The annual Christian outreach at the Mormon Miracle Pageant in Manti, Utah concluded about 2 weeks ago. During this year’s outreach, 34 women, dressed in pioneer clothing, each took on the identity of a wife of Joseph Smith. This was a powerful visual representation that helped Mormons better understand what 34 wives actually looks like. Eric Johnson snapped a couple of photos of the actresses gathered together. In this one, rather than smiling for the camera, the women’s expressions reflect the discontent of their polygamous identities:
When this same visual representation was performed in Manti for the first time (in 2008), most Mormons were completely unaware that Joseph Smith had more than one wife. They reacted to the parade of 34 women with the accusation that the whole thing was nothing but a vile lie. Even though the Mormon Church itself has now published an essay that admits Joseph had up to 40 wives, many Mormons still do not know that Emma was but one of Joseph’s dozens of plural wives.
In this short (4-minute) video, Aaron names Joseph Smith’s wives and provides a few important facts about these women. This, too, is a powerful visual presentation.
For more information about Joseph Smith’s polygamy, check out this excellent video of Chip Thompson and Doris Hanson discussing and teaching on the topic. This video also presents a visual representation of Joseph Smith’s 34 wives – along with 11 additional husbands to whom Joseph’s plural wives were also married.
So our “chapel” Mormons tell us that this is a vile lie. Where do they go when they find out that this is not a lie but is indeed the truth? For those who aren’t familiar with the term, a “chapel” Mormon is a naive individual who believes all of the lies and obfuscation put out by the LDS church. These chapel Mormons have had the emotional buzz that comes with buying a feel good narrative.
I suppose it sounds like I’m picking on these folks but some how I have trouble viewing them as victims. The real victims are the women, some married to other men, and the adolescent girls who succumbed to Joseph Smith’s shameless manipulation and lies.
There has to be a way for these chapel Mormons to rescue their faith as expressed in the five points of the LDS canned testimony. In order to recover from “shaken faith syndrome” an explanation must be formulated. One of my favorites, as it is applied to the married women Smith married is that heavenly father had given these women to (Smith) in the pre-existence.
It’s painful to face the truth about something or someone that has been invested in so heavily.
This had to be one the best ways to get Mormons attention at Manti to the fact of how they have been fooled into joining a man made religious organization masquerading as Jesus’ Church . No doubt those who thought this was all a lie were doing so because they relied on a “testimony” which they just knew had to be from the Holy Ghost . Yet another example of the unreliability of the Mormon “testimony” , their so called “spiritual witness ” , to test the latter days prophets of Mormonism .
May God open their eyes to the fact of latter days counterfeit prophets which Jesus warned would come . Sadly , the Mormon people have let feelings override proper testing of their prophets like Joseph Smith , Brigham Young etc . 1 Jn 4:1 .
There are a lot of words to describe what Joseph Smith was up to with this but at the very least he was defrauding these women. That’s what frauds do. They defraud people. Also, when looking at the dates of his marrying these women a pattern develops. The dude was definitely on a “spree” at the end of his life; totally out of control. If he had lived, his religion would have had difficulty surviving. His death and BY taking over probably saved the sect.
I don’t know if folks have ever watched someone out-of-control destroy themselves, but it isn’t a pretty picture. Pick the vice. I’ve seen it very readily with alcoholics who end-up dead as a result of their drinking. Smith is more in line with guys like Jim Jones and David Koresh.
One thing most Mormons choose to ignore is the fact that Joseph Smith lied to them, and that LDS leaders have been lying to them for over 170 years. That’s every LDS prophet, every LDS apostle, every LDS bishop. Some of those leaders were lying to the church membership and the public because, in fact, they had been lied to by their leaders.
Do you doubt this? Then look at the Mormon Church’s recent confession of the truth at
https://www.lds.org/topics/plural-marriage-in-kirtland-and-nauvoo?lang=eng
Then compare that to published LDS “scripture”:
“Inasmuch as this church of Christ has been reproached with the crime of fornication, and polygamy; we declare that we believe that one man should have one wife; and one woman, but one husband, except in the case of death, when either is at liberty to marry again.” — Joseph Smith, 1835 Doctrine and Covenants, C1, p. 251 (1835). http://mit.irr.org/joseph-smith-statements-denying-polygamy
There’s an old adage that applies here. “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.” Mormons: How many times has it been now?…
Just a little historical fun fact. From the introduction in D&C 132.
“Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Nauvoo, Illinois, recorded July 12, 1843, relating to the new and everlasting covenant, including the eternity of the marriage covenant and the principle of plural marriage. Although the revelation was recorded in 1843, evidence indicates that some of the principles involved in this revelation were known by the Prophet as early as 1831.”
