Was Persecution in Missouri Inevitable? Ep. 18

How much was the expulsion of the Saints from Jackson County, Missouri their own fault? Could the early Latter-day Saints have built Zion peacefully, or was persecution inevitable once they claimed Missouri as their divine inheritance? When a peaceful people are threatened and driven from their homes, at what point does “turn the other cheek” end and self-defense begin? Our hosts travel to Independence, Missouri to examine the explosive early conflict over the establishment of Zion. The Saints, fresh from gathering to Ohio, poured into the frontier settlement with a sense of divine destiny, believing they were building the literal place where Christ would return. Historian Matt Godfrey explains how this rapid influx quickly created intense friction with the existing Missouri settlers. and explores the multiple causes of the growing hostility: the Saints’ belief that God had given them the land, their outspoken claims of divine favor, their different cultural and religious practices, and especially their northern, anti-slavery background. Was Persecution in Missouri Inevitable? Ep. 18 0:00 At Independence Missouri the trio discuss Zion 1:03 Title Sequence 1:35 What is Zion? 3:20 John interviews Matt Godfrey about Zion 5:52 Contention in Missouri 7:26 Independence Visitor’s Center 9:36 Brother Godfrey addresses Missouri hostility & slavery 11:15 The trio discuss the Saint’s removal from Missouri 12:18 Brother Godfrey discusses Missouri violence