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    Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith
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    Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith
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    Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith
    Audiobook (abridged)5 hours

    Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith

    Published by Penguin Random House Audio

    4/5

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    About this audiobook

    Jon Krakauer's literary reputation rests on insightful chronicles of lives conducted at the outer limits. In UNDER THE BANNER OF HEAVEN, he shifts his focus from extremes of physical adventure to extremes of religious belief within our own borders. At the core of his book is an appalling double murder committed by two Mormon Fundamentalist brothers, Ron and Dan Lafferty, who insist they received a revelation from God commanding them to kill their blameless victims. Beginning with a meticulously researched account of this "divinely inspired" crime, Krakauer constructs a multilayered, bone-chilling narrative of messianic delusion, savage violence, polygamy, and unyielding faith. Along the way, he uncovers a shadowy offshoot of America's fastest-growing religion, and raises provocative questions about the nature of religious belief.

    Krakauer takes readers inside isolated communities in the American West, Canada, and Mexico, where some forty-thousand Mormon Fundamentalists believe the mainstream Mormon Church went unforgivably astray when it renounced polygamy. Defying both civil authorities and the Mormon establishment in Salt Lake City, the leaders of these outlaw sects are zealots who answer only to God. Marrying prodigiously and with virtual impunity (the leader of the largest fundamentalist church took seventy-five "plural wives," several of whom were wed to him when they were fourteen or fifteen and he was in his eighties), fundamentalist prophets exercise absolute control over the lives of their followers, and preach that any day now the world will be swept clean in a hurricane of fire, sparing only their most obedient adherents.

    Weaving the story of the Lafferty brothers and their fanatical brethren with a clear-eyed look at Mormonism's violent past, Krakauer examines the underbelly of the most successful homegrown faith in the United States, and finds a distinctly American brand of religious extremism. The result is vintage Krakauer, an utterly compelling work of nonfiction that illuminates an otherwise confounding realm of human behavior.


    From the Hardcover edition.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateJul 15, 2003
    ISBN9780739306581
    Unavailable
    Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith

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    Reviews for Under the Banner of Heaven

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    2,468 ratings128 reviews

