Mormon Church Expresses 'Regret' for 1857 Massacre That Left 120 Dead, should they apologize?

Question

On Sept. 11, 1857, a wagon train passing through a corner of Utah was tricked into laying down their arms with a promise of safe passage, and then killed by Mormons. The Mormon church still hasn't apologized.

Is it time for an apology? Its been 150 years!

Here's the story: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,296518,00.html

Pinkadot, I just now read about the Haun's Hill Massacre, pretty interesting. It sounds like they didn't want the mormons there.

Answer 1

Have any of the churches back east apologized for their member's driving out, killing, raping, torturing or falsely imprisoning early Mormon members - which included men, women and children? When will those who died because of their beliefs also receive that justice?
It is unfortunate and sad that any of these events happened, to any of these people.
Ever heard of Han's Mill Massacre??
I have faith that those who have done things such as these awful acts will be held accountable before God and that is why I don't worry about it.

************* Yes, there were many Mormons killed simply because of their beliefs, and not just at Haun's Mill. Men were tarred-and-feathered, beaten, women were raped, all manner of evil was done against those early members... it is very sad. But the focus only goes on MMM, which of course is a tragedy, but think of what those people had already went through...I am not saying their actions were justified, just saying their frame of mind was probably in the "revenge" state...

Answer 2

The people who committed this terrible atrocity wrote to their church leaders beforehand saying that they were minded to stop the wagon trains passing through their territory. Brigham Young, President of the Church at the time, wrote back immediately telling them to leave the wagon trains alone and let them have safe passage. His letter arrived too late and the crime had already been done. Apparently the ringleader broke down and cried when he read the letter. All involved were excommunicated, and the ringleader was executed. And the church has apologised, even though it had nothing to do with the act of its members.

It was a horrible crime, but I think justice has been done. It's time to move on, as many of the descendants of the survivors already have.

Answer 3

I agree with Jack P -
My family was involved with this and it caused some of the family to leave the LDS religion, but not all. And some came back into it. Here is what some decendants have had to say...

James Sanders is a great-grandson of Nancy Saphrona Huff, one of the children who survived the massacre. “I still feel pain; I still feel anger and sadness that the massacre happened,” said Brother Sanders. “But I know that the people who did this will be accountable before the Lord, and that brings me peace.” Brother Sanders, who serves as a family history consultant in his Arizona ward, said that learning his ancestor had been killed in the massacre “didn’t affect my faith because it’s based on Jesus Christ, not on any person in the Church.”

Sharon Chambers of Salt Lake City is a great-granddaughter of child survivor Rebecca Dunlap. “The people who did this had lost their way. I don’t know what was in their minds or in their hearts,” she said. “I feel sorrow that this happened to my ancestors. I also feel sorrow that people have blamed the acts of some on an entire group, or on an entire religion.”

The Mountain Meadows Massacre has caused pain and controversy for 150 years. During the past twenty years, descendants and other relatives of both the emigrants and the perpetrators have at times worked together to memorialize the victims. These efforts have had the support of President Gordon B. Hinckley, officials of the state of Utah, and other institutions and individuals.

Among the products of this cooperation have been the construction of two memorials at the massacre site and the placing of plaques commemorating the Arkansas emigrants. Descendant groups, Church leaders and members, and civic officials continue to work toward reconciliation and will participate in various memorial services this month at the Mountain Meadows.

The MMM happened on September 11, 1857.

Answer 4

Aplogizing would indicate guilt. The Church as an organization was not guilty of that awful event. Some of it's members were. A similar question might be, did Viginia Tech apologize to the families of those killed in the shooting recently. We all regret that these types of things happen, but we don't have to apolgize for them.

Answer 5

I agree with all the answers, especially the ones from plastikpunk and Jack. One, all involved are dead, and two, the CHURCH had nothing to do with it in the first place. It was the actions of a few members of the Church, and did not have the approval of the leaders, who didn't have any knowledge of it until after the fact.

Answer 6

They did. On the anniversary Henry B. Eyring gave the Church's formal apology at the monument.

Answer 7

Michael M. It replaced into criminal to kill Mormons in Missouri till 1976. it fairly is whilst the Extermination Order replaced into finally overturned. It made the front internet internet site of the Buffalo newspaper.

Answer 8

We're sorry it happened but "WE" didn't do it.

Members of our church did it and were excommunicated.

This was a horrible tragedy and I do not want to belittle the scope of this massacre nor it's impact on the families of the dead.

D

Answer 9

Like you said, it's been 150 years.

Move on and get over it.

gw

Answer 10

did ted bundy's religion apologize for what he did? did any number of mass murderers throughout history gain the apologies of their prospective religions? i don't think so. so why should the Mormon church apologize for the actions of a few men who made a horrible choices. they didn't condone the action so the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has nothing to apologize for.