Emma Goes to War with Joseph Smith over Polygamy - John Turner Pt. 36 | Ep. 2133

Welcome to Part 36 of our Joseph Smith Podcast series with Dr. John Turner covering his new book “Joseph Smith: Rise and Fall of an American Prophet.”Today we are covering Chapter 28: "Anointed" that covers 1843. In this episode, we explore one of the most explosive and painful chapters in early Mormon history –Emma Smith’s direct opposition to Joseph Smith over the practice of polygamy. As tensions rise within Nauvoo, Emma confronts the growing reality of plural marriage, leading to deep personal conflict, secrecy, and division.We examine Joseph Smith’s controversial marriages, including his sealing to Helen Mar Kimball, and the broader system that introduced young women into polygamy –often through pressure, family influence, and religious framing. Through firsthand accounts, journals, and later testimonies, we unpack the human cost of these relationships and the theological justification behind them.This episode also dives into Doctrine and Covenants 132 –the pivotal revelation on plural marriage –exploring its origins, its impact on Emma, and the broader implications for Mormon theology and authority. We discuss questions surrounding consent, power, sexuality, and the role of women, alongside the cultural and religious environment that allowed polygamy to take root. As the conflict escalates, Emma begins pushing back –publicly and privately –while Joseph attempts to solidify the practice doctrinally. The episode culminates in one of the most controversial and secretive ordinances in Mormonism: the Second Anointing.If you’d like to help keep this project going, please consider donating to support this series here. Your support makes long-form, in-depth historical discussion like this possible!Purchase John Turner’s book here.Let us know your thoughts on a Brigham Young series (comprising ten episodes) covering John Turner’s book Brigham Young: Pioneer Prophet.___________________YouTubeAt 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 theology2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis3. 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 todayOne-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/joinOur 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

Joining John & Mergi Dehlin today is Chelsey Rencher Liaga, here to share her Mormon story of how she was “groomed” for Mormon motherhood, and how this hindered the development of her own mental health and self identity.Chelsey was born in Gilbert, Arizona (a heavily Mormon community) and had a typical Mormon upbringing. She suffered from perfectionism as a child, which later led to body dysmorphia issues and an eating disorder that affected her time on her mission in Spokane, Washington.After her mission she met her husband at BYU, and they quickly started building their perfect Mormon family. Chelsey describes the stress she felt early on in their marriage to cook, clean, and uphold the household, and how she eventually overcame this stressor.She also details her career as a therapist, her experiences as a working mother, and working at LDS family services.Topics include:-Perfectionism-Purity culture-Motherhood-Mixed faith marriage-Mixed race marriage-Mental HealthThis is a pervasive issue in Mormonism that we know many Mormon women can relate to, and hope that Chelsey’s story can help other LDS women feel seen. TRIGGER WARNING: This episode discusses eating disorders. Please listen responsibly. ___________________Show NotesYouTubeAt 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 theology2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis3. 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 todayOne-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/joinOur 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

Following the passing of my dear friend and former BYU professor, Dr. William Bradshaw, we are honoring his life today by re-broadcasting my interview with him from 2010.The original description for this episode is as follows:"In this episode, John Dehlin interviews one of his former professors and mentors, Dr. William Bradshaw, on a wide variety of topics. Dr. Bradshaw has just recently retired from a rich and fulfilling career as a molecular biology professor at BYU in which he influenced thousands of students to continually be open to the best thinking of the sciences while still nurturing a robust, mature faith and spiritual life. Many report Dr. Bradshaw’s classes and their various interactions with him as pivotal to their finding a way to value the wisdom generated in both their heads and their hearts.In this far-ranging discussion, Dr. Bradshaw takes us through the arc of his life, including his mission, experiences at Harvard, the circumstances of his career choice, and the surprise call he and his wife Marge received to serve as very young mission presidents in Hong Kong, during which service they had to wrestle with opening and closing missionary work in Vietnam. Dr. Bradshaw relates stories from his career at BYU, talks about science and religion issues, and reveals the way he faces challenges to his faith from Mormon history and scriptural studies.Many Mormon Stories podcast listeners will already be familiar with one aspect of Dr. Bradshaw’s life from Episode 191, which featured a recording of the most recent lecture he gave at BYU on the biological origins of homosexuality–a lecture he has arranged and given every year for the past several years. Dr. Bradshaw first became prompted to study the research on this subject when his son Brett came out about his homosexuality. Since that time, the Bradshaws have been active members in various LDS groups for families working to support their LGBT children."Dr. Bradshaw's funeral will be held at the Orem Stake Chapel (365 South 900 East, Orem, UT 84097) on April 3rd at 11:00 AM.___________________Show NotesYouTubeAt 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 theology2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis3. 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 todayOne-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/joinOur 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

