Religion and Cult Mentality
Religion is the reigning theme of Under the Banner of Heaven. Krakauer examines how religions can foster extremist beliefs and how those beliefs can encourage violence. The text profiles several prominent fundamentalist Mormon leaders who lead their congregations with cult-like tactics. Krakauer compares the FLDS patriarchs to leaders like Osama bin Laden, David Koresh, Jim Jones, and Shoko Asahara.
From its inception, Mormonism followed a charismatic figure, Joseph Smith, who claimed to have a direct line of communication to God. Smith's successors, like Brigham Young, were notable personalities who also claimed the ability to receive infallible revelations from God. The official Mormon church has adapted dramatically over its history by severing ties with polygamist factions and inviting scrutiny against its founder. By contrast, the FLDS fosters cult mentalities by clinging to their prophets and establishing themselves in locations removed from mainstream society.
Extremism
Krakauer describes extremism as a proclivity not reserved solely for religion, but for other obsessions, like mountaineering or playing concert piano, where "the real recompense is probably the obsession itself."
However, the text focuses on how extremist obsessions can result in violence when combined with fundamentalist interpretations of religion. In the early days of Mormonism, factions in favor of and opposed to polygamy emerged. Though polygamy was only one doctrine out of many, Krakauer argues that this practice distinguishes extremists from mainstream Mormons.
The extremists portrayed in Under the Banner of Heaven tend to view religion, politics, and social dynamics through a narrow lens, which leads them to take extreme measures when organizing lifestyles and families. For example, Rulon Jeffs, the former prophet of Colorado City, fully rejected all outside influences. Instead of viewing media with a critical eye, Jeffs banned all outside television and books. Similarly, Dan Lafferty opposed all modern medicine, comforts like gas and electricity, and even foraged his own food to align with his fundamentalist views.
Murder and Violence
Since its inception, the Latter-day Saint movement's controversial reputation has been shadowed by violence and deadly confrontations. Krakauer intersperses the text with so many anecdotes of murder and violence that the reader almost becomes desensitized. For example, Krakauer casually references political assassinations, like that committed by Joseph Smith's younger brother against Rulon Allred, almost in passing. The violence Ruby Jessop and Debbie Palmer endure is echoed in the stories of countless other young women, from Elizabeth Smart to Evangeline Blackmore. Even the Book of Mormon's narrative, presented through the festive lens of the Hill Cumorah pageant, is driven by genocide and war.
To establish the church's autonomy from the government, Joseph Smith poetically threatened to make "one gore of blood from the Rocky Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean." In 1844, violent clashes between Mormons and Gentiles culminated in Smith's murder. In 1857, a faction of Mormons cornered members of a traveling party and murdered nearly 120 people, including children.
In 1984, Dan and Ron Lafferty murdered Brenda Lafferty and her daughter, Erica. The brothers claimed to have received a spiritual revelation that instructed them to murder Brenda and Erica. Because "Joseph taught and encouraged his adherents to receive personal communiqués straight from the Lord," the Lafferty brothers sincerely trusted the legitimacy of the revelation.
Exceptionalism
One attribute the mainstream Mormon church shares with its fundamentalist counterparts is the contradictory belief that they alone are the "keepers of the flame—the only true and righteous Mormons." Exceptionalism is baked into Mormon tradition; under Joseph Smith, the early Mormons attempted to establish an entirely autonomous community with its own militia and legal code. Under Brigham Young, the Mormons defied anti-bigamy laws and printed counterfeit money. John Taylor, the third prophet, summarized this attitude by stating, "when the Government conflicts with heaven, we will be ranged under the banner of heaven against the Government." Taylor, of course, believed he alone knew when the government conflicted with heaven.
Exceptionalism is most dramatically illustrated throughout the text by the sheer number of men claiming to be God's true prophet, "one mighty and strong." Brian David Mitchell anointed himself as the true prophet of the Mormon Church, as did John Hoyle and Robert Crossfield.
Dan Lafferty claims to be the reincarnation of Elijah; he also maintains that he is blameless for murdering Erica and Brenda, as he was "doing God's will, which is not a crime." Similarly, Rulon Jeffs and Tom Green justify defrauding the government, or "bleeding the beast," by explaining that "the money is coming from the Lord." Considering themselves God's chosen people, these men feel entitled to shirk regulations, taxes, and even federal law.
Fundamentalism
Fundamentalism is when a believer attempts to adhere as closely to the literal interpretation of scripture as possible, believing this interpretation to be the most accurate. The Lafferty brothers were fundamentalists in their interpretations of both the Constitution and the Mormon Scriptures; for example, when Dan Lafferty began to contemplate the Constitution, he began to ignore rules, such as speed limits, that he deemed unconstitutional in the strictest sense. Similarly, when Dan found the Peace Maker, he adhered to its guidelines as closely as possible, at the expense of his health, finances, and relationships.
Fundamentalist communities, such as Colorado City and Bountiful, allow literal interpretations of scripture to guide every aspect of their lives, down to the way they style their hair. Fundamentalism becomes dangerous when it involves extreme practices like the doctrine of "blood atonement." Combined with the doctrine that everything Joseph Smith taught was a revelation from God, such fundamentalists justify morally abhorrent actions like murder and rape.
Impotence of Authority
Throughout the text, the United States government and local police forces try and fail to control FLDS extremists. This impotence of authority when dealing with FLDS traces back to Joseph Smith himself; on more than one occasion, Smith fled from the law and blatantly defied attempts to bring him to justice.
The primary victims of this governmental failure are the young women forced into plural marriages on FLDS communes. Partially because these communities tend to be found in remote locations, and because "because the mayor, the police, and the judge in Colorado City–Hildale are themselves polygamists who are absolutely obedient to the prophet," many FLDS girls are unable to access help. When Ruby Jessop attempted to escape her marriage multiple times, the police refused to follow leads or speak to Ruby without her captors present. When Brian David Mitchell kidnapped Elizabeth Smart, the investigators were satisfied with the suspect they had in custody and stopped the search for months.
Even on occasions when the state intervened, the public generally sided with the FLDS. For example, while Tom Green received a slap on the wrist for statutory rape and Colorado City faced no charges, Howard Pyle and David Leavitt, politicians who challenged the FLDS, lost their positions.
Commodification of Sexuality and Youth
The common thread that unites the various fundamentalist sects and patriarchs is the practice of polygamy as a means to control female sexuality. A considerable percentage of the violence Krakauer documents is against young women. Debbie Palmer, Ruby Jessop, and Flora Jessop, to name a few, were coerced into sexually abusive plural marriages when they were teenagers. Brian Mitchell kidnapped Elizabeth Smart after he became infatuated with her "angelic features and innocent demeanor" typical of a fourteen-year-old. Mitchell was obsessed with keeping Smart's sexuality for himself, taking her into public with "her blond braids covered in a head scarf and her face hidden behind a burqa-like veil."
Even in the early days of Mormonism, polygamists commodified teenage girls. Joseph Smith took teenage brides against his wife's wishes and wrote into the doctrine of polygamy that only men were allowed to take plural spouses.
Krakauer illustrates the disturbing nature of the commodification of female sexuality in polygamist communities through vivid descriptions, such as a heavily pregnant "giggling, gap-toothed kid who looks like she belongs in elementary school." In Colorado City, women and girls are "required to wear long dresses, even while swimming," and sacred underwear, disguising their bodies. However, they are frequently sexually active with their husbands, and their primary role in the community is to get married and procreate.
