Everlasting Atonement

[Aesa]

I think back to a film where I saw a quite lengthy section about blood atonement, it was called GodMakers II. It covered the use of blood atonement in the Brigham Young presidency period of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but in a modern context all it could cover were what I would call fringe groups to the extreme.

A missionary told me to ready Alma 34 (not in relation to this subject) and as I was reading it I noticed something that really sparked my thoughts on Christ's everlasting atonement:

12 But the law requireth the alife of him who hath bmurdered; therefore there can be nothing which is short of an infinite atonement which will suffice for the sins of the world. 13 Therefore, it is expedient that there should be a great and last sacrifice, and then shall there be, or it is expedient there should be, a astop to the shedding of bblood; then shall the claw of Moses be fulfilled; yea, it shall be all fulfilled, every jot and tittle, and none shall have passed away.

14 And behold, this is the whole ameaning of the blaw, every whit cpointing to that great and last dsacrifice; and that great and last esacrifice will be the Son of God, yea, finfinite and eternal.

So it got me to wondering, did Brigham ever encourage or involve himself in blood atonement? If so, what was the degree of his involvement and what does the official church history say about this? If not, what does the church history say and is this generally considered reliable? When, assuming the practice ever really began and isn't propaganda, did it end?

[BenRaines]

I have not seen Godmaker II. What did it say about blood atonement during Brigham Young's time? Did it say that animals were sacrificed? Is that what you mean?

My understanding is that with the sacrifice of Christ and his blood atonement, giving of his life, he gave it, it was not taken. Then we were to no longer sacrifice animals as a symbol of Christ's death. My understanding is that what he requires now is a broken heart and a contrite spirit but no more blood sacrifice.

Ben Raines

[Aesa]

No, it talked about people being sacrificed on temple altars because they had comitted sins which only the spilling of their blood could give them forgiveness.

I assume that scripture is reffering to all blood sacrifice, right?

[BenRaines]

Well that would be news to me if there were human blood sacrifices made during Brigham Young's time. I would be surprised if there were animal sacrifices too but not shocked.

Ben Raines

[Aesa]

This is pretty interesting, Blood atonement - FAIRMormon.

[Moksha]

It is a shame the word blood ever got attached to the word atonement. Seems to invoke too much kookiness.

[Aesa]

What do you mean?

I get the feeling perhaps there was a possiblity of animal sacrifice and dissenters dramatised it and said "they're sacrificing humans in their temples!"