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    • 4/5
      nonfiction narrative about a murder within a fundamentalist Mormon cult, peppered with quite a bit of history about the origins of the Mormon church. I really like Krakauer’s writing voice.
    • 4/5
      This is certainly as frightening a tale as I care to read! We just moved to Utah so that adds to the fright. I'm slowing learning about the whole Mormon scene since we moved here. This was a valuable step in the process. I didn't find any of Krakauer's perspectives to be extreme at all. Surely he picks and chooses evidence and interpretation, but it is all well within the bounds of reasonableness.I am a Buddhist of mainly the Tibetan Vajrayana variety. We've certainly got beliefs and practices that are about as nutty as anybody else's. There are lots of warnings and tales about the dangers of an overly literal interpretation. I'd like to think that'll inoculate us against the kinds of abuses portrayed here, but probably not. Too many of those tales are non-fiction, and too many too recent. Where Krakauer's book falls short - he really doesn't analyze the tale in any depth. These days there is a lot of anti-religious sentiment around. Krakauer asked Dan Lafferty if he could see the parallel between his violence and that of Islamic terrorists. But what, after all, is religion? For example, is Buddhism even a religion? Or, might we ask, can science, hmm,. become an object of religious faith? Krakauer includes some nice epigraphs from William James, but he doesn't really engage with the matter. It's OK, it is an excellent book as it is. The book poses a crucial question for our time, but doesn't really attempt to answer it. That'd take a whole other sort of book. We may not be ready for that yet. It's like, Montaigne wrote decades after Luther. We're just entering the Savonarola era. Fasten your seat belts! Yeah, how about a book like this about the Bundy family?
    • 4/5
      Ecellent, troubling read
    • 4/5
      A review of the history of the Mormon church, wrapped around the examination of a particular incident in which two brothers violently killed a woman and her baby because God had told them to remove her. Well researched and well written, it flows almost like a novel, though the frequent lurches in time can be a bit disconcerting at first, when you're reading about 1984, then 2003, then suddenly you're back in the colony of Nauvoo in the time of Joseph Smith. Perhaps the book didn't fit linearity, and after you get used to it, it works, but it can lead to a bit of vertigo at first. It is also a bit disconcerting to have a scholarly examination of the faith present the story of Joseph Smith in much the same way as Joseph himself would have told it, talking about him finding the golden plates as if it were a real event about which there is no skepticism, rather than addressing it as what he says happened. The author does later mention that there is no historical verification of the golden plates, but never mentioned the many different versions of the story that have been assembled over the years; he presents it as historical reality, though it is certain from his afterword that he himself does not believe the story. This work may be more relevant now than people realize, even though the murder was 30 years ago; the ideas discussed by the murderous brothers sound strangely similar to those of Cliven Bundy and his sons in their war with the federal government. It was rather eerie at times.
    • 3/5
      Krakauer explores the polygamist culture of Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints, through the lens of a murder by two brothers of another brother's wife. The murderers claim they were led to their actions by God. Krakauer points out the danger of a religion that recognizes and encourages each individual to develop his (or her) own divine inspirations. He traces the origin of the violence and misogynism of the Fundamentalist to the very roots of Mormonism, and even, less directly, to religion itself. Krakauer's exploration of the history of the Latter Day Saints takes up so much of the book that for a while you lose sight of the original murder that starts off the book, but it is thorough and fascinating. Somehow the intertwined history of families and settlements begins to make sense, and is actually needed to begin to comprehend the horror of the Lafferty brothers' actions. I learned a lot about Mormonism, which is one of the fastest-growing religions in the world. It was worth the read for that in itself.
    • 4/5
