How to Deal with Joseph Smith's Youngest Wives

[_bcspace]

But did they live with both men at the same time or travel back and forth in an actual marriage relationship with each? And what about their sealings? Does that always equate to a marriage relationship in this life? The answer to both questions of course, is no. The facts on the ground don't match the sordid criticisms.

I am not sure what living with both men has to do with anything.

It would make it the actual scandal yellow journalistic criticism is currently proposing.

[_Themis]

It would make it the actual scandal yellow journalistic criticism is currently proposing.

We both know the scandal is about him having sex, not living in the same house as all his wives. Since we both know he was having sex, you are just making a cheap attempts to distract from the real issue which you have avoided.

[_moksha]

And what about their sealings? Does that always equate to a marriage relationship in this life?

Most excellent questions. Despite the appearance in the Sistine Chapel, not all ceilings are sexual.

[_bcuzbcuz]

I have few problems with the juvenile women of Joseph Smith; than with the women who were already married to other men.

But did they live with both men at the same time or travel back and forth in an actual marriage relationship with each? And what about their sealings? Does that always equate to a marriage relationship in this life? The answer to both questions of course, is no. The facts on the ground don't match the sordid criticisms.

It never ceases to amaze me what mental gymnastics a true believer is willing to go through to defend a favorite line of thinking.

Joseph Smith claimed time and again that he was 'only human' and given to human frailties. Why do you even bother to defend your premise that Joseph was sexually faithful to Emma, when she didn't believe it herself?

Are you willing to divulge what the real issue is for you?

[_madeleine]

The solution is to know that there is little or no evidence for many of the women to whom Joseph Smith was sealed for an actual marriage relationship.

As a parent of a daughter who was once 14 years old....if a thirty-something married man had come around my 14 year old daughter with marital type interests, I'd be hard pressed to not shoot him with my husband's shotgun, tar and feather him, and then dump him out of an airplane without a parachute. But maybe that's just me.

[_Quasimodo]

The solution is to know that there is little or no evidence for many of the women to whom Joseph Smith was sealed for an actual marriage relationship.

As a parent of a daughter who was once 14 years old....if a thirty-something married man had come around my 14 year old daughter with marital type interests, I'd be hard pressed to not shoot him with my husband's shotgun, tar and feather him, and then dump him out of an airplane without a parachute. But maybe that's just me.

Skipping the part about shooting him first and doing the rest might be a more appropriate experience for him.

[_Tobin]

There are a few charges flying around here:

1) Joseph Smith was a polygamist (ie married to more than one woman).

That is true.

2) Joseph Smith had sexual relations with very young women.

That is true.

3) Joseph Smith was a polyandrist (ie married to other men's wives).

That is true.

4) Joseph Smith has sexual relations with other men's wives while they were still married and having sexual relations with their own husbands.

That is false.

The last one is problematic. The others I could care less about for the following reasons:

a) Polygamy clearly was ok with God in the Bible.
b) Women in their teens can have children. Young female brides are common in cultures that have polygamy and this is not unusual.
c) Polyandry is fine in this case since it was only platonic. It was a ritual and had to do with being sealed in the life AFTER this one.

Now, the last charge if proven true is a serious problem. If Joseph Smith was having sexual relations with women while those women were still married and having sexual relations with their own husbands, then that is adultery. I can't think the Lord would condone such a thing.

[_Quasimodo]

There are a few charges flying around here:

1) Joseph Smith was a polygamist (ie married to more than one woman).

That is true.

2) Joseph Smith had sexual relations with very young women.

That is true.

3) Joseph Smith was a polyandrist (ie married to other men's wives).

That is true.

4) Joseph Smith has sexual relations with other men's wives while they were still married and having sexual relations with their own husbands.

That is false.

The last one is problematic. The others I could care less about for the following reasons:

a) Polygamy clearly was ok with God in the Bible.
b) Women in their teens can have children. Young female brides are common in cultures that have polygamy and this is not unusual.
c) Polyandry is fine in this case since it was only platonic. It was a ritual and had to do with being sealed in the life AFTER this one.

Now, the last charge if proven true is a serious problem. If Joseph Smith was having sexual relations with women while those women were still married and having sexual relations with their own husbands, then that is adultery. I can't think the Lord would condone such a thing.

Religious excuses not withstanding, the points that you do agree with make Joseph Smith a VERY unsavory character.

If he were alive today, would you introduce him to your young daughter?

[_Tobin]

Religious excuses not withstanding, the points that you do agree with make Joseph Smith a VERY unsavory character.

If he were alive today, would you introduce him to your young daughter?

Other prophets of God in the Bible did similar things. If God commanded them to do so, who am I to judge?

[_Quasimodo]

Religious excuses not withstanding, the points that you do agree with make Joseph Smith a VERY unsavory character.

If he were alive today, would you introduce him to your young daughter?

Other prophets of God in the Bible did similar things. If God commanded them to do so, who am I to judge?

Well, I would hope that your judgments were centered around the well being of your child. There are many (way too many) men using their claimed connections with God to take sexual advantage of young girls, young boys, women and men.

I could give you a very long list of people like that. Hardly a week goes by without some national or international news story of an Evangelist Minister, Clergyman or Priest being charged with child molestation.