Mormon Bombshell! Church Admits Founder Had 14 Year Old Bride!!!

Hello again ATS!

Surfing the web I came across this article that took me aback to a degree. Well, to be honest, not that aback. No revelations about organized religion leading to graft or sin really shocks me any longer. There is something about religious power that, in my earnest opinion, tends to make even rational people turn into their own little demigods.

However, I am sure that the state of Utah is blushing at the moment - or at least segments of that population. It turns out their founder, a very active polygamist, who took the wifes of other men to be his own - but he was also a possible pedophile.

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The Mormon church acknowledges in a new essay that founder Joseph Smith had a teenage bride and was married to other men's wives during the faith's early polygamous days, a recognition of an unflattering part of its roots that historians have chronicled for years.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints says most of Sm

"As a collection, these are remarkably revealing articles, continuing the new open and transparent philosophy of historical writing," said Armand Mauss, a retired professor of sociology and religious studies at Washington State University.

The information will be surprising to many Latter-day Saints who either didn't know or were encouraged to dismiss speculation as anti-Mormon propaganda, Mauss said.

Little is known about Smith's marriages to the already-married women, the article says. They also might have been the type of unions that didn't involve sex.

Source

Hrm "sexless marriage". Could such an animal truly exist? Did the founder of The Church of Latter Day Saints practice sexless marriage with some or all of his brides?

Even if sexless - does marriage to a child in puberty not violate the very spirit that religion is supposed to foster?

I leave it in your worthy hands, ATS, to work out the quirks and kinks in the concepts here. I, myself, find no excuse for any grown man to marry a girl barely in her teens. To me it seems inexcusable.

a reply to: Hefficide

He's not a Muslim so this thread might not get the attention it deserves.

On topic, this happens quite a bit among the Mormon community and is perceived to be okay by many members. I must viciously point out that I am against it and find it to be disgusting.

I guess they took the saying "follow by example" a bit too seriously?

Dp

Ummm back then a 14 year old had live half her expected life span

My aunt got married in 1951 and she was 15. So I got to ask, is there alot of difference?
This kind of thing was not as uncommon as you think.

I think the breakaway factions could be accused of early multiple marriages but the regular church maybe not so much....

The same as Elvis and Jerry Lee Lewis then. Two very famous child molesters.

14 year olds back in that day and age isn't really that shocking, now, say, if she was only like 9 that would be appalling.

originally posted by: Indigent
Ummm back then a 14 year old had live half her expected life span

Wasn't the life expectancy something like 25?

originally posted by: Indigent
Ummm back then a 14 year old had live half her expected life span

Yeah, it wasn't a big deal back then. People younger than that were getting married.
Our modern social paradigm didn't exist.

Well in the case of my remark it was a generation ago.

originally posted by: Hoosierdaddy71
My aunt got married in 1951 and she was 15. So I got to ask, is there alot of difference?
This kind of thing was not as uncommon as you think.

I agree that in the "Olden Days" this was more common, but by today's standards would you condone your 15 year old daughter marrying a man that is perhaps two to three times her age?

I'm not saying that you do condone this but I am just trying to get some perspective.

originally posted by: real_one
a reply to: Hefficide

He's not a Muslim so this thread might not get the attention it deserves.

On topic, this happens quite a bit among the Mormon community and is perceived to be okay by many members. I must viciously point out that I am against it and find it to be disgusting.

I guess they took the saying "follow by example" a bit too seriously?

Wait, what? This does NOT happen in the LDS community. I am NOT LDS, but I live in Utah and have for most of my life. There are "fundamental" LDS groups that live out in the sticks and still practice plural marriage, but there is no polygamy in the mainstream and all of the Mormons I know (which is a LOT) frown upon the practice.

Don't spread lies - there are already enough misconceptions about Utah and Mormons out there.

With this consensus I am left to ask, why then did the Church keep this secret for nearly 200 years?

a reply to: Hefficide

In an effort to find the average age women married in the past it seems the norm has remained much the same.
Link to info.



So 20's has remained the average, and 14 is still way to damn young.

originally posted by: Hefficide

With this consensus I am left to ask, why then did the Church keep this secret for nearly 200 years?

And you really have to ask?

(place internet smirk here)

My great great grandparents where married at 14 her and 17 him. They also stayed married for over 78 years till the end.

originally posted by: real_one

originally posted by: Hoosierdaddy71
My aunt got married in 1951 and she was 15. So I got to ask, is there alot of difference?
This kind of thing was not as uncommon as you think.

I agree that in the "Olden Days" this was more common, but by today's standards would you condone your 15 year old daughter marrying a man that is perhaps two to three times her age?

I'm not saying that you do condone this but I am just trying to get some perspective.

Not is today's culture. But women didn't exactly have the options they do today.
But for perspective, take a modern fashion magazine back to 1850. They would view that magazine as pornography.

originally posted by: Hefficide

With this consensus I am left to ask, why then did the Church keep this secret for nearly 200 years?

Somewhere at home I have some pictures of Joseph Smith's headstone in the SLC cemetery. It's a huge pillar/obelisk with the names of *some* of his wives. It would be interesting to match them up to a date/age at the time of their marriage to Smith.

Also, Smith was a con artist and general douchebag. I don't believe this or any of his other marriages were "sexless." He was then what Warren Jeffs is now.

I don't agree with Mormonism at all, but many Mormons are really good people - they just believe in some crazy stuff. I can overlook their crazy beliefs, however, if they are able to overlook me being a heathen.

originally posted by: TinkerHaus

originally posted by: real_one
a reply to: Hefficide

He's not a Muslim so this thread might not get the attention it deserves.

On topic, this happens quite a bit among the Mormon community and is perceived to be okay by many members. I must viciously point out that I am against it and find it to be disgusting.

I guess they took the saying "follow by example" a bit too seriously?

Wait, what? This does NOT happen in the LDS community. I am NOT LDS, but I live in Utah and have for most of my life. There are "fundamental" LDS groups that live out in the sticks and still practice plural marriage, but there is no polygamy in the mainstream and all of the Mormons I know (which is a LOT) frown upon the practice.

Don't spread lies - there are already enough misconceptions about Utah and Mormons out there.

You are correct. My brother lives in Utah and has for 25 plus years (not mormon). They are really very nice people.