According to this doctrine there are certain sins, which
place the sinner beyond the forgiving power of the blood of
Christ. The only way the sinner can achieve forgiveness is
to have his or her own blood shed.
This section is best studied by first reading Mormon apostle Bruce R. McConkie's
'defense' and explanation for blood atonement, and then reading the statements
of early Mormon leaders in their context. McConkie claims that there are no true
references to blood atonement in these early writings and that blood atonement
can only be practiced in a context where civil and ecclesiastical laws are
administered in the same hands. And yet, this was the situation that prevailed
in the early years of the Utah territory when Brigham Young was both Governor of
the territory and Prophet of the LDS Church.
Click on links below to see scans of actual documents.
- Bruce R. McConkie - No true references to blood
atonement in Mormon history only false and slanderous
stories made up by enemies of the Mormon church.
Mormon Doctrine, pp. 92-93 (1966)
- Brigham Young - After recounting a dream where he
slits the throats of two apostates, Brigham Young
states, "I say, rather than that apostates should
flourish here, I will unsheath my bowie knife and
conquer or die." Journal of Discourses, vol. 1,
p. 83 (1853)
- Brigham Young - "If you want to know what to do with
a thief that you may find stealing, I say kill him on
the spot, and never suffer him to commit another
iniquity." Journal of Discourses, vol. 1, p. 108
(1853)
- Brigham Young - If you find your brother in bed with
your wife, and you put a javelin through them both, you
would be justified and they would atoned for their sins
and be received into the kingdom of God. ... "There is
not a man or woman, who violates the covenants made with
their God, that will not be required to pay the debt.
The blood of Christ will never wipe that out, your own
blood must atone for it;" Journal of Discourses,
vol. 3, p. 247 (1856)
- Jedediah M. Grant - "I say that there are men and
women that I would advise to go to the President
immediately, and ask him to appoint a committee to
attend to their case; and then let a place be selected,
and let that committee shed their blood." Journal of
Discourses, vol. 4, p. 49 (1856)
- Jedediah M. Grant - "if they are covenant breakers
we need a place designated, where we can shed their
blood." Journal of Discourses, vol. 4, p. 50
(1856)
- Brigham Young - "There are sins that men commit for
which they cannot receive forgiveness in this world, or
in that which is to come, and if they had their eyes
open to see their true condition, they would be
perfectly willing to have their blood spilt upon the
ground ... I know, when you hear my brethren telling
about cutting people off from the earth, that you
consider it is strong doctrine; but it is to save them
not destroy them. ... I know that there are
transgressors, who, if they knew themselves, and the
only condition upon which they can obtain forgiveness,
would beg of their brethren to shed their blood"
Journal of Discourses, vol. 4, p. 53 (1856)
- Brigham Young - "It is true that the blood of the
Son of God was shed for sins through the fall and those
committed by men, yet men can commit sins which it can
never remit." Journal of Discourses, vol. 4, p.
54 (1856)
- Heber C. Kimball - "You have heard us talk about it
a great deal, and probably many do not believe one word
we say, but his people will never, no never, prosper to
a high degree until we make a public example of — what?
Men who have be warned and forewarned ... we will take
them and slay them before this people." Journal of
Discourses, vol. 4, p.173 (1857)
- Brigham Young - For some the only way to be saved
and exalted with the Gods is to have their own blood
shed. "Will you love your brothers or sisters likewise,
when they have committed a sin that cannot be atoned for
without the shedding of blood? Will you love that man or
woman well enough to shed their blood?" Journal of
Discourses, vol. 4, p. 219 (1857)
- Brigham Young - (Quote continues) "That is what
Jesus Christ meant. ... I could refer you to plenty of
instances where men have been righteously slain, in
order to atone for their sins." Loving our neighbor as
ourselves means spilling his blood if that is what is
necessary. Journal of Discourses, vol. 4, p. 220
(1857)
- John Taylor - "This principle [i.e. obedience to
Mormon leadership] pervades all, whether in a civil or
military capacity or in any other capacity. We used to
have a difference between Church and State, but it is
all one now. Thank God, we have no more temporal and
spiritual! We have got Church and State together"
Journal of Discourses, vol. 5, p. 266 (1857)
- John Taylor - The kingdom the prophets spoke of was
both a Church and a State and this is what the Mormons
have. Journal of Discourses, vol. 6, p. 24 (1857)
- Brigham Young - "Some of our old traditions teach us
that a man guilty of atrocious and murderous acts may
savingly repent when on the scaffold; and upon his
execution you will hear the expression — 'Bless God! he
has gone to heaven to be crowned in glory, through the
all-redeeming merits of Christ the Lord.' This is all
nonsense. Such a character never will see heaven."
Journal of Discourses, vol. 8, p. 61 (1860)
- Orson Pratt - The same authority God established in
the beginning is again restored. "Ours is an
ecclesiastical Church and and ecclesiastical state."
Journal of Discourses, vol. 8, p.105 (1860)