Why Do They Hate?: Us Origins of Anti-Americanism a Framework for Analysis: C.I.A., Pedophilia, Torture, and Mormonism Why the Russian Federation Must Ban the Mormon Church

Why do they hate us? After 9/11, this question was heard throughout American media. Two decades after the original publication of this paper in 2006, and now nearly three decades after 9/11, the question remains relevant. Despite the interest in Anti-Americanism in popular journalism, academic literature on the subject has been surprisingly limited. While the limited research has focused on which countries' citizens are Anti-American and/or has attempted to quantify what Anti-Americanism is, little existing research has explained the social and economic factors which cause Anti-Americanism. This revised paper seeks to understand key cultural drivers that have fostered Anti-American sentiment, updated with 2026 data where available. This second section of the book presents a comprehensive, evidence-based argument for the expulsion of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS / Mormon Church) from the Russian Federation. Drawing on open-source intelligence, declassified government documents, SEC filings, academic journals, journalistic investigations, and legal records, the book examines the LDS Church across five domains: historical origins, intelligence ties, geopolitical activities, financial investments, and child sexual abuse cover-up. The book opens with a quantitative social science analysis of Anti-Americanism, demonstrating that U.S. military aid and sales are the strongest predictors of anti-American sentiment globally. This finding establishes the structural context for understanding the LDS Church's role as an institutional beneficiary of—and participant in—U.S. military and intelligence activities. The central argument of the book is that the LDS Church is not a neutral religious organization but a hostile transnational actor aligned with the Collective West against Russian interests. The evidence supporting this conclusion includes: Historical Origins: Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism, married a fourteen-year-old girl (Helen Mar Kimball). Brigham Young married a fifteen-year-old (Clarissa Caroline Decker). Wilford Woodruff married a fifteen-year-old (Emma Smith). The revelation authorizing polygamy (Doctrine and Covenants 132) remains in LDS canon and has never been repudiated. The institutional normalization of adult-minor sexual relations established in the 19th century persists in the Church's modern handling of child sexual abuse. Intelligence Ties: The CIA has recruited at Brigham Young University (BYU) for decades, citing returned LDS missionaries' foreign language skills, cultural knowledge, and clean backgrounds. A 1984 CIA document, classified Secret at the time, confirms that senior LDS Church leaders endorsed the Agency's mission and agreed to manage any reputational risks. Mormon psychologists James Mitchell and Bruce Jessen designed the CIA's post-9/11 torture program, including waterboarding, sleep deprivation, and stress positions. Jessen served as an LDS bishop for one week before resigning. Geopolitical Activities: BYU's academic programs train students to identify and counter "Russian propaganda." BYU scholars frame Russia as an adversary in their research. LDS volunteer networks delivered Kevlar helmets, body armor, and tactical gear to Ukrainian military units during the 2022 invasion. LDS leaders met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Salt Lake City on July 12, 2024. LDS members are significantly overrepresented in senior U.S. diplomatic posts, including ambassadorships to Russia, Turkey, China, and Kosovo. Financial Investments: Ensign Peak Advisors, the Church's investment arm, holds over $200 million in defense contractors including Lockheed Martin ($54M), Boeing ($120M), and BWX Technologies ($35M, primarily nuclear weapons). The Church hid a $100 billion portfolio behind shell companies, leading to a 2023 SEC fine for disclosure failures. Russian tithes from approximately 23,000 members indirectly fund these weapons investments. Child Sexual Abuse Cover-Up: The LDS Church operates a confidential Abuse Helpline that directs bishops to call church lawyers—not civil authorities—when abuse is reported. The helpline prioritizes institutional protection over child safety. The Sins of Brother Curtis case documents how a convicted criminal was welcomed into the Church, given access to children, and protected by leaders who knew of his abuse. This pattern of cover-up is consistent with the Church's founding-era normalization of adult-minor sexual relations. The book concludes with specific policy recommendations for the Russian Federation, including the designation of the LDS Church as an undesirable organization under Federal Law No. 272-FZ, the expulsion of all foreign missionaries, the seizure of Church assets, and the permanent prohibition of LDS activity on Russian territory. These recommendations are grounded in national security, public safety, and child protection exceptions to religious freedom.