Join us to speak with Bridget Read about her new article in New York Magazine entitled "Under the Mormon Influence: How the Women of Utah Blogged and Posted Their Way Into American Hearts and Wallets."Bridget Read has been a writer at New York Magazine since 2019 and is the author of "Little Bosses Everywhere: How the Pyramid Scheme Shaped America."If you’d like to help keep this project going, please consider donating to support this series here. Your support makes long-form, in-depth historical discussion like this possible!Purchase John Turner’s book here.Let us know your thoughts on a Brigham Young series (comprising ten episodes) covering John Turner’s book Brigham Young: Pioneer Prophet.___________________Show NotesYouTubeAt 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 theology2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis3. 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 todayOne-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/joinOur 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

Welcome back to Part 35 of our series with Dr. John Turner discussing his new book “Joseph Smith: The Rise and Fall of an American Prophet.”In 1843, Joseph Smith began introducing some of his closest family members – including his wife Emma Smith and his brother Hyrum Smith –to the controversial and secretive practice of plural marriage.This episode dives into one of the most complex and debated periods of early Latter-day Saint history. We explore the story of the Kinderhook Plates –a set of six brass plates that briefly captured Joseph Smith’s attention before being exposed as a fraud –and what that moment reveals about claims of translation and discernment.We also examine the marriages to the Partridge sisters, the dynamics between Joseph and Emma, and the growing theological framework surrounding celestial marriage, “calling and election made sure,” and eternal hierarchy. As new doctrines emerged, secrecy, trust, and power became deeply intertwined. This episode raises difficult questions such as: What happened to the Kinderhook Plates –and why didn’t the translation continue? How did plural marriage unfold behind the scenes? What did Joseph teach privately vs publicly? How did those closest to him respond about polygamy?This is a careful, long-form discussion intended to slow down and examine the historical record in detail. If you’d like to help keep this project going, please consider donating to support this series here. Your support makes long-form, in-depth historical discussion like this possible!Purchase John Turner’s book here.Let us know your thoughts on a Brigham Young series (comprising ten episodes) covering John Turner’s book Brigham Young: Pioneer Prophet.___________________Show NotesYouTubeAt 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 theology2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis3. 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 todayOne-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/joinOur 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

Today, Debora Meireles Ling joins John and Margi to share her journey growing up in a deeply orthodox LDS family in Brazil, where Mormonism shaped nearly every part of her life. As a teenager, Debora felt intense pressure to live the gospel perfectly and struggled with perfectionism as she tried to meet the expectations placed on faithful members.Debora was called to serve a mission in the São Paulo South Mission, but the experience quickly became overwhelming. After experiencing severe anxiety and panic attacks, she was sent home early—a devastating event she initially interpreted as a punishment from God. She reflects on the emotional toll of mission culture and the challenges missionaries can face when mental health struggles arise.After returning home, Debora worked to rebuild her life while remaining deeply committed to her faith. She eventually married a fellow returned missionary, and together they tried to build the kind of life they had always been taught to pursue within the Church. Over time, however, new questions and experiences began to challenge some of the assumptions she had carried for most of her life. This conversation explores perfectionism, missionary culture, mental health, and more.___________________Show NotesYouTubeAt 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 theology2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis3. 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 todayOne-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/joinOur 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

