the church’s spiritual and political ambitions and preserve the outlawed practice of polygamy. Federal troops dissuaded Young, but the conflict at the heart of the turmoil remained: the Mormon belief in the supremacy of God’s law over the secular laws imposed by a “corrupt” government. This faith in the divine revelation of the will of God, which put Joseph Smith and the early Mormon church at odds with earthly authorities, would later inspire fundamentalists like Dan and Ron Lafferty to commit what they felt to be justified murders. And then as I stood," he testified in court years later, "I surveyed the situation a little more, and realized that there had been a grim struggle."I've seen, here in the West Indies, how a cult can gain both the practice and the legitimacy of an established religion within a few generations. There are two routes to this. The first is the government is willing to recognise it and allow it tax-exempt status in which case it becomes part of the establishment The second is that it becomes an issue of political-correctness and people and the media must appear to pay the cult at least the lip-service of respect whether or not it deserves it. I'm talking about Rastafarianism of course. And I've read it here in this book as a cult developed into what would become the FLDS (still a cult) and the mainstream Mormons.

Otterson, Joe (November 3, 2021). "FX Drama 'Under the Banner of Heaven' Taps 'Lingua Franca's' Isabel Sandoval to Direct (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on November 3, 2021 . Retrieved March 8, 2022. Ron, like Dan, turned toward fundamentalism while under economic pressure. The bank was about to foreclose on his home -- he would sometimes break into tears over his family's plight -when Dan convinced him that God wanted him to forsake material goals and become a fundamentalist missionary. Dan also drew his four other brothers into the fold, but there was one problem: Brenda, the wife of his brother Allen. As the Lafferty boys started espousing polygamy and other strange things, Brenda urged the other wives to resist. And Ron's wife took Brenda's advice in spades. She divorced Ron and took the children to Florida. So when Ron's divine revelation about Brenda's ''removal'' arrived, he was in a receptive frame of mind. Mormon fundamentalists aren't Mormons in the common sense of the word. They don't belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which abandoned the doctrine of ''plural marriage'' in 1890. Many live in small towns (the ''Taliban-like theocracies'') where men evade anti-bigamy laws by having one lawful wife and additional ''spiritual'' wives. Others -- especially ''independents,'' who belong to no particular fundamentalist sect -- just blend into the landscape. The street preacher who allegedly kidnapped 14-year-old Elizabeth Smart last year and forced her to ''marry'' him was an independent.while the in-depth history sections were not my favourite (ive never been a history person, no matter the topic), i love JKs writing. theres just something about it that makes me feel like he could take any subject and make it accessibly readable. Lindsay Hansen Park, Bryan Buchanan (June 2, 2022). "E68: UTBOH Fact, Fiction and Episode One". Sunstone Mormon History Podcast (Podcast). Edwards, Belen (May 21, 2022). "10 most streamed TV shows of the week: True crime and sci-fi reign supreme". Mashable. Archived from the original on October 5, 2022 . Retrieved October 5, 2022.