[Some Mormons never practiced polygamy. She might be quite right that her branch didnt. Polygamy was an issue that split the LDS early on. Many that went by wagon train to Utah split away and went on to Oregon and other places because they did not believe in polygamy. It is interesting- because at that time the non-polygamists were the smaller splinter group.]
Which doesn’t change the fact that Brigham Young led the “smaller splinter group”, one of the infallible founding church fathers. Please read Ann Young’s book, “Wife No. 19”, it is Warren Jeffs all over. Much less Joseph Smith himself is the crackpot who started it all in the first place. Apologists never quit.
On such a foundation of sand is based the entire Mormon Church.
Ping
Thanks for the book recommend.
I assume is is a biography?
I am not an apologist for the LDS church- any branch of it. I know quite a lot about their history because I am very interested in history and my husband was raised LDS (and has had no part of it since he bacame an adult) His ancestors went to Utah and some stayed and practiced polygamy but his line went on to Oregon because his g-g-g-grandmother would have no part of polygamy and she convinced her husband to continue to Oregon. My sister was LDS, converted as an adult with her husband. I have known many LDS members- there is an LDS community near me. I think their beliefs are quite odd to say the least. I will also say they are as a rule very hard working, and would give you the shirt of their back if they thought you needed it. Most are good upstanding people who live quietly and harm no one. That of course is not true of all the branches. I have never been able to understand how they could believe some of the outlandish things they believe. Warren Jeffs and his inner circle are nutcases and would be nutcases in any religion- but I do agree that they are following many of the teachings of the early LDS church- in spite of what some would like everyone to think.
I have read Ann Young’s book- I read the book in the 1970’s and LDS claimed she was really his 17th wife, but I can understand the confusion- hard to keep track when you take marriage so casually. The book is now out of print and can be found used but maybe not now with all the interest.