A Perspective on the History of Mormon Fundamentalism
- By Susanna Barlow
- Published 10/11/2008
- Religion
- Unrated
Susanna Barlow
Susanna Barlow is the 23rd child of 46 children, the quintessential middle child. Her fundamentalist religious upbringing shaped her life, her values, and her views on literally everything. Though no longer affiliated with polygamous groups on a religious level, she is surrounded by family & friends who practice polygamy. For more information, visit: http://www.susannabarlow.com.
View all articles by Susanna Barlow
Organized religion and the standards of marriage have been intertwined for centuries but in the early Roman period the Catholic Church eliminated other forms of marriage and established monogamy as the appropriate marital relationship. As Christianity took root in Europe so did monogamy and other forms of marital relationships receded to the fringes of societies. When the Mormon Church first established polygamy it was practiced secretly by only a few select members because it violated long standing values of monogamy within religious communities.
There was a strong anti-American sentiment among early Mormons who felt persecuted by the government whose democratic values threatened their rising theocratic system. The general public was opposed to the strange movement known as Mormonism and mobs formed among the populace that drove the Mormons from one location to the next. They were eventually driven out of the United States into Utah Territory which at the time was an isolated and hostile environment where the Mormons hoped to be left alone where they could practice polygamy openly.
And indeed, Mormons had cause for such anti-Americanism. They were brutally persecuted wherever they went with government officials often looking the other way. There was a strong resistance to the establishment of Mormonism in America. It was often due to the mixing of church and state as well as rumors of men practicing a peculiar law of marriage that violated old Christian standards of monogamy.
Once Mormonism settled in Utah, polygamy was openly practiced. The church controlled businesses and schools and frowned upon any contact with gentiles. As a result, there were standoffs between the US government and Mormons whose strange practices and huge memberships in the thousands (with thousands more immigrating from Europe to Utah territory), posed a threat to the survival of the infant United States who was still establishing an identity. The Mormons hoped to be left alone in Utah Territory to practice polygamy and establish their own rules of conduct but it was not meant to be. Utah was the central point in bringing East and West together with the joining of the Transcontinental Railroad in 1869 and was destined to become a part of the United States. But the United States would not allow Utah statehood as long as polygamy was flourishing under a theocratic system.
In 1878 leaders of the Mormons, believing that the constitution would protect their religious freedoms decided to challenge the Bigamy Act. In the case of United States versus Reynolds the Supreme Court confronted the First Amendment's free exercise of religion. After much debate and scrupulous study of the founder's intent for the First Amendment, the Supreme Court carried a unanimous vote to uphold the Bigamy Act and created the Edmunds-Tucker Act which unincorporated the Church and disenfranchised the women. The Edmunds Tucker Act was essentially separating church and state. The Mormons' plan had backfired. It appeared that polygamy was on its way out except that in 1886 John Taylor who succeeded Brigham Young in the presidency of the Mormon Church received a revelation demanding the preservation of polygamy. The alleged revelation remained a secret and in 1890 the Mormon Church issued a manifesto renouncing polygamy.
In 1896 Utah entered the Union and Mormon Fundamentalism was born on the underbelly of the Church. It wasn't until the 1940's that Mormon fundamentalism divorced its parent. For many years, well into the 1920's and 30's Mormon fundamentalists were encouraged to remain members of the church as long as they could knowing full well that many of the Church leaders were practicing polygamists. It didn't take long after excommunication for Mormon Fundamentalism to splinter off into groups each of them struggling over the issue of authority.
The first ordination of authority for Mormon fundamentalism in 1886 was performed in secrecy. This secrecy became a feature of Mormon fundamentalism in every respect. Marriages were performed in secret, meetings were held in secret, plural wives lived in secret and children were born in secret. Many children were born with falsified last names on birth certificates as well as imaginary fathers. During the early years, reprisal by the government was of great concern and posed a huge threat to the struggling groups.
Secrecy is a dark veil that hides corruption. Behaviors of abuse, both sexual and physical were not promoted by Mormon fundamentalists but were natural products of the secrecy to which they were bound. To reveal an abuser within the group meant to reveal the group. So Mormon fundamentalism became a safe haven for abuse, control, and the violation of personal rights for there was no one to be accountable to. This dynamic existed within families as well as within the different groups as a whole.
In 1946, a group of men were arrested, convicted and jailed on charges of polygamy/bigamy and some of them spent several years in prison for refusing to sign documents stating that they would not live polygamy and would leave their non-legal wives. Most of the men did not sign and therefore served their sentences simultaneously providing Mormon fundamentalism with heroes and martyrs.
In 1953, Arizona officials raided the town of Colorado City then known as Short Creek. Children were taken from their parents and placed in foster care and men were taken to jail. But ultimately the public was against this action taken by the government and there was tremendous media sympathy. The government, realizing that the American public would not support the removal of Mormon fundamentalists by force, began to leave them alone. In spite of this, the continued fear of being discovered or taken to prison was very real and lingered on in the minds and hearts of those who experienced it. This fear was planted in the hearts of children who were isolated from all societies but their own. These fears reinforced the secrecy and the secrecy reinforced the fears. In spite of the fears there was a long period of quiet for Mormon fundamentalism and the separation between the LDS Church and Mormon fundamentalism widened. That ended in April when Texas officials raided an FLDS compound in Eldorado.
Mormon fundamentalism as it stands today is diverse in beliefs and doctrine as well as divided on issues of authority. Most of these splinter groups have a selection of men that reside as the authorities and each group claims the true chain of command. Others practice what is referred to as the one-man doctrine such as the FLDS. Some Mormon fundamentalists defy any religious authority and practice polygamy as independents. Some have strict dress codes while others are very liberal in their appearance.