      On July 24, 1984, Dan and Ron Lafferty murdered their sister-in-law and her baby girl. Why? Because god told them to do so.Jon Krakauer provides a fascinating look at the religious environment that created them. The author begins with a history lesson. Her follows the creation of the Mormon Church by Joseph Smith two centuries ago and traces how the religion has become what we know today. The family were members of a fundamental branch of the LDS Church - a branch that broke away from the mainstream church and was horrified at the direction the church was taking - away from the comfort of patriarchal monotheism, away from the subjugation of women, away from the tenets of polygamy. The brothers blamed Brenda Lafferty for speaking up for herself and other women. The book is a terrifically interesting blend of history and true crime."Under the Banner of Heaven" isn't so much an indictment of Mormonism (mainstream OR fundamentalist) as it is an illustration of how excessive faith, or extremism in ANY religion can lead to corruption, immorality, and unreason. Towards the end of the book, the author provides a quote from a former member of a fundamentalist branch of the LDS, "If you want to know the truth, I think people within the religion are probably happier, on the whole, than people on the outside But some things in life are more important than being happy, like being free to think for yourself".
    • 2/5
      Interesting True Crime novel.
    • 3/5
      This book raises important epistemological questions to the effect of how we are to know the will of God. This concept is very powerful, as people can be very terrified that their behavior will lead them to Hell or some other form of punishment. This book shows the lengths people will go if they are under the impression that God has a purpose, and how confused people can become in their religious seeking. The religious seeking of the Lafferty brothers obviously needed safeguards. Many churches and religious groups have hierarchical organizations with people appointed to interpret religious revelation and this can keep people aligned with basic tenets of truth and goodness.
    • 5/5
      I can't recall a book that I've read that had got a reaction out of me. Very relevant to today's "religious freedom" issues ...
    • 2/5
      Interesting but repulsive.
    • 4/5
      An excellent book on a very dark subject. Persons interested in learning more about Mormon fundamentalism and the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Later-Day Saints would be well-served by reading this book.The book is well documented, includes a bibliography, and a helpful index.
    • 4/5
      I read this book as a matter of curiosity. It was actually recommended to us by my husband's brother, who is married to an ex-Mormon. And really, I've learned more about Mormonism in the last 5 years that I've known my whole live. And not just from my sister-in-law "” my sister also married a Mormon. So, I feel like I came into the book with a little bit of information.When my husband read the book, he thought it was about how Mormonism as a whole is a bad faith. That wasn't the impression I got from it. The impression I got was that Krakauer was pointing out the bad in fundamentalism. And fundamentalism is bad in *any* religion. The Mormons are certainly not the first faithful to spill blood in the name of their god. I was a little disappointed that the book didn't really address today's mainstream Mormonism at all, which is an entirely different animal. I felt he was a little disengenous by leaving that out, because most people are going to read the book and come out with the equation "Mormons = EVIL!!", which really is not true. Not unless "Catholics = EVIL!!" because the Crusades happened x number of years ago, or "Protestents = EVIL!!" because they burned a bunch of women they thought were witches x number of years ago.
    • 5/5
      Excellent book about the dangers of religious faith. .
    • 5/5
      This author did a great job weaving two tales together: the story of the Lafferty family, and the history of the Mormon faith. I learned a great deal. I look forward to reading another Krakauer book.
    • 4/5
      Deeply disturbing but very very interesting true story.
    • 4/5
      Although it tries to present itself as a general history of Mormonism, it's really focused on the *violent* parts of the history of Mormonism. The later chapters seem made to prove an agenda that Mormonism, or maybe religion in general, is illogical. I'm not sure that I agree.
    • 4/5
      Not at all what I thought it would be, but this was still a great book. I think anyone interested in faith or the dark side of belief should read this book.
    • 3/5
      I tried to take Krakauer's interpretations of Mormonism and religious topics in general with a huge helping of salt. Still, I found the book fascinating, though chilling and hard to take at times.
    • 3/5
      Quite disturbing, especially from the perspective of a person of faith. This is a book I wish I'd read in the context of a college or seminary classroom, so that I'd have a context for processing and discussion.

