Inside Mitchell's Head; General Anatomy of 'One Mighty and Strong' Fanaticism

Brian Mitchell
Kidnapped Elizabeth Smart

See also
In the Name of God: Mormon's belief in personal revelation can lead some to divine illusions - Article by Peggy Fletcher Stack in the Salt Lake Tribune, March 22, drawing on an interview with Sterling Allan and other essays presented here.

by Sterling D. Allan
© Greater Things
March 18, 2003

Brief Primer on the "One Mighty and Strong"

Mitchell is not the only one who thinks he is the One Mighty and Strong. He certainly is not alone in believing there will come such a person. But the extreme he went to should not be seen as representative of what might be expected from others who either believe they are the One Mighty and Strong, or who believe there will come such a person.

The world is wondering how a religious fanatic in our day could kidnap a child, to whom they have no biological connection, and ascribe the hijacking of a family to the will of God.

Personal revelation gone amuck.

The most anomalous and obvious culprit in Mitchell's paradigm is that he considers himself to be the One Might and Strong, from which belief spring the purported revelation to do what he did. Most people outside the Mormon world have never heard this terminology.

What is this "One Mighty and Strong?"

Short answer: He is sent to "set in order the house of God" (per Doctrine and Covenant 85 and also 3 Nephi 21:8-11; drawing from Isaiah 52) . . .

Implication: the house of God is out of order.

Other names: Davidic Servant, Davidic King.

Variations: Lamanite Prophet; not just one person but many -- 144,000 quorum of ones mighty and strong.

Among the LDS, the "one mighty and strong" belief is confined to a fringe segment of members and former members and offshoot groups (mainly the latter), though it does manifest itself in a varied form in other denominations from Christian, to Jewish, to Muslim, etc.

Muslim Counterpart: Imam Mahde

Jewish Counterpart: Messiah

LDS and Christian Mainstream's Preferred Interpretation: Jesus Christ himself at his second coming.

Most LDS fundamentalist groups probably view their leader, if they have one, as being the One Mighty and Strong prophesied.

Usual interpretation by those among the LDS fringe who study & believe is that the Davidic Servant will come from without the LDS church leadership.

Ministry precedent: Any prophet, any time, as recorded in scripture; as well as Jesus Christ. (Including their deeds, especially bringing forth revelation to the world, but also things such as being a martyr, or even killing for the sake of the truth, such as Nephi and Laban, or even Abraham and Isaac.)

Persecution by those he came to minister to is a primary consideration that validates the mindset, as being "marred" is a key factor in the germane prophecies.

Parallel scenarios: Jews at time of Jesus on parallel with Mormons and Davidic Servant.
Jews established by Moses were in a state of general apostasy (not complete, but nearly so). Jesus comes along, preaches for three years; is crucified by Jews; kingdom is taken to Gentiles, by a core of converted Jews. Mormons established by Joseph Smith, fall into a state of general apostasy (not complete, but nearly so). Davidic Servant comes along, preaches among them, is marred by them; kingdom is taken from Mormons (Gentiles) and restored to true spiritual Israel.

Latter-day ministry of Davidic Servant among the Mormons is akin to Jesus' ministry among the Jews.

Context of Davidic Servant ministry: general apostasy of LDS Church.

Approximate percentage of LDS membership (numbering ~11 million) that have studied the prophecies of the Davidic Servant to some extent and believe in them to some extent: 1 percent (110,000). Percentage of those who at some point firmly believed, or who still believe, that they themselves are the one mighty and strong: 1 percent (1,100). Approximate number who come to believe so strongly that it becomes the primary focus of their existence for several years: 100.

[See note below regarding all statistics and other percentage estimates reported here.]

Most LDS fundamentalist offshoot groups foster some form of belief regarding One Mighty and Strong, and are not included in the above estimates. Of these offshoot groups, the number of people who believe there will be a One Mighty and Strong is probably around 200,000. And among them, the percentage of those who think that they themselves are the One Mighty and Strong would be higher, such as 5%, compared to the percentage mentioned regarding the general LDS fringe mentioned above.

Approximate number who are capable or inclined to do something like what Mitchell did: 10-20.

Worldwide, of all Christian denominations, of those who believe that there will arise a Davidic Servant, percentage who believe he will be Jesus Christ: 90%.

