Persecution of early Mormons underscores error in U.S. ban of Muslims


http://www.sltrib.com/news/5200919-155/mormons-were-banned-so-dont-do


I've always thought the Mormons were "persecuted" because of what they did, not what they believed. I thought they were luring people into polygamy using religion and that was the main reason they were run out of town. Am I looking at the issue too simply?

Well, sure, but...

Their beliefs motivated their actions.
So it's a bit of both :)

I think just their overall dickishness played a huge role.

Exactly! They were kicked out of New York, Ohio, Illinois, Missouri, etc. America has been very tolerant of religion. Just about every religion. Protestants, Catholics, Baptists, Jews, Quakers, JV's, Scientologists, Moonies, Sikhs, etc. Hell, there's huge Muslim communities back east.
Mormons pissed off every decent neighbor wherever they settled. There's a reason they had to move to a Territory instead of a state.
They were lying, thieving assholes. Persecution? Nah.Karma.

They were doing a lot of counterfeiting, raiding livestock, and burning down peoples' barns.