Why were the Mormons a target for religious intolerance in America?

Answer 1

we were perecuted because there were many stereotypes many of which are true.

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the "Mormon" church) are often persecuted by people who don't understand or agree with their beliefs. It is a natural tendency of people to feel threatened by those who are different and fight against them.

Answer 2

In the mid-1800s Mormons wanted to be together. In general they were also active in the community and were similar in their political views. So when they migrated to Illinois and Missouri so set up cities among previously thinly settled areas of frontier dwellers, they quickly dominated politics in the area (because of their numbers and political uniformity). For instance Nauvoo, Illinois became the largest city in Illinois of it's time in less than 10 years. Add to that that some people of other Christian denominations were very opposed to teachings that differed from the standard Christian teachings and violent mobs arose spurred on by religious zeal and fear of being marginalized.

Answer 3

Because it was a different idea that was not of the mainstream cultural acceptance at the time. The thought of something new angered ministers and pastors mainly because that would mean less income, it angered non LDS friends and family of Mormons because they were associated with someone different.

The Mormons never hurt anyone or did any harm to anything. All they did was support something they believed and were persecuted only because it wasn't accepted.

Answer 4

Pretty much anywhere they are found. For some reason people just hate Mormons. I have yet to figure out why. They were forced out of NY, OH, MO, IL and even when they got to UT the US government declared war on them and sent an army to destroy them. Luckily the General had morality(unlike the people in the previous states) and decided not to attack a settlement of civilians and even camped his army away from SLC and didn't allow his troops to enter it. (as they would make trouble)

Answer 5

Well, mainly it was because they had rather unpopular ideas. For example, they believe that God speaks to the Prophet (Joseph Smith, at the time), which was threatening to the local ministers - who were much more powerful in those days. When they got to the South their anti-slavery beliefs made it much worse.

That wouldn't have been so much of a problem, except that a side effect of getting kicked out of small towns for having different beliefs was that they tended to group up. Especially in Missouri there was a very strong fear that the Mormons (or Latter-Day Saints) would vote as a group and take the power and slave holding rights from the locals.

Something similar happened in Kansas just before it became a state, with the supporters of slavery and abolitionists moving in as many people as they could so they could vote for or against slavery in Kansas when it became a state. Their fear was understandable at the time.

Since then it has been a bit of the old worries (which is why it got brought up when Mitt Romney ran for President), and a bit that most people have only a very foggy idea what the Mormons believe and the unknown makes people nervous.

Answer 6

We most certainly do not beleive that all the others must be wrong...infact that is just the opposite of what we beleive...we believe that the others are right, to a certain extent...the book of mormon...is an addition to the bibble...which is another testament of jesus christ...we believe that all religions have the idea of rightousness and have the bibble explanations right...but this is what we believe...that all the other religions have glasses half full of water...this water is based on the truth of the gospel that they teach...this truth that is in the cup is the cold hard truth that my religion holds aswell as several other...my religion...holds the full cup of the gospel of christ...compared to the half cups...

We are persecuted becuase we are supposedly "crazy" and "odd" and several other words...and its hard to not get into debates about my religion...and it sucks to get persecuted for something you beleive in...all religions have the right idea of the truth...but we have the full cup...and many other religions and people deny that fact..and say they have the full cup...and they do not believe...that a boy of only 14 years of age...can kneel in a garden...and ask of god for help!

I have a firm testimony of that fact...that joseph smith did indeed kneel in the garden...and ask of the truth and ask what church he should join...and i beleive that god answered him...and god did appear infront of him and answered his question...and that fact alone brings up so much controversy and strain...that if forces others to disagree and persecute us for what he saw...and...lets not get started on the brigham young thing...thats a load of crap too...and that joseph lost the plates? no...thats crap too! all these stories...of our religion being flawed and full of evil...its all ignorence...all of it...people look inside religions and try to make things wrong...and try their hardest to point out flaws..when there never wasnt any in the first place...

If you want to learn more about the religion...and learn more about how it came to be..and the full story...this goes to those seeking the truth and to those seeking guidence and this is also to those who are ignorent. Please Visit the site...and learn a little more..

Answer 7

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly called the "Mormon" church) are and have been harassed for many things. Usually, it is simply because someone does not agree with them or has heard a rumor about them. Polls have shown that most people who know Mormons personally have a favorable opinion of them, while those who don't know any Mormons have a negative opinion of them.

Answer 8

Prosecuted or Persecuted? Prosecution means they faced formal legal trials, persecution means they faced hatred and abuse from others.

Mormons faced persecution historically and in modern times due to their beliefs. Many find Mormon beliefs unusual or even heretical - it is human nature to fight against things that you find strange or uncomfortable. Additionally, many have felt that Mormons strong conservative values were are threat to their lifestyle and have fought against Mormon influence in their local society.

Thousands of Mormons have been prosecuted over the years, although generally for personal things not related to their religion. The Church and it's leadership has also faced prosecution. The most well known time being in the 1880s when bigamy was made illegal. At the time, it was a religious practice among many Mormons, who believed they were following the example of Old Testament prophets who had many wives. The Church and it's members faced severe legal action from the federal government until they agreed to end the practice in 1890.

Answer 9

Mormons were beaten, tarred and feathered, robbed, kidnapped, and killed. they were forced out of their homes, their cities were burned, and their temples were desecrated.