But after almost 3300 posts at MADB, I think my time there is short. Two posts this weekend got flagged, and I would consider both rather benign, so I'm not interested in continuing to participate never knowing which post is going to inflame a moderator.
For example, one of my pet peeves regarding polygamy is how modern apologists use justifications and theories that would have also made perfect sense back in the 1840's. So, in effect, they are saying that they have figured out a way to "sell" polygamy that never occurred to Joseph Smith or other church leaders. Like the argument that Joseph Smith's polygamous marriages were platonic, and similar to male-male sealings. If this were the case, then I believe Joseph would have simply explained it that way to Emma and others. It is logical, understandable, and reasonable, and would have helped Joseph avoid a lot of grief. But he didn't use this explanation, and Emma was certainly operating off the assumption that Joseph was treating these wives as wives.
To illustrate that point, I made the following post, which used a hypothetical conversation between Joseph and Emma. You can see the moderator's comment.
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[quote name='mnn727' post='1208292447' date='Nov 3 2007, 06:47 AM']
Don't believe it? its historical fact. The thing many people don't understand is that in that time period, sealing and marriage were 2 entirely different things. People were sealed to connect families together not necessarily to become husband and wife. there were even cases of men being sealed to men, so the fact the Joseph Smith was sealed to women who were not his wife (and in fact were wives of other men) is not the sinister thing anti's want you to believe.
Somehow, you were able to figure this out and explain it in one short, clear, logical paragraph. Yet for the last 5 years of his life, Joseph couldn't come up with the same explanation for Emma.
I can just imagine how that would have gone:
EMMA: Joseph! I will not stand for polygamy! How dare you take other wives when you have one!
JOSEPH: Wait a second Emma. You don't understand that "sealing" and "marriage" are two entirely different things. People are sealed to connect families together, not necessarily to become "husband" and "wife". Why, I've even been sealed to other men, so these "sealings" to other women is not the sinister thing you are assuming.
EMMA: Oh, that makes sense. Sorry for getting so upset, I assumed it was something else entirely.
JOSEPH: No problem. By the way, I'll be working very late at the store tonight, so don't wait up for me.
It also raises the question why the other women and men couldn't be sealed to Joseph as sons and daughters, or brothers and sisters. I'm assuming the men-to-men sealings weren't husband-husband, so why would the men-women sealings need to be husband-wife?
Stop the insulting sneering about LDS leaders if you have any plans to stay here. ~ Mods [/quote]
http://www.mormonapologetics.org/index. ... opic=29495
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You can see my other slap on the wrist here: http://www.mormonapologetics.org/index.php?showtopic=29500[/url]