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Mormons Quote by Jack Black

“There was a legend on the road that the Mormon Tabernacle in Salt Lake City was a veritable storehouse of gold, silver, and precious stones and it was this that lured Smiler back to that city. At that time a high adobe wall surrounded the block on which stood the Tabernacle and the then unfinished…” quote by Jack Black
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““There was a legend on the road that the Mormon Tabernacle in Salt Lake City was a veritable storehouse of gold, silver, and precious stones and it was this that lured Smiler back to that city. At that time a high adobe wall surrounded the block on which stood the Tabernacle and the then unfinished Mormon Temple. We looked it over for several days and nights but could get nothing tangible to work on. Sunday we attended services and the plate was to be seen, silver and gold; more than we could carry away if we got it. At last we decided to go over the wall and give the place a good reconnaissance. If it looked feasible we could get a couple of other idle burglars and give it a thorough looting. On top of the wall we pulled up our light ladder and placed it inside. Smiler went down first. I barely had my feet off the ladder when a dozen men rose up out of the shrubbery armed with shotguns, and surrounded us. We stood still by the wall. One of them spoke, sternly, evenly: “Go back over that wall.” Little we knew the Mormons. We went up the ladder, pulled it up, and went down and away. When Smiler’s good humor returned he held up his hand. “Kid, I’ll never try to rob another Mormon. I’ll go to work first.””

Jack Black

About This Quote

Source Short story “The Mormon Heist” (fictional anecdote), 2015

A comedic tale of a failed burglary attempt thwarted by unexpected armed resistance.

In simple terms: A botched robbery ends with a moral lesson.

Key Takeaway

Respect property and consider honest work over crime.

Themes

crime humor morality surprise

Mood

ironic lighthearted cautionary

Type

narrative humorous

When to use this quote

  • planning a heist
  • encountering unexpected security
  • learning from failure

Key Concepts

ethical dilemma consequences cultural misunderstanding

Questions to Reflect On

  • What would you have done differently?
  • How does humor affect perception of wrongdoing?
A Different Perspective

May romanticize criminal attempts.

4.2 out of 5 (10 ratings)

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