THE PROOF That Joseph Practiced Polygamy (Full Debate In Description)

Key Concepts

• Doctrine and Covenants 132 (D&C 132): Revelation on plural marriage.
• Nauvoo Expositor: Newspaper that published details resembling D&C 132.
• Celestial plural marriage: The specific type of polygamy practiced by Joseph Smith, according to the speaker.
• RLDS Church: Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (now Community of Christ), which historically opposed polygamy.
• High Council Meeting (August 1843): Meeting in Nauvoo where D&C 132 was allegedly read.
• Contemporaneous journal entries: Journal entries written close to the time of the events they describe.
• Brigham Young's cabal: The speaker's opponent's alleged theory that Brigham Young and his followers conspired to promote polygamy.
• Keys of the Kingdom: Spiritual authority claimed to be given to Joseph Smith.
• Spiritual wifery: Unauthorized polygamy and sexual relationships.

Main Argument: Joseph Smith Practiced Polygamy

The speaker argues that Joseph Smith practiced polygamy, presenting historical evidence and scriptural arguments to support this claim. The core of the argument rests on the authenticity and interpretation of Doctrine and Covenants 132, the events surrounding its alleged revelation, and corroborating evidence from various historical figures, including those who were not aligned with Brigham Young.

Evidence for Joseph Smith's Polygamy

1. Doctrine and Covenants 132

• Key Point: If D&C 132 was written by Joseph Smith, it proves he practiced polygamy.
• Church Claim: The church claims the revelation was received on July 12, 1843.
• Joseph Smith's Journal: Mentions receiving a revelation on July 12, 1843.
• William Clayton's Journal: Clayton's entry on July 12, 1843, describes writing a 10-page revelation on the order of the priesthood, referencing Moses, Abraham, David, and Solomon having multiple wives and concubines.
• Significance: Two contemporaneous journal entries support the claim that a revelation related to plural marriage was received on July 12, 1843.

2. August 1843 High Council Meeting

• Key Point: Section 132 was allegedly introduced at this meeting.
• Witnesses: William Marx, Austin Cowles, and Leonard Soby, all of whom were anti-polygamists and eventually left the church, stated that section 132 was read at the meeting.
• Franklin Richards' Journal: Entry from August 12, 1843, mentions the meeting discussed the reestablishment of the Old Testament practice of a brother taking more than one wife.
• Leonard Soby's Notarized Statement (1886): Confirmed that Hyrum Smith read the revelation on celestial marriage in the High Council, stating it originated with Joseph Smith, not Brigham Young.
• Significance: Multiple independent sources, including those opposed to polygamy, corroborate the claim that section 132 was discussed in the High Council meeting.

3. Nauvoo Expositor

• Key Point: The Nauvoo Expositor quoted parts of section 132 and hit on its major themes in detail.
• Argument: The presence of these details in the Expositor before Joseph Smith's death suggests that section 132 existed and was leaked to the newspaper.
• Significance: This challenges the view that section 132 was a later invention by Brigham Young.

4. Other Historical Evidence

• Oliver Cowdery and Fanny Alger: A letter from Oliver Cowdery mentions a "nasty filthy scrape" with Fanny Alger. Fanny Alger's family members claimed she was married to Joseph. Fanny never denied the claims.
• William Clayton's Journal: Cryptic entry on May 1, 1843, later explained as marrying Joseph to Lucy Walker. Lucy Walker independently confirmed this event.
• Brigham Young's Journal: Coded language on January 6, 1842, indicating Joseph was "wetted and sealed" to Agnes Smith. Agnes Smith confirmed this event, even after leaving the church.
• Sydney Rigdon: Admitted in 1846 that he knew Joseph Smith practiced polygamy and warned him against it.
• Strangites, William Smith, and Lyman Wright's followers: These groups, not aligned with Brigham Young, also believed Joseph introduced plural marriage.

5. Scriptural Justification

• Book of Mormon (Jacob 2): Condemns polygamy as the norm but allows it if God commands it.
• Old Testament: Examples of polygamous households, such as Jacob, Abraham, and Moses.
• 2 Samuel 12:7-8: Nathan the prophet says the Lord gave David his wives.
• Argument: The scriptures provide a framework for understanding and accepting plural marriage under specific divine direction.

Rebuttal of Opposing Arguments

• Brigham Young's Alteration of History: The speaker anticipates the argument that Brigham Young and his followers altered the historical record to promote polygamy.
• Counter-Evidence: The speaker presents witnesses who were not on Brigham Young's side to refute this claim.
• Unauthorized Polygamy: The speaker acknowledges that Joseph Smith condemned unauthorized polygamy and "spiritual wifery" but argues that this was distinct from celestial plural marriage.

Theological Implications

• Keys of the Kingdom: If Joseph Smith held the Keys of the Kingdom but did not pass them on to Brigham Young, the speaker argues that either someone else holds those keys, or Joseph Smith failed, and the church has fallen into apostasy.
• Final Dispensation: The speaker references the belief that the Keys of the Kingdom would not again be taken from the earth, suggesting that if Joseph Smith was not a true prophet, this promise would be broken.

Cross-Examination Highlights

The cross-examination segment focuses on challenging the speaker's evidence and highlighting inconsistencies in the historical record. Key points include:

• Dating of Events: The opponent questions the timeline of events, suggesting that Hyrum Smith continued to condemn polygamy after the alleged revelation in July 1843.
• Reliability of Witnesses: The opponent questions the credibility of witnesses who made claims about Joseph Smith's polygamy years after his death.
• Nauvoo Expositor: The opponent suggests that Brigham Young used information from the anti-Mormon Nauvoo Expositor to create section 132.
• Joseph Smith's Knowledge: The opponent suggests that Joseph Smith may not have been aware of the polygamy practiced by his associates and that they may have killed him to prevent him from stopping it.
• Fanny Alger's Silence: The opponent questions why Fanny Alger never denied being a plural wife of Joseph Smith.

Conclusion

The speaker concludes that the historical record clearly indicates that Joseph Smith introduced plural marriage and that the Keys of the Kingdom are still on Earth today. The speaker challenges the opponent's view, arguing that it requires a large-scale conspiracy and ultimately undermines Joseph Smith's prophetic role. The debate centers on the interpretation of historical evidence, the credibility of witnesses, and the theological implications of Joseph Smith's actions.