Tag Archives: polygamy

Safe and Effective? The Truth Matters

I’ve covered this topic previously in a November 10, 2021 post called Consequences of Compulsion as well as here and here. It’s a subject that I think merits some updated coverage.

From the beginning of the supposed pandemic, I’ve been skeptical of all the draconian measures, all so seemingly ready to implement, most specifically vaccination by force. It should go without saying that business and government have a legal and moral obligation to ensure that vaccines (or any product) are safe for public consumption and that people should then still be able to choose what they put into their own bodies — no matter the public health crisis — no matter the country — no matter the state.

Since my first post in 2021, many people I know and love have been coerced or inspired to get the untested CoVid19 vaccines. I do not judge anyone for doing so. I am truly sorry that so many people were put into impossible situations, however, and who had no real choice. For those who took the vaccine and have no regrets or negative side effects, I am grateful you are well and pray that continues.

Mostly because of my skepticism I think, my heart told me to go in a different direction. I concede that I was able to do so without fear of losing my job, which obviously made the decision easier, although it was still met with opposition at every turn it seemed. And still is to some degree.

Please do not read this post and assume I think less of you for doing what you felt was right. Your decisions for your health are your own. I do hope you can read this post with a willingness to consider that, perhaps, something terrible has been done to all of us and that not being able to see that now may only make things worse. Worse for our freedoms, our future, our health, the health of friends and loved ones, and especially worse for our ability to discern and choose truth over error. I love the RE Glossary definition for Truth:

Knowledge of things as they are and as they were and as they are to come (T&C 93:8). You can only know the truth by having it revealed to you from heaven itself (see T&C 69:29). “We must know the truth. The truth informs us how things are (now, today, in our current peril). The truth informs us of how things were (revealing exactly what happened, without mythical or political overlay, with its disappointments and tragedies candidly depicted). The truth informs us of the things to come (even if the prophecies and promises dash our hopes, crush our vanity and expose our foolishness). Without the truth it is impossible to repent. In order to take people captive, all that is required is for people to be content with their ignorance. The greatest threat to salvation does not come from teaching false doctrine but instead comes from ignoring doctrine altogether. Substituting platitudes and truisms for careful, ponderous and solemn investigation of the deep things of God is sufficient to keep people in the chains of captivity. It isn’t necessary for the devil to convince you of lies, only for him to make you content in your ignorance or fearful of the search for truth.” (My emphasis added)

I will place links to stories of real people throughout this post, beginning with this one:

12 Year Old Football Player Dies Suddenly At Practice

Background (From my vantage)

President Trump pushed for a “warp speed” response to Covid-19; a suspiciously timed “pandemic” purportedly created and released in Wuhan China, funded by US tax dollars.

Trump knew that the way the world was responding to this “virus” could single-handedly prevent him from winning a second term. He was damned if he did or didn’t do anything. If he shut down the economy as the rest the world was doing (minus Sweden), he threatened the very thing he could rightfully boast of — a great economy. If he followed Sweden’s example, he would surely be impeached and removed from office and prosecuted for “crimes against humanity” (such was the political climate at the time… maybe still is…). No herd immunity option for Trump (or the USA, more importantly) as much as logic would have informed and inspired him. Not right before the election if he or anyone else wanted him to win.

The planned pandemic that became the focus of the entire planet was indeed about accomplishing many things.

First and foremost, CoVid-19 was about getting rid of Trump. As an American Populist, and as the most polarizing and “popular” president of our lifetime, not likely yet completely owned by the establishment, he stood in the way of their Global UN 2030 goals.

As they were processing Trump out, they simultaneously pressed harder (and immediately) to impose 1984-like controls that would force compliance and destroy many freedoms overnight, thus ceding liberties to aspiring globalist sycophants anxious to reset the planet.

15 Year Old Star Soccer Player Dies Suddenly

CoVid-19 had given them cover for the election theft that was perpetrated on a level “never seen before in our country,” as Trump would say.

In hindsight, Trump was right about many things related to CoVid. Herd immunity, for example, would have been a better option, rather than closing down the entire world. He was right about masks and social distancing that didn’t do anything to curb the spread or save lives. Trump was right about Ivermectin and Hydroxychloroquine working as treatments and prophylaxes. And he was right that the bio weapon came from China.

But, along the way Trump made a terrible mistake.

Trump’s greatest misstep was to buy into the mRNA vaccines that had been in the works at least since 2012. In his desperation, Trump was dying to take credit for what he likely believed to be the only way to save our nation. “Warp speed. Miracle cure.” Surely if he could just get the cure out before the election and get the economy back open, he could stay in office and prevent the coup.

But alas, he walked right into their nefarious trap. They had the mRNA vaccines ready for him to put his name right on them and to give them legitimacy with an emergency use authorization order only a president can give, despite not going through the normal, rigorous approval processes to ensure their safeness and effectiveness. The fact that Trump was not politically aligned with the globalists made it even better.

To this day, when Trump mentions “miracle warp speed vaccines,” he gets booed by his most ardent supporters. Sadly, he can’t recognize his own hubris nor will he or can he now admit he was wrong. Not now and maybe not ever. He has too much blood on his hands, even if he was duped.

Pro Soccer player in Norway collapses suddenly, Cardiac Arrest

…And so does the LDS church.

The church did not have the same motives as Trump. The church, like most global entities, saw early on that it had very few options. Much like the realities the Wilford Woodruff era church was confronted with, it was very much a comply or die scenario. And comply they did. In fact, they did more than comply, choosing to become the poster boy for advocacy, they took up their bully pulpit and preached compliance with all the religious zeal they could muster.

LDS Church President Russell Nelson, a doctor who has used his medical credentials to promote the untested mRNA vaccine, has all but promised people in the name of the Lord that they are “safe and effective.” As a result, literally tens of millions of people who otherwise might not have taken the experimental jab, have.

When it came to religious exemptions, they offered none. Children and young people who were healthy and not at risk of death, were compelled (if not coerced) to comply. Even today, young, healthy, not at risk missionary and college age kids, are now vaccinating as a sign of obedience to the “living prophet” and in order to attend church schools and/or with the hopes of serving foreign missions. I received this terribly sad comment from one reader recently:

I have two daughters at university in Provo. One of my two daughters has a damaged heart from the COVID vaccine. I’m very disappointed in the response from the prophet. As things these days are looking like the vaccine is completely worthless and just injures people. I’m just wondering where their allegiance is. How can they so easily sacrifice my beautiful daughter. How were they duped to follow our corrupt government and politicians. How did the prophet make such a big mistake? We were always taught to follow the prophet and we won’t go astray. We were always taught to take care of our temples, our bodies. Never to use alcohol, coffee tea or drugs. How could the prophet be so deceived? For the last two and a half years, the media has lied to us and the church has lied to us as well! The prophet is a heart doctor, how ironic. It’s my understanding in the medical profession the number one rule is to do no harm. How many hearts has the prophet damaged? I’m sure I’m not the only one there must be hundreds or thousands like me.

My heart goes out to this parent and the many others like him.

Some people tried to stand their ground and many lost their jobs while the church told them they were not Christlike. Like the globalist propagandists, the church marginalized, shamed, and abandoned its own “rebellious” anti-vaxxers.