      I did, however, learn a lot about Mormon history.
    • 4/5
      Mormon fundamentalism. Not being particularly religious, this book really made me think about the "idea" of religion. I find fundamentalism of any form terrifying, and this was no exception. This is one of those books that will make me think for a long time.
    • 4/5
      Started reading this audiobook on a long trip to Europe. It was an enjoyable and not very challenging read. I thought that the story petered out somewhat towards the end, felt that Krakauer struggled with a good place to come to a stop. Also the book struggled somewhat to stay on topic, since the murder in question just would not have had enough meat to form an entire book without the additional history on Mormonism and look at the Elizabeth Smart, Tom Green, and other cases.
    • 5/5
      Once in a while, from the pits of human dreck a story oozes to the surface concerning closed communities of fundamentalist Mormons. Usually, it's not because they are doing good Christian things, instead, they are committing polygamy, child rape, and murder in the name of their religion. Jon Krakauer not only digs deep into some high profile stories, but traces the roots of these ideas to the very foundation of this violent sect. The Taliban have nothing on the Mormon Fundies.Mormonism was born from the demented mind of its violent founder, Joseph Smith. Smith himself was gunned down after being run out of Missouri and wearing out his welcome in Illinois, where he had established the state's second largest city at the time. Another raging tool, Brigham Young, brought them eventually to the territory of Utah, where they could establish their depravity outside the reach of state or federal laws. Polygamy was secretly introduced by Smith when he decided his god wanted to have some sweet young tail...and the rest his pedophile sycophants readily accepted this as canon. When word got out, religious immigrants from Europe were disgusted and abandon plans of joining the settlement. Once established in Salt Lake City, the Mormons set about dressing themselves as local Indian tribes and attacking settlers who were migrating to all parts west, killing all of the adults, stealing the children and whatever items of value they carried. It's shocking that they inflicted so much death and misery and aside from some token sacrifices, never really paid the price for their actions.The modern cases involving fundamentalists include kidnapping, child rape, and murder. Two brothers convicted of brutal murders of their family members claimed god had told them to execute his death sentence. It seems when Mormons, especially those in power, have some violent or perverted urge to scratch, they simply invoke a communique with god to justify their actions. By and large, they are supported by the congregation.Krakauer also warns us that Mormonism is the fastest growing religion in the country. At its current rate of growth, it will exceed 300 million by the end of the century. And it's a politically active religion -- should this growth be maintained, they will have huge political sway. The author even suggests that polygamy -- presently prohibited by the mainstream Mormon church, is just biding its time until they have the political strength to overturn laws against it. And that's just the start of the nutjobbery that's coming -- Mormons believe it is ultimately their purpose to eliminate all non-Mormons from the planet to pave the way for the second coming (nevermind there was ostensibly no such paving done he first time around).
    • 2/5
      I like Krakauer's other books but found this one tedious and poorly organized. I learned a lot about the history of the Mormons and the polygamist fundamentalist sects that exist today, but the book was heavy going. I finished feeling that I did not know why he felt compelled to write this book.
    • 5/5
      Excellent - well researched and informative. For a new religion it has an already calculated murderous history. Why kill children, women and men who don't even know who you are? Confirmation that people will belive anything despite solid evidence to the contrary.
    • 2/5
      This was what I grabbed from the hotel book-swap shelf when I ran out of vacation reading! I would have found it more interesting if I knew absolutely nothing about Mormons before reading it.
    • 4/5
      I actually threw the book accross the room at one point, I was so mad. Krakauer profiles a crime wherein 2 Mormon brothers go and murder the wife and baby of their 3rd brother for his "crime" of moving away from their faith. The author does a fair job of explaining that these men represent a splinter group of the modern Mormon church - but interweaves the historical events in the early Mormon experience that led (in his opinion) to the crime, giving it the proper context. Illuminating and infuriating.
    • 4/5
      The author states his purpose in writing Under the Banner of Heaven was "a desire to grasp the nature of religious belief". He states that he has spent much of his life in the company of Latter Day Saints. He also tells us that LDS are great historians. Everyone keeps a diary and journals so there is much information available in this very young religion. The art of scrapbooking has its origin in Utah and their love of keeping records would match up with that craft. Mr. Krakauer himself does not know what he believes or even if there is a God. The LDS have decided to react to the book and state it is a one sided and negative view. I don't know what is in history books now but the history matched up to what I knew about the Mormon early history. I did not know however that there are schisms and splinter groups and that these groups still practice polygamy. The author in general is making a statement that faith is violent. He compares the flying of planes into Twin Towers as equivalent to the violence in other religions. I do not agree that faith is violent but I do think religious fanaticism can lead to violence in some people and through intimidation they control the followers. The author also states that mainline LDS have become mainstream American and have lost some of their identity as a peculiar people. I do think there is much effort to hide their differences when they are evangelizing us Gentiles and that anyone would benefit reading this book for the history of the religion before making any decision.
    • 4/5
