For many people, gossip is fun. All one needs to do to prove this fact is to see the plethora of scandal-sheet tabloids which are always at the check out lines of grocery stores, and Wal-Mart. What makes them "fun" for some is that by looking down over their noses at the rich and famous, those tabloid readers can have a fleeting feeling of being morally superior to those Hollywood types.
What makes the "tabloid voyeurism" so bad is that many of the stories are as factual as alien abductions, and then the celebrity victims can not seek justice for the lies.
However when it comes to the history of famous, but dead people, there is no such thing as having a ruined reputation if there is ample historical fact to back things up. All that is needed is to research the primary documents to see if they substantiate the things stated.
With that in mind, let's look at the so-called "prophet of god" of the LDS church, Joseph Smith. There is no doubt that Smith took 34 women as his wives. Since there is no record of divorcing ANY of them, Smith essentially had a harem.
Of the 34 wives he took, There is no records of the state of the 16 of the women being single, married, divorced or widowed before Joseph "sealed" (aka had a marriage ceremony) That means there were records of 18 women, and 11 of those women were married to other men when Joseph "sealed" (stole) them from their husbands.
Of the single wives, 7 were under age of 18. Helen Mar Kimble was married at age 14, another woman at 15, and two were 16.
One of the first 16 years-old wife was Franny Alger, who was caught in bed by Joseph's first wife, Emma.
And you thought Dallas was raunchy? Here are more details: this means married at time of sealing
[mother of Sylvia below] Patty Bartlett (Sessions) (4 February 1795 in Bethel, Maine - 14 December 1893 in Bountiful, Utah). Her daughter Sylvia Porter Sessions Lyon, who had married Smith one month before, was present at Session's wedding to Smith.[35]
Sylvia Porter Sessions Lyon daughter of David Sessions and Patty Bartlett Sessions, who married Joseph Smith one month after her daughter's marriage to him. On her deathbed, Sylvia informed her daughter Josephine Lyons that she was Smith's daughter.
Mary Elizabeth Rollins Lightner April 1818 in Lima, New York–17 December 1913 in Minersville, Utah) Claimed that Smith had a private conversation with her in 1831 when she was twelve years old,[32][33]
Louisa Beaman (February 7, 1815 - May 16, 1850). Though Mormon history and press indicate Beaman was not baptized until May 11, 1843,[23][24] she had migrated with Mormons to Nauvoo in 1839 or 1840.[25] She has been called the "first plural wife of the Prophet Joseph Smith." [26] After Smith's death, Beaman remarried, becoming the ninth wife of Brigham Young. They had five children together, all of whom predeceased Beaman, who died young at age 35.[27][28] Listed as a Smith plural wife by Joseph F. Smith,[29] who noted 1869 affidavit of Beaman's brother-in-law Joseph B. Noble, stating he officiated at the wedding,[30] This would have been prior to her baptism.
Zina Diantha Huntington (Jacobs) Husband was Henry Bailey Jacobs, who was aware of Zina's plural marriage to Smith. Jacobs wrote, "[W]hatever the Prophet did was right, without making the wisdom of God's authorities bend to the reasoning of any man." (Compton 1997, pp. 81–82) Sister of Presendia Huntington. After Smith's death, married Brigham Young while husband Jacobs was on mission to England
Marinda Nancy Johnson (Hyde) 28 June 1815 in Pomfret, Vermont - 24 March 1886 in Salt Lake City, Utah). Jon Krakauer wrote in Under the Banner of Heaven,[36]
"In the summer of 1831 the Johnson family took Joseph and Emma Smith into their home as boarders, and soon thereafter the prophet purportedly bedded young Marinda. Unfortunately, the liaison did not go unnoticed, and a gang of indignant Ohioans—including a number of Mormons—resolved to castrate Joseph so that he would be disinclined to commit such acts of depravity in the future."
Also there were several women who had polyandrous affairs with Smith and other men
All of these can be backed up by LDS scholarship, so no one can claim this is "anti-mormon" in any way; instead it is historical knowledge, albeit it is not shared by the guys and gals in white shirts and ties who come knocking on your door.
BTW Does any prophet of God, as found in the Bible have such a history?
What makes the "tabloid voyeurism" so bad is that many of the stories are as factual as alien abductions, and then the celebrity victims can not seek justice for the lies.