18 year old athlete on life support after suffering cardiac arrest in basketball game

The likes of Elder Rasband were caught on hot mics making condescending comments about those of us who sought to be free to choose. “Among MY Brethren,” he says, “we’re wondering what will happen when we ask you to do something really hard!” In other words, “Come on people, DO as you’re told! Be obedient to US, NO MATTER WHAT!” This is the test! …in their minds.

Meanwhile, and now two years into this science experiment, people are dying at alarming rates all around the world suddenly and unexpectedly and not from CoVid.

My friend who is a doctor and who has bought fully into the propaganda has stated, “Well we knew this was coming (referring to the spike in deaths) because of 18 months worth of skipped cancer screenings, etc.” How convenient (and preposterous). Another friend, when I asked him if he had noticed an increase in athletes dying flippantly said, “remember Len Bias? It’s called cocaine overdoses!” Really? All 20% of the increase in deaths (more like 400% in young healthy people) is from drug overdoses? Again, ridiculous. The effects of propaganda. Not supported by reality, the numbers, truth, or “science” for that matter. Yet, strangely, many otherwise intelligent people are unable to look at what’s happening all around us objectively.

There’s a reason, I think, for this kind of willful ambivalence. It’s because we all have loved ones, young and old, who have taken the vaccine, or we have taken it ourselves. No one wants to consider that they or their loved one has potentially been lied to and possibly poisoned. Or that their church leader or favorite politician has lied to them or was misled. Or that their child could collapse and die, suddenly.

And so what are we collectively doing as a world? Instead of confronting the issue, we choose to not be rational about it. We’re literally doing what many Germans knowingly did during Hitler’s reign of terror. Some call it Mass Formation Psychosis, where people refuse to see things happening right before their eyes. Is it fear? Denial? Pride? Naïveté? Politics? Religion? Whatever it is, it’s blinded many people on this planet to the truth that anyone even trying to squint at would normally see.

25 year old goalkeep dies suddenly after stopping penalty kick

Some are beginning to awaken, however. Last year the Princess of Thailand collapsed while jogging and is believed to be in a coma. Stories like hers can be found all over the news, if one is interested in seeing the truth. I’ve included below many links to those news stories I’ve bumped into in just the last month or two I’ve been working on this post. I highly recommend you take a look. Among those links are also recommendations for people worried their health may been compromised by the vaccines or from vaccine shedding or from CoVid19.

Trump once boasted he “could shoot someone on Fifth Avenue and not lose a single voter.” On this issue, I think Trump is so “yugely” wrong. He has proudly boasted he saved 2.2 million lives (recently he said maybe 100 million!) by creating the vaccines and by all he did during the CoVid pandemic. Hindsight tells a different story… one that history may never tell correctly, sadly, but that you and I would do well to try to discern. Lives could depend on it still.

But How Could Prophets Be So Wrong?

The church and specifically the men who call themselves prophets, seers, and revelators, in their zeal to be good global citizens are now also responsible for the deaths of untold thousands of people. Maybe 100s of thousands. I know people in my own small town who have been injured or killed by the vaccines.

One young man was just graduating from high school. He was perfectly healthy and was extremely active. Some time after receiving the vaccine, he developed a cancer so rare that only two other people in the world were known to have ever had it. After several rounds of chemo and a full bone marrow transplant, he contracted another rare unknown cancer. Within 5 months of being vaccinated he was gone. His LDS family was and remains devastated and is still unwilling to consider, as far as I know, that their son’s death was related in any way whatsoever to the vaccine he received. How many others are like them?

Another friend of mine was only 50. He was a bishop with a young family and a successful business. He was a delightful person in every way. He, after being vaccinated, contracted a rare and aggressive brain cancer and was gone in just a few months time.

Another long time friend was vaccinated and shortly thereafter contracted lymphoma. She’s now fighting for her life.

Some dear friends of ours have a son whose former soccer coach died of a heart attack at age 35.

Many of you probably also have friends who have been adversely affected and have heard  stories from people you know.

Of course we also all have friends or know people who have died from CoVid19. Although the survival rate is 99.95% across the board, it is still such a great tragedy that this man-made virus has taken so many innocent people.

It should be acknowledged that young people are and never were at risk generally of dying from the virus, especially babies and toddlers. Is the “cure”now more deadly than the disease? How many innocent people have died as a result of our agency being taken away and for having been lied to?

The rate of increase in death among the vaccinated, that the whole world is completely ignoring, is unacceptably tragic and is a sign that the propagandist liars are winning.

23 year old University of Arizona swimmer dies suddenly 

One only now needs to look around to see that something is incredibly wrong. Children are dying on soccer fields. Healthy people are dying in races. On stage. On air. On flights. Collapsing in NFL football games and in high school and college basketball games. Thousands of people. Maybe hundreds of thousands. All cause mortality rates are off the charts all around the world. On any given year there will be an increase or a decline of 1%. Now it’s at a 20% increase! That’s a 2000% increase in deaths. Yet, no major news outlets and certainly no Church leader in Salt Lake is sounding the alarm.

Although Some Have Changed Their Tune, Most Have Not

Some people who have been vaccinated have now changed their tune and ARE sounding the alarm. Robert Kennedy. Dr. Malone. Scott Adams. Elon Musk. Joe Rogan. Dan Bongino. Many others. The latter of the aforementioned said recently that “taking the vaccine is the greatest regret of his life.”

But completely unrepentant and not backing off from their feckless positions are the Brethren and Donald J. Trump.

CoVid for the church is very much like polygamy. They complied because they saw that they might lose important things if they didn’t. The ability to have missionaries in the field, for example. They clearly are also fearful of being canceled as they were in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. To this day, ironically, they need polygamy to be true, even if it wasn’t or isn’t. Even if it didn’t come from Joseph Smith. They need it to come from him! Otherwise their authority claims are called into question and that cannot be allowed to happen. At the time, they complied and allowed it to be written in their scriptures that the polygamy commandment was being taken away even though Brigham and others prophesied that if the church ever abandoned polygamy it would be in apostasy. They didn’t want to lose their churches, their temples, their state, their money. So, even though Brigham Young said it would lead the church into apostasy, they complied with government to keep their things. And now today the church needs the vaccines to be safe and effective lest they be denounced as false prophets. Worse, accomplices to murder.

As for Trump, he would have done well to not have been so quick to put his name on something so untested. I don’t know what the effect would be on his presidential ambitions if he were to now come clean. It would be the right thing to do of course and some people are calling for it, suggesting they won’t support him if he doesn’t. I do know that what he’s already declared and done is unforgivable morally and politically and may prevent him from winning. If he says nothing further about his miracle vaccines, as his advisors are telling him to do, blame can always still be laid at his feet. He is once again damned if he does and damned if he doesn’t.

Many, many people have blood on their hands and they are displaying horrible arrogance in not admitting their error. So many have died at their hands. That’s the truth and it matters.

