Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

LostInAnomie

(14,428 posts)
Tue Nov 11, 2014, 02:35 PM Nov 2014

Mormon Church Admits Founder Joseph Smith Had 40 Wives

Mormon Church Admits Founder Joseph Smith Had 40 Wives
Reuters | By Eric M. Johnson
Posted: 11/11/2014 7:30 am EST

Nov 11 (Reuters) - The Mormon church has admitted that founder Joseph Smith married about 40 women including a 14-year-old and others who were already the wives of his followers, having maintained for nearly 200 years that he was monogamous.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has tried to gloss over aspects of its history, including the polygamy practiced by Smith and Brigham Young, who helped found Salt Lake City, Utah, the headquarters of the Mormon church.

"Joseph married many additional wives and authorized other Latter-day Saints to practice plural marriage," a church essay entitled "Plural Marriage in Kirtland and Nauvoo" said, noting that "careful estimates put the number between 30 and 40."

The church, founded in 1830, banned polygamy in 1890 when the U.S. government threatened to deny Utah statehood. (Reporting by Eric M. Johnson; Editing by Louise Ireland)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/11/joseph-smith-40-wives_n_6138508.html

31 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Mormon Church Admits Founder Joseph Smith Had 40 Wives (Original Post) LostInAnomie Nov 2014 OP
No wonder Mitt lies so much...or, won't come forward with his financial profile. Frustratedlady Nov 2014 #1
We'll get to see his actual tax records in 2052. LostInAnomie Nov 2014 #2
I wonder if a wife comes with each house. CK_John Nov 2014 #23
Are they also going to admit he was a crazy as a loon con-artist, and just made the whole thing up? notrightatall Nov 2014 #3
Most Christian leaders and/or founders are total anti-Semitic misogynistic assholes. PeaceNikki Nov 2014 #4
Even Jesus? LostInAnomie Nov 2014 #5
Who knows? PeaceNikki Nov 2014 #6
I'd say you'd have a pretty hard time labeling Jesus an anti-semite or mysogynist. LostInAnomie Nov 2014 #11
Well, I wasn't specifically thinking of Jesus when I said 'most' Christian leaders and/or founders PeaceNikki Nov 2014 #12
Most? hrmjustin Nov 2014 #20
WOW, pre-viagra get the red out Nov 2014 #7
Magic underwear give them +2 stamina. LostInAnomie Nov 2014 #8
But it doesn't appear he kept it on! get the red out Nov 2014 #9
Perhaps his magic undies were crotchless? 11 Bravo Nov 2014 #17
Not at first. ..nt TeeYiYi Nov 2014 #22
Heh, and yet they still say he wasn't crazy.... Drahthaardogs Nov 2014 #10
"Others who were already the wives of his followers..." jmowreader Nov 2014 #13
since when did they claim he was monogamous? fishwax Nov 2014 #14
Doesn't this belong in the religion forum? nt el_bryanto Nov 2014 #15
He was also a racist takakupo Nov 2014 #16
DNA on the bloodlines! The female outcrosses are far superior to the inbred male bloodline. Sunlei Nov 2014 #18
Had he ever been to St. Ives? needledriver Nov 2014 #19
This is news?... TeeYiYi Nov 2014 #21
Question: Do gay Mormons get to have multiple husbands? KamaAina Nov 2014 #24
So they've been lying for "nearly 200 years", but now they're on the up-and-up. Iggo Nov 2014 #25
He was also convicted of defrauding people NightWatcher Nov 2014 #26
“You don't get rich writing science fiction. If you want to get rich, you start a religion.” LittleBlue Nov 2014 #27
That comes as no surprise to genealogists. In fact that is probably why genealogy is one of the jwirr Nov 2014 #28
The genealogy is for the baptisms tammywammy Nov 2014 #29
Yeah I know - I have a huge genealogy of my own family and we have probably been baptized many jwirr Nov 2014 #31
Of course, they CAN'T admit he was also a con man Old Nick Nov 2014 #30

Frustratedlady

(16,254 posts)
1. No wonder Mitt lies so much...or, won't come forward with his financial profile.
Tue Nov 11, 2014, 02:41 PM
Nov 2014

Now, how many houses does he have?

 

notrightatall

(410 posts)
3. Are they also going to admit he was a crazy as a loon con-artist, and just made the whole thing up?
Tue Nov 11, 2014, 02:50 PM
Nov 2014

THAT would be refreshing.

