Page "Religious violence" Paragraph 58

Mormonism had an early history of violence.

This began with religious persecution by well respected citizens, law enforcement, and government officials.

Ultimately such persecution lead to several historically well-known acts of violence.

These range from attacks on early Mormons, such as the Haun's Mill massacre following the Mormon Extermination Order to one of the most controversial and well-known cases of retaliation violence, the Mountain Meadows massacre.

This was the result of an unprovoked response to religious persecution whereby an innocent party traveling through Mormon occupied territory was attacked on September 11, 1857.

Since this turbulent beginning, most conflicts in relation to Mormonism have been isolated and have little or no historical significance.