ldsfaqs wrote:.
First, Joseph only married THREE people if I'm remembering right under 18, out of some 30 marriages.
Stop. Just stop. Can you really not see how this doesn't help? Joseph married Emma, and we assume covenanted with her to cleave unto her and to no other woman, as most marriage covenants include. What then does it matter if "only" THREE of the 30something other women he ended up fake-marrying were under 18 when he was 37 or 38? You honestly don't see this, do you?
I don't call that much of a pedophile, similar to Warren Jeffs.
I agree that Joseph Smith was probably not really a pedophile, since he was attracted to women or girls who had probably already experienced puberty, in some cases within the last year or two, but still.
So Joseph was just an adulterer, not also a pedophile.
Further, it is clear that most of his marriages were absolutely SEALING ONLY, especially when that what everyone knew and said, and he married other mens wives also, by sealing only.
Even if I believed your claim, which I don't, how does only
most of Joseph's fake marriages not involving him having sex with the women get Joseph out of trouble for the ones that he did have sex with? You really can't see how defenses like yours just don't help?
Mormonism ceased being a compelling topic for me when I finally came to terms with its transformation from a personality cult into a combination of a real estate company, a SuperPac, and Westboro Baptist Church. - Kishkumen