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Cruelty & Violence in the The Mormon Scriptures

1 Nephi

The Spirit of the Lord "constrained" Nephi to murder Laban as he lay passed out on the ground. 4:10
But the Spirit had to tell Nephi again. 4:11
And a third time, reminding Nephi that God kills people too (so it must be OK) and besides, it's better that one person die than a whole nation dwindle in unbelief. 4:12-13
So Nephi (finally) obeys the Spirit by grabbing Laban by the hair and chopping off his head with his own sword. 4:18
God's wrath is on the Native Americans who were slaughtered by the Europeans. 13:14
God inspired the Europeans (who "were white, and exceedingly fair and beautiful" just like Nephi's descendants before the evil, dark-skinned Lamanites killed them all ) to slaughter the Native Americans. 13:15
If you're a gentile, you've only got two choices: become a Mormon or fall into the Catholic pit that leads to hell. 14:5-6
The angel tells Nephi that the lamb of God (Jesus) says that the time will come (2423 years later) when a 17 year old treasure digger from New York (Joseph Smith) will find some golden plates and translate them by staring into his hat at some magic rocks and thereby produce the "great and marvelous work" that we now know as the Book of Mormon. This book is, according to the angel, the best and most important book by far that you, me, or anyone else will ever read. And we'll be tortured forever after we die unless we believe it. 14:7
God hated pretty much everyone on earth (they were all just a bunch of Catholics to him) until the Mormons showed up. 14:15-17
There's an "awful gulf" that separates the wicked from the saints. 15:28
There's an "awful hell" prepared for the wicked. 15:29
There's an "awful hell" prepared by the devil. 15:35
God destroys entire nations of "wicked" people and curses the land for their sakes. 17:37-38
Among many other things, Nephi told his brothers that God punishes complainers by sending fiery flying serpents to bite and kill them. (See Numbers 21:6) 17:41
God will force people to eat their own flesh and drink their own blood. 21:26
The members of "the great and abominable church" (the whore of all the earth) will kill each other and get drunk on their own blood. 22:13
All those that fight again Zion (Mormonism), like "that great whore, that great and abominable church" will be destroyed. 22:14
The day is soon coming when God's wrath will be poured out and all proud, wicked people will be burned. 22:16-17

2 Nephi

Those who do not believe in the Messiah (Jesus) will be destroyed by fires, storms, earthquakes, war, disease, and starvation. 6:15
God will force people to eat their own flesh and drink their own blood. 6:18
"The heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner." (God plans to destroy the universe.) 8:6
Filthy people will be tormented forever in a lake of fire. 9:16
Those who don't believe or who are not baptized will be damned to hell. 9:24
Hell is a lake of fire and brimstone where the damned are tormented forever. 9:19, 9:26
"Many of our children shall perish in the flesh because of unbelief." 10:2
To punish them for their iniquities, God sent famines, disease, wars, and destruction on the Jews. 10:6
God will make sweet smelling things stink, make people bald, and cause men to die in wars. 13:24-25
After God "washed away the filth" from the women and killed the men, he set up "a cloud and smoke by day" and a "flaming fire by night." 14:4-5
If you associate or gird yourself, God will break you in pieces. 18:9
God will not have mercy on orphans or widows. 19:17
God will make every man kill his brother and then force him to eat "the flesh of his own arm." 19:19-20
God will "smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked." God must have some pretty bad breath! 21:4
On God's special day he will kill sinners with great anger, wrath, and cruelty. 23:6-9
If God can find you, he will "thrust you through," smash your children "to pieces" before your eyes, and rape your wife. 23:15-18
Children will be slaughtered for the iniquities of their fathers. 24:21
Those who are proud will be burned to death by God. 26:4
Those who kill saints and prophets will be swallowed by the earth, covered with mountains, carried away by whirlwinds, crushed by falling buildings, destroyed by thunder, lightening, earthquakes, and fire. 26:5-6
God will get the Gentiles to kill all those who "dwindle in unbelief." 26:19
Death, hell, the devil, and the "endless torment" of "the lake of fire and brimstone." 28:23
God will "smite the earth with the rod of his mouth; and with the breath of his mouth he shall slay the wicked." How's that for some bad breath? 30:9
God must burn wicked people to death. (I guess he has no choice in the matter.) 30:10

