Why do Mormons Revere Abraham Lincoln?

Was "Honest Abe" the Great Emancipator who preserved the Union, as some church leaders have taught? An honest review of history suggests otherwise.

[mmisbach]

One of the best Sunday Musings ever! Thank Connor for all you do and stand for. We appreciate your efforts.

[freethinker]

You’re always amazing with your musings. I’m an avid reader and love history but you surpass or add to my personal studies so much. Thank you. I am born and reared in the South and we were always taught State Rights was the cause of the Civil War. And, it had a lot to do with cotton which the South cultivated with hard work, innovation and many farms used slaves. The North then sold it to Europe through their shipping ports and made most of the profit while locking the Farmers out of it. The slavery issue was meant to punish the South for daring to try and by pass the North mercantile trade and develop their own markets. Books on the Cotton Revolution detail that history. Someone threw slavery in as a way to justify the war.

It’s amazing to me the lack of curiosity people suffer from but won’t even allow those with it to share their learning for any discussion. Fear of change is my guess.

[MaryW]

Thanks so much for getting this truth out there for all to learn! I always cringe when people put Lincoln on a pedestal because they show they don't know the true history about him. Justice is the Lord's and he knows what his motivation was. His fruit of taking states individual strength away and giving power to Fed gov says it all. Keep up the truth telling even though public educated people won't understand it without unlearning the narrative.

[LawrenceTaylor-rxjz]

“The Living Lincoln” by Angle and Mier is a book of Lincoln’s actual writing and speeches during his life, but highly focused on his time as President. Lincoln’s own writings and speeches absolutely destroy the narrative of “Lincoln the Great Emancipator.”

[rodman]

I’m weary of the reframing of history that is so prevalent today. The narrative today seems to favor re-examining all that we’ve been taught about historical figures so that we can understand that none were heroes because of their mortal flaws. The ones who want to do this feel a need to re-educate us with all the truth. So here’s what I think is being missed by most all re-framers today. We know they weren’t perfect. We know they had flaws. In light of all this, is it possible that some of their acts were worthy of greatness? Is it possible that they were led by God? Is it possible they were worthy of praise rather than bringing them down to the lowest common denominator? My answer to these questions is YES.

[LatterdayLamanite]

The title should probably read "most Mormons" or at least "many Mormons." Some of us are awake and have been for a while.

[JereKrischel]

Sadly Abraham Lincoln's reputation is mostly undeserved. The man started the war of Northern Aggression, and we are lucky that abolitionists co-opted it to stop slavery once and for all. Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation didn't free Union slaves (yup, there were four Union slave states throughout the entire war), and Lincoln was willing to preserve union by making slavery permanent.

[jarenthompson]

I used to revere Lincoln bc of being brainwashed by modern education. When I woke up to the current conspiracy in government (secret combinations), I had to revisit history and learned just how bad & oppressive & tyrannical Lincoln was (i do give him props for the green back).
The Saints in those days did not like, or support Lincoln. Abe had plenty of chances to stop the persecution of the Church, but refused.

[oshemer]

There’s a lot of good points raised here. Lincoln, I think, is a bit of a mixed bag. I do think this video ignores some key factors and sets up a bit of a straw man argument as a result. Regardless of all the nuance, before Lincoln there was slavery, and after him, there was none. The video overlooks why the South seceded from the Union: Lincoln wanted to ban slavery expansion in the west. That’s what he ran on. Even after Lincoln offered this alternate thirteenth amendment mentioned in the video the South was not willing to have slavery opposed one bit. I think Lincoln was instrumental in the ending of slavery much like Trump is responsible for ending Roe v. Wade. Both may have not been particular passionate about the topic, but the political expediency pushed the issue more than what many might have supposed.

One other point, Heber Grant may have pushed prohibition more than I would’ve liked, but he was spot on with his dislike of FDR and the New Deal.