As for the Church, for far too long have the false ideas been preached and accepted that the Brethren cannot lead us astray. It began with Brigham not Joseph. It’s not in the scriptures. But, it’s become scripture for the LDS Church. (See “I am Scripture” — David Bednar) This is what Brigham said during his time as president:

I am here to give this people, called Latter-day Saints, counsel to direct them in the path of life. I am here to answer; I shall be on hand to answer when I am called upon, for all the counsel and for all the instruction that I have given to this people. If there is an Elder here, or any member of this Church, called the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who can bring up the first idea, the first sentence that I have delivered to the people as counsel that is wrong, I really wish they would do it; but they cannot do it, for the simple reason that I have never given counsel that is wrong; this is the reason. This people, called Latter-day Saints, have been laboring now over forty years. Source

My brothers and sisters, friends, family and loved ones — the truth matters. Leaders we trusted have been very wrong. People are dying. If nothing else, those who have been hurt or lost should be honored, not ignored. And we can benefit now by embracing truth even if the implications are catastrophic.

One of the famous Thai boy cave survivors dies suddenly at age 17

12 Year Old Boy Collapses and Dies Suddenly At No Contact Football Practice

NYU Cardiologist Shocked That So Many Have Myocarditis

3 Primary School Teachers All Died Unexpectedly At Same School in NC

How to Treat and Prevent Vaccine Injuries 

Pilot of Small Plane Dies of Casrdiac Arrest Mid Flight

Forbes 30 Under 30 Honoree Dies After He Collapses at Arizona Marathon

12 Year Old Football Player Dies Suddenly At Practice

Idaho Introduces Legislation To Criminalize Vaccine Giver For Injury and Death

NBC News Finally Admits Natural Immunity Is Better Than Vaccines

FL Surgeon General Issues Major Health Warning Against MRNA CoVid Vaccines

Military Anthrax  Vaccine Deaths — History Repeating Itself On a Global Scale!

How to Repair Your Heart By Dr Robert Malone

Surfer Legend Kelly Slater Says Mother Suffered Adverse Reaction from Vaccine

Hot Mic – World Series Poker Player Says He’s Had Chest Pains Ever since Vax

Outrageous! Australian Mother Denied Life Saving Heart Surgery Because She was Unvaccinated

Dr Wolf Receives Apology from Dr Drew for being wrong about CoVid

Women and Fertility Issues Since CoVid Shots

Brazil Doubles Down! Forces Parents to Vaccinate Children to Keep Govt Benefits

17 Year Old Football Player Dies Suddenly: Cardiac Arrest

34 Year Old Border Patrol Agent Dies Suddenly

Inventor of MRNA Technology Says He Cannot Support Trump While He Stands By Vaccines

Diamond Says Something’s Not Right About Her Sister Silk’s Sudden and Unexpected Death: Age 51

Delbert, Scott Adams Tells Anti-Vaxxers He’s Sorry, They WERE RIGHT!

35 Year Old Middle School Teacher Drops Dead Teaching Class – Heart Attack

Heart Attacks Surge in Australia

GB News: Why Are Birth Rates Falling and Excess Deaths Rising?

Australian Rugby Player Dies Suddenly, Age 35

15 Year Old Star Football Player Dies Suddenly

Former NFL Player Almost Dies of Severe Stroke

Dr. Richard Fleming: Pfizer mRNA Shot Causes Blood Clots Under The Microscope

Nine Months Post Vax — Substantial Birth Rates Drop in 13 European Countries

Vaccines Don’t Stop Covid

Uk Data Shows 70% of all CoVid Deaths Are Fully Vaccinated

Elon Musk’s Young and Fit Cousin Has Serious Myocarditis

Robert Kennedy Jr — CIA ran 20+ Pandemic Simulations

The suppression of hydroxychloroquine and the amount of lives and people who died as a result of that Is the Biggest Scandal of CoVid19

Fact – Pfizer Lied About the MRNA Shots

Austrian PM collapses after saying ”mistrust of Vaccines are unfounded”

Brazilian anchor Rafael Silva, 36, collapsed and suffered a cardiac arrest on live TV

Warning from God – Comedian collapses while joking she was double vaxxed — fractured skull

For every athlete that collapses there are thousands of others we don’t know of — 3 million more people are disabled in US in 2021, and rising

In Dec. 2021, Manchester United defender Victor Lindelöf, 28, struggled to breathe, pointed to his heart, and was taken off the field with apparent chest pain.

Oct. 2021, FC Barcelona star Sergio Aguero, 33, collapsed on the field due to chest pain and breathing issues that have since forced him to retire.

In Jan. 2022, Mali star Ousmane Coulibaly, 32, suffered a heart attack on the pitch and was given emergency medical attention as the match was abandoned.

The excess death rate of working-age people also increased in these European nations after mRNA vaccines were introduced

This increase in the death rate of working-age people also appears in the CDC’s Mortality database.

The Society of Actuaries Research Institute published its COVID-19 Mortality Survey Report.

Why are so many professional athletes and public figures collapsing live on television

Big tech, big government, & big media banned scientific criticism of Pfizer’s covid-19 vaccines even as children were paralyzed by them or worse, dead

The risk/reward calculation never made sense for children because the risk was virtually zero

@ScottGottliebMD worked with a Twitter lobbyist to censor an Israeli study that concluded natural immunity is 13x more effective than Pfizer’s mRNA shots.

In the Pfizer clinical trial, all cause illness and mortality were higher in the vaccinated group than the placebo

Pfizer has habitually engaged in illegal and corrupt marketing practices, bribed physicians, & suppressed adverse trial results.

Deseret News: Tik Tok Star Dies, 35, of Colon Cancer

Algerian Football Player drops dead during Nation’s Championship Game

College Basketball has Vaccine Injury during game

Wallstreet Journal Slams Vaccines and Boosters after seeing Troubling Data

Vaccines are a LIE, grounded in false advertising 

Pro Soccer player in Norway collapses suddenly, Cardiac Arrest

Young Female Service Member has heart attacks and stroke after forced Vaccination

Millenials in West see 70% Explosion in Strokes!

Renowned MIT Professor and Drug Safety Expert calls for immediate suspension of MRNA Vaccines

Healthy 32 Year Old Vet and Firefighter Dies Suddenly

High School Basketball Phenom Collapses on Court

Calls for suspension of CoVid Vax now coming from South Africa

Princess of Thailand Collapses Suddenly While Running — Some fear she is in a coma

Doctor working with Thailand to nullify Pfizer Vaccines

Proof MRNA Vaccines cause Heart and Vascular Damage

Florian Dagoury — the world’s top static breath-hold freediver who held his breath for 10:30 — was diagnosed with myocarditis after his Pfizer mRNA shot.

Joe Rogan: I know over 15 people that have had serious side effects from the vaccine; menstrual issues, strokes, neurological disorders…One of the girls in the clinical trials that was 13 is confined to a wheelchair for the rest of her

Dr. Bret Weinstein tells Joe Rogan that the mRNA shots “have cost more lives than they have saved.”The claims that the covid shots saved millions of lives are “utter nonsense” based on a model that “they fed garbage.”

17,000 doctors and scientists signed a treaty that declared: “Pfizer, Moderna, BioNTech, Janssen, AstraZeneca, and their enablers withheld and wilfully omitted safety and effectiveness information from patients and physicians, and should be immediately indicted for fraud.”