Jacob

God casts some people into a "lake of fire and brimstone" where they suffer "the pains of hell." 3:11
God commanded Abraham to kill his son Isaac. (And that was a good thing?) 4:5
God will curse some people and burn the world with fire. 6:3
Those who "bring forth evil fruit" will be "cast into the fire." 6:7
God will cast some people into a lake of fire and brimstone where he will torment them forever. 6:10
Sherem, the first freethought martyr in the Book of Mormon [see the story of Korihor for another (Alma 30)], tells Jacob he is misleading the people in by telling them (ca. 500 BCE) that Christ will be coming "many hundred years hence." 7:1-7
Jacob asks Sherem if he denies that Christ will come. Sherem answers that although he doesn't believe it now, he could be convinced if Jacob could show him a sign. Jacob responds by saying, "Thou art the devil ... but if God shall smite thee, let that be a sign unto thee." 7:9-14
"He gave up the ghost."
God gives Sherem a little sign: he kills him. 7:15-20
"This thing was pleasing to me."
Jacob is pleased that God killed Sherem. 7:22

Words of Mormon

"In the strength of the Lord ... they had slain many thousands of the Lamanites ... until they had driven them out of all the lands of their inheritance." 14

Mosiah

"They also took of the firstlings of their flocks, that they might offer sacrifice and burnt offerings according to the law of Moses." Why don't Mormons still offer animal sacrifices? 2:3
Those who die in their sins are tormented forever in hell. 2:33
Those in hell "endure a never-ending torment." 2:39
The damned are in a state of misery and endless torment. 3:25-27
God answers the Nephites prayers, and helps them kill 3043 Lamanites in one day and a night. 9:18
The Nephites drove the Lamanites away, killing them with "a great slaughter". They killed so many that they couldn't count them all. 10:20
The Lord says that this (which?) generation will be slain and their bodies will be eaten by vultures, dogs, and wild beasts. 12:2
God will smite his people with sore afflictions, famine, pestilence, and will cause them to howl all the day long. 12:4
Those who don't know Christ will be thrown into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 26:27

Alma

Those who refuse to kill a murderer must have his blood fall upon them. 1:13
"What he had taught to the people was contrary to the word of God; and there he suffered an ignominious death."
Nehor was killed for teaching the heresy of universalism. 1:4, 15
God helped the Nephites slaughter 12,532 Amlicites. 2:18-19
The Lord did hear their cries [he had his hearing aid on], ... and the Lamanites and Amlicites did fall before them. 2:28
God will destroy those who don't repent. 8:16, 9:12
Some people will be tortured forever in the fires of hell. 12:17
"The Spirit constraineth me.">
Alma refuses to ask God to prevent the burning to death of women and children. It is "the will of the Lord." 14:8-13
Ammon killed "a certain number" of people with his sling. 17:36
Ammon smote off their arms with his sword. 17:37-38
Ammon carried the arms that he had cut off to show to the king. 17:39
"Tens of thousands of Lamanites (Native Americans) were slain and scattered abroad." 28:2
The bodies of "many thousands" were left to rot on the ground. 28:11
So many died in the religious war that the dead bodies couldn't be counted. 30:2
Since Alma can't refute Korihor's arguments, he says he'll have God smite him so that he can no longer speak. It's better, he says, that Korihor's soul be lost than that he convince others that there is no God. 30:47
Korihor "was struck dumb ... according to the words of Alma." 30:50
"The curse was not taken off of Korihor; but he was cast out, and went about from house to house begging for his food." 30:56
The chief judge warned everyone not to believe Korihor or they will also be struck dumb and be forced to beg for their food. 30:57
Korihor was trampled upon by the Nephites until he was dead. 30:59
If you ask God to kill your enemies, he will do it for you. 33:10
Evil people are those who "have no part or portion of the Spirit of the Lord." They will be "cast out into outer darkness; there shall be weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth." 40:13
God is with Moroni and the Nephites. The Lord has delivered the Lamanites into their hands "because of [their] religion and [their] faith in Christ." 44:3
"Now ye see that this is the true faith of God." (You can tell by all the nonbelievers they kill.) 44:4
In the war with the Lamanites, God is on the Nephites side. He just likes their religion better. 44:5
Moroni's soldiers perform a live scalping to frighten their enemies. 44:12-15
Moroni gets angry and orders his people to kill the Lamanites, which was exceedingly easy since they were all naked as jaybirds. 44:17-18
If the Nephites forsake God, then God will tear them to pieces. 46:21
The Nephites make a deal with God. If they fail to follow God properly, then God can kill them all. 46:22
Those who will not support the cause of freedom are put to death. (The Bush Doctrine?) 46:35
Moroni writes a petition empowering him "to compel those dissenters to defend their country or to put them to death." 51:15
Four thousand dissenters were "hewn down by the sword." 51:19
Teancum snuck into the king's tent and stuck a javelin into his heart. 51:34
There is an "awful hell that awaits" those who fail to repent. 54:7
Moroni threatens to kill all the Lamanites, taking "blood for blood" and "life for life." 54:12
The Nephites kill two thousand Lamanites after they had surrenedered as prisoners of war. 57:14
Moroni executed "those king-men" who refused to fight for their country. 62:9
"Whosoever was found denying their freedom was speedily executed." 62:10
Moroni "inflicted death upon all those who were not true to the cause of freedom." 62:11
Moroni kills many of the Lamanites as they try to escape. 62:25-26
Teancum sneaks into the Lamanite's camp and throws a javelin into the king's heart. 62:36
Moroni and the Nephites slay the Lamanites "with a great slaughter." 62:38