From the student manual:
“It is clear that the Prophet Joseph Smith received section 132 before it was recorded but delayed making it known. The Prophet knew the Lord’s will on plural marriage within the new and everlasting covenant probably as early as 1831 (see History of the Church, 5:xxix). ”
“The revelation was not made public until Elder Orson Pratt, under the direction of President Brigham Young, announced it at a Church conference on 29 August 1852. The revelation was placed in the Doctrine and Covenants in 1876.”
I wish I had found this myself but it comes by way of former LDS bishop Lee Baker. He said it was this that shook his faith to the foundation. I believe this may have been the last straw for Lee Baker. You might ask why? Well it’s because up until 1876 the LDS church was denying that its members practiced plural marriage. In fact, the D&C entries on marriage were all about monogamy. So what upset Lee was that the leaders of the LDS church were ignoring what was in the D&C and doing just the opposite of what was the covenant the LDS people were to follow.
His point is, who wants to follow men who don’t even follow what was in there own “sacred” doctrines and covenants. So plural marriage gets put on the books in 1876 and in 1890 by way of a manifesto, gets put on hold. Remember, plural marriage is still part of the doctrine and covenants. It’s just not practiced……….yet.
A couple of good videos. The first is 10 minutes and the second 20 minutes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-_tIuVstdQ
Interview with a couple of the wives.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNfIhPq-DB4
This issue of Joseph Smith’s polygamy , and Mormon polygamy in general , is important when looking at the Mormon church’s claim of authority . When we look at what Mormon leaders taught about polygamy , as well as the testimonies from dedicated LDS who followed them , we can get a very good picture that will come in handy when testing of the claims of authority of Mormonism is undertaken .
A foundational claim of Mormon authorities is that soon after the deaths of Jesus’ apostles a complete apostasy occurred and the results were :
– Christianity died off [ Apostasy and Restoration , 1983 p. 9 , published by the Church ] .
– The gospel of salvation was altered , corrupted , by men who mixed in their man made teachings to
it thus rendering it a false gospel . Thus for 1700 years there was darkness and salvation was not
available to man until 1830 when Joseph Smith showed up and restored / reestablished, Jesus’
gospel and church [ Mormon Doctrine p 396 ] .
Thus only Mormon leaders , since 1830 , have preached the true gospel of salvation having been commissioned and then supervised since then by Jesus Himself to teach His church body and mankind the correct identity of Himself , His Father , and what is required to gain a right relationship with them as well as a complete salvation from them . In short the Mormon church is the exact same church that Jesus established through His apostles centuries ago , with the very same gospel as Paul, for example , taught then .
These are indeed incredible claims .
But they are laced with half truths and even some outright falsehoods .
Mormon leaders inserted polygamy into Jesus’ gospel ! . Mormon leaders testified that it was an essential ordinance of the gospel and in Jesus’ church [ Joseph F. Smith , JofD. vol 20 , p28 ] .
By succumbing to that behavior Mormon leaders drifted even farther from the truth and continued to offer a ” gospel ” but not the true authentic one Jesus’ apostles ,like Paul , preached — Rom 1:16 .
Thus the verdict is clear : Mormon apostles have been tested and found guilty of preaching a counterfeit gospel and are therefore only religious men not sent by Jesus . Rev 2:2
Good interview with Lee Baker posted a month ago following this year’s Manti outreach. It’s worth the twelve minutes it takes to watch it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VO_FIrXDPEc
I guess it will appear that I’m on a Lee Baker promotional tour here, but he has some very good things to share for those who are questioning Mormonism. This is a 48 minute video done with Sacred Groves and posted May 22 of this year. It covers our topic of conversation on this thread.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLV_H-qp2g4
Lee Baker says that it took him five years to work his way out of Mormonism. He was comfortable there. What happened though, is a young man who was a Christian asked him a question, gave him the reference and Lee said he’d look it up. It’s the quote where Joseph Smith claims to have done more than Jesus. Lee was shocked to find out that the quote was true. That set him to asking other questions and looking for answers in LDS sources.
He says that the embarrassing thing was that the information was there all along but he didn’t know what he didn’t know and therefore didn’t know what questions to ask. The whole deal with polygamy threw him for a loop since he learned that the leaders were going directly against the D&C and lying to everyone.
So Lee advices that we ask Mormons questions that are prefaced by, “Is it true that…………” and then let them look up the answers themselves. I’d say this follows that old piece of advice, “If I tell you something you can doubt me. If you say it, it’s true.”