There was a 99.95% survival rate for people under 50 and a 99.998% survival rate for children under 18 – So why the Draconian Measures to force Vaccine Compliance

Now Doctors Say They Are Refusing CoVid Shots

Newsweek — It’s Time the Scientific Community Admit we were wrong and it cost lives.

2 Teen boys who died after Pfizer Shots have confirming autopsies

Dr. Robert Malone, Dr. Bret Weinstein, and Steve Kirsch discuss the Japanese Pfizer documents, which show lipid nanoparticles concentrating in women’s ovaries.

Pfizer Director Jordan Trishton Walker sharing his concern about women’s reproductive health after getting the Covid vaccine

Argentinian mother outraged after 8 year old daughter dies from CoVid shot

White House Ignores FDA Warning that getting CoVid shot and Flu Booster at same time may increase risk of stroke and heart attack

JV Basketball player suffers siezure and cardiac arrest during game

18 year old athlete on life support after suffering cardiac arrest in basketball game

Perfectly Healthy 6 year old, fully boosted and vaxxed, dies suddenly

Vaxxed MSNBC Host blames vaccine on myocarditis

23 year old University of Arizona swimmer dies suddenly 

Damar Hamlin dies twice on national television — won’t speak about cause of collapse

Former healthy NFL player almost dies of stroke

Dr Naomi Wolf says CoVid Vaccine is a BioWeapon intended to massively decrease population

Former NFL player, young and healthy, dies suddenly

Media and Governemnt lying that Vaccines have nothing to do with excess deaths

18 Year old freshman dies suddenly during a workout

American fashion model dead at age 27

Pilot suffered heart attack minutes after landing

Caddie collapses at Pebble Beach Pro Am

CoVid Jabs causing deaths

Georgia police officer dies suddenly on a foot chase

Brazilian senator proposes legislation making it a criminal offense to refuse vax

Japan accused of mass cover up of deaths and injuries from Vaccines

21 year old dies suddenly in sleep

Evidence CoVid Vaxx are causing terrible health side effects — possibly accelerated aging

Vaccine Deaths in the Netherlands

23 year old athlete, dancer, gamer, dies suddenly 

UFC Fighter reveals his brother dies suddenly after taking vax

32 year old tv production supervisor dies suddenly

Thailand will become the first country to make the contract null and void, meaning that Pfizer will become responsible for all vaccine injuries. The Royal Family have now been alerted to the fact that the princess has most likely been a victim of the

Stanford and most Universities Force Vaccinations Among the Healthiest 

31 year old former college tennis star dies suddenly 

GOP Congresswoman describes CoVid Jab Injuries

Ivermectin worked and they lied

There is a spike protein inside every single cancer cell

Athlete suffers cardiac arrest after shot

7 Students at NC State have died unexpectedly since school started

The more jabs the more deaths substack

CoVid Commission Called For

25 year old goalkeep dies suddenly after stopping penalty kick

All Wives Matter

I’ve recently been reading the autobiography of Parley P. Pratt. I know some of his descendants quite well. One, in particular, is a dear friend and is willing to go deep with me and to be “honest” about polygamy. He truly believes in the principle as one taught by Joseph Smith. He believes his grandfather was only doing as he was taught and commanded by Joseph.

Yet, as I have now read and analyzed the whole book, I have found NOTHING in Parley’s account that links the teaching of polygamy to Joseph Smith.

I was struck, I must say, by the many accounts Parley shares of healings and miracles and baptisms. He was truly a fierce and loyal force for good at the time of Joseph. He converted many! In fact, some could argue that he even neglected his first wife Thankful as he served mission after mission, leaving her home, unhealthy, childless, poor, and alone for years at a time.

But, no one could argue that there was any contemporary of Joseph who was more sincere and more faithful than he was. Parley was about Joseph’s age and was one of the original twelve apostles of the Church. He was killed on May 13, 1857 by Hector McLean, at the age of 50, for having taken McLean’s wife Eleanor from him. She was Pratt’s 11th wife.

I decided to read Pratt’s autobiography in part because I thought surely if anyone would be honest about polygamy and its origins, it would be him. If anyone would have first-hand information about Joseph teaching polygamy it would be him.

I was surprised that I did not get to the topic of polygamy until page 407. Although I should mention that there is a footnote on page 369. Footnote 20. This footnote references a paragraph from pages 361 and 362 where it says:

In Philadelphia I had the happiness of once more meeting with president Smith, and of spending several days with him and others, and with the Saints in that city and vicinity. During these interviews he taught me many great and glorious principles concerning God and the heavenly order of eternity. It was at this time that I received from him the first idea of eternal family organization, and the eternal union of the sexes in those inexpressibly endearing relationships which none but the highly intellectual, the refined and pure in heart, know how to prize, and which are at the very foundation of everything worthy to be called happiness. Til then I had learned to esteem kindred affections and sympathies as appertaining solely to this transitory state, as something from which the heart must be entirely weaned, in order to be fitted for its heavenly state. It was Joseph Smith who taught me how to prize the endearing relationships of father and mother, husband and wife; of brother and sister, son and daughter. It was from him that I learned that the wife of my bosom might be secured to me for time and all eternity; and that the refined sympathies and affections which endeared us to each other emanated from the fountain of divine eternal love. It was from him that I learned that we might cultivate these affections, and grow and increase in the same to all eternity; while the result of our endless union would be an offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven, or the sands of the sea shore. It was from him that I learned the true dignity and destiny of a son of God, clothed with an eternal priesthood, as the patriarch and sovereign of his countless offspring. It was from him that I learned that the highest dignity of womanhood was, to stand as a queen and priestess to her husband, and to reign for ever and ever as the queen mother of her numerous and still increasing offspring. I had loved before, but I knew not why. But now I loved — with a pureness and intensity of elevated, exalted feeling, which would lift my soul from the transitory things of this grovelling sphere and expand it as the ocean. I felt that God was my heavenly Father indeed; that Jesus was my brother, and that the wife of my bosom was an immortal, eternal companion; a kind of ministering angel, given to me as a comfort, and a crown of glory for ever and ever. In short, I could now love with the spirit and with the understanding also. (Autobiography of Parley P. Pratt, page 361-362.)

Notice, not a mention of polygamy. And this is in 1839 and 1840. The footnote, however, which was added by either Parley P. Pratt Jr. many years later, or more likely by Scot and Maurine Proctor, the most recent LDS editors, tells a very different story. They conclude that in the above paragraph:

Parley is referring to marriage for time and all eternity and to what would be later referred to as “the principle,” or plural marriage. As in all things in the gospel, Parley was obedient to this teaching. Less than three years later, he married the first of his ten plural wives. (Page 369)

Did you read the preceding paragraph on page 361 and 362 as the teaching of polygamy from Joseph Smith? I did not.

I am amazed that someone so close to the original source of this foundational eternal teaching is in need of 20th-century assistance in making sure the attributions and definitions are correct.

And so we go to page 407, footnote 9:

…We learn of Parley’s first plural marriage at this period from the family record: “Elizabeth Brotherton, daughter of Thomas and Sarah Brotherton, born March 27, 1816 in Machester, England, sealed to Parley P. Pratt for time and all eternity, June (then overwritten with July) 24, 1843. Done at the house of Brigham Young in Nauvoo, by the hand of Patriarch Hyrum Smith… (Pratt, Family Record, my emphasis added).