Helaman

Those who rebelled against the Nephites (Mormons) were killed or "driven out of the land." 4:2
God gives Nephi the power to "smite the earth with famine, and with pestilence, and destruction." 10:6
If Nephi asks God to "smite this people, it shall come to pass." 10:10
Nephi asks God to send a famine on the land. "And so it was done, according to the words of Nephi. ... And the whole earth was smitten," causing thousands of people to starve to death. 11:4-6
God must kill and terrorize people with starvation and disease or they won't remember him. 12:3
God torments people in hell forever for "their iniquities." 12:20
God will consign evil doers "to a state of endless misery" and "everlasting damnation." 12:26
God prophesies that he will kill the Nephites with war, starvation, and disease within the next 400 years or so. (And I guess if you believe the Book of Mormon, he did with a little help from the Lamanites). 13:9
If there weren't some "righteous" people in the city, God would have burned everyone to death by sending down fire from heaven. 13:13
"Whosoever repenteth not is hewn down and cast into the fire." 14:18
If the Nephites don't repent, God will kill them all for their unbelief. 15:17

3 Nephi

When Jesus died, the inhabitants of many great cities died with him. Entire cities were sunk into the ocean, or were burned, or destroyed by earthquakes. 8:8-10, 14
The voice (who finally identifies himself as Jesus Christ) brags about burning to death, drowning, and burying alive all of the inhabitants of 16 large cities. 9:3-15
Jesus says that whoever does not believe in him and is not baptized will be damned to hell. 11:34
"Ye shall be ... as a lion among the flocks of sheep, who ... teareth in pieces." 20:16
"Thy hand shall be lifted up upon thine adversaries, and all thine enemies shall be cut off." 20:17
"Thou shalt beat in pieces many people." 20:19
God will kill those who don't repent with "the sword of justice." 20:20
"Whosoever will not believe ... shall be cut off." 21:11
"And my people ... shall be ... as a lion among the flocks of sheep, who ... teareth in pieces." 21:12
"Their hand shall be lifted up upon their adversaries, and all their enemies shall be cut off." 21:13
God will "cut off" the witches and soothsayers. 21:16
God will destroy entire cities. 21:18
God "will execute vengeance and fury upon" those who do not believe in Jesus. 21:20-21
"The resurrection of damnation" 26:5
"He that endureth not unto the end, the same is he that is also hewn down and cast into the fire." 27:17
"Wide is the gate, and broad the way which leads to death, and many there be that travel therein."
Most people are going to hell. 27:33
Those who won't listen to Jesus will wish they were never born. 28:34-35
"Wo unto" whoever denies Christ or his latter day revelations. God will show such persons no mercy. 29:5-7

