RFM continues his historic discussion with Jonathan Streeter about Joseph Smith’s polygamy; and the defenses apologists use to try to justify it!
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Radio Free Mormon: 171: A Bad Defense is the Worst Offense Part 2
I’m sure JS left a lot of lonesome brides that’s for sure, but then again the law of Sarah allowed for many of the other church leaders to take on the JS widow’s. So then again, they were never lonesome.
It’s incredible the amount of self-confidence one develops when you internalize that everything is a scam. However, with everything being a scam… then the church is no less false than everything else.
Church nowadays isn’t that bad and awful of an institution. I keep telling myself this in part because I remain an active member, but also because I don’t see the wickedness that somehow ex-members purport it to be.
It’s interesting when you pair up the notions of restoration and with progressive forms of marriage you realize that maybe JS wasn’t that far off from the era of modernity that he wanted to materialize but was also victim of circumstance due to the cultural heritage that he lived in. That’s the neo-apologist in me talking.
And I would agree with you that whatever marriage arrangements grown adults want to live in is up to them.
The problem I would have today, as I do with Joseph Smith’s day, is including minors in the equation, and also the use of spiritual coercion in order to compel compliance.
“Legal authority in times past”= “God given rights to polygamy given to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob”
Understand, I think this is all invented. However, I believe that is what is meant by that verbiage.
But Mormonism isn’t a legalistic religion!
;^)
I am thinking of Sarah’s life within the Mormon community, and those things she would have missed (remember JS did not “woo” her, instead her parents had to convince her to go with the secret and then sham marriage). Imagine her considering becoming a mother as well. Imagine JS’s panic if she were to miss a monthly period. What if she were to be pregnant and began to show before the sham marriage to her brother-in-law? Could this also be a reason why Smith ‘broke new ground’ on her (really HIS) behalf. This whole mess is about JS , his insatiable lust, and his ability to promote a much, much bigger sham called a “church”.