Heather F. (AZmom875) - , reviewed on 4/6/2011 + 624 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 2

The title of this book is Under the Banner of Heaven : A Story of Violent Faith, so please dont expect stories about how a nice Mormon boy saved a kitten from a tree. This is a story about how two brothers who hold certain not main stream Mormon beliefs, including polygramy, killed their 3rd brother's wife and 15 month baby. The author called her blameless, but the Lafferty brothers did not considered her blameless which is why they killed her. To better understand the Lafferty Brothers belief system, the author goes to the very beginning and gives a very detailed and well researched chapters on the history of the Mormon church. Then explains how the extreme groups came to being. The trial of the two brothers gives us even more insight into why these men felt they were called of God to murder.

I thought the author, did a superb job of explaining the history of the LDS faith. He did so without mocking, and even presents alternative views on the history. The author was able to make sense of the very web of these famlies, from Mexico, Canada and the USA and how they all intermingle and relate. You will see some references to Tom Green, Warren Jeffs and the abduction of Elizabeth Smart. Plus there are some quotes from women who escaped the extreme group.

There are many notes and documentation that help with understanding the history of LDS and the FLDS.

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