Why would the Family Record have written over the date of Parley P. Pratt’s first plural wife? Especially given that Parley’s own record in his autobiography that this footnote is created from says nothing of any marriage with anyone. In fact, it simply says:

My time, from arrival until the last of the year, was spent in the ministry, and in building, travelling, etc. (Page 406).

And yet, the footnote added over one hundred years later seems to want to establish the precise date of Parley’s first plural marriage although he himself, an ardent believer and later preacher of the polygamy, does not think it important to mention when he actually begins to practice the Celestial Law in his own autobiographical account. In fact, he was so busy in the ministry and in building and in traveling that he literally did not even have 30 minutes to return a letter:

Although it may seem strange to you I have not seen 1/2 hour which it was in my power to devote to that purpose (returning a letter) till now on account of business, building, visiting and receiving company etc. (page 407, footnote 9).

And yet we’re to believe that during this time he HAD time to court a woman in addition to his wife and propose marriage to her.

Furthermore, why write over Parley’s original date of June 24, 1843? (Or whoever’s…) Well, it’s important to note that Joseph Smith did not receive the revelation on polygamy until July 12, 1843, according to the LDS Church. So, if Parley did in fact enter into plural marriage before that date (i.e. in June) then he would have done so before the actual revelation was even received, let alone taught by Joseph.

Another relevant question is why is it important that Hyrum performed the ceremony, rather than say Brigham Young, IF it was in July of 1843, when it was “approved”? That’s also an important and interesting detail. The appendix of Parley’s autobiography spells out why. According to this appendix (added by who we cannot be sure) the “Twelve” did not receive the Keys from Joseph until April of 1844. So Brigham would not have had the authority to seal and to bind or to perform this plural marriage.

So although it was conveniently at Brigham’s home, the attribution of who married them, needed to be Hyrum or Joseph. Both of whom were prophets and co-presidents of the Church.

As important as this event would be in Church History, I can find nothing in the actual Joseph Smith Papers or in the History of the Church regarding the plural marriage of this prominent apostle during Joseph’s lifetime. This, however, is conveniently added to the footnotes of the JSP during that timeframe:

Less than a month before this revelation was dictated, Hyrum Smith sealedParley P. Pratt to his wife, Mary Ann Frost Pratt, without authorization from JS. Upon finding out about this sealing, JS criticized Hyrum and reaffirmed his sole authority to perform or to grant authority to others to perform such sealings. Following the dictation of this revelation and with JS’s approval, Hyrum Smith sealed Pratt to his deceased first wife, Thankful Halsey Pratt; his second wife, Mary Ann; and a third wife, Elizabeth Brotherton. Since 1832, JS had dictated revelations that identified himself as the person holding the “keys of the Kingdom.” (Givens and Grow, Parley P. Pratt, 204–205; Mary Ann Frost Pratt, Life Sketch of Olive Frost, ca. May 1887, in “Miscellaneous,” Historical Record, May 1887, 6:234–235; Revelation, 15 Mar. 1832 [D&C 81:2].)  

How strange indeed that Hyrum would perform an eternal sealing without Joseph’s consent.

Like many of these footnotes, they don’t lead to any solid sources. Look at the last link above — it’s to a revelation given to Joseph Smith in 1832. Yet, we’re in 1843 supposedly. No actual corroborating sources to verify JS’s anger, either… The Church and its apologists yet again, wish to stack the footnote narrative to fit their story.

I find it amazing that in one of the few autobiographies of one of the original LDS apostles, Parley Pratt does not help the LDS Church clear up the issue of whether Joseph Smith taught and practiced polygamy or not. Without footnotes in Parley’s record, Joseph cannot be tied to the teaching.

ALL LIES MATTER

I recently received an unexpected response for having sent a video presentation to some people I’m close to. This video makes a very compelling case that Joseph Smith didn’t teach or practice polygamy. I’ve included a link to it at the end of this post. I was taken aback by their various responses and was saddened by some of their comments, which seemed to dismiss the content of the video.

As I’ve pondered this experience, I’ve tried to see things from their current perspective. But, admittedly, this one is hard for me, perhaps because I have never liked the idea of Joseph being a polygamist. It’s always felt inconsistent with Joseph’s mission and message.

One person I sent this information to simply does not think that getting the history on polygamy right is important at all. Somehow Joseph’s character is inconsequential to him. All he knows is God commanded Joseph and Joseph obeyed. “The Church is true. Nothing else matters.”

It seems as though some people are more worried about their narrative staying “true” than they are about the truth itself. I do sympathize with the dilemma, but truth does matter and lies matter. Do we really believe the words to the song — “do what is right, let the consequences follow…?”

Black Lives Matter (#BLM) (since this is a current theme and because I’m using this thematic play on words) is a great example of why the truth matters. Simply look around and see what someone’s false beliefs can inspire them to do. Anyone looking at the title of the organization might be fooled into thinking that #BLM has something to do with caring about “lives.” Look a little more closely and you’ll quickly discover that the organization is a hate filled, Marxist, murderous, anti-family, racist, immoral, disgusting organization that seeks to overthrow our way of life. The content of their message and the effect their beliefs have on them and on society matters a great deal. To suggest otherwise is simply intellectually dishonest.

Let’s look at some other examples.

Many LDS people (myself included) believe that our nation was founded by inspired men. Men of character and honor who God brought together and upon whom His Spirit descended in order to fulfill prophecy in the birth of this great nation on this land of promise. Those who may not share this belief, love to rewrite history to fit their own narrative. False rumors against Thomas Jefferson, for example, were conveniently resurrected to defend Bill Clinton on the eve of Congress deciding whether to remove him from office or not. Revisionists and those who have an agenda want desperately to have it be “settled history” that Jefferson was sleeping with his slave Sally Hemings. This a) helps people like Clinton get away with the crime of adultery with an intern and b) undermines people’s faith in the idea that many of our Founder’s may have actually been honorable, moral, inspired men. Does the truth about Jefferson and our Founders matter? I say it does.

If I had sent a video that exonerated Jefferson of the charges of immortality and fornication, would I have received a different response? These people all generally like Jefferson and I think they’d say he was a man of God. Would they have been upset with me for sending them something that restored faith in him as a person and vindicated him of those false charges? And if that presentation happened to make John Adams, who many believe was complicit in sharing those false claims, look less honorable — would they still have responded so defensively?

If you love this country and love its Founders, aren’t you interested in knowing the truth about our history? And aren’t you especially interested when you find things that defend what you believe is true? Doesn’t it matter? If Adams or any president proves to be less honest than say Jefferson (hypothetically) and less inspired, it doesn’t necessarily make America untrue. But whitewashing history surely doesn’t make the such contradictions go away. Is your faith so fragile in our Founders that you only read books that echo your own current uninformed beliefs? If not, why do so in your study of Church history?

None of these things prove that the United States of America was never “true” or inspired. But I think a clear minded person recognizes that if Jefferson was an immoral man and so were ALL of our Founders, that it absolutely would undermine the integrity of the foundation our nation and thus it matters. This is precisely #BLM’s message. “America was never good because it was conceived by white, racists liars.” Do we not defend against such lies?

