What You Didn’t Know About Joseph Smith Polygamy

This blog draws from insights and information in the YouTube video titled ‘BOMBSHELL New Discoveries of Nauvoo Polygamy! (Feat. Don Bradley)’ by WARD RADIO.

In the annals of history, Joseph Smith is often cast as a controversial figure, especially when it comes to his practice of polygamy. For years, the prevailing narrative has painted him as a manipulative opportunist, using his position as the founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) to indulge in his sexual desires, all under the guise of religious doctrine. Yet, when we delve deeper into the historical record and reconsider the data with a fresh perspective, a different picture emerges—one that challenges the long-held assumptions about Smith’s motivations and the reasons behind his polygamous practices.

This blog will examine how shifting perspectives, informed by historical research, have helped us understand that Joseph Smith’s polygamy was not about sexual opportunism, but rather rooted in a complex and sincere religious mission that transcends the simplistic narrative of a man seeking to create a “harem.” 

Mormonism Explained: Was Joseph Smith a Con Man? 

For many, the discovery that Joseph Smith practiced polygamy has been a stumbling block that undermines faith in his prophetic calling. The narrative often begins with the assumption that a man in Smith’s position must have used his power to acquire multiple wives, and the most obvious explanation for this behavior is that he was motivated by lust or a desire for personal gain. 

One common refrain from critics of Smith is that his polygamy was not just a personal indulgence but part of a larger scheme to control and manipulate women for his own benefit. 

This model, built on the premise of Smith as an opportunist, assumes that his actions were guided primarily by selfish motives and that his teachings on marriage were merely a cover for his own desires. From this vantage point, polygamy was seen as an act of sexual conquest—each marriage an attempt to expand his own personal harem.

However, as new research and insights emerge, this model of Joseph Smith as a con man seems increasingly inadequate. It fails to explain many of the peculiarities in the historical record, particularly regarding the women Smith married, and more importantly, it overlooks the possibility that Smith’s motivations might have been far more complex—and far more sincere—than critics have given him credit for. 

Rethinking the Data: Joseph Smith’s Actions Do Not Align with Opportunism

A closer look at the historical details surrounding Joseph Smith wives and his practice of polygamy reveals a pattern that doesn’t easily fit the mold of the opportunistic sexual predator. One key aspect of Smith’s marriages is the fact that many of the women he sealed to him were already married or pregnant when they entered into plural unions with him. These facts alone suggest that Joseph’s motivations were not driven by sexual desire but likely stemmed from spiritual or theological concerns.

For instance, Joseph’s first plural wife, Louisa Beaman, is often portrayed as a young, single woman who might have been “immediately sexually available.” However, when we examine the actual historical evidence, this assumption quickly unravels. Many of the women Joseph married were not young single women but were instead older, married, or already pregnant. This challenges the simplistic notion that polygamy in the early LDS Church was just about satisfying personal lust.

Furthermore, the fact that these women often did not live with Joseph Smith after their marriages is another critical detail that disrupts the “sex-driven” model of polygamy. They remained in their own homes, and the marriages were often ceremonial in nature. This leads us to a crucial question: Was Joseph Smith’s practice of polygamy truly about creating a physical harem, or was there a deeper, more spiritual purpose at play?

Polygamy as a Sealing Ceremony, Not a Traditional Marriage

The notion that Joseph Smith’s polygamous unions were not conventional marriages in the sense of establishing households and families is supported by the fact that many of the women he sealed to him continued living in their own homes. This suggests that the purpose of these unions was not necessarily to raise children in a traditional family setting, but rather to establish spiritual connections through the sealing ordinance. In LDS theology, a sealing is a binding, eternal connection—much more than a temporary or earthly arrangement.

This distinction between traditional marriage and sealing provides a different lens through which to view Joseph Smith’s actions. The practice of Joseph Smith polygamy in this context was not about sex but about fulfilling a religious purpose. Smith’s teachings on marriage were intricately tied to his belief in eternal families and the sealing of souls, rather than the procreation of children for personal legacy.

