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Here are a couple of reasons why Joseph Smith was killed. One, the people that lived in the area of Western Illinois didn't like the Christian beliefs that Joseph believed and was teaching. Two, the citizens of Western Illinois thought if they killed Joseph Smith, the leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons), all the people following him would pack up and leave. This actually happened, but it was a couple of years later when they did move to Salt Lake City. It wasn't that the mobs were hoping that the Mormons would pack up and leave, they hoped that the religion would fall apart and that Mormonism would be no more.

Other reasons the mob killed Joseph smith include:

  • Missouri wanted to become a state of the United States, but wanted to enter the Union as a slave state. Most 'Mormons' tended to be conservative and were against slavery. They were in Missouri in sufficient numbers to sway the vote for Missouri to enter the Union as a "Free State." Therefore, Missouri politics of the day was to either remove Mormons from Missouri or Kill them (by order of the then Governor Boggs). Some especially evil people saw this as Government approval for killing Mormons even if they were not in Missouri.
  • Many living on the border of 'Indian Territory' wanted to kill all Native Americans because they were in the way and were considered dangerous. Mormons, on the other hand, were teaching Christianity to the Native Americans, which did not sit well with some Missourians.
  • Because there was so much persecution of the Mormons at the time, many Mormons in business, farms, stores, etc. tended to do business with other Mormons mostly, and not so much with non-Mormons. This made some non-Mormons mad.
  • Mormons have always practiced the principle of Lay Ministry, other religions of the day did not. Many ministers felt this was a declaration that they were wrong in asking for a wage (of sorts) for doing their ministerial work, and it made 'some' of them angry. Some of these ministers incited people to riot and harm the Mormons.
  • Many ministers were of the belief that revelations from God did not occur anymore, once the Bible was 'completed' and both Jesus and his apostles were killed. Joseph Smith was of a different opinion and said he had received further revelation from God. Some ministers took this personally. In their minds it was as though Joseph was calling them liars. He wasn't, he simply disagreed with them.
  • Joseph was the leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (or Mormon) Church in his day and this church was very young, compared to most other churches at the time. If Joseph could be killed, it was felt that the Mormon issue would just go away.
  • There are many reasons (the above list are just a few), and early-day Mormon Polygamy often caries the sole blame in the minds of some, which is actually a false notion. Polygamy may have been one of the reasons, but not likely the primary reason, nor even one of the more important reasons. Mormons were simply different and being different often attracts the attention of those that have the propensity to do harm.
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Related Questions

When was the lynching of Joseph Smith?

Joseph Smith, Jr. was shot and killed by an anti-Mormon mob on June 27, 1844 in Carthage, Illinois.


Was there a name of the band of people that killed Joseph smith?

They did not have an official name, as they presumeably had only formed for this single event. The mob is usually called an "Anti-Mormon Mob" or an "Armed Mob", but they were not any official organization, just a group of people who were angry with Joseph Smith or Mormons in general.


When was Joseph Smith killed?

Joseph Smith was shot and killed by a mob of about 150 men as he jumped from the window of Carthage Jail on June 27, 1844 at about 5 p.m.


Who was the visionary who translated the Book of Mormon and who was eventually killed by a mob in Nauvoo IL?

Joseph Smith


Where was Joseph smith died?

Joseph Smith was killed by a mob while awaiting trial in Carthage, Illinois. The trial was based on his ordering the destruction of a printing press that was causing civil disorder in Nauvoo, where he was mayor.


Who was the founder of the Mormons church that was killed by a mob in which state?

You are thinking of Joseph Smith, Jr. He and his brother Hyrum were shot and killed by a mob in Carthage, Illinois on June 27, 1844.


Which governor promised Joseph smith and the Mormon people protection?

Thomas Ford, governor of Illinois from 1842 to 1846. Obviously, the promise was meaningless, since his militia allowed a mob to assassinate Joseph Smith on his watch.


Who was killed by a mob in nauvoo Illinois?

Joseph Smith Jr and his brother Hyrum, were murdered by a mob of about 150 men who stormed the Carthage Jail in Carthage, Illinois on June 24, 1844.


Who was the founder of Mormon church who was killed by mob?

Joseph Smith, Jr. founded the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly called the "Mormon" church) in April, 1830 and was the leader of the church until he was murdered in Carthage, Illinois in June, 1844.


Who did the mob kill?

The mob didn`t kill anyone but they wanted to kill Tom Robinson.


How was Joseph smith jr killed?

The official account given by John Taylor, who was a witness to Joseph Smith's murder, says "Joseph Smith the Prophet [was] shot in Carthage jail, on the 27th of June, 1844, about five o'clock p.m., by an armed mob - painted black - of from 150 to 200 persons


What year was Joseph Smith murdered?

At Carthage Jail in Carthage Illinois. He was murdered by a mob of about 200 armed men, their faces painted black with wet gunpowder stormed the jail in the late afternoon of June 27, 1844.The mob fired shots through the door and attempted to push the door open to fire into the room. Hyrum Smith, Joseph's brother, was shot in the face, just to the left of his nose and killed. His body received five additional gunshot wounds. Joseph was shot in the chest from a bullet from outside the jail and fell out the window where he was shot many times and killed. Five men went on trial for the murder, however, they were all found not guilty.