      Fascinating and fair, well-researched and well-written. Great read. I also suggest one reads the LDS' review of it as an addendum to the text.
    • 4/5
      Jon Krakauer's storytelling is at its usual high level in this well-researched and thoughtful history of the Mormon faith. Using the 1984 murders of 24-year-old Brenda Lafferty and her 15-month-old daughter Erica as a springboard to explore the territory of fundamentalism, which he carefully sets within the context of the mainstream Mormon church and its dramatic growth in just two centuries, Krakauer effectively walks the line between stating the facts and commenting on their meaning. Like Timothy Egan, Krakauer brings history alive, developing his characters and describing settings and events with just a bit of novelistic flair. I particularly appreciated Krakauer's treatment of the tension, in religion, between faith and verifiable fact. After describing the origins of the Mormon faith in Joseph Smith's experiences -- his communications from God, his discovery of golden tablets and interpretation of their ancient script through miraculous insight, and his ability to persuade others that he was a prophet -- all of which sound absolutely unbelievable to me (I mean, the story is unbelievable enough, but the fact that other people believed the story is incredible!), Krakauer nudges the reader's likely incredulity. He notes that, indeed, The Book of Mormon, the religion's sacred text, is "riddled with egregious anachronisms and irreconcilable inconsistencies." He tells us how Mark Twain ridiculed the text. Then he says:"But such criticism and mockery are largely beside the point. All religious belief is a function of nonrational faith. And faith, by its very definition, tends to be impervious to intellectual argument or academic criticism. Polls routinely indicate, moreover, that nine out of ten Americans believe in God - most of us subscribe to one brand of religion or another. Those who would assail The Book of Mormon should bear in mind that its veracity is no more dubious than the veracity of the Bible, say, or the Qur'an, or the sacred texts of other religions. The latter texts simply enjoy the considerable advantage of having made their public debut in the shadowy recesses of the ancient past, and are thus much harder to refute."That is certainly true and I, as a relative nonbeliever, appreciated Krakauer's clear attempt to provide an objective history of Mormonism while exploring the emergence of the Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints. Virtually all religions have fundamentalist fringes, and we can hardly judge all of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day saints based on the FLDS, but Krakauer is committed to understanding how this fringe of radical fundamentalists have developed, and how they produced the Lafferty brothers, Dan and Ron. Yes, it was Brenda's brothers-in-law who murdered her and her child, and they did it in the apparent belief that they were following the commandments of God. Many other radicals have killed in the belief that their actions were holy, but the intimate nature of these murders and the specificity of Ron and Dan's apparent communications from God make these murders particularly good territory for Krakauer's brand of storytelling. This intimate and specific nature also make these murders ripe territory for exploring the intersection between radical faith and insanity. The chapter in which Krakauer tells of Ron Lafferty's retrial (his initial conviction was overturned because the Tenth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals determined that the prosecutors had not adequately proven that Ron was competent to stand trial) was particularly interesting. How do we determine where lies the line between radical faith and madness? If Ron Lafferty is determined not guilty by reason of insanity, are we never able to find someone guilty if their actions are based in religious conviction? Is anyone who talks to God crazy? If Ron Lafferty is insane, are not millions of Americans who hold as firmly to improbable religious convictions (such as, for example, the notion of immaculate conception) also insane? The testimony of the psychiatrists and psychologists, for both the defense and the prosecution, is fascinating. I'm leaving out all kinds of important issues in this review. The role of polygamy in the history of the Mormon church, and the associated ethical and legal issues, are infuriating and interesting. Krakauer fails to full separate the issue of plural marriage from the issue of age-of-consent, but this may be because our society has not adequately separated these issues, one from the other. I suspect that most of us would have a less extreme negative reaction to the concept of plural marriage if so many of the "wives" were not so young! Still, this is a difficult facet of Joseph Smith's original doctrine to present objectively and Krakauer acknowledges this. His concern about the possible future in which Smith's orthodox (fundamental) theology dominates is evident. And I admit that it's a concern I share.
    • 5/5
      This was the first Krakauer book I've read; I know he has an excellent reputation. I was really drawn into the book and read almost the first half in one setting; then it seemed to bog down.I'm not a Mormon and I'm not familiar with their beliefs; however, I do know some Mormons and they are certainly nothing like the individuals portrayed in the book. Yes, this book is about the extremists -- the fundamentalists, but by pulling out what seemed to be nothing but negative elements of their history, it certainly paints a grim picture of the entire denomination. I'm sure if one looked, one could find radical individuals in almost any belief system; there's probably a militant Methodist out there someplace. This "guilt by association" went over the top in one short paragraph on page 294 when Krakauer compared George W. Bush to the Lafferty murderers. Oh, come on, Jimmy Carter also claimed to be born-again as do many other respectable individuals. Krakauer was attempting to get philosophical about the role of religion and mental health, but I found it very disconcerting that in the middle of a book in which the author claims is factual that he would inject such a blatant political barb.With that aside, the book is interesting and readable and does shed light on a unique American-born religion. The lifestyle of the fundamentalists is sad but intriguing. The book was worth the time to read and does provoke interest in radical religion.