Was Emma an abused wife?

[_Mercury]

What would it take for Emma to have been OK with joe taking to bed the girl living in their house and the young daughters and wives of those he whipped into a millenial fervor? Apparently it took joe claiming that an angel told him it was all cool. Besides, them prophets need servicing, right?

Joe was known by many to be violently jealous. Men like this often did not spare the rod on their wives. I see joe capable of such acts as beating his wife, emotional manipulation, guilting and out and out hiding the true facts from her. Dealing out emotional abuse comes along with an insecure personality.

Emma was cool with it because she had no choice. Could she really have escaped? Was she complicit in the abuse as well? Was it rationalization and possibly outright inbred stupidity contributing to her sticking with the low men in yellow coats of the early Mormon executives?

Furthermore, if Joe was not what the church claimed him to be was Emma also not to be trusted but still strong in her own conflicted way?

[_The Nehor]

What would it take for Emma to have been OK with joe taking to bed the girl living in their house and the young daughters and wives of those he whipped into a millenial fervor? Apparently it took joe claiming that an angel told him it was all cool. Besides, them prophets need servicing, right?

Joe was known by many to be violently jealous. Men like this often did not spare the rod on their wives. I see joe capable of such acts as beating his wife, emotional manipulation, guilting and out and out hiding the true facts from her. Dealing out emotional abuse comes along with an insecure personality.

Emma was cool with it because she had no choice. Could she really have escaped? Was she complicit in the abuse as well? Was it rationalization and possibly outright inbred stupidity contributing to her sticking with the low men in yellow coats of the early Mormon executives?

Furthermore, if Joe was not what the church claimed him to be was Emma also not to be trusted but still strong in her own conflicted way?

Quite a jump. He was known by a supposed many to be jealous and thus we conjecture that he beat his wife? Quite a leap.

[_Inconceivable]

I don't get any hints of Smith as a wife beater. I see his indiscretions (extramarital affairs) as one of Emma's bargaining chips in gaining power and influence in the church while he lived.

Part of my quest included reading several books by the RLDS church, including one by Joseph III. They were emphatic that Joseph Smith was not and never was a polygamist. Joseph III and others took the word of his mother as the basis of this innacuracy. Joseph III even went so far as to travel to SLC and prostlyte as well as secure affedavits supporting his father's innocence of such immoral behavior.

After reading "Mormon Enigma: Emma Hale Smith", I concluded that the best living couple to parallel the two would be President and Mrs. William Clinton.
I realize that to some, this would be quite a stretch. Emma was president of a subordinate organization (relief society) where her 1st, 2nd counselor and even secretary were doing her husband prior to her knowledge. Some were her best friends. She was seriously the last to know in some cases. To me, that would be the ultimate betrayal of sacred trust.

But what did she do about it? What did Hillary do about it? About the same. Ultimately, Emma pretty much continued the church her husband started (with a greater influence than she had being the president's wife). Hillary is dead set on taking the job her husband had as well - with all the deceipt, baggage and denial - but with the power and influence her husband wielded.

I just don't see much integrity there in both cases.

[_truth dancer]

Ohhhh.... where to begin!

There are many forms of abuse.

And, having worked with many women survivors of abuse, let me just say that being in an abusive relationship is very difficult and women find all sorts of ways to survive, manage, cope, and exist.

Denial is the norm for women in abusive relationships. It is a difficult thing to admit, even to oneself that they are being taken advantage of, being used, being harmed, being victims of cruely, especially when it is the person with whom you are married, who is supposed to love and care for you.

I respect all women who find a way (even it is not the most healthy way) to cope with an abusive husband, knowing that they are doing their very best in a horrible situation. It is not easy to just walk away when there are all sorts of emotions and attachments involved.

I see Emma as a strong women doing her best to raise her children in a very, VERY horrible situation... I know how difficult it was for me to let go of the church and cannot imagine how hard it would have been for her to do anything other than what she did.