Ether

"He that will contend against the word of the Lord, let him be accursed; and he that shall deny these things, let him be accursed."
(Those who disbelieve in the Book of Mormon will go to hell.) 4:8
"At my command the inhabitants thereof shall pass away, even so as by fire."
(If he feels like it, God can burn people to death.) 4:9
"He that believeth not shall be damned." 4:18
Avoid all those secret, abominable, murderous, wicked oaths and combinations passed down since the time of Cain. If you don't, God will have to kill you. 8:15-24
"Saith the Lord: I will pour out the fulness of my wrath." 9:20
"There came forth poisonous serpents also upon the face of the land, and did poison many people." 9:31
To punish the people for "their wicked combinations," God sent wars, famines, and pestilences. The resulting destruction was the greatest ever seen on the face of the earth -- greater than the flood of Noah, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, or World War II. Yet there is no evidence for any of this today. 11:7
The prophets prophesied "that the Lord would utterly destroy them from off the face of the earth." 11:12
"The Lord did visit them in the fulness of his wrath ... for their everlasting destruction." 14:25
Millions of Jaredites kill each other in battle, leaving only their two leaders alive: Coriantumr and Shiz. Coriantur cuts of the head of Shiz (with his non-existent sword, of course) and then dies. Don't you just love a happy ending? 15:30-32

Moroni

"Many of the daughters of the Lamanites have they taken prisoners; and after depriving them of that which was most dear and precious above all things, which is chastity and virtue."
Chastity (for women) is "most dear and precious above all things." It is lost if they are raped.
This is the first scripture that young women are taught by the LDS church at the Young Woman's Personal Progress Program.
"Whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do evil, and believe not in Christ, and deny him, and serve not God, then ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of the devil." 7:17
The Promise of Moroni
"Ask God ... if these things are not true." 10:3-5
"Nothing that is good denieth the Christ." 10:6
Everything good comes from God and belief in God. Whatever is evil comes from unbelief. 10:24-25
"Touch not the evil gift, nor the unclean thing." 10:30

The Book of Abraham

The angels said, "Abraham, I'm Jehovah and I've come down to save you and take you away from your father's house and bring you to a strange land. I'm going to kill those who were trying to kill you." 1:16-17
God broke the altar of the Chaldean gods and killed the priest. 1:20