Welcome back to Part 34 of our series with Dr. John G. Turner! Today we are covering most of Chapter 27 in John Turner’s new book Joseph Smith: The Rise and Fall of an American Prophet. The chapter is called “Deep Water” and covers the year 1843.The main topic for today is polygamy.Join us as we discuss several of Joseph Smith’s wives such as Flora Woodworth, Eliza R. Snow, Sarah Ann Whitney, Lucy Walker, etc. John Dehlin challenges Dr. John Turner on specific aspects such as whether Emma Smith really did push Eliza R. Snow down the stairs and whether or not Porter Rockwell did actually attempt to assassinate Lilburn Boggs. We also discuss the validity of the William Clayton journals and postulate on why the church has yet to publish them.Throughout 1843, Joseph Smith promised men and women salvation based on their willingness to enter into polygamy. He spent church funds on gifts for his wives, as well as buying some of them plots of land, and even travel expenses for some of the women (from England to Nauvoo). Joseph Smith used language that could be seen as coercive, for example, telling Lucy Walker that polygamy was a command of God and that he would give her “until tomorrow to decide this matter [of polygamy] and that “If you reject this message the gate will be closed forever against you.”In this episode we tackle hard questions such as: Can people who do bad things also be good? Does good behavior negate seemingly abusive actions? Are people all bad and all good? Can Joseph Smith’s actions be seen as human trafficking?This chapter in Mormonism is deeply problematic and disturbing, but Dr. John Turner handles it amazingly.Let us know your thoughts on a Brigham Young series (comprising ten episodes) covering John Turner’s book Brigham Young: Pioneer Prophet.If you’d like to help keep this project going, please consider donating to support this series here. Your support makes long-form, in-depth historical discussion like this possible!Purchase John Turner’s book here.___________________Show NotesYouTubeAt 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 theology2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis3. 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 todayOne-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/joinOur 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

In his official 1838 history, Joseph Smith described discovering the golden plates inside a carefully constructed stone box in the Hill Cumorah. According to his account, the box contained the plates, the Urim and Thummim, and a breastplate.But what happened to that stone box?In this episode of LDS Discussions, we take a deep dive into the historical record surrounding the stone box narrative. We compare Joseph Smith’s 1838 history with earlier and later accounts, statements from witnesses like David Whitmer, Martin Harris, and Oliver Cowdery, and later retellings from leaders such as Brigham Young.We explore:-What Joseph Smith said was inside the box-Whether early Saints believed there was MORE than one box-Claims about swords, the Liahona, and other Nephite artifacts-The evolution of the story over time-Whether codex-style plates create anachronistic problems-The “magic worldview” shared by early Mormon leaders-Comparisons to treasure-digging culture-Why there is no physical evidence of the stone box todayWe also examine 19th century newspaper references discussing the stone box, Whitmer’s later (contradictory) interviews, and the strange disappearance of a stone structure that supposedly survived for over a thousand years.If the box was real and physically constructed with stone slabs and pillars –as described –why did it leave no trace? Why didn’t believers preserve fragments the way people took pieces of the Berlin Wall? And why does the Hill Cumorah today appear completely undisturbed?This episode wrestles with a central question: Does the detail of a stone box strengthen Joseph Smith’s credibility –or create new historical and epistemological problems?This is Episode 71 in our LDS Discussions series!___________________Show notesYouTubeAt 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 theology2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis3. 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 todayOne-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/joinOur 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

In this deep-dive conversation, we sit down with Chase (from Hulu’s Secret Lives of Mormon Wives) to unpack his journey from a traditional Mormon upbringing in Rexburg, Idaho, to becoming entangled in one of the most talked-about TikTok scandals –and everything in between.We explore the cultural and personal pressures of growing up in the LDS Church, serving a mission, navigating marriage, and ultimately experiencing a faith crisis that reshaped his identity. Chase opens up about the emotional weight of religious expectations, the role of shame, and why he began questioning everything he once believed.We also dive into his connection to Secret Lives of Mormon Wives (SLOMW), the rise of “MomTok,” and how relationships blurred into controversy during the viral swinging scandal. Through it all, Chase reflects on accountability, self-expression, and the cost of living out of alignment with your true self.This is a raw and honest look at faith, identity, marriage, and the evolving culture of modern Mormonism.___________________YouTubeAt 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 theology2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis3. 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 todayOne-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/joinOur 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

In this in-depth discussion, Cheryl and Michelle explore one of the most controversial topics in Latter-day Saint history: polygamy. Through a structured, multi-stage presentation, they examine the origins, evidence, and ongoing debates surrounding plural marriage in early Mormonism.From figures like John C. Bennett and the Nauvoo Expositor to Emma Smith’s testimony and the role of primary sources, both presenters offer contrasting perspectives on what really happened –and why it continues to matter today. They also unpack how the Church has responded over time, from the 1852 public acknowledgment of polygamy to modern apologetics and the impact of the information age.This conversation highlights the tension between belief and historical evidence, raising difficult questions about leadership, narrative gaps, and the evolution of Mormon identity.___________________Show NotesYouTubeAt 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 theology2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis3. 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 todayOne-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/joinOur 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