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Multiple podcasts hit pretty hard last week against people who have come to believe that polygamy did not originate with Joseph Smith. As has always been the case, although they agree on almost nothing else, both those who hate Joseph Smith and think the worst of him, and those who claim to love him and believe they are following in his name, agree on this one central point -- that polygamy started with Joseph Smith.

Both sides are convinced that theirs is the only tenable position. I disagree.

In this intimidating episode I do my best to lay out the situation as I see it, explain the basics of my "polygamy denying" perspective, and respond directly to the key points of their presentations.

Links:

Saints Unscripted: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMj_lxPZIT0&t=1238s

Mormonism Live: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SV3f57VZuqo&t=338s

The Peace Maker: https://archive.org/details/GR_2186/mode/2up?view=theater

Times and Seasons Notice: https://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/digital/collection/NCMP1820-1846/id/8401

Oct. 5 Journal Entries: Original: https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/journal-december-1842-june-1844-book-3-15-july-1843-29-february-1844/123

Altered for Publication: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/faenrandir/a_careful_examination/d6ee663e933a8cb01b79ddc33fe1232ac3ef12e5/documents/polygamy/oct5-1843/original-journal-entry-anonymous.jpg

After Alterations: https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/history-1838-1856-volume-e-1-1-july-1843-30-april-1844/118

Hyrum's April 8, 1843 sermon (Thomas Bullock unedited transcript -- removed from JSP): https://catalog.churchofjesuschrist.org/assets/daa151c4-7bae-49d0-8cef-d281a70f1d32/0/32

Same speech after alterations (Still available on JSP, and has already been passed off as the original) https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/history-1838-1856-volume-e-1-1-july-1843-30-april-1844/356

Joseph Smith's letter to the RS as recorded in the RS Minutes: https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/nauvoo-relief-society-minute-book/108#full-transcript

Same letter after alterations: https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/letter-to-emma-smith-and-the-relief-society-31-march-1842/3#full-transcript

Joseph's letter to Parley Pratt about keeping families together: https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/letter-to-parley-p-pratt-and-others-12-june-1842/1#full-transcript

Brigham Young, Sept 21, 1856, JoD vol. 4, pp. 51-57

Heber C. Kimball, Nov. 9, 1856, JoD vol. 4, pp. 80-83

Rob Fotheringham's Happiness Letter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWD1XwVr6AA&t=1204s

Melissa Lott Family Bible: https://catalog.churchofjesuschrist.org/assets/7226d36f-b3a5-4c0e-9d0c-33d87d46ffb4/0/3

Michael Shirmer Ted Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_6-iVz1R0o