To take a modern example, does it matter who went to Jeffery Epstein’s Pedophile Island? Does it matter that Epstein was a pedophile? A sex addict? Does what you know of him cause you to make reasonable judgments? Would you have let him babysit your 12 year old daughter or support his causes? Does it bother you that he was murdered in prison and no one knows who did it? Does it matter that a Prince and at least one American president were regular visitors on the Island? Is the truth not important? Do we just NOT go down that road because we’re afraid of what we might find out?

Laman and Lemuel I think were sincere in their belief that they were tricked into leaving their homeland and were thus robbed of their land of inheritance and consequently their happiness. Their otherwise innocent version of the facts led to the annihilation of civilization. Laman and Lemuel’s beliefs/lies mattered. They led to millions of people dying horrifically, unnecessarily, and prematurely.

I guess we could sanitize everyone’s history and say none of it matters. “The Book of Mormon is true and so disregard the foolish teacher who says beware of false prophets and judge them by their fruits.“ Just because something is or was true does not guarantee it cannot become false when its leaders corrupt it. Wouldn’t you agree? The Constitution is “true” but it must be upheld and defended by virtuous people. It is the oldest Constitution in the world. Any nation is welcome to use it as their own. But could Putin succeed in establishing freedom in Russia by simply adopting and copying our Constitution? Of course not. No one can just copy it unless they are willing to do so upon the principles of righteousness. And the same is true for whether or not we can keep it “true.” This same principle applies to any institution, even a Church we “want” to never fall into apostasy.

Do you think it matters to an investigator of the LDS Church whether Joseph was a pedophile or not? Let’s be really clear — if the Church’s current history is true then:

  1. Joseph was an adulterer. The Church says he took his first plural wife without Emma’s knowledge or consent AND 12 years before even he received the revelation on plural marriage.
  2. Joseph was a polygamist and consummated those marriages sexually.
  3. Joseph was a pedophile. He married underage women.
  4. Joseph was a liar. He openly preached against polygamy and secretly practiced it.
  5. Joseph was a hypocrite.

Of course, according to the Church, Joseph was commanded by God to do all these things.

But does the truth matter? If you have a child having a faith crisis because they’ve read the Church’s Essays, might these details matter to them?

If the presentation I sent to my friends is correct, then:

  1. Joseph Smith was not an adulterer.
  2. Joseph was not a polygamist.
  3. Joseph was not a pedophile.
  4. Joseph was not a liar.
  5. Joseph was not a hypocrite.

If teaching your friend who is interested in learning more about the Restored Gospel, which set of facts would you rather have on your side? The first set that potentially undermines everything you may share? Or the second set, that is way more consistent with the beautiful message of the restored gospel? More importantly, do you want to share the truth or do you want to unwittingly spreads lies? WE have a duty to find out the truth on the matter OR we lead people astray. And lastly, do you care more about a “church” than you do about the Restoration?

Let’s look at the train wreck of polygamy. What did that teaching inspire? What did it yield? It did not produce more offspring. That’s a fact. Women had fewer children who were polygmaIst than the average non polygamist woman. There was no shortage of men — that’s completely false. Are we so comfortable lying for the Lord as Mormons that we don’t seek to correct the record when lies are shared? What other lies are we comfortable sharing? Unpaid ministry? The brethren seeing God as did Joseph? The Lord attending Thursday meetings? If those are lies, do we not want the truth? Do we really want to simply let the lies go uncorrected for the greater good? I can promise you one thing, if you lie to someone (even if by simply not correcting the record) it is likely to lead to a far more serious faith crisis at some point as a result.

Polygamy in the Church led to wife swapping, whoredoms, murder, adultery, wife stealing and abuse. Does it really not matter one iota to you that it may not have been started by Joseph Smith? And if it wasn’t do you not think it important to defend our dear brother Joseph at all costs? Regardless of whatever we think the implications may or may not be?

Here’s an example a little closer to home. Let’s say that someone starts a rumor about you at work that you are fooling around with your secretary. Do you care if no one comes to your defense, assuming there is no truth to the allegations? Do you think the rumors could lead to other adverse consequences if not corrected or addressed? Do you think the company could suffer as a result of the falsehood going uncorrected? Worse, imagine now that the rumor is that you secretly believe in polygamy and you are entering into secret marriage covenants with other men’s wives, with teenagers, all behind your wife’s back. Would these lies matter? Would they affect the way people treat you? Respond to you? Would people quit because of the rumors? Would the organization and its mission suffer? If this is you being accused, do you want the company when you’re gone to publish lies that confirm that the rumors were true? When they’re not? Do your kids want their father’s legacy to be those lies? Do you want your kids and grandkids to use those lies that they now believe to be truths to justify their own immoral actions? Again, does the truth matter?

A dear friend made an great point the other day. According to Brigham Young, anyone who rejects the teaching of polygamy and does not enter into it, cannot be saved in the highest degree of the Celestial KIngdom. As far as I know, those words have never been renounced. To the contrary, President Nelson and Elder Oaks and others are often cited as living that “higher law.” So, if polygamy was started by Joseph and it is the higher law and we must accept it and practice it at some point, then why isn’t the Church pushing for its legalization? It would be a brilliant legal move in my opinion and may have prevented gay marriage from becoming legal. But, now that gay marriage is legal, why not push for it if you believe in it? If it was true then, why is not true today? Better yet, IF it becomes legal, will the Church re-instate it? And why wouldn’t it? And more importantly, would you practice it? Now would you want to know for sure if Joseph really taught it? Would the truth matter to you now? Your bishop tells you you need to marry the 16 year old from the Sunday School class your’e teaching. You need to go home and break the news to your wife. Are the historical details meaningless to you now? Your wife may leave you. Your boss may fire you. Your kids may lose all confidence in you. Does whether the doctrine came from Joseph or Brigham matter now? If it was a lie promoted by Brigham, are you still comfortable proceeding? If it leads you to hell, and to whoredoms, do you really just want to trust your bishop rather than figuring this out for yourself?

I sent this video that I’m including here below to many of my friends and family because I think enough of them to share things I find persuasive, lovely, exonerating, and good. Because I love the truth and I love the Lord. And I love Joseph. I did not send it to them with some hidden agenda or with any grand scheme in mind. I sent it to all my kids as well and shared it with my wife. That’s how good I think it is. I do not know the producer of it. I don’t know his beliefs or his religion. All I know is I think he does an amazing job of shedding light on a really important topic. And it excited me. Certain people’s response was deflating and reminded me that people are afraid of truth. It threatens them and they fear what it may lead to. Surely Joseph was right when he said:

“I have tried for a number of years to get the minds of the Saints prepared to receive the things of God; but we frequently see some of them, after suffering all they have for the work of God, will fly to pieces like glass as soon as anything comes that is contrary to their traditions: they cannot stand the fire at all. How many will be able to abide a celestial law, and go through and receive their exaltation, I am unable to say, as many are called, but few are chosen [see D&C 121:40].