Many of these groups are struggling to evolve and reform but the need for secrecy prevents them from being able to create the level of accountability necessary for reform. By understanding the history of these groups there can be hope for reconciliation between Mormon fundamentalists and the government of the United States. This is a pivotal point for both sides. Will history repeat itself or will both parties recognize the opportunity that stands before them?
Only time will tell.
There was a strong anti-American sentiment among early Mormons who felt persecuted by the government whose democratic values threatened their rising theocratic system. The general public was opposed to the strange movement known as Mormonism and mobs formed among the populace that drove the Mormons from one location to the next. They were eventually driven out of the United States into Utah Territory which at the time was an isolated and hostile environment where the Mormons hoped to be left alone where they could practice polygamy openly.
And indeed, Mormons had cause for such anti-Americanism. They were brutally persecuted wherever they went with government officials often looking the other way. There was a strong resistance to the establishment of Mormonism in America. It was often due to the mixing of church and state as well as rumors of men practicing a peculiar law of marriage that violated old Christian standards of monogamy.
Once Mormonism settled in Utah, polygamy was openly practiced. The church controlled businesses and schools and frowned upon any contact with gentiles. As a result, there were standoffs between the US government and Mormons whose strange practices and huge memberships in the thousands (with thousands more immigrating from Europe to Utah territory), posed a threat to the survival of the infant United States who was still establishing an identity. The Mormons hoped to be left alone in Utah Territory to practice polygamy and establish their own rules of conduct but it was not meant to be. Utah was the central point in bringing East and West together with the joining of the Transcontinental Railroad in 1869 and was destined to become a part of the United States. But the United States would not allow Utah statehood as long as polygamy was flourishing under a theocratic system.
In 1878 leaders of the Mormons, believing that the constitution would protect their religious freedoms decided to challenge the Bigamy Act. In the case of United States versus Reynolds the Supreme Court confronted the First Amendment's free exercise of religion. After much debate and scrupulous study of the founder's intent for the First Amendment, the Supreme Court carried a unanimous vote to uphold the Bigamy Act and created the Edmunds-Tucker Act which unincorporated the Church and disenfranchised the women. The Edmunds Tucker Act was essentially separating church and state. The Mormons' plan had backfired. It appeared that polygamy was on its way out except that in 1886 John Taylor who succeeded Brigham Young in the presidency of the Mormon Church received a revelation demanding the preservation of polygamy. The alleged revelation remained a secret and in 1890 the Mormon Church issued a manifesto renouncing polygamy.
In 1896 Utah entered the Union and Mormon Fundamentalism was born on the underbelly of the Church. It wasn't until the 1940's that Mormon fundamentalism divorced its parent. For many years, well into the 1920's and 30's Mormon fundamentalists were encouraged to remain members of the church as long as they could knowing full well that many of the Church leaders were practicing polygamists. It didn't take long after excommunication for Mormon Fundamentalism to splinter off into groups each of them struggling over the issue of authority.
The first ordination of authority for Mormon fundamentalism in 1886 was performed in secrecy. This secrecy became a feature of Mormon fundamentalism in every respect. Marriages were performed in secret, meetings were held in secret, plural wives lived in secret and children were born in secret. Many children were born with falsified last names on birth certificates as well as imaginary fathers. During the early years, reprisal by the government was of great concern and posed a huge threat to the struggling groups.
Secrecy is a dark veil that hides corruption. Behaviors of abuse, both sexual and physical were not promoted by Mormon fundamentalists but were natural products of the secrecy to which they were bound. To reveal an abuser within the group meant to reveal the group. So Mormon fundamentalism became a safe haven for abuse, control, and the violation of personal rights for there was no one to be accountable to. This dynamic existed within families as well as within the different groups as a whole.
In 1946, a group of men were arrested, convicted and jailed on charges of polygamy/bigamy and some of them spent several years in prison for refusing to sign documents stating that they would not live polygamy and would leave their non-legal wives. Most of the men did not sign and therefore served their sentences simultaneously providing Mormon fundamentalism with heroes and martyrs.
In 1953, Arizona officials raided the town of Colorado City then known as Short Creek. Children were taken from their parents and placed in foster care and men were taken to jail. But ultimately the public was against this action taken by the government and there was tremendous media sympathy. The government, realizing that the American public would not support the removal of Mormon fundamentalists by force, began to leave them alone. In spite of this, the continued fear of being discovered or taken to prison was very real and lingered on in the minds and hearts of those who experienced it. This fear was planted in the hearts of children who were isolated from all societies but their own. These fears reinforced the secrecy and the secrecy reinforced the fears. In spite of the fears there was a long period of quiet for Mormon fundamentalism and the separation between the LDS Church and Mormon fundamentalism widened. That ended in April when Texas officials raided an FLDS compound in Eldorado.
Mormon fundamentalism as it stands today is diverse in beliefs and doctrine as well as divided on issues of authority. Most of these splinter groups have a selection of men that reside as the authorities and each group claims the true chain of command. Others practice what is referred to as the one-man doctrine such as the FLDS. Some Mormon fundamentalists defy any religious authority and practice polygamy as independents. Some have strict dress codes while others are very liberal in their appearance.
Many of these groups are struggling to evolve and reform but the need for secrecy prevents them from being able to create the level of accountability necessary for reform. By understanding the history of these groups there can be hope for reconciliation between Mormon fundamentalists and the government of the United States. This is a pivotal point for both sides. Will history repeat itself or will both parties recognize the opportunity that stands before them?
Only time will tell.