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Difference between revisions of "Criticism of Mormonism/Books/Nauvoo Polygamy/Censorship"
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=Censorship= | =Censorship= | ||
| + | ==When lack of evidence constitutes evidence== | ||
| + | The author has a recurring theme of emphasizing information suppression and censorship within Church records. It is assumed that evidence once existed in official histories, but that "[o]fficial accounts" of plural marriage have been "redacted." (p. 356) He notes that none of Joseph's plural wives are mentioned in History of the Church. (p. xiii) The author emphasizes that ''History of the Church'' says nothing about Nauvoo on the day of Louisa Beaman's marriage to Joseph (p. 57), nor of the sealing to Agnes Smith (p. 88), nor any "hint of a wedding" to Sarah Ann Whitney. (p. 137) Apparently not certain that the point has been made, the author continues to hammer it home, noting that "[a]s usual, the History of the Church made no mention of Sylvia [Sessions Lyon] on February 8, 1842…" (p. 99) and that it "predictably gives no notice" of various other weddings. (p. 185) Due to the ''lack'' of information, the author postulates that all mention of plural marriage have "been expurgated" from Church historical records.(p. xiii-xiv) | ||
| + | ==Suppression versus openness== | ||
| + | Moreover, the author assumes that there were alternating cycles of suppression and openess. "The cyclical nature of this suppression of information, first in Illinois and later in Utah, left a brief window in Mormon history from which most of the documentation has been recovered." (p. xiv) He seems privy to the details of these cycles, noting that "[e]fforts to suppress the story of Nauvoo until the 1852 announcement [of polygamy in Utah] restricted the breadth and depth of the records that were kept. (p. 356) | ||
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:"...today, in official Mormon circles, Smith's granting of favors to chosen followers, allowing them to take extra women into the home, is rarely mentioned." (p. xiii) | :"...today, in official Mormon circles, Smith's granting of favors to chosen followers, allowing them to take extra women into the home, is rarely mentioned." (p. xiii) | ||
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Did it become "difficult to access" Church records regarding polygamy after the 1890 Manifesto was issued? (p. xiv) | Did it become "difficult to access" Church records regarding polygamy after the 1890 Manifesto was issued? (p. xiv) | ||
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*"because the history of polygamy in Nauvoo was never officially rewritten, even during the period of openness, Joseph Smith's initiation of the practice has remained in an historical penumbra to this day." (p. xiv) | *"because the history of polygamy in Nauvoo was never officially rewritten, even during the period of openness, Joseph Smith's initiation of the practice has remained in an historical penumbra to this day." (p. xiv) | ||
"suppressed history" (p. xv) | "suppressed history" (p. xv) | ||
"sources which somehow survived both neglect and contempt so that we are able to know both the facts of the matter and the behind-the-scenes human emotions" (p. xv) | "sources which somehow survived both neglect and contempt so that we are able to know both the facts of the matter and the behind-the-scenes human emotions" (p. xv) | ||
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The Smith diary or History of the Church do not "give any hint of conjugal contacts Smith might have had with this wife." (p. 75) | The Smith diary or History of the Church do not "give any hint of conjugal contacts Smith might have had with this wife." (p. 75) | ||
"The History of the Church makes no mention of the second Huntington nuptial…." (p. 82) | "The History of the Church makes no mention of the second Huntington nuptial…." (p. 82) | ||
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"Typically, [Joseph] never mentioned his marriage to Patty [Sessions] on paper…." (p. 103) | "Typically, [Joseph] never mentioned his marriage to Patty [Sessions] on paper…." (p. 103) | ||
The Smith diary or History of the Church do not "give any hint of conjugal contacts Smith might have had with this wife." (p. 75) | The Smith diary or History of the Church do not "give any hint of conjugal contacts Smith might have had with this wife." (p. 75) | ||
"[A]fter John C. Bennett's disagreement with Smith, the record of his celestial marriages was apparently expunged." (p. 119) | "[A]fter John C. Bennett's disagreement with Smith, the record of his celestial marriages was apparently expunged." (p. 119) | ||
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"…the 1846 temple sealings, which re-comemorated previously conducted plural marriages, were carefully noted in Nauvoo temple records." (p. 416) | "…the 1846 temple sealings, which re-comemorated previously conducted plural marriages, were carefully noted in Nauvoo temple records." (p. 416) | ||
Joseph F. Smith wrote to Orson Pratt that a “few years ago [I] tried to get affidavits regarding Joseph Smith and ‘celestial marriage.’ . . . I was astonished at the scarcity of evidence. I might say almost total absence of direct evidence upon the subject as connected with the prophet Joseph himself.” (p. 447) | Joseph F. Smith wrote to Orson Pratt that a “few years ago [I] tried to get affidavits regarding Joseph Smith and ‘celestial marriage.’ . . . I was astonished at the scarcity of evidence. I might say almost total absence of direct evidence upon the subject as connected with the prophet Joseph himself.” (p. 447) | ||
Revision as of 19:55, 18 March 2009
| Mind reading | A FAIR Analysis of: Criticism of Mormonism/Books/Nauvoo Polygamy A work by author: George D. Smith
|
Censorship
When lack of evidence constitutes evidence
The author has a recurring theme of emphasizing information suppression and censorship within Church records. It is assumed that evidence once existed in official histories, but that "[o]fficial accounts" of plural marriage have been "redacted." (p. 356) He notes that none of Joseph's plural wives are mentioned in History of the Church. (p. xiii) The author emphasizes that History of the Church says nothing about Nauvoo on the day of Louisa Beaman's marriage to Joseph (p. 57), nor of the sealing to Agnes Smith (p. 88), nor any "hint of a wedding" to Sarah Ann Whitney. (p. 137) Apparently not certain that the point has been made, the author continues to hammer it home, noting that "[a]s usual, the History of the Church made no mention of Sylvia [Sessions Lyon] on February 8, 1842…" (p. 99) and that it "predictably gives no notice" of various other weddings. (p. 185) Due to the lack of information, the author postulates that all mention of plural marriage have "been expurgated" from Church historical records.(p. xiii-xiv)
Suppression versus openness
Moreover, the author assumes that there were alternating cycles of suppression and openess. "The cyclical nature of this suppression of information, first in Illinois and later in Utah, left a brief window in Mormon history from which most of the documentation has been recovered." (p. xiv) He seems privy to the details of these cycles, noting that "[e]fforts to suppress the story of Nauvoo until the 1852 announcement [of polygamy in Utah] restricted the breadth and depth of the records that were kept. (p. 356)