Criticism of Mormonism/Books/Nauvoo Polygamy/Mind reading
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| Presentism | A FAIR Analysis of: Nauvoo Polygamy: "... but we called it celestial marriage" A work by author: George D. SmithMind reading
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Censorship |
| Note: This is a review of claims and/or responses to misrepresentations of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints found in this work. The inclusion of an author's work here does not imply that he or she is "anti-Mormon," or that none of his or her works have value. Those who do not wish to examine the claims contained in what some would consider an "anti-Mormon" work are advised to proceed no further. |
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Mind reading
The author often attempts to interpret what Joseph was thinking as a way to lead the reader to a predetermined conclusion regarding Joseph Smith:
Reading Joseph's thoughts about women and marriage
The author claims that Joseph had a "predilection" to "take an interest in more than one woman" (p. x) and that he was on a "quest for female companionship," (p. xiv) Joseph's mind is read once again when the author claims that Sidney Rigdon "was not someone Joseph felt comfortable approaching to ask for his daughter's hand in polygamy. So Joseph appealed to the young woman directly."(p. 149). How does the author know that Joseph felt uncomfortable approaching Sidney? One can only guess.
A Book of Mormon "marriage formula" that justifies polygamy?
The author claims to know that the topic of polygamy was already on Joseph's mind as early as the 1820s! (p. xiv). How does he know this? Oddly enough, in the spirit of Dan Vogel, the author attempts to use the Book of Mormon as a means to deduce Joseph's thoughts. Thus, the author claims that the subject of polygamy "was evidently on Smith's mind even before founding the Mormon Church, if that can be deduced from the marriage formula inscribed in the Book of Mormon." A "marriage formula" in the Book of Mormon that supports polygamy? Most critics are quick to point out the Book of Mormon's condemnation of polygamy! Of course, critics always ignore the qualifier in Jacob 2:30 that polygamy is forbidden unless the Lord commands it. There is no "marriage formula" in the Book of Mormon which would serve as a justification for polygamy.
Joseph's inspiration?
Napoleon's Egyptian findings are speculated to have "lit a fire in Smith that inspired even the language of his religious prose." (p. x) and to have "coalesced astronomy, biblical mystery, ancient Egyptian writing, and Masonic ritual into portentous ceremony for his followers." (p. 114)
The "love letter"
The author assigns motives to Joseph's actions when he states that "[t]hree weeks after the wedding, Joseph took steps to spend some time with his newest bride." Joseph is claimed to have "judiciously addressed the letter to 'Brother, and Sister, Whitney, and &c." when in reality he "urged his seventeen-year-old bride to 'come to night' and 'comfort' him." (p. 114-115)
Further reading
| A FAIR Analysis of Critical Works |
- American Massacre: The Tragedy at Mountain Meadows— (Index of claims)
- An Insider's View of Mormon Origins — (Index of claims—Use of sources)
- Archaeology and the Book of Mormon
- Ashamed of Joseph: Mormon Foundations Crumble
- Becoming Gods: A Closer Look at 21st-Century Mormonism/Inside Today's Mormonism — (Index of claims—Use of sources)
- Behind the Mask of Mormonism
- Specific works/Blood of the Prophets: Brigham Young and the Massacre at Mountain Meadows
- Specific works/By His Own Hand Upon Papyrus
- Counterfeit Gospel of Mormonism
- Covering Up the Black Hole in the Book of Mormon
- Decker's Complete Handbook on Mormonism
- Early Mormonism and the Magic World View — (Index of claims—Use of sources)
- Specific works/Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Mormonism
- Faithful History: Essays on Writing Mormon History
- From Captain Kidd's Treasure Ghost to the Angel Moroni: Changing Dramatis Personae in Early Mormonism
- In Sacred Loneliness: The Plural Wives of Joseph Smith — (Index of Claims)
- Indian Origins and the Book of Mormon
- Inventing Mormonism: Tradition and the Historical Record
- Is the Mormon My Brother?
- Joseph Smith: The Making of a Prophet
- Joseph Smith and the Origins of The Book of Mormon (2nd edition)—(Index of claims)
- Joseph Smith's New York Reputation Reexamined
- The Kingdom of the Cults (Revised) — (Index of claims)
- Leaving the Saints
- Letters to a Mormon Elder
- Losing a Lost Tribe: Native Americans, DNA, and the Mormon Church — (Index of claims)
- Mormon America: The Power and the Promise — (Index of claims)
- The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power — (Index of claims)
- The Mormon Mirage: Seeing Through the Illusion of Mainstream Mormonism
- Mormonism 101—Index of claims
- Mormonism (Kurt Van Gorden)
- Mormonism: Shadow or Reality? — (Index of claims)
- The Mysteries of Godliness—A History of Mormon Temple Worship
- Nauvoo Polygamy — (Index of claims—Use of sources—Prejudicial language—Presentism—Mind reading—Censorship—Romance—Assumptions—Magick)
- New Approaches to the Book of Mormon
- New Mormon Challenge
- No Man Knows My History: The Life of Joseph Smith — (Index of claims)
- One Nation Under Gods — (Index of claims—Use of Sources—Prejudicial language—Absurd claims—Presentism—Mind reading—Rewording—Omissions—Sarcasm)
- The Refiner's Fire: The Making of Mormon Cosmology, 1644–1844
- Same-Sex Dynamics Among Nineteenth-Century Americans: A Mormon Example — (Index of claims)
- Sidney Rigdon: A Portrait of Religious Excess
- The Changing World of Mormonism — (Index of claims)
- Trouble Enough: Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon
- Under the Banner of Heaven — (Index of claims)
- Word of God: Essays on Mormon Scripture