Among LDS, of those who believe that there will arise a Davidic Servant, percentage who believe he will be Jesus Christ: 75%.

Among the LDS fringe (100,000) and fundamentalist offshoots (200,000) [for total of 300,000], percentage who believe there will arise a Davidic Servant: 95%.

Of those,
- the percentage who believe he will be Jesus Christ at his second coming in glory: 5%.
- percentage who believe he will be a "Lamanite" (north or south American native) prophet: 25%
- percentage who believe he will come from within LDS leadership: 5%
- percentage who believe he will be a former Mormon: 50%
- percentage who believe the person will be female: 0.1%
- percentage who believe he will practice polygamy and restore polygamy: 80%
- percentage who anticipate that he will show polygamy to be a deception: 5%
- percentage who believe that the ministry is actually a quorum of "ones mighty and strong" though there might be one in particular: 10%
- percentage who believe the person is an aggregate of many working together, and not one person in particular: 2%
- percentage who believe he is on a parallel today among the Mormons as Jesus was anciently among the Jews: 75%
- percentage who believe his ministry will be concurrent with national and global upheaval: 99.9%
- percentage who believe he will set the Mormon church straight: 95%
- percentage who believe he will install new Mormon leadership: 85%
- percentage who believe he will take what "remnant" is left in the Mormon church with him to a new entity, while the existing Mormon church continues to deteriorate ad infinitum: 15%
- percentage who expect him to play a role in restoring the U.S. Constitution: 95%
- percentage who expect him to be included in a new government leadership: 80%
- percentage who expect his ministry of overturning will be focused with the United States: 90%
- percentage who themselves live in the United States: 90%
- percentage who themselves live in Utah/Idaho/Arizona (Brigham Young's Deseret): 45%
- percentage who themselves live in or near Missouri (believing it will be the New Jerusalem): 20%
- percentage who believe he will be other than Christian or Mormon: 1%
- percentage who see his role as having significant political overtones: 85%
- percentage who believe he will be well-accepted in the world prior to the reign of peace: 0.1%
- percentage who see his role as being primary in commencing a worldwide reign of peace: 99%
- percentage who would not be surprised to see acts of violence perpetrated by him in associate with his role: 10%
- percentage who would see such acts of violence as wholly inconsistent with his role: 85%
- percentage who are politically ultra conservative: 90%
- percentage who would be ready to die for the cause of the kingdom of God: 90%
- percentage who live within 10% of the "poverty" level in the United States: 80%
- percentage who are homeless: 2%
- percentage who are home owners: 40%
- percentage who home school their children: 20%
- percentage who are in favor of home schooling: 90%
- percentage who own guns: 98%
- percentage who prefer conservative third party candidates if available, rather than Republican or Democrat: 60%
- percentage who vote mostly Republican: 80%
- percentage who vote mostly Democrat: 3%
- percentage who do not vote, seeing all options as unsavory; or futile: 15%
- percentage who do not agree with socialist principles of redistribution of wealth by force of government: 90%
- percentage who favor a voluntary program for taking care of the poor: 98%
- percentage who are in favor of being ecologically minded: 85%
- percentage who are health conscious, studying alternative modes of healing: 90%
- percentage who spend time and money frequently in frivolous activities: 5%
- percentage who would have been in favor of LaVerkin Utah's vote against having U.N officers come to LaVerkin to exercise any kind of authority: 95%
- percentage who believe President Bush is part of a global conspiracy to establish world socialist government (New World Order): 75%
- percentage who believe President Bush could turn around and be part of a transformation that would evoke a repentance clause thereby turning away or lessening destructions otherwise prophesied: 5%
- percentage who are sympathetic with Mitchell's kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart: 0.01%
- percentage who think the media attention on Mitchell will fuel his belief that he is the One Mighty and Strong: 90%
- percentage who would be in agreement with most of Mitchell's "Manifesto": 90%
- percentage who view the current LDS leadership as having yet a thread of legitimacy: 50%
- percentage who would attend the LDS Temple regularly if they were permitted: 85%
- percentage who would get in trouble if they were to voice their heartfelt views in the typical LDS Sunday School class: 95%
- percentage who have read and admire Avraham Gileadi's work on Isaiah: 80%
- percentage who have read admire Cleon Skousen's work on the Constitution: 95%
- percentage who admired Ezra Taft Benson: 95%
- percentage who admire Gordon B. Hinckley: 25%
- percentage who think Gordon B. Hinckley is functioning fully as a "prophet, seer, revelator": 5%
- percentage who thought Ezra Taft Benson functioned fully as a "prophet, seer, revelator": 10%
- percentage who think the one mighty and strong will function fully as a "prophet, seer, revelator": 99.9%
- percentage who knew of C. Samuel West and Lymphology: 10%
- percentage who read Betty Eadie's book and liked it: 90%
- percentage who read Rick Joyner's "The Final Quest": 15%
- percentage who revere the Book of Mormon to be the word of God as is the Bible: 99%
- percentage who revere Jesus Christ as the Savior of mankind: 99%
- percentage who believe that mankind's destiny is to become as God: 99%
- percentage who believe in a heavenly mother: 99%
- percentage who believe that Adam was God come in the flesh to begin humankind: 45%
- percentage who believe that Jesus will come again, this time in glory: 99%
- percentage who have actively and personally studied the book of Isaiah: 95%
- percentage who could say they have received personal revelation from God: 99.9%
- percentage who have done "crazy" (of their own admission later in life) deeds in the name of following a revelation: 80%
- percentage who will admit that their "revelations" have been off at times: 95%
- percentage who believe everyone is entitled to revelation: 99.9%
- percentage who are active in the LDS Church and hold a temple recommend: 10%
- percentage who are "independents," not being actively affiliated with any particular religious body: 20%
- percentage who believe the U.S. will soon come under Marshall law and the "mark of the beast" set in place, without with a person cannot buy or sell, the refusal to take such a mark being death: 65%
- percentage who believe the social security number is a precursor to the mark of the beast: 85%
- percentage who believe there are UFO's: 95%
- percentage who believe UFO's play a prominent role in the one mighty and strong mission: 5%
- percentage who have written at least one letter to the LDS first presidency: 80%.
- percentage who have held LDS leadership positions of Bishop or above: 5%
- percentage who are or who have been LDS General Authorities: 0.01%

