Why were the Mormons forced out of Ohio?

Answer 1

Leave where? Mormons are still around and are growing rapidly. There are almost 14 million of them all around the world!

The Mormons under Brigham Young left their city of Nauvoo in 1846. His goal as was Joseph Smiths was to form a new Zion to the West.

One of the reasons for the persecution of the Mormons was their belief that God condoned polygamy.

Answer 2

This is a very good question, and the answer can be complex. There have been many historical books dedicated to this one subject alone. When studying the horrible and unjust history of persecution of the Mormons it is hard to comprehend that such things could happen in America, where religious freedom, and property rights are considered two of the most fundamental constitutional rights. A simple answer could be to say: "due to irrational fears and prejudice". However, it goes much deeper. A study of the sociological, political and historical factors of the current time period is helpful. In a 2007 PBS documentary interview, Latter-day Saint apostle Elder Dallin H. Oaks answered questions in greater detail about the persecution of early Mormons. Here are some excellent points in summary that he listed: # Religious Rivalry: This was a new religion with elements of belief that were hard to digest in the religious community of that time -- such as a modern-day prophet, angels, revelations, and additional scripture. # Commercial rivalry: The Mormons were a self-sustained, vibrant community. They were industrious, hardworking and successful. They built lovely communities with wide streets and pretty homes. Mormons were generally viewed as being quite wealthy for that time period. Mormons did not trade with others. Thus, they were perceived as a commercial threat. # Political rivalry: There was a fear that the Mormons would vote as a block as their leaders told them to. This was a factor for distrust in each community the Mormons tried to establish, beginning in Kirtland, Ohio. It came to focus sharply in the Missouri conflicts. It was a very large factor in Nauvoo Illinois, in the murder of the prophet Joseph Smith (who had recently announced his bid for President of the United States), and in the Mormon expulsion from Illinois. Politics became a major concern through the early Utah period as well. # Officially Sanctioned: The governor of Missouri actually activated militia units and issued an order that the Mormons should be "driven from the state, or exterminated" if they could not succeed in driving them out! Later, the governor of the state of Illinois activated militia units, and those militia units had united to drive the Mormons from the state. Government officials protected those who were burning the Mormon homes, and they brought the official power of the government in the form of militia --- military action to drive the Mormons out of Nauvoo. A disbanded Illinois militia unit murdered the Prophet Joseph Smith. To read the entire transcript of this interview, copy and paste this link: http:/newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/news-releases-stories/elder-oaks-interview-transcript-from-pbs-documentaryElder Oaks offered an additional point to ponder: "I have to fall back on my belief that in this world there is good and there is evil. And some of the things that I see happening in the world like the Holocaust are only explainable by a manifest evil force, and I think some of that evil force was at work against the Mormons in this period."

Answer 3

Some left voluntarily to begin a settlement in Missouri, and others were kicked out forcibly. The small area in Ohio where the Mormons were concentrated was not large enough for the growing Church, and local residents were annoyed that the Mormons were 'taking over', so they ran them out of town.

Answer 4

The Mormon Pioneers had to leave several settlements due to severe persecution and in some cases were forced out by law (such as Missouri, where an extermination order was placed on them).