Is polyandry OK when the husband is not a faithful member?

[cacheman]

I was reading a piece by Brian Hales about Joseph Smith's practice of polyandry, and he says that there is a high degree of confidence that Joseph was sexually involved with Sylvia Sessions Lyon, who was married at the time to Windsor Lyon.

He argues that Joseph was justified in this relationship because Windsor was out of fellowship with the church at the time (this is in dispute, but I digress). He considers Windsor's disaffection and subsequent excommunication (he was later rebaptized) as a "religious divorce" from Sylvia, thus making it lawful and right for Joseph to take her as a plural wife.

Similarly, in their review of Compton's "In Sacred Loneliness," Richard Lloyd Anderson and Scott Faulring argue that, because Windsor was disaffected, this is not a true case of polyandry, which would suggest that Joseph and Windsor were "simultaneously" engaging in sexual relations with Sylvia.

But the fact remains that Sylvia and Windsor were still legally married, and there is no evidence other than a vague reference Hales gives to "family tradition" that they ever separated other than for about three weeks after his excommunication. After that, he lived temporarily in a room attached to his store a block from his home until they reconciled.

I'm summarizing here, but all kinds of justifications have been brought up for this. If Windsor was out of the church, his marriage was invalidated in favor of the new and everlasting covenant of marriage. Similarly, we are told that, in frontier days, marriage was not such a solid contract; divorces were difficult to obtain, so estranged spouses were for all intents and purposes available.

It just seems to me that, at a time that the Relief Society was preaching fidelity and chastity, these seem like flimsy rationalizations.

[_Buffalo]

There is one standard for Joseph Smith. The standard for regular members is much stricter.

[_Fence Sitter]

All this reminds me of a Rodney Dangerfield line. . .


Take my wife...... Please!!!!

[_Joseph]

Same tired old excuse for affairs every damn time: my spouse doesn't understand/love/pay attention/etc to me. So predators like joe the dickman can take advantage of them and justify it somehow.

Adultery is still adultery and joeyboy was one big time.

Virgins?
Raise Righteous Seed? What a load of horse manure designed for all the idiots who fell for it while he just screwed their women when he wanted.

[_Darth J]

Since I am apostate, is it okay for me to have sex with apostate LDS wives whose husbands are believers?

[_Jason Bourne]

I was reading a piece by Brian Hales about Joseph Smith's practice of polyandry, and he says that there is a high degree of confidence that Joseph was sexually involved with Sylvia Sessions Lyon, who was married at the time to Windsor Lyon.

He argues that Joseph was justified in this relationship because Windsor was out of fellowship with the church at the time (this is in dispute, but I digress). He considers Windsor's disaffection and subsequent excommunication (he was later rebaptized) as a "spiritual divorce" from Sylvia, thus making it lawful and right for Joseph to take her as a plural wife.

Similarly, in their review of Compton's "In Sacred Loneliness," Richard Lloyd Anderson and Scott Faulring argue that, because Windsor was disaffected, this is not a true case of polyandry, which would suggest that Joseph and Windsor were "simultaneously" engaging in sexual relations with Sylvia.

But the fact remains that Sylvia and Windsor were still legally married, and there is no evidence other than a vague reference Hales gives to "family tradition" that they ever separated other than for about three weeks after his excommunication. After that, he lived temporarily in a room attached to his store a block from his home until they reconciled.

I'm summarizing here, but all kinds of justifications have been brought up for this. If Windsor was out of the church, his marriage was invalidated in favor of the new and everlasting covenant of marriage. Similarly, we are told that, in frontier days, marriage was not such a solid contract; divorces were difficult to obtain, so estranged spouses were for all intents and purposes available.

It just seems to me that, at a time that the Relief Society was preaching fidelity and chastity, these seem like flimsy rationalizations.

Apologists have to go to great length to justify for Joseph Smith what otherwise would be adultery for you or me.

So I would ask the persons who justified the relations based on spiritual divorce, etc. Is it ok for my wife or yours to whom we were sealed in the temple to sleep with another man? Both of us are at one degree or another less faithful to the Church then we were at one point? How about that man whose wife is in a state of apostasy. Can he go marry another woman and have it not considered adultery and still receive a temple recommend. Would my wife or yours still receive at TR under such conditions.?

[_Polygamy-Porter]

Most SLC LDS members today could not stomach the real Joseph Smith.

Think of how a TBM views Warren Jeffs and I think you get a good idea of how they would feel if they knew the true personal character of Smith.

The FLDS on the other hand, they revel in the true personal character of Smith.

[_Buffalo]

Most Salt Lake City LDS members today could not stomach the real Joseph Smith.

Think of how a TBM views Warren Jeffs and I think you get a good idea of how they would feel if they knew the true personal character of Smith.

The FLDS on the other hand, they revel in the true personal character of Smith.

Absolutely. Someone here posted a pic of Jeffs kissing one of his 14 year old wives. It was beyond disgusting, and LDS would absolutely have a visceral negative reaction if they could travel back in time and meet the real Joseph.

[_Polygamy-Porter]

Most Salt Lake City LDS members today could not stomach the real Joseph Smith.

Think of how a TBM views Warren Jeffs and I think you get a good idea of how they would feel if they knew the true personal character of Smith.

The FLDS on the other hand, they revel in the true personal character of Smith.

Absolutely. Someone here posted a pic of Jeffs kissing one of his 14 year old wives. It was beyond disgusting, and LDS would absolutely have a visceral negative reaction if they could travel back in time and meet the real Joseph.

Especially when all they get from the time they are children is this:



Most LDS women hope that their husband can be as loving, righteous, and pure as old Joe was to his wife Emma.

Most LDS men are Joe wannabees, at least the Joe above in the books and videos.

[_Themis]

Absolutely. Someone here posted a pic of Jeffs kissing one of his 14 year old wives. It was beyond disgusting, and LDS would absolutely have a visceral negative reaction if they could travel back in time and meet the real Joseph.

Try posting this at Madb and see how fast you get banned. That they don't see just how much Joseph Smith is like Warren Jeffs and even worse in regards to polygamy says a lot about how biased we can be.