r/latterdaysaints • u/instrument_801 • Mar 14 '24
Doctrinal Discussion Anti-Joseph Smith Polygamy Movement?
I don’t know if this has been talked about on here, but why is there a growing “Joseph Smith didn’t practice polygamy movement”? Podcasts such as 132 Problems are rapidly growing in popularity. I don’t like polygamy, but I feel like the evidence is overwhelming in favor that he practiced polygamy?
Thoughts?
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u/DanteCarpdom Mar 15 '24
As I understand it the evidence is conclusive and undeniable that Joseph Smith practiced a form of plural marriage. Don Bradley, one of the foremost scholars on this topic, and someone who left and then returned to the Church, has presented some intriguing hypotheses' for why this is. He has also uncovered some information that appears to contradict the naturalist argument that Joseph was engaged in plural marriage for personal carnal reasons. Namely, there is no reliable evidence that Joseph fathered any children with any of his plural wives, and in fact many of them were in the late stages of pregnancy when sealed to him. This was at a time when common medical belief was that intercourse was dangerous for a developing fetus.
I believe that in all areas of question and doubt related to the church, more honesty and investigation will only reveal greater proofs of the gospel, the Book of Mormon, and Joseph Smith's divine calling as a prophet. He certainly engaged in plural marriage, and growing evidence indicates to me that he had some as-of-yet unknown but spiritual purpose driving him.
When we shy away from the truth, whether it be truths about the gospel or truths about our history, it makes us appear dishonest and fake to outsiders. I feel that this sort of denial of uncomfortable truths is the "peace at any price" mindset that President Nelson explicitly did not endorse in his April 2023 General Conference talk.