I truly believed this group of friends would respond normally and maturely (in fairness two of them did):

“Hey thanks for the recommendation! I’ll check it out! (After watching it…). “Wow, that was really interesting! Made me think! Not totally sure I agree with all the conclusions but will certainly study the topic further… Thanks for sharing! I’m so glad we share a mutual love for Joseph and Emma!”

This is how people might reply who are not threatened by someone who they know loves them and who is sharing something they are excited about. The way they chose to respond shuts down dialogue, makes people feel foolish, and frankly reminds me of how so many leaders in the Church treat people they disagree with. Testify louder! Rebuke. Correct. Stay true to the Brethren at all costs. Be intellectually dishonest. Don’t reason. Don’t ponder such things. Don’t pray over such things. Protect the flock by silencing ideas and by turning off the mic. In short, passive aggressive and fearful and controlling.

As I have learned the truth about Joseph and Emma, it has strengthened my faith in the Book of Mormon, the Pearl of Great Price, Lectures on Faith, the JST Bible and in all the Teachings and mission of Joseph Smith. Surely he was a prophet of God! And as he proclaimed, he was surely guilty of sins, but NOT the ones he is charged with. And the truth on that subject matters. I invite you to watch this video and ask God which version of the history of polygamy is true.

“Truth Claims”

Written by LDS author Brian Hales (anesthesiologist) who clearly wants Polygamy to be true.

More young people are leaving the Church.  I’m not sure anyone knows the exact number, but it’s safe to say that most people know someone under the age of 40 who has left in the last year.  There’s a common theme for those leaving—Concerns over the Church’s “truth claims.”  In large part, these concerns begin with or are made worse by what the Church teaches about Joseph Smith and polygamy.

The Church’s claims about their founding prophet are incompatible.  On one hand, “Joseph Smith, the Prophet and Seer of the Lord, has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it.”

On the other hand, he was secretly practicing polygamy, which included having sex with other women, some as young as age 14, some of which were married to other men, ALL while simultaneously openly teaching that polygamy is an abomination and while excommunicating others for doing the same.

This flagrant contradiction makes it very hard for an honest and moral person to believe Joseph was worthy to do God’s work and to be His servant.

After all, the scriptures teach that adultery is wrong; that polygamy is wrong, that pedophilia is wrong; that orgies and whoredoms are wrong.  These are all things, ironically, the Church today teaches as wrong and unlawful.  Our youth today are taught to not even watch rated R movies or to wear immodest clothing, but somehow whoredoms were commanded by God for almost 100 years in the Church.  It’s a hard idea for most to reconcile.  (If you think whoredoms is too strong of a word, then I would cite you to Jacob chapter 2.)

No wonder, based on the Church’s claim that polygamy was started by Joseph Smith, so many conclude the Church simply cannot be true and that he cannot be a true prophet.

Consider how you might feel today about Warren Jeffs and his followers.  Many of us will conclude by their fruits that he is not a true prophet and that his people are deceived.  If we who are active LDS feel so biased against today’s polygamists, then how can we expect that some of our own will not come to the same conclusions about our polygamous history?  Do you feel inclined for example, to read Warren Jeff’s revelations he’s getting in prison?  Why not?  “Because his fruits are evil.  He’s a pedophile. He’s a womanizer.  So why even insult God by considering his teachings…”  Right?

Hence the Church’s great dilemma.  This is how many of our youth are now seeing this issue of the Church’s claim that Joseph started and practiced polygamy.  And why wouldn’t they?  After all, can good fruit come from a bad seed or from a completely immoral and unworthy man?

But was Joseph really practicing polygamy?

I know for some that sounds like a silly question because the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and many other historians have been so “clear” on this subject.  Why would the Church say Joseph Smith did practice polygamy if he in fact didn’t?  Why be dishonest about something so unflattering?  These are good questions, but let’s start with the obvious:

If Joseph did not practice Polygamy as did Brigham his successor, then the LDS Church’s claim of being “true” and of having the Keys, is seriously undermined. 

It’s a curious idea—If the Church had evidence that showed Joseph never actually practiced polygamy and was always faithful to Emma and cleaved to none other, what would become of the Church?

I posed this question to a young man who left the Church recently who had just read the CES Letter.  His initial response was: “The Church and its leaders would be so relieved!”  I gave him an inquisitive look.  Being a very smart young man he corrected his response to: “The Church would be ruined.”  That’s exactly right sadly.  Why would it be ruined?  Because where a jury may not be able to convict Joseph of polygamy on evidence, it clearly can convict all the Church leaders after him up to 1945.  And if polygamy was wrongly practiced after Joseph’s death, then today’s LDS Church has a much harder argument proving it was worthy to procure or keep the all important Keys it claims to have from Joseph.

Let’s pause at 1945 for a moment.  As a missionary I was instructed to tell people that polygamy was outlawed in 1890 and Mormons stopped practicing it abruptly, then.  This is one of the Church’s “truth claims.”  But is it completely accurate?  I won’t turn you to the many troubling stories of what happened after the Manifesto in 1890, but anyone who has delved even a little will find that Mormons were winking and nodding for many years thereafter.  Members and leaders alike were going to Mexico to be married to plural wives.  One elderly prophet engaged in a plural marriage to a woman several decades younger than himself off the West coast, on a boat (international waters), many years after 1890.  And then there’s President Heber J. Grant, the last polygamist prophet of the Church who died in 1945.  He had been married to 3 women at the same time, but all of them died before he became the leader of the Church.  So technically, the last prophet of the Church who actually believed in and taught AND practiced polygamy died when my dad was 2 years old.

When a young missionary or young Mormon person is led to believe that polygamy came to a hard stop without resistance because it was made illegal in 1890 and because President Woodruff had a revelation, and because “we believe in honoring the laws of the land,” they are often confused when they find that technically a man who was prophet of the Church until 1945 was an avowed polygamist and that many so-called law abiding Church leaders before him were disobeying the laws of the land that they swore to honor.

The other truth claim aforementioned is that polygamy only ended because a prophet received a revelation or had a vision.  This truth claim is also troubling to many honest thinkers.  On one hand we have Brigham Young who prophesied that Polygamy was the only way for a man to enter the Celestial Kingdom and unequivocally stated that if the Church ever abandoned the practice, it would lose its Priesthood and be destroyed as a Church.  On the other hand, we have Wilford Woodruff receiving a “revelation” contradicting Brigham’s teachings and prophesies.  Which is it?  Again, an honest person recognizes the dilemma.  And then we add to the dilemma of prophets contradicting one another, the historical facts that strongly point to Mormons being forced by governmental pressure to abandon polygamy all the way down to the Manifesto being written by a non-LDS lawyer and the requirement that his words (the Manifesto) be added to the Doctrine and Covenants so that Church members would be more inclined to take it seriously.  Do you not find it strange that such an important revelation is only a footnote in the back of the D&C rather than its own section?  Same for blacks and the Priesthood?

So here’s the second question I posed to my young friend who just left the Church: “What if Joseph Smith never practiced polygamy and never had sex with anyone but Emma and was telling the truth about the abomination of polygamy?  Would that change how you feel about the other concerns you have?”  His response was predictable.  “That’s impossible.  History proves Joseph was a polygamist.  It’s not even a question.”  So I asked a follow up question.  “But, where does this most of this ‘unquestioned history’ come from?”  The answer of course is that it largely comes from the Church itself.  I continued, “Did you know that not only did Emma not believe Joseph was ever a polygamist and gave that testimony until her death, but neither did Joseph’s mother or Joseph’s children believe it?  In fact, none of the believers of the future RLDS Church seemed to believe that Joseph was a polygamist nor did they believe polygamy was a revelation from God.”

