Polygamy Under Joseph Smith w/ Lindsay Hansen Park & Bryan Buchanan | Ep. 1815

In this engaging interview with historian Bryan Buchanan and Lindsay Hansen Park we delve into the complex history of Joseph Smith's controversial practice of polygamy. What evidence supports his multiple marriages, the experiences of his wives, and the implications of this aspect of Mormon history?

Throughout the interview, we emphasize the importance of nuanced historical analysis over apologetics, encouraging open and honest discussions about Mormon history, polygamy, and the broader impact of these topics on the faith's evolution and how it affects members today. This interview provides a thought-provoking exploration of the complexities within Mormon history and invites them to engage in constructive conversations about these issues.

Chapters:
00:00:00 Intro
00:07:45 The history of polygamy is the history of Mormonism
00:14:00 Joseph Smith’s Family & Folk magic
00:30:25 Marriage to Emma Smith
00:42:15 Early Church
00:48:15 Lamanite revelation in 1831
00:54:05 Kirtland Era “the family”
00:59:50 Fanny Alger (all-gur)
01:08:45 Tar and Feather Incident
01:14:50 Missouri Period
01:26:05 Nauvoo Period
01:35:45 Impact on women & disgusting excuses for it
02:01:30 Masonry Connections to Polygamy
02:23:25 Using women to collect other women
02:44:00 Doctrine & Covenants 132
02:50:30 Joseph Smith martyrdom
03:20:30 How to have better conversations

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[sachafreedom]

In a letter from one of my great x 6 grandmothers, while in England, she tells about the rumors of polygamy and her father did not want her to leave. The missionary leaders assured her and her family that the was NO polygamy and it was just lies. As a true believer in Joseph Smith, she followed the Mormon converts and came to the US to live as a Mormon woman and meet a nice LDS husband. In today’s society, this manipulation of a woman and her body is sex trafficking Once here she was married off into polygamy and being poor, she could not go back home.

[orisonorchards]

I really hate when men say that polygamy doesn't bother them but polyandry does. So gross! Why not take a second to wonder WHY you feel that way, then try to put yourself in the position of the women and try to empathize.

[maxfrank]

This was my first introduction to Bryan. I love this human.

[jmvogtli]

I am glad to hear Lindsay's perspective. She keeps the psychology of women in mind during this historical period and does an excellent job of understanding living under power and control.

[gracebullen]

As a NeverMo, this is has been the most fascinating Mormon Stories episode I've watched. I really appreciate how they look at historical and social context, and don't push favorite theories.

[JC-vqcs]

As a NeverMo in Utah I decided to be a critically thinking "investigator" during the pandemic. Wow just wow. The lens of Mormonism is a fascinating window on US history. Polygamy is a crucial factor among so many. The 2nd Great Awakening and various NE communal sectarian experiments were a wild time period. Most sects failed or faded away (the ones that preached celibacy didn't do so well, for example). This period in history has been far too sanitized in standard texts and classes. Ty for these discussions.

[moesyah]

a man saying "polygamy didn't take me out of the church, polyandry did" at 1:43:00 perfectly made lindsays' point that polyamy is about power.

[easydoesit]

These two brilliant historians are so great! I love them both and they play off of each other so well. How can any of us get as educated and informed as they are. We are blessed by their tenacious quest for the truth!

[froggie]

As a nevermo, I learned about Joseph Smith briefly in AP US history in high school. From my memory, he was described as a con man who created a religion similar to fan fiction novels. After listening to this, I see very little difference between him and someone like Warren Jeffs. We have to tell the true story of who he was without glamour or else sections of America (educated in different ways) will continue to be disillusioned. Our country protects religious freedom but if you are raised in a religion based on lies and deliberate ambiguous storytelling, that is not freedom.

[SheBecameVisible]

BEST EVER! Mic drop, no need for another podcast ever! This is everything all at once! If you’re struggling with deconstruction, watch this, DONE!

[FieroGroos]

Great show! Thank you! Yes, civil discourse, we must educate, debate, and discuss. One of the saddest lessons of history is this: If we’ve been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. We’re no longer interested in finding out the truth. The bamboozle has captured us. It’s simply too painful to acknowledge, even to ourselves, that we’ve been taken. Once you give a charlatan power over you, you almost never get it back.
Carl Sagan

[DS-trfh]

All my life I have heard non-Mormons say to me, "Mormons don't worship Jesus, they worship Joseph Smith!" I have countered every time, "We do not worship Joseph Smith. I pray to Jesus, not Joseph."

2:52:12 "We tie ourselves in knots trying to make Joseph into a good guy over and over and over."

Now looking at it from a better perspective, this is EXACTLY worshipping Joseph Smith.


I'm sorry for what I said when I was Mormon....

[anniesenol]

Family lore has it that Joseph Smith approached my great great grandmother to be his second wife while he was still in New York. Her father was wealthy industrialist who had recently passed. Joseph Smith told this young woman that God told him that she was to be his wife. She told him that God hadn't told her that and my grandmother told me that she said that god hadn't told her and that's why our family aren't Mormons.

[anniesenol]

While living in Vermont, I'm told that the Smith family left Vermont in 1816 which Vermonters call the Year Without Summer after the volcano caused there to be six inches of snow in June. There was no harvest that year and many Vermonters left the state.

[marylamphere]

Can we get these people back often?! They make the subject so engaging.

[norlavine]

Joseph Smith was a talented 'story teller'. He found a 'celestial' reason for his every action.

[AbiFisk]

I'm incredibly grateful for Lindsay and Bryan's work!! Thank you for your work and research- truly. THIS episode is so important. I especially love what Lindsay says at the end of the episode - we need to hold space for better conversations, to stretching ourselves and being more understanding. Thank you John and Mormon Stories 👏 bloody brilliant episode guys. Bring on part 2!

[Mon-Alisa]

I want to be like Lindsay… she’s awesome, so smart and wise. I loved this episode sooo much. It’s amazing how much information they both have stored in their brains, with no notes!

[strongallalong]

Bryan taught me Hebrew as the teaching assistant at the U of U in 2008! I believe he was getting his Master’s degree at the time. Haven’t seen him in 15 years! How cool!

[marcushadlock]

I love these two guests. They are some of my favorites.