Doctrine & Covenants

If they don't repent, everyone on earth will be destroyed. 5:19
Those who are found on Jesus's left hand will weep, wail, and gnash their teeth. 19:5
Hell will be endless torment and endless damnation. 19:6-7
I [Jesus] am endless, so the punishment that I give is endless. Endless is my name. 19:10
God's punishment is eternal and endless. 19:11-12
So keep the commandments that Joseph Smith, Jun. has given you. 19:13
Repent, or Jesus will smite you with the rod in his mouth. 19:15
Jesus commands Martin Harris to sell his farm to pay for the printing of the Book of Mormon. If he refueses he and his property will be destroyed. 19:33-34
If anyone trys to harm you, command them to be smitten in my name, and I'll smite them. 24:16
Soon I [Jesus] will burn all the wicked people. 29:11
There'll be weeping and wailing. 29:15
God will take vengeance on the wicked. Then he'll send flies and maggots to eat their flesh. 29:17-18
Their flesh will fall from their bones and their eyes from their sockets. Then the birds and beasts will eat them. 29:20
And God will say, "Go you cursed people to burn forever in the fire." 29:28
Those who don't believe will be damned. 29:44
Those without faith will drink the wine of the wrath of fornication. 11
Killers must killed and they will never be forgiven. 18-19
Those who are idle will not be allowed to eat or wear clothes. 42
Wo to those who don't die in me - their death is bitter. 47
Those who obey my commandments will be saved; those who don't will be damned. 60
The cup of the wrath of mine indignation is full. 26
The wicked shall go away into unquenchable fire. 33
God's arm will fall on the nations. 47
The mockers and scorners will burn in the fire. 50
When the Lord appears, he'll be terrible to them, so they'll tremble with fear. 74
If the Mormons in Ohio don't buy all the land, God says they won't get any inheritance without the shedding of blood.
I kill, or keep alive, whoever I want. 3
I destroy things for my own pleasure. I can even send souls to hell. 4
The wicked, rebellious, and unbelieving should all be afraid. When the day of wrath comes, everyone will know that I'm God. 6
The fearful, unbelieving, liars, whoremongers, and sorcerers will be burned in the lake of fire and brimstone. 17
When I get angry I create wars where wicked people kill each other, and everyone is afraid. 33
It'll be hard for the saints to escape. But I'll come down from heaven and save them by burning the wicked with unquenchable fire. I'm not going to do this for a while though. I'll do it by and by. 34-35
The angels will pluck out the wicked and cast them into unquenchable fire. 54
After today cometh the burning - this is speaking after the manner of the Lord - for verily I say, tomorrow all the proud and they that do wickedly shall be as stubble; and I will burn them up, for I am the Lord of Hosts; and I will not spare any that remain in Babylon. 24
Those who believe and are baptized are saved, those that don't believe aree damned. 9
It would have been better if the sons of perdition had never been born. Because they are doomed to suffer the wrath of God with the devil and his angels. They will never be forgiven. Because they denied the truth after believing it. They'll go into the lake of fire with the devil and his angels. 32-36
Everyone will be saved except for the sons of perdition, who will be tormented forever. 43-44
Everyone in the telestial world goes to hell, and stay in hell until Jesus finishes his work. 84-85
Those in the telestial world suffer the wrath of God on earth, and the vengeance of eternal fire. 104-105
Everyone is condemned until they read and believe the Book of Mormon. 57
Those who don't believe and aren't baptised will be damned. Condemn them for their evil unbelieving hearts. 74-76
Wo to the houses and cities that reject you. I'll send plagues upon them. 95-97
All the rest of you should do the same: Go preach everywhere telling everyone that they will be killed if they don't believe what you say. 117
I will destroy their kingdoms and shake the earth and stars. 118
Vengeance will come quickly on the ungodly. 97:22
The Lord's scourge will vex everyone. It will continue until the Lord comes. 97:23
But Zion will escape, if she does what I tell her to do. Otherwise, I'll send plagues, wars, and fire on her. 97:25-26
Renounce war and proclaim peace. Or I will smite the whole earth with a curse and everything livng thing will die. 98:16-17
Renounce war and proclaim peace. Or I will smite the whole earth with a curse and everything livng thing will die. 98:16-17
But if your enemy is in your hands, go ahead and kill them. 98:31
That's what Nephi, Joseph, Jacob, Isaac, and Abraham did - as did all of my ancient prophets and apostles. 98:32
They must be chastened, like Abraham, who was commanded to sacrifice his only son. 101:4
Every animal, including humans, will be killed. 101:24
Break down the walls of my enemies, throw down their tower, anc scatter their watchmen. 101:57
I'll be pouring out my wrath, without measure, on my enemies in my own time. 103:2
I've put up with them for a while, waiting for their cup of iniquities to fill. 103:3
the redemption of Zion must needs come by power 103:15
Because you must be led out of bondage by power. 103:17
Whover you curse, I curse, and you will avenge my enemies for me. 103:25
