1. What/who are the Mormons?
Mormons are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, who have the religious belief that there are four sources of divinely inspired words. The sources are The Bible, The Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, including a collection of modern revelations concerning “the Church of Jesus Christ as it has been restored,” and The Pearl of the Great Price which discusses teachings from the Bible and adds information to the Earth’s creation.
2. Who is Joseph Smith and why is he important to the Mormons?
Joseph Smith Jr was born in 1805 in Vermont to Joseph and Lucy Mack Smith, who taught him to pray, read the bible, and have faith in God. At age 14, as an answer to a prayer, Joseph saw God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ in his First Vision. He then began to receive heavenly messengers at age 17, He was strengthened by God to fulfill His mission. Joseph Smith Jr. founded Mormonism in 1830, claiming to have been visited from God the Father and Jesus Christ who told him that all their churches and creeds were false. Amongst the Mormons, Smith aspired to find the truth and was religious in nature. Joseph Smith hoped to restore “true Christianity” and claims that his church to be the “only true church on earth,” highlighting his importance to the Mormons. Joseph Smith is also a representation of the origin of Mormonism.
3. Who is Brigham Young and why is he important to the Mormons?
Brigham Young was born on June 1, 1801 in Vermont. After joining the church in 1832, he was recognized as the “Quorum of the Apostles” and became very important to the Mormon community. Young was named president of the Church on December 27, 1847, eventually leading sixteen thousand Mormons from Illinois to Utah and established Latter-day Saint Settlements. Brigham Young is the successor to Joseph Smith.
4. What are some of the rules of the Mormon community?
In order to be perceived as a faithful member in “good standing” of the Mormon Church, there are specific Mormon rules that are required to be followed. A few examples include Tithing: you must pay 10% of your gross income and contribute to church funds such as Fast Offering and Missionary fund, not questioning Mormon authority: When their “prophet” speaks, the words are coming from God, meaning that the members are expected to obey what they are told without any hesitation or skepticism, and fully believing and frequently reiterate that the Mormon church is true and is the only true church, which was formed by Joseph Smith after he claimed to have been visited from God. In addition, no smoking or consumption of coffee, tea, or alcohol is allowed. These rules are merely followed through personal choice and the church does not force their followers to follow them, although it is encouraged.
5. What is plural marriage? Are they legal in Canada?
Plural marriages, also known as polygamy, was introduced by Joseph Smith in the nineteenth century is a practice of a man marrying more than one wife. Although this teaching was followed by the Mormons, Americans viewed it as unacceptable, creating many controversies around this issue. In addition, some people consider it as “impractical” for a man to only marry one woman because of the larger female population. Despite the fact that this teaching was denied by the Church of Latter-Day Saints in the 1890s, they are allegedly still trying to clarify its association with it today. In Canada, all forms of polygamy and some informal types of multiple sexual relationships are illegal by section 293 of the Criminal Code of Canada.
6. John Ferrier agreed to follow the Mormon rules when he was saved and he did, but in the chapter “John Ferrier talks with the Prophet,” he now disagrees with their wishes for Lucy. What are your thoughts about his reversal? Is it justified? Is a sacred promise exactly that?
While John Ferrier was on the verge of death, he promised to follow the Mormon rules when he was saved in the Alkali Desert, but soon disagrees with their wish for Lucy to be wedded off to a man in the Mormon church. Looking at the circumstances of his situation, it should not be justified because the people of the Mormon community not only saved his life, but also Lucy’s; therefore, it is only correct that he follows up with his words. In contrast, because he was on the verge of death, he was likely in a very tense state and was not sure what he was committing to. It is likely that his promise was merely based on his wishes for his child to be taken care of and to maintain their survival. The Mormons should allow Lucy to marry outside of the Church, as long as they comply with the rest of the rules. John and Lucy both valued this sacred promise, and it is evident that they both valued their lives more than other people’s perception of them.
7. How is/was polygamy acceptable in some societies, and why is it banned in Canada?
Polygamy may be acceptable in some societies because the Qur’an is the only religious book that contains the phrase, “marry only one.” This argument has been used to justify a man having more than one wife in many societies. It is banned in Canada because of the Parliament’s view of the possible negative impacts to women and children.
8. A “norm” is a principle of right action binding upon the members of a group and serving to guide, control, or regulate proper and acceptable behaviour. What are some norms in your culture/family?
There are social norms associated in all aspects, and some include shaking hands when first meeting someone, having direct contact when speaking with someone, saying “please” and “thank you”, and calling someone to let them know you will be late. In addition, when dining, it is a norm to leave a tip for the waiter or waitress, and to chew with your mouth closed.
9. Lucy is nicknamed the “Flower of Utah”; however that nickname leads to trouble for her. Explain. What is Lucy’s dilemma? How do you feel about her situation?
Lucy is given the nickname “Flower of Utah,” but it soon leads to trouble for her. Since Utah was originally named “Desert,” which means “honey-bee.” the men in Salt Lake City begin to show interest in Lucy as she develops into a beautiful young woman. Since the Mormons are prohibited from marrying outside of their religion and that polygamy is accepted, Lucy becomes a target among multiple Mormon men, which puts her in a dilemma, since she is already in love with Jefferson Hope. I feel that this dilemma prevented her from staying with her true love because without all the other Mormon men chasing after her, she would not need to escape and hide with her father.
10. There are no women in this story other than Lucy. How does her fate suggest how women are probably treated in the community (in the story)? Doyle alludes to possible kidnappings of other women outside of the community in order to make them Mormon wives. How does Doyle portray the Mormon community (use support from the book).
Since Lucy is the only woman in the story, her fate is seen as the general depiction of all women in the community. Doyle alludes to possible kidnappings of other women outside the community in order to make them Mormon wives, illustrating that death is a punishment for people that do not comply with Brigham Young. It is suggested that Mormonism is characterized by secretiveness, bribery, hypocrisy, and violence. After the explanation of the murder of Drebber and Stangerson, Jefferson Hope says, “after the lapse of time that has passed since their crime, it was impossible for me to secure a conviction against them in any court. I knew of their guilt though, and I determined that I should be judge, jury, and executioner all rolled into one.” This exemplifies the extremity of some Mormons’ crimes, in addition to the lack of officials and government to fixate these flaws. Therefore, Hope brings justice to Lucy’s polygamist marriage and her, as well as her father’s death by taking action himself.
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