[kevinparkin]

This musing is about something much broader, much more significant than Abraham Lincoln. The 2005 movie, The Upside Of Anger, illustrates the danger, the mistake, the immaturity, the self-righteousness of drawing conclusions before all the facts are in. Collectively, we have drawn conclusions about Lincoln, Columbus, the Japanese High Command, Atila, King Herod and our next door neighbors without knowing 'all the facts'. Connor instructs us about some negative 'facts' regarding Lincoln that I did not previously know; and he warns us about complicity in the White Wash of history.

Alternately, the 'bad guy' in The Upside Of Anger turned out to be the good guy, which the audience realizes, at the movie's end, once all the facts were in. Consider Judas Iscariot; some people think that Jesus instructed Judas to identify him to the Roman guards, as a priesthood assignment, to accelerate Jesus' mission as Redeemer. The bad guy might actually be the good guy. Lucky for us, the person governing our Final Judgement will have All The Facts.

[l]

7 28 24
Connor! One of Your best and absolutely terrific content!
I'm a Virginian (roots to early 18th cent), who happened to grow up (attend government schools) in the heart of Ohio. Your clarification and bold stating of what I've always understood to be actual is oddly a relief.
Having lived here in SC for a while now, and living the ongoing and intensifying crumble of these United States, I've noted the referenced books for "storage" for the darker times to come.📕
Btw, I hav to smile at Your omitting those middle initials😉.
Do You have a suggested reading list?

[blenders]

thats why citing quoting others who quote cite others who cited others etc…is highly problematic and can easily entangle authority into falsehoods and misleading sheep that fails to see or look any further but the butt and tail of the next sheep over, as the herd moves closer to the detrimental ravin. The metaphor for people who take other people’s word for truth that was only based however on false stories passed down.

[shootergavin]

I don't revere any US president in the second half of the 19th century who did not defend the LDS First Amendment right to practice their religion in regards to polygamy. They were all cowards.

[jeb]

Wow... I had no idea. Thank you for opening my eyes to this

[petertaylorpedro]

Great musing! The victors truly do get to write the history books. I came across the true Lincoln many years ago as well. Thus nation needs more of the spirit of 76!

So many ironies with this and the church.

[AlanWhite-adhdlds]

While I personally don't revere lincoln, I am worried about some people adopting the "lost cause" myth. Checkmate lincolnites is a great youtube show discussing these ideas while still not conforming to neo confederate ideals.

[lindagale]

Thank you for this overview of Lincoln. Someone in a comment on a video about "other lives" said that he was Lincoln's stand-in when the stress was too much for Lincoln to bear. So I asked him why he didn't simply purchase the freedom of the slaves instead of embroiling the whole nation in such a destructive war? His reply was something along the line of: why are you still bothered by what Lincoln didn't do all those years ago? I was gob-smacked by his non-answer.

[seaofglass]

A dear friend and I are complete ballet history nerds. About 10 years ago he told me he was doing temple for for Anna Pavlova, Serge Diaghilev, George Balanchine, Vaslav Nijinski and several others. I wasn't sure what to think at the time. I guess they have been offered the gift in their next life and they can choose to accept as they are ready.

[dscott]

The only thing that is weird about this video is that I didn’t hear the word “Libertarian.”

Crazy complicated topic. I’m glad I don’t pretend like I know how God judges people like Lincoln.

[taylorgifford]

Thank you for this musing Connor. I have been pilloried by members of the church and non-members alike for my criticism of Lincoln. In addition to the books you recommended I would recommend the best book I've read on the subject, "A Constitutional History of Secession" by John Remington Graham.
The nonsense about comparing Lincoln to Captain Moroni is ridiculous especially in light of the fact that arguably Lincoln wasn't even a Christian. He used the language of Christianity for political purposes. The War for Southern Independence was his war, and what he allowed His generals, especially Sherman and Sheridan to do in waging total war on the South is his responsibility. Nothing Christian about rape, murder and pillage of innocent civilians, including black slaves.