I'll help avenge my enemies for three or four generations. 103:26
Don't be afraid to die for my sake. 103:27
If you're not willing to die for me, you're not my disciple. 103:28
Parley Pratt and Lyman Wight should gather soldiers in groups of 10s, 20s, or 100 until they have a total of 500. 103:30
I will curse anyone who belongs to the order and breaks its covenant. They will be trampled on by whomever I want. 104:5
If you're guilty, you can't escape my wrath in your lives. 104:8
Whoever doesn't share with the poor will be be tormented in hell with the wicked. 104:18
I will fight your battles. 105:14
I've sent a destroyer to destroy my enemies. In a few years they won't be polluting my inheritance or blaspheming my name in the land I've given to my saints. 105:15
I've commanded Joseph Smith, Jun. to lead my young and middle-aged warriors to throw down the towers of my enemies and scatter their watchmen. 105:16
And the armies of Israel will take possession of these lands and throw down the towers of my enemies, scatter their watchmen, and avenge me of my enemies to their third and fourth generations. 105:30
My army must become very great, so her banners are terrible to all nations. 105:31
We ask you to smite whoever tries to smite us. And fight for us. 109:28
We know you've said terrible things about the wicked in the last days. 109:45
Deliver us from the calamity of the wicked on the day of burning. 109:46
Bare your arm, O Lord. 109:51
Let your anger waste them away. 109:52
Vengeance will come soon to everyone on earth - a day of wrath, burning, weeping, mourning, and a whirlwind everywhere on earth. 112:24
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, and whoever doesn't believe and isn't baptized will be damned. 112:29
Get angry with our enemies and avenge us with your sword. 121:5
And in a few years, not one of them or their posterity will be left to stand by the wall. 121:15
It'd be better for them to be drowned with a millstone around their necks. 121:22
They are generation of vipers who will all be damned to hell. 121:23
But if not, there will be cursings, indignation, and judgments on your heads for all of your follies and abominations. 124:48
I'll visit on the heads of those who hinder my work - to the third and fouth generation. 124:50
They will pay with wailing, anguish, and gnashing of teeth upon their heads to the third and fourth generations. 124:52
I, the Lord, have a scourge prepared for the inhabitants of that city. 124:83
Let Sidney [Rigdon] lift up his voice like a trump to warn everyone on earth of the wrath to come. 124:106
This is an everlasting covenant. Those who do not accept it are damned. No one who rejects this covenant may enter into my glory. 132:4
The law was instituted for the fulness of my glory. Abide by it or be damned, says the Lord God. 132:6
Those who commit blasphemy against the Holy Ghost or commit murder will be damned. 132:27
I commanded Abraham to kill his son Isaac as a sacrifice to me, even though I also said, "Don't kill." But Abraham didn't refuse to kill his son for me, and he was righteous for it. 132:36
You [Joseph Smith] asked me [God] about adultery. Here is my answer: If a man receives a wife in the new and everlasting covenant, and if she has sex with another man that I haven't appointed to her, then she has committed adultery and must be killed. 132:41
Here is a commandment to Emma Smith, your wife that I gave to you:Â Accept all those I have given to Joseph [Smith], and who are virtuous and pure. Those who aren't pure, but claimed to be pure, will be destroyed. 132:51-52
Emma Smith: Be Joseph's wife and don't marry anyone else. If you don't obey this commandment, you will be destroyed. 132:54
But if any of these ten virgins after they are married to one man, has sex with another man, she has committed adultery and shall be destroyed. Wives are given to a man to produce children. 132:63
If a man has a wife, who he has taught this law to, and yet she refuses to believe or obey that law, then she must be destroyed. I will destroy her. 132:64
Don't hurry, but don't look back or you'll be destroyed. 133:15
The Lord will be dressed in red garments. 133:48
And he'll say: "I've troddent the wine-press alone." 133:50
I've trample them in my fury. I've tread on them in my anger. I've sprinkle their blood on my garments. 133:51
Someday the Lord will burn all the wicked people. 133:64
I killed all the fish in the rivers and sea and made them stink. 133:68
They will go into the outer darkness where there is weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth. 133:73
Your testimony has been rejected by the nation that has driven you out Now they will pay for it with calamity and sorrow, unless they repent. 136:34-35

Joseph Smith - Matthew

The end of the world will be especially bad for nursing mothers. 1:16
It be just like it was in the days of Noah. Everyone ate and drank and got married. Then the flood came and drowned them all. That's how it'll be when I come. 1:41-43
I'll cut him down and punish him with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 1:54

Cruelty & Violence in the The Mormon Scriptures

1 Nephi

2 Nephi

Jacob

Words of Mormon

Mosiah

Alma

Helaman

3 Nephi

Ether

Moroni

The Book of Abraham

Doctrine & Covenants

Joseph Smith - Matthew

old testament

new testament

apochrypha

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