Percentage of LDS General Authorities who believe there will be "one mighty and strong" come from without the ranks of LDS leadership to set in order the house of God: 1%

Percentage of LDS General Authorities who believe the house of God is out of order: 5%

Percentage of LDS General Authorities who would likely be replaced if the house was set in order: 98%

Percentage of U.S. Congressman who would likely be replaced if the country were set in order, being restored to principles of freedom and individual responsibility and not of government dole: 95%

How ready the Country is for such a setting in order: 25%

How ready the Mormon church is to be set in order: 25%

One thing to bear in mind is that these numbers fluctuate, and a person's individual belief on the matter also fluctuates.

Going Over the Edge

This still doesn't answer the question as to what would drive Mitchell to do what he did in the case of kidnapping and brainwashing Elizabeth Smart.

By way of speculation, that can be answered quite simply -- Abrahamic Trial.

There is this perception that in order to inherit the blessings of Abraham, the great patriarch, one must pass an Abrahamic trial of faith.

God tells you to do something that seems so absolutely ridiculous, and yet you prove your obedience by doing it anyway.

Once you think "this is my test," and you believe the test was given of God, and you use the Abraham offering up Isaac story as your precedent, then you can justify just about any behavior, no matter how outlandish; in fact to some extent, the more outlandish the better, if you take this phenomenon to its extreme.

I personally have a real problem with this idea.

I do not believe that God would request that you go against your conscience in the name of following God. That is so contradictory. Somehow, Mitchell stepped over that line and did not let his conscience call him into check. Stark reality was not a strong enough buffer for the spiritual rational he had somehow composed in his head.

Sincerely,

Sterling D. Allan

Endnotes

[March 18 NOTE: The estimates given above are completely unscientific and are only guesses based on observation of one person (who for nearly a decade believed he was the one mighty and strong prophesied to come, and hence kept a keen eye on the phenomenon).]
[March 20 NOTE: After 24 hours, the response among several hundred recipients who were asked to review these estimates has been mainly silence, which implies general concurrence with these estimates.]

Original Posting of this Survey > Inside Mitchell's Head; General Anatomy of Fanaticism - archived at YahooGroups.com

Photos Circulated During Kidnapping

See also