PeaceNikki

(27,985 posts)
6. Who knows?
Tue Nov 11, 2014, 03:00 PM
Nov 2014

Many of the Bible verses cited today to promote misogynistic attitudes were not the words of Jesus, but of Paul of Tarsus (or rather, later edits to his writings). It has been argued that Jesus was not as misogynistic as the religion which was to take his name, as the Gospel of Mary and Gospel of Thomas suggest that Mary Magdalene was not a "hanger on," but rather was a full disciple in her own right. There are also suggestions that the very early church had conflicting views on women, as catacombs with painting of women in roles of authority have been found dating to the first and second century CE.*

Source: http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Misogyny

LostInAnomie

(14,428 posts)
11. I'd say you'd have a pretty hard time labeling Jesus an anti-semite or mysogynist.
Tue Nov 11, 2014, 03:44 PM
Nov 2014

Especially, when you consider the time he was living in. He saved a woman from being stoned to death for adultery. He told men that divorcing their wives is immoral and remarrying is adultery. He treated "sinful" women with love and respect. He held women up as models of faith. For that time period, most of that stuff was inconceivable.

Here's a longer list of Jesus's interactions with women: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus%27_interactions_with_women#High_number_of_references_to_women

Paul of Tarsus though... that guy was honestly probably insane. He didn't just have hang ups about women, he had pretty odd beliefs about human sexuality in general.

PeaceNikki

(27,985 posts)
12. Well, I wasn't specifically thinking of Jesus when I said 'most' Christian leaders and/or founders
Tue Nov 11, 2014, 04:44 PM
Nov 2014

I was thinking of The Pope, Tertullian, Martin Luther, Clement of Alexandria, John Calvin, John Knox and on and on and on.

get the red out

(13,466 posts)
9. But it doesn't appear he kept it on!
Tue Nov 11, 2014, 03:16 PM
Nov 2014

It doesn't look like he had that "magic underwear" on too much. But I guess the blessed drawers work faster than a cell phone charger.

jmowreader

(50,557 posts)
13. "Others who were already the wives of his followers..."
Wed Nov 12, 2014, 08:16 AM
Nov 2014

This makes perfect sense: The entire point of polygamy is to maximize your baby making. Why COULDN'T there be seven or eight men in these harems, to provide the women with the maximum opportunity to have sex when they ovulate?

fishwax

(29,149 posts)
14. since when did they claim he was monogamous?
Wed Nov 12, 2014, 09:37 AM
Nov 2014

If I remember correctly, his specific marriages are mentioned in their holy books.

takakupo

(15 posts)
16. He was also a racist
Wed Nov 12, 2014, 10:05 AM
Nov 2014

The founder was also a racist. I'm not sure how much worse people can feel about their leader when having 40 wives, at this point, is just poop frosting on the poop cake that is the LDS Religion.

NightWatcher

(39,343 posts)
26. He was also convicted of defrauding people
Wed Nov 12, 2014, 01:37 PM
Nov 2014

After his conviction he thought, now if this were called a religion I could swindle all the people I want, get a tax free status, and "marry" lots of teenage girls. Score!!!

 

LittleBlue

(10,362 posts)
27. “You don't get rich writing science fiction. If you want to get rich, you start a religion.”
Wed Nov 12, 2014, 01:42 PM
Nov 2014

-L Ron Hubbard

Being a prophet is the greatest job in the world.

jwirr

(39,215 posts)
28. That comes as no surprise to genealogists. In fact that is probably why genealogy is one of the
Wed Nov 12, 2014, 01:45 PM
Nov 2014

special interests of LDS. By 1890 no one knew who was related to who. This religion has no right to argue about marriage in any form. Yet they were the force behind Prop 8.

tammywammy

(26,582 posts)
29. The genealogy is for the baptisms
Wed Nov 12, 2014, 01:52 PM
Nov 2014

They practice proxy baptism of the dead in order to save them or whatever. There's been uproar over the years when it comes out they've been baptizing Jewish people that died during the Holocaust.

jwirr

(39,215 posts)
31. Yeah I know - I have a huge genealogy of my own family and we have probably been baptized many
Wed Nov 12, 2014, 01:58 PM
Nov 2014

times over in order to save our dead ancestors. Especially the Native American ones.

 

Old Nick

(468 posts)
30. Of course, they CAN'T admit he was also a con man
Wed Nov 12, 2014, 01:56 PM
Nov 2014

'cause doing that would be an admission that they'd been---you guessed it---CONNED!

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Mormon Church Admits Foun...