#010–Mark Curtis: Was Joseph Smith a Polygamist?

Interview recorded 1/27/2022, remotely.

• Hemlock Knots website: https://hemlockknots.com/
• Hemlock Knots YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/HemlockKnots 
• Hemlock Knots Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/hemlockknots 
• Hemlock Knots Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/hemlockknots/ 
• Joseph Smith corn-dodger quote:
  • “There has been a great difficulty in getting anything into the heads of this generation. It has been like splitting hemlock knots with a corn-dodger for a wedge and a pumpkin for a beetle. Even the Saints are slow to understand. I have tried for a number of years to get the minds of the Saints prepared to receive the things of God; but we frequently see some of them, after suffering all they have for the work of God, will fly to pieces like glass as soon as anything comes that is contrary to their traditions”Joseph Smith, Jr. (January 21, 1844, History of the Church, 6:184-85)

• Oliver Cowdery’s trial, Hemlock Knots: https://hemlockknots.com/oliver-cowderys-excommunication-trial/ 
• Saints, Volume 1
• Fanny Alger timeline: https://hemlockknots.com/fanny-algers-timeline-of-events/

Depiction of Fanny Alger from the Hemlock Knots website, https://hemlockknots.com/fanny-algers-timeline-of-events/

• D&C 132
• Joseph Smith Papers, revelation 12 July 1843 (D&C 132)
• Orson Pratt’s announcement of polygamy, 29 Aug 1952: https://jod.mrm.org/1/53
• Nauvoo Expositor text: https://archive.org/stream/NauvooExpositor1844Replica/Nauvoo_Expositor_1844_replica_djvu.txt
• Enid Debarthe word analysis of section 132: https://onewhoiswatching.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/lds-dc-132-writing-style-analysis-by-enid-debarthe-1.pdf
• Hemlock Knots, “Changing LDS Church History” (part 1) YouTube video: https://youtu.be/H5jbcbzd9_4
• Joseph Smith journal entry for 12 Jul 1843: *anyone have a link for this?*
• Joseph Kingsbury: https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/person/joseph-corrodon-kingsbury
• Jacob 2:
  • v. 30–For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people; otherwise they shall hearken unto these things.
• Hemlock Knots, “Monogamy vs. Polygamy – Examples from the Scriptures”: https://hemlockknots.com/monogamist-polygamist-examples/
• Arguments that the Jaredites were polygamists:
  • https://gospeldoctrine.com/book-mormon/ether/ether-7
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ether_(Book_of_Mormon_prophet)
• Riplakish scripture:
  • Ether 10:5–And it came to pass that Riplakish did not do that which was right in the sight of the Lord, for he did have many wives and concubines, and did lay that upon men’s shoulders which was grievous to be borne; yea, he did tax them with heavy taxes; and with the taxes he did build many spacious buildings.
• Abraham banishing Hagar:
  • Gen 21:14–And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beer-sheba.
• D&C 101 (1835 version), about marriage (monogamy–no longer in the current LDS D&C): https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/doctrine-and-covenants-1835/259
• Hebrews 11
• No Joseph Smith DNA has been found in alleged offspring of his through anyone but Emma Smith:
  • https://www.josephsmithjr.org/dna-rules-out-joseph-smith-has-descendants-other-wives/
  • https://www.fairlatterdaysaints.org/answers/Question:_Did_Joseph_Smith_produce_any_children_by_his_plural_wives:_The_case_for_children