While I have no reason to suspect Joseph Smith physically assaulted Emma, it is clear he was abusive... just read the D&C.

~dancer~

[_CaliforniaKid]

I did read something years ago that seemed to hint at Joseph Smith giving Emma a bit of a thrashing, but I recall having doubts at the report's credibility. Perhaps Don Bradley will drop in... he'd probably know what I'm thinking of.

[_KimberlyAnn]

Yes, Emma was an abused wife!

Is it not abusive to manufacture a fake revelation threatening your wife with destruction if she doesn't let you shag other women? Is it not abusive to lie to your wife about secretly marrying other already married women? Is it not abusive to your wife to move her and her children from place to place running from the law to escape the consequences of your own illegal behavior? Is it not abusive to your wife to have illicit affairs with her adoptive children!? Hell, yes, Emma was abused!

Joseph Smith was a lying, abusive son of a bitch and the only reason I wish there really were a hell is so I could have the satisfaction of knowing his ass was frying in it!

KA

[_why me]

Yes, all Mormon women at the time of the church were abused and extremely unhappy. It is quite amazing that the church survived at all with so much abuse going on. Yep, old joe was a hateful man who thought of nothing but sex and power with emma as a consort. Yep, Old joe was an evil person....a dispictable man.

Yep, he sure was.

Now that I placated the countermos, let me just say that old joe was a good guy who found himself in difficult circumstances but in the end, he was widely respected among the lds and all if not 99% were sad to see him murdered. Old Joe, had both the men and women crying when he was murdered. And he was sadly missed by his plural wives as well.

And emma remained faithful to her husband's memory even after she remarried and her second husband never had a bad word to say about her emma's first husband. Go figure!

[_Inconceivable]

And emma remained faithful to her husband's memory even after she remarried and her second husband never had a bad word to say about her emma's first husband. Go figure!

Why me, that's a lot of frosting.

She started a church that was directly opposed to the doctrine he had secretly lived. She deceived the RLDS into believing that her dead husband was faithful to her and it's members - and he was not. She betrayed their trust. Either her sons were complicite in this lie or she had deceived them as well. Her damage path was realized by the RLDS only in the past 30 years. Why do you think the church imploded?

Give all the justification you want for her actions. Feel sorry for her, but faithful memory was "selective" at best.

[_The Nehor]

Yes, Emma was an abused wife!

Is it not abusive to manufacture a fake revelation threatening your wife with destruction if she doesn't let you shag other women? Is it not abusive to lie to your wife about secretly marrying other already married women? Is it not abusive to your wife to move her and her children from place to place running from the law to escape the consequences of your own illegal behavior? Is it not abusive to your wife to have illicit affairs with her adoptive children!? Hell, yes, Emma was abused!

Joseph Smith was a lying, abusive son of a bitch and the only reason I wish there really were a hell is so I could have the satisfaction of knowing his ass was frying in it!

KA

You're assuming it was a false revelation. I've had revelations from God much harsher than anything in the D&C.

[_Mercury]

Yes, Emma was an abused wife!

Is it not abusive to manufacture a fake revelation threatening your wife with destruction if she doesn't let you shag other women? Is it not abusive to lie to your wife about secretly marrying other already married women? Is it not abusive to your wife to move her and her children from place to place running from the law to escape the consequences of your own illegal behavior? Is it not abusive to your wife to have illicit affairs with her adoptive children!? Hell, yes, Emma was abused!

Joseph Smith was a lying, abusive son of a bitch and the only reason I wish there really were a hell is so I could have the satisfaction of knowing his ass was frying in it!

KA

You're assuming it was a false revelation. I've had revelations from God much harsher than anything in the D&C.

This statement of correct revelation, if it were true, is a direct and blatant statement that God cares that his prophet gets to sally up to the poon buffet.

Those who believe that it was valid should be ashamed of themselves. The only reason ou believe it to be true is that you can't wait for your celestial gangbang.