However when it comes to the history of famous, but dead people, there is no such thing as having a ruined reputation if there is ample historical fact to back things up. All that is needed is to research the primary documents to see if they substantiate the things stated.
With that in mind, let's look at the so-called "prophet of god" of the LDS church, Joseph Smith. There is no doubt that Smith took 34 women as his wives. Since there is no record of divorcing ANY of them, Smith essentially had a harem.
Of the 34 wives he took, There is no records of the state of the 16 of the women being single, married, divorced or widowed before Joseph "sealed" (aka had a marriage ceremony) That means there were records of 18 women, and 11 of those women were married to other men when Joseph "sealed" (stole) them from their husbands.
Of the single wives, 7 were under age of 18. Helen Mar Kimble was married at age 14, another woman at 15, and two were 16.
One of the first 16 years-old wife was Franny Alger, who was caught in bed by Joseph's first wife, Emma.
And you thought Dallas was raunchy? Here are more details: this means married at time of sealing
[mother of Sylvia below] Patty Bartlett (Sessions) (4 February 1795 in Bethel, Maine - 14 December 1893 in Bountiful, Utah). Her daughter Sylvia Porter Sessions Lyon, who had married Smith one month before, was present at Session's wedding to Smith.[35]
Sylvia Porter Sessions Lyon daughter of David Sessions and Patty Bartlett Sessions, who married Joseph Smith one month after her daughter's marriage to him. On her deathbed, Sylvia informed her daughter Josephine Lyons that she was Smith's daughter.
Mary Elizabeth Rollins Lightner April 1818 in Lima, New York–17 December 1913 in Minersville, Utah) Claimed that Smith had a private conversation with her in 1831 when she was twelve years old,[32][33]
[At age 12 in 1831], [Smith] told me about his great vision concerning me. He said I was the first woman God commanded him to take as a plural wife. …
In 1834 he was commanded to take me for a Wife … [In 1842 I] went forward and was sealed to him. Brigham Young performed the sealing … for time, and all Eternity. I did just as Joseph told me to do
NOTE This is the action of a pedophile. He is "grooming" a 12 years-old girl when he was 26 years-old.In 1834 he was commanded to take me for a Wife … [In 1842 I] went forward and was sealed to him. Brigham Young performed the sealing … for time, and all Eternity. I did just as Joseph told me to do
Louisa Beaman (February 7, 1815 - May 16, 1850). Though Mormon history and press indicate Beaman was not baptized until May 11, 1843,[23][24] she had migrated with Mormons to Nauvoo in 1839 or 1840.[25] She has been called the "first plural wife of the Prophet Joseph Smith." [26] After Smith's death, Beaman remarried, becoming the ninth wife of Brigham Young. They had five children together, all of whom predeceased Beaman, who died young at age 35.[27][28] Listed as a Smith plural wife by Joseph F. Smith,[29] who noted 1869 affidavit of Beaman's brother-in-law Joseph B. Noble, stating he officiated at the wedding,[30] This would have been prior to her baptism.
Zina Diantha Huntington (Jacobs) Husband was Henry Bailey Jacobs, who was aware of Zina's plural marriage to Smith. Jacobs wrote, "[W]hatever the Prophet did was right, without making the wisdom of God's authorities bend to the reasoning of any man." (Compton 1997, pp. 81–82) Sister of Presendia Huntington. After Smith's death, married Brigham Young while husband Jacobs was on mission to England
Marinda Nancy Johnson (Hyde) 28 June 1815 in Pomfret, Vermont - 24 March 1886 in Salt Lake City, Utah). Jon Krakauer wrote in Under the Banner of Heaven,[36]
"In the summer of 1831 the Johnson family took Joseph and Emma Smith into their home as boarders, and soon thereafter the prophet purportedly bedded young Marinda. Unfortunately, the liaison did not go unnoticed, and a gang of indignant Ohioans—including a number of Mormons—resolved to castrate Joseph so that he would be disinclined to commit such acts of depravity in the future."
Also there were several women who had polyandrous affairs with Smith and other men
All of these can be backed up by LDS scholarship, so no one can claim this is "anti-mormon" in any way; instead it is historical knowledge, albeit it is not shared by the guys and gals in white shirts and ties who come knocking on your door.
BTW Does any prophet of God, as found in the Bible have such a history?