Leverite Marriage: A Possible Theological Framework

One theological framework that helps explain Joseph Smith’s actions is the concept of Leverite marriage, an ancient practice where a man marries his deceased brother’s widow in order to raise up children in his brother’s name. In the case of Joseph Smith, this could be seen as a way to raise up “seed” in the covenant, which, in the context of Mormon theology, was a spiritual rather than a physical offspring. This idea of “raising up seed” is not about establishing a biological lineage but about creating spiritual connections that would carry forward into the next life.

The possibility that Joseph Smith was involved in a form of Leverite marriage through his plural unions—marrying pregnant women to raise up children spiritually—further suggests that his motivations were not as superficial as critics often claim. If Joseph’s polygamy was about spiritual sealing, it changes the way we interpret his actions and motivations, revealing a much more profound and theologically driven purpose behind the practice.

The Angel with the Drawn Sword: Evidence of Divine Guidance

Perhaps one of the most intriguing aspects of the Joseph Smith polygamy timeline is the claim that an angel appeared to him with a drawn sword and commanded him to establish the principle of polygamy. Critics often dismiss this as a fabricated story, but there is compelling evidence that supports the claim, suggesting that Joseph Smith was not fabricating religious justification for his actions but was genuinely responding to divine guidance.

In 1841, Joseph Smith reportedly told a woman named Zina that he had been reluctant to act on the principle of polygamy until he received a divine command. According to Zina’s account, Joseph explained that an angel with a drawn sword had stood before him, warning him that if he did not establish this principle, he would lose his life and his position. This dramatic event, which Zina described in her own words, offers a glimpse into Joseph’s mindset: he was not acting out of selfish desire but out of obedience to a divine command.

This angelic visitation is not an isolated event. In fact, there is evidence that Joseph was not the only one to witness supernatural signs at this time. A week before Joseph’s experience, Orson Hyde, who was on a mission in the Middle East, reported seeing a brilliant sword-like meteor in the sky. The fact that Hyde, located on the other side of the world, saw this celestial sign around the same time that Joseph received his command raises intriguing questions about the connection between these events. Did they both interpret the same heavenly phenomena, or were they seeing a confirmation of divine will that spanned across the globe?

The True Motivation: Religious Sincerity, Not Opportunism

The more we examine the data, the more we see that the assumption of Joseph Smith’s polygamy being purely opportunistic or driven by sexual desire does not hold up. In fact, there is compelling evidence that Smith’s motivations were deeply rooted in his religious beliefs. Whether it was his interpretations of heavenly signs, his teachings about eternal marriage, or his belief in divine revelation, the actions of Joseph Smith appear to reflect a man who was sincerely trying to fulfill a divine mandate rather than seeking personal gratification.

Critics who view Joseph Smith as a fraud miss the complexity of his character and the depth of his religious convictions. A man motivated solely by opportunism would not engage in practices that put his own life and reputation at risk. Joseph Smith’s actions, when examined in context, point to a man deeply committed to his faith and his sense of divine calling.

Conclusion: A Reexamination of Joseph Smith’s Legacy

The popular image of Joseph Smith as a con man, driven by lust and power, is a narrative that is increasingly being challenged by careful historical research. As we look at the details of his polygamous practices, the motivations behind his actions appear to be far more complex and deeply rooted in his religious beliefs than we once thought. Joseph Smith’s polygamy was not about sex or personal gain—it was part of his broader spiritual mission to establish eternal families and fulfill divine commandments.

In the end, the real question is not whether Joseph Smith practiced polygamy, but why he did so. And as history continues to unfold, the answer is becoming clearer: Joseph Smith was not the opportunist some have claimed, but a man deeply committed to a religious vision that was much greater than himself.

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Mormonism Explained is a resource that was designed to provide objective and factual information about Mormonism, its history, doctrines, and policies. Our team of researchers consults experts and primary sources to present factual information on a variety of topics relevant to the Mormon Church.

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