FAIR is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing well-documented answers to criticisms of the doctrine, practice, and history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Pregunta: ¿José Smith realizó matrimonios entre hermanos y hermanas?
Revisión del 10:28 30 sep 2017 de RogerNicholson (discusión | contribuciones)
Pregunta: ¿José Smith realizó matrimonios entre hermanos y hermanas?
This is not a marriage, but a sealing of family and friends together into eternal relationships
When discussing plural marriage, critics of the Church announce that Joseph "sealed" brothers and sisters together, perhaps hoping that readers will conclude that brothers and sisters were thus married and engaging in incestuous relationships. However, the critics hide the fact that a long list of living and deceased persons are part of the sealing. This is not a marriage, but a sealing of family and friends together into eternal relationships.
This is a classic example of a dishonest use of a source. The relevant diary entry from John M. Bernhisel reads:
The following named deceased persons were sealed to me (John M. Bernhisel) on Oct[ober] 26th 1843, by President Joseph Smith: Maria Bernhisel, sister; Brother Samuel's wife, Catherine Kremer; Mary Shatto, (Aunt); Madalena Lupferd, (distant relative); Catherine Bernhisel, Aunt; Hannah Bower, Aunt; Elizabeth Sheively, Aunt; Hannah Bower, cousin; Maria Lawrence, (intimate friend); Sarah Crosby, intimate friend, /died May 11[th] 1839/; Mary Ann Bloom, cousin. [1]
The critics who use this source do nothing to explain this practice. They want it to appear bizarre or repulsive.
Joseph seems to have used some early plural marriages in the same way that modern members think about "sealing" families together for eternity. Thus, a "marriage" did not always necessarily imply a sexual or marital relationship.
Notas
- ↑ Plantilla:AmericanProphetsRecord Entry in handwriting of Robert L. Campbell, signed by Bernhisel, and entered on 29 July 1868 for the date 26 October 1843.