Jeff, there was no valid reason for the group of Mormon men to kill those 150 or so travelers of men women and children. Period. The perpetrators of that criminal act were a large group of Mormons, at least one of whom was a personal advisor to Brigham Young himself (Lee). Why was only one man, Lee, who happened to be the leader of the Dannites put to death for the crime. Do you think that only one man killed all 150? He was put to death 20 years after the crime because no witnesses would cooperate with the Federal (non mormon) judges during those 20 years.
Again, I encourage you to think critically and you will see the truth.
Anyways, I really do respect your intelligent discussion on this topic, I just think that you are way wrong. We obviously feel strongly opposed here, but I do thank you for discussing and ultimately I want you and others to know that I care very much for the Mormon people.
We are all Americans and we are all brothers and sisters in Christ. I have very close family ties with Mormons and I know what good people they are in general. But I view their religion as potentially dangerous in more ways than one.
God Bless.
That does not make it right...but it does add an important perspective.
In addition, the Federal government was in the process of raising and sending an Army to Utah at the time because the Federal officials there did not feel they were being recognized and because of the ill feeling between the church leadership and those officials. That feeling was understandable given the things that had occurred which had driven the Mormon population out of Missouri and then Illinois at the point of a gun with their land stolen and their members killed.
All of this resulted in tensions being at a fevered pitch throughout the territory precisely at the time this was going on. Many Mormon settlers believed they were about to be in a fight for their land, their way of life, their very lives and religion all over again and they were committed to not being driven out again.
Again, not an excuse for what happened at Mountain Meadows in the least, but still the backdrop for those reprehensible events.
The lack of support for a trial was certainly due in part to the Mromon population not cooperating with the Federal government at the time, but it was also due to the outbreak of the civil war and the era immediately following it.
When the first trial was held, Lee and the others were acquited. The second trial found Lee guilty, who by that time had been excommunicated from the church. He was executed by firing squad
It was the US attorney in the second trial that chose to bring charges only against Lee. Did he feel in the environment that this was the best he could get? Probably. Was he under political pressure from Washington to get some conviction out of the entire affair? Perhaps...maybe even probably. Did he "cut a deal" with Brigham Young at the time to get his "sanction" on this trial at the cost of closing the case as some infer? Knowing what I know of Young, I personally do not think so.
It was a sad affair, from the late 1830s through the 1840s and then with this terrible event, of killing and murder, and persecutuin of a people and then some of them exacting a dispicable revenge against this party which was contrary to the teachings of their own faith.
When I contrast it to that of the good that the many millions of LDS members do who do live their faith, day in and day out their life long, it is clear that the fruit of the faith (as evidenced by those who live it, not by those who violate it) is Christian compassion and service...and a testimony of, commitment to, and faith in Jesus Christ our Savior.
It is that witness that I bear to you now, sincerely and in the integrity of my heart.
For more information On why the Mountain Meadows Massacre happened: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haun's_Mill_massacre