Mormonphobia, Fear Those Happy Beasts!

Mormonphobia. The fear of all things Mormon. Are the fears justified? It depends how one chooses to assess Mormonism. Consider Dan & Ron Lafferty.

The Lafferty brothers were Mormons and were convinced they were prophets of God. They rejected the Bible and Mormon scriptures generally. They received their own revelations from God. Ron believed he was the Old Testament prophet, Elijah. Dan came to hate organized religion and to believe evil spirits were attempting to possess his body through his anus. He was excommunicated in 1982 for his attempt to take his 14 year old niece as a plural wife. They recruited their brothers to join them in their truthful pursuits.

Allen Lafferty’s wife, Brenda, would not allow him to join the “School of the Prophets.” Dan and Ron were incensed. In March 1984, they received the “Removal Revelation” that called for the death of several people identified by name. Brenda Lafferty was included on the list.

On July 24, 1984, the brothers broke into Brenda’s American Fork duplex and beat her until she was unconscious. They lifted her up by the hair and slit her throat in ritual styled sacrifice described in the Old Testament. Her fifteen month old daughter, Erica, was in the other room. Dan spoke to her briefly and then slit the infants throat.

So, back to our original question. Should Mormons be feared? If Dan and Ron Lafferty inform your answer to this question, then Mormons should be feared, greatly feared. However, mainstream Mormons would be disgusted—perhaps offended by any association with their faith and these murderous fanatics. But as all devout Mormons know, many continue to associate them with secrecy, clandestine collaborations, and murderous terror. Unfortunate indeed!

Wouldn’t it be troubling if Mormons, even a few, judged other religions based on the acts of a small number whose conduct or beliefs are radically removed from the actual tenets of the faith? Of course, very troubling. Tomorrows post—Islamophobia. Check in then.
(Some information for this post was drawn from Jesse Hyde, Deseret News, July 24, 2004)