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Difference between revisions of "Criticism of Mormonism/Books/Nauvoo Polygamy/Mind reading"
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The author often attempts to interpret what Joseph was thinking as a way to lead the reader to a predetermined conclusion regarding Joseph Smith: | The author often attempts to interpret what Joseph was thinking as a way to lead the reader to a predetermined conclusion regarding Joseph Smith: | ||
| − | ==Joseph's thoughts about women and marriage | + | ==Joseph's thoughts about women and marriage== |
| − | The author | + | The author claims that Joseph had a "predilection" to "take an interest in more than one woman" (p. x) and that he was on a "quest for female companionship," (p. xiv) Joseph's mind is read once again when the author claims that Sidney Rigdon "was not someone Joseph felt comfortable approaching to ask for his daughter's hand in polygamy. So Joseph appealed to the young woman directly."(p. 149). How does the author know that Joseph felt uncomfortable approaching Sidney? One can only guess. |
==The Book of Mormon "marriage formula" justifies polygamy?== | ==The Book of Mormon "marriage formula" justifies polygamy?== | ||
Revision as of 09:38, 18 March 2009
| Loaded and prejudicial language | A FAIR Analysis of: Criticism of Mormonism/Books/Nauvoo Polygamy A work by author: George D. Smith
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Contents
Mind reading
The author often attempts to interpret what Joseph was thinking as a way to lead the reader to a predetermined conclusion regarding Joseph Smith:
Joseph's thoughts about women and marriage
The author claims that Joseph had a "predilection" to "take an interest in more than one woman" (p. x) and that he was on a "quest for female companionship," (p. xiv) Joseph's mind is read once again when the author claims that Sidney Rigdon "was not someone Joseph felt comfortable approaching to ask for his daughter's hand in polygamy. So Joseph appealed to the young woman directly."(p. 149). How does the author know that Joseph felt uncomfortable approaching Sidney? One can only guess.
The Book of Mormon "marriage formula" justifies polygamy?
claims to know that the topic of polygamy was already on Joseph's mind as early as the 1820s. (p. xiv). How does he know this? Oddly enough, he attempts to use the Book of Mormon to justify this by claiming that "[p]olygamy was evidently on Smith's mind even before founding the Mormon Church, if that can be deduced from the marriage formula inscribed in the Book of Mormon." A "marriage formula" in the Book of Mormon that supports polygamy? Most critics are quick to point out the Book of Mormon's condemnation of polygamy! Of course, critics always ignore the qualifier in Jacob 2꞉30 that polygamy is forbidden unless the Lord commands it. There is no "marriage formula" in the Book of Mormon which would serve as a justification for polygamy.
Joseph's inspiration?
Napoleon's Egyptian findings are speculated to have "lit a fire in Smith that inspired even the language of his religious prose." (p. x) and to have "coalesced astronomy, biblical mystery, ancient Egyptian writing, and Masonic ritual into portentous ceremony for his followers." (p. 114)
The "love letter"
The author assigns motives to Joseph's actions when he states that "[t]hree weeks after the wedding, Joseph took steps to spend some time with his newest bride." Joseph is claimed to have "judiciously addressed the letter to 'Brother, and Sister, Whitney, and &c." when in reality he "urged his seventeen-year-old bride to 'come to night' and 'comfort' him." (p. 114-115)