As members of this Church we are generally unaware of the great schisms that existed upon the death of Joseph and Hyrum.  Brighamites, Josephites, Strangites, Cochranites, Rigdonites, etc.  This hints at another truth claim regarding succession that we won’t go into completely now, but that is often troubling for those hearing it for the first time.  Many have no idea that Brigham Young was never ordained by the 12 (or anyone) for example, and was not unanimously sustained by them either.  Nor do many know that the Church was 3-1/2 years without a President.  Or that Brigham campaigned on the promise that he’d never be the prophet and would only act as the Church’s custodian until Joseph III was old enough to be the Church’s rightful leader.  Or that Brigham all but abolished the Relief Society during this time, because he saw Emma and her organization as a threat.  He actually blamed the Relief Society for the deaths of Joseph and Hyrum, in part because she was advocating for monogamy and morality.  Or that Brigham’s first thought by his own words upon hearing that Joseph was gone was “We’ve lost the keys…”  The succession crisis was just that– a succession crisis– but the Church does not offer a lot of transparency on this topic thus causing some honest and often young minds to see the Church as dishonest about its history.

This crisis led to the formation of several new branches of Mormonism.  Emma, Lucy and much of the Joseph Smith family refused to follow Brigham.  Emma confronted Brigham on the topic of polygamy and reaffirmed that Joseph had told Brigham in her presence that it was not of God.  To say that Brigham and Emma did not like each other would be an understatement.  What divided them?  Polygamy among other things.

In fact, an argument could be made that Joseph lost his life because of the charges of polygamy being leveled against him and subsequently the Church split into fragments largely based on the differing beliefs surrounding polygamy.

And yet, as I mentioned earlier, Joseph cannot be convicted of polygamy.  Consider the following facts and ideas:

  1. There is zero DNA that links any child or descendant to Joseph Smith.
  2. This despite the teaching that the Lord commands polygamy (see Jacob 2 and case of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) in order to raise up seed.
  3. There is nothing but hearsay evidence, often decades later from less credible, uncorroborated sources.  If you don’t think people won’t lie for what they think is for the greater good then I cite you to the recent Justice Kavanaugh hearings where at least one woman literally lied about events that never took place.  Perjury in order to advance a narrative and agenda.  Lawyers and a propaganda machine funded her and stood by her side because they needed her story to be true.  Why would it have been any different in Brigham’s day?  Their religion, their society, and their very way of life were dependent upon being able to pin polygamy to Joseph, the founder of their religion.
  4. There is no eye witness that caught Joseph in the act of being unfaithful.  No bath house, group massage, group-anything experience.  No hotel owner or inn keeper.  No setting in which Joseph is seen with a woman in a sexual or unfaithful situation.  Never seen walking down the streets of Nauvoo with some other woman inappropriately or in some back alley.  All this while male secretaries are following him and recording his history.
  5. Even Joseph’s own wife is positive Joseph was not a polygamist.  Why would she lie?  Especially if she wasn’t going to be a part of Brigham’s group?  In her mind she was going East and would likely never see Brigham and the LDS Church again.
  6. Why would Emma as the Church’s most prominent female leader, edit and publish the Voices of Innocence, a publication bashing polygamy, adultery, and fornication, and have that document sustained by 8,000 members of the Church in 1844—a document Joseph wrote?
  7. Why would Joseph be tried in Far West by the Stake for “the girl business” in 1838 only to be exonerated by that Council?  If he was guilty and there were witnesses, then why was he not convicted?
  8. Why was section 132, which is the Church’s only document from Joseph on polygamy, not published in the D&C until 1852, years after Joseph’s death?  Why is it not all in Joseph’s handwriting?  Why did the Church edit it?  Add to it?  Subtract from it?
  9. When in the history of the world has the Lord commanded an entire people to practice polygamy?  (See Brigham Young’s teachings)  Will Nephi not be exalted because he was not practicing polygamy?  Paul?  Peter?  Isaiah?  Others?
  10. If polygamy was intended to be the Church’s new law and was the only way into the Highest heavens, then why would Joseph receive section 49 that teaches a man must have only one wife?
  11. Why would Joseph point to the former D&C section 101 that teaches against fornication and polygamy when defending himself against John C. Bennet? For that matter why did Brigham Young remove section 101?
  12. Did the LDS Church have pure motives in the Temple Lot case when it provided affidavits against Joseph as a polygamist in order to try to prevent the RLDS Church from getting the Independence Temple Lot?
  13. Why doesn’t the Church release the William Clayton diaries?  Or other records that might shed light on the subject?  If the William Clayton diaries convict Joseph, that would only help the Church’s narrative.

Interestingly, Joseph’s own grandson Israel Smith says the following on the subject:

“Joseph Smith was the greatest victim of fraud and conspiracy of the last 500 years. Nothing like it in recorded history. He was simply lied about when something had to be done to justify … Utah Mormon polygamy.”

Is it possible that Joseph was in fact a victim of fraud and conspiracy?  Is it possible he was telling the truth the whole time?  Was there motive from the polygamist Cochranites and those they persuaded that spiritual wifery was of God, to push this system on Joseph and on the Church?  Are there holes in the testimonies of those who followed Brigham?  Can we really trust the witnesses of women who were supposedly once married to Joseph but then who subsequently became Brigham’s wives?  Would they not have an agenda to pin polygamy on Joseph?  For the “greater good” and to preserve their way of life?

If Joseph is exonerated of being a dishonest and immoral man, then the Church sadly has the most to lose.  If Brigham was an adulterer and polygamy was an abomination, and Joseph was doing neither, it’s hard to argue that Keys can be transferred upon such principles of unrighteousness.  But, if Joseph is exonerated, it’s also far more likely that people will not be so quick to throw away the Book of Mormon, the teachings of Joseph Smith, the D&C and Pearl of Great Price, and most importantly, the restoration itself.

Sadly, the LDS Church needs Joseph to be as guilty of polygamy as was Brigham and the Church needs to continue to push the teaching that polygamy came to Joseph as a revelation from God.  If they lose that argument, they may just lose the Church.  Yet, by holding onto it, they lose great people whose consciences no longer allow them to believe that an immoral man is one of God’s true messengers.

For those interested in reading more on this topic, I’d recommend strongly the following links, which provide far better research than what’s contained in this short blog post.

http://puremormonism.blogspot.com/2010/06/why-im-abandoning-polygamy.html

http://denversnuffer.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Plural-Marriage.pdf

http://downloads.miridiatech.com.s3.amazonaws.com/remnant/JosephSmithsMonogamy.pdf?fbclid=IwAR2z_BoaWNc-DZoZJcLNOceHWLpXuwGTdy5kTH02TNZVjOkd6r96aqG_bZc

https://theexonerationofemmajosephandhyrum.com/

http://restorationbookstore.org/jsfp-index.htm