Depending on your POV, all that and more.

Brigham Young was a lot like Stalin. He stole. He murdered...ordered others to murder for him. Ruled by fear and terror. Yet, because of his propaganda machine, most Russians thought of him like we think of God or Jesus, or Joseph Smith.

Stalin murdered millions, mostly innocent, people. But, he gave all Russian children free education, free health care to all, pensions for the old. Before that, only the rich could read and write, and had access to doctors. Brigham Young didn't murder millions, just dozens that we know of. But, he also "built" things that benefited people; mostly himself and his own family and friends. Brigham Young is very similar to a "President for Life" in Africa or Latin America. They steal from the people, and give a little back to them.

Definite psychopath.

When I lived in SLC, I found on a dusty shelf at the Deseret Bookstore,a book supposted to be written by Joseph Smith. Of course he was Illiterate, so am sure it was dictated. As I have a background in Behavioral Science & Psycholotherapy, I quickly realized this guy was an Extreme Narcissist & probably a sociopath with delusions of Grandeur. He bragged about his sexual stamina,and generally how great he was. I am sure the Church had no Idea this book was out there. Brigham Young IMO was much worse, because he had no problem Murdering and cruelly treating even his own people.In the 3 years of my Practice in SLC ,I heard many strange things the Mormans believe, it is Sad how deceived the LDS Woman are as they are excluded from much of the priesthood meetings where wierd beliefs are revealed. Most women are deceived into believing Mormonism is just a better version of traditional Christianity, which could not be further from the truth!

BY is the poster boy for everything that's wrong with Mormonism.

That's why his name is on their institutions of higher learning.

All of the above (and then some) except "benevolent."
That doesn't fit him at all.

Brigand Jung, psycho the rapist.

Brigham Young definitely had a strong ego and a huge amount of partially justified confidence. Unlike Joseph Smith, he wasn't particularly narcissistic. He was shrewd enough to play on the narcissism of others.

Since the height of Young's power coincided with a virtual state of war against the Mormon leadership, I'd place him in the category of the typical wartime dictator. Strongly loyal to a fantasized image of his people, while making unreasonable demands on them. A lot like Napoleon, Wilson, or Churchill. Could also be compared to certain other functionaries like Albert Speer or Henry Morgenthau Jr. Not particularly scrupulous, mostly concerned with getting the job done. In conclusion, stay out of his way!

I would blame the martyrdom on Brigham. Joseph was in his way.

Horn dog... Study how Amelia led him around by his you-know-what in those last years...

He was an early practitioner of "Mencken's Law"--you all know that one, first described by a brilliant journalist in the early part of the last century.

"Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public."

Or overestimating the guillability of some people.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/05/2015 01:41AM by SL Cabbie.

I'll go with petty tyrant and megalomaniac.

He is also considered the organizer who could pull off the trek across the plains to Utah. Joseph, it's been said, had he lived to make the migration west wouldn't have settled in Utah, but kept going west to colorful California - which would've suited his personality better than the rugged frontiersman that was Brigham.

They both got rich off the donations of their sheeple, and both lived like kings. It's said after Joseph died, Brigham tried tricking one of Joe's young sons into taking a loaded, spring type weapon that Brigham hoped the young boy would accidentally kill himself to remove him as a rival to the "throne."

He and Emma sued each other over Joe's considerable holdings - all he owned was in his name only. (Naturally....) Emma won out as his wife. Brigham remained on the take after usurping Joe's power to himself. Lovely bunch of tyrants, weren't they?

At least Brigham didn't take other men's wives. But he married quite a few of Joseph's after his death. Greedy lustful men that they were. And yet their women were just fine with polygamy (except for Emma.) I cannot understand their mentality for the life of me.

Here's one example

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zina_D._H._Young

Zina was still married to Henry Jacobs when Briggy took her as a plural wife.

He just conveniently sidestepped that Great Ten Commandment, "Thou shalt not commit adultery," and another, "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's [fill in the blank...] ass."

Yeah, he was some profit, not. Demented and fermented, but definitely not a man after God's heart.

The first three you listed are close to the truth.

power corrupts.
absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Brigham Young ...

In BY's defense, he didn't have access to the mountain of evidence proving the BoA and BoM are fake that today's leaders have. But he was an alpha dog with lots of bitches.

At a recent family gathering, I told my sis in law that BY is a filthy pig. That stopped our conversation cold. She was shocked into silence. Then she just walked off and talked to someone else.

Too bad no one else heard me. I wanted to shout it. And then laugh my ass off. :)

Pioneer of the American west

How the West was won - with extreme prejudice.

If ChurchCo was actually interested in truthfulness, they'd rename the university to Juanita Brooks University;

Big Chance on that, 'eh?