Welcome back for Part 22 of our Joseph Smith the Podcast series with Dr. John G. Turner as we continue to cover his new book “Joseph Smith: The Rise and Fall of an American Prophet.”

In this episode, we explore one of the most controversial and lesser-known chapters in early Latter-day Saint history –the rise of the Danites, a secretive paramilitary organization formed during the turbulent Missouri period of 1838.

We trace tensions between Mormons and non-Mormons escalated into organized violence, how Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, and other church leaders responded, and what this meant for the future of the Latter-day Saint movement. Along the way, we discuss excommunications, failed settlements, political conflicts, and the enduring question: Did Joseph Smith authorize the Danites’ violent actions?

This is the first half of Chapter 19 of the book, covering the years 1838-1839 in Missouri –where “Zion” collided with the American frontier.

Please purchase the book ⁠here⁠.

To support this series please donate ⁠here⁠. One half of all donations will go to Dr. Turner for as long as he is participating in the series.

00:06:35 The Mormons settled in Caldwell county, little Zion00:10:50 Joseph doesn’t want a repeat of what happened in Kirtland, Ohio00:15:15 Many of the Brethren no longer have confidence in Joseph Smith00:26:20 The true crime was disloyalty00:30:07 Is it possible that Oliver falsely accused Joseph with Fanny Alger?00:36:54 Adam-ondi-Ahman and the Garden of Eden00:40:18 Did Joseph Smith think the Book of Mormon geography expanded down to MesoAmerica?00:47:46 Rapidly growing Mormon settlements and non-Mormons object to it00:50:30 The Danites in Mormon history01:03:22 People fighting in the temple and everything was falling apart01:07:37 Joseph Smith authorizes violence against non-Mormon Missourians01:08:36 Who were the Danites and did Joseph Smith authorize it?01:21:49 Salty speech from Sidney Rigdon01:29:44 Danite sign of distress01:31:19 Closing remarks - lead up to Missouri mob violence01:36:09 If the Saints had always acted peacefully, could they have been left alone to thrive in Missouri?

___________________

YouTube

At Mormon Stories we explore, celebrate, and challenge Mormon culture through in-depth stories told by members and former members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as scholars, authors, LDS apologists, and other professionals.  

Our overall mission is to: 

1. Facilitate informed consent amongst LDS Church members, investigators, and non-members regarding Mormon history, doctrine, and theology

2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis

3. Promote healing, growth and community for those who choose to leave the LDS Church or other high demand religions

🤝Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today

One-time or recurring donations: https://donorbox.org/mormon-stories?default_interval=m 

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mormonstories 

Venmo: https://account.venmo.com/u/mormonstories 

Paypal: https://paypal.me/mormonstories 

Join this channel to get access to perks:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx6OgmoqJbOVRq-Lv1P7SzA/join

Our Platforms:

🌐Mormon Stories Blog: https://www.mormonstories.org/episodes 

🎙️Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mormonstories 

✳️Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4sDzk7dRjODTSEqzZKZJzk?si=148b0efc1ccc4404&nd=1 

🍎Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mormon-stories-lds/id312094772 

🖼️Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mormstories 

📱TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mormonstoriespodcast 

🎮Discord: https://discord.com/invite/kuX5p6yyjF 

Contact us:

📧 [email protected]

📬PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117