JOSEPH SMITH &
THE HAPPINESS LETTER: A STUDY IN RELIGIOUS MANIPULATION
Historically speaking, it’s useful to examine Joseph Smith’s leadership and use of power. Take for example the oft quoted “Happiness Letter” wherein Joseph writes Nancy Rigdon, daughter of Sidney Rigdon, pressuring her into an intimate relationship.
To read entire letter, visit the Joseph Smith Papers here.
I reproved him as Pharisaical and hypocritical; and not edifying the people; and shewed the Saints what Temperance, faith virtue, charity and truth were. I charged the Saints not to follow the example of the adversary in accusing the brethren, and said “if you do not accuse each other God will not accuse you. If you have no accuser you will enter heaven; and if you will follow the Revelations and instructions which God gives you through me, I will take you into heaven as my back load. If you will not accuse me, I will not accuse you. If you will throw a cloak of charity over my sins, I will over yours— for charity covereth a multitude of sins. What many people call sin is not sin; I do many things to break down superstition, and I will break it down:” I referred to the curse of Ham for laughing at Noah, while in his wine but doing no harm. Noah was a righteous man, and yet he drank wine, and became intoxicated the Lord did not forsake him in consequence thereof; for he retained all the power of his Priesthood and when he was accused by Cainaan, he cursed him by the Priesthood which he held, and the Lord had respect to his word and the Priesthood which he held, notwithstanding he was drunk; and the curse remains upon the posterity of Cainaan until the present day.
The Interview That Gave Permission to Learn
Elder Don R. Clarke was sustained a member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy currently serving as an assistant Executive Director in the Missionary Department and as area assistant for the Utah North, Utah Salt Lake City, and Utah South Areas.
Matthew J. Grow is director of publications at the Church History Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a general editor of the Joseph Smith Papers.
Trevor Haugen served a mission under then president Don Clarke. He’s an entrepreneur and filmmaker.
EXAMPLES OF UNINSPIRED LEADERSHIP
Members are raised to believe that church leaders have the spirit of discernment. Here are examples where the failure to discern undermines that assertion. These aren’t isolated incidents - there are more examples than there’s space to illustrate.
Stake President Retraumatizes Woman
This excerpt from an extended recording of a conversation between a Stake President and a Mormon woman who discovered that her husband had been secretly courting and meeting with another married woman is very telling about the way members are instructed to view their priesthood leaders. The woman had been sharing her story and her trauma with her friends - including the reality of the cause of her divorce, her husband's emotional affair. The Stake President instructed her to stop talking about it, but the woman refused, saying that this was her way of processing her trauma and living her reality. As a result, the Stake President declared her unworthy to hold a Temple Recommend and took it from her. Meanwhile, her ex-husband - who it is acknowledged at least had an emotional affair (it is very common for people who had had physical affairs to downplay their actions by lying and claiming it was only emotional) - declared himself to be worthy to perform a priesthood ordinance for his son. The Bishop and Stake President accept his self-declaration of worthiness. When the woman points out the disparity in how she considers herself worthy, and yet the Stake President has determined that she is not worthy - he informs her of the specific cause of her "unworthiness" by explaining that while it may be acceptable to disagree with Priesthood leaders, it is not acceptable for a member to not "follow counsel", that is to not obey. He explicitly states that her decision to not obey his command for her to stop speaking about the reality of the causes of her divorce is grounds for her to be considered apostate and lose her recommend. He later tells her that she will likely continue to receive emotional and verbal abuse from her ex-husband but that she is not to talk about it to others. As with everything else - her willingness to obey and keep any abuse she receives quiet will determine her worthiness and standing in the church.
Full recording here: https://youtu.be/BlF7SiNSTj0
Breakdown here.
Find The Pedestal and Ecclesiastical Abuse article here.
Producer of Temple Films Confesses to Sexual Abuse
In September of 2018 Sterling Van Wagenen was recorded confessing to having molested a 13 year old boy in 1993. All names mentioned in the conversation have been redacted except for Van Wagenen's. To further protect the identity of the victim, his voice has been distorted. ''Note: Distorting the victim's voice was difficult due to various instances of cross-talk. As a result, the decision was made to edit the audio and remove the instances where there was a high amount of cross-talk and context would not be lost. Refer to the published transcript for an unedited version of what was said in the conversation.'' This Audio was first published by MormonLeaks on February 4, 2019.
AP footage of Sterling Van Wagenen’s pleading guilty to sexual abuse.
The Excommunication of Bishop
Sam Pinson and his Family
Young Girl Testimony Shut Down for Sharing
Her Truth About Being Gay
Recording of With General Authority about
Alleged Abuser as Bishop
Bishop Defends Sexual Questions to 8-Year Old
When Confronted By Father
Video Transcript of Leaked Recording of Joseph L Bishop
The Excommunication of Mormon Bishop and Podcaster Bill Reel
Peter Bleakley recently posted a summary of his observation of the Church in Europe.
SWEDISH RESCUE FIRESIDE
Transcript and Audio of the Swedish Rescue fireside. Elder Marlin K. Jensen, LDS Church Historian, and Richard E. Turley Jr., Assistant Church Historian, hold a special fireside to give the best answers they can to Swedish church members that have difficult questions.
This attempt to settle questions by Church leaders was widely criticized by the length of time it took for leaders to set the stage (everyone knew why there were there) bear their testimony and feelings, rather than talking about the issues that concerned faithful members. As the Doctrine & Covenants admonishes it’s readers to “study things out in [their] minds” so they could take the next step and “ask if it be right” … attendees left this fireside frustrated by the lack of information, ownership, and accountability.
READ related New York Times article here.
LEADERSHIP MATTERS
Parley P. Pratt practiced plural marriage. He was murdered in 1857 by the estranged husband of his twelfth wife. Pratt fathered thirty children.
Brigham Young was perhaps the most famous polygamist of the early Latter Day Saint movement, marrying a total of 55 wives. He stated that upon being taught about plural marriage, "It was the first time in my life that I desired the grave." By the time of his death, Young had 59 children by 16 of his wives; 46 of his children reached adulthood.
List of Brigham Young’s Wives
Joseph Smith was perhaps the most prolific as he practiced both polygamy and polyandry.
“Following his marriage to Louisa Beaman and before he married other single women, Joseph Smith was sealed to a number of women who were already married.”
“Careful estimates put the number [of Joseph’s wives] between 30 and 40”
~ LDS Gospel Topic Essay: Plural Marriage in Kirtland and Nauvoo
List of Joseph Smith’s Wives
Lorenzo Snow served as the fifth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1898 until his death.
Snow was the last president of the LDS Church in the 19th century and the first in the 20th.
List of Lorenzo Snow’s Wives
