I drove cross country once starting in LA.
In the middle of the desert, far away from any sign of civilization, was a little pull off and I needed a place to stretch my legs.
It was literally just like 5-10 parking spots and a tiny historical plaque on an overlook.
So I read the sign. Apparently when Mormons were looking for their promised land, they came across an abandoned Native settlement filled with dead bodies and one lone survivor who spoke English.
The Native told them the water was poisoned by something, and had killed the whole tribe.
The Mormons celebrated because "God had given them a home" and immediately drank out of the well because they thought God had smited the Natives because he knew they were coming, and then immediately unsmited the water for them.
A bunch of them died and they moved a little farther on and founded Salt Lake City.
I've always wondered if the survivors really kept believing in Joseph Smith after that, or they just knew their chances of survival was zero if the group abandoned them out.
But shit like this makes me think they never stopped believing in stupid shit and regardless of any outcome they'll say it's God plan and celebrate it.
We really need less blind faith in religion