Naked Mormonism Podcast

On this episode, Jo and friends have been busy for the first week of April 1841. We examine Jo’s enclave of Nauvoo through the eyes of the most pressing business to be handled through the April General Conference. Rigdon steps aside to make room for John Wreck-it Bennett to be Jo’s left-hand man, the magnitude of the Nauvoo Temple project is realized, and the leadership fills the pesky vacancies in the Quorum of the Twelve and other prominent leadership bodies left by the deaths of David Patten and others. After that we jump into a new segment to talk about the larger scope of Mormon prophetic succession practices in light of the new leadership called to fill the vacancy left by Thomas Monson’s death. Links: Hiram Abiff https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiram_Abiff Mormon history timeline http://www.exmormon.org/mhistory.html D&C 124 http://comparedandc.com/ Book of the Law of the Lord http://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/the-book-of-the-law-of-the-lord/1#historical-intro Baptism for Dead http://l

On this episode, we pickup the timeline in early April 1841 with Joseph being sealed to Louisa Beaman, his first polygamist wife in Nauvoo. We introduce the Beaman family and discuss Joseph Bates Noble at length to learn how he came to be in the circle of elites in Nauvoo. Jo must have trusted Noble to let him officiate the wedding between Jo and Louisa. After that, we construct a proper framework for how we’ll be advancing through the remainder of Nauvoo. There’s so much to cover in these few years, but we can’t lose sight of the real goal, building Zion in the great West, beyond the scope and control of the oppressive U.S. Government. Links: Louisa Beaman Biography http://josephsmithspolygamy.org/plural-wives-overview/louisa-beaman/ Alvah Beaman Biography http://www.josephsmithpapers.org/person/alvah-beman-beaman Joseph Bates Noble Autobiography http://www.gapages.com/noblejb1.htm https://www.boap.org/LDS/Early-Saints/JBNoble.html Joseph Noble 1892 Temple Lot Deposition https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/2549

On this episode, we get into part 2 of the interview with Warren Jeffs’s son, Roy, and hear about his transition out of the FLDS and how he’s doing today a few years after leaving. After that I recount a bit of my journey to Short Creek over the holiday season and discuss the death of the Mormon Prophet, Thomas S. Monson. Maybe we can draw some conclusions contrasting the two versions of Mormon Prophets. Links: Roy Jeffs Facebook https://www.facebook.com/roy.jeffs.12 Monson Articles https://mobile.nytimes.com/2018/01/03/obituaries/thomas-monson-dies.html?referer=https%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2FNKEHpAXzb1%3Famp%3D1#click=https://t.co/NKEHpAXzb1 https://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/president-thomas-monson-passes-away?__prclt=7UJaQmxB https://www.lds.org/churchhistory/presidents/controllers/potcController.jsp?leader=16&topic=facts ExMormon Subreddit Presidential Succession Timeline https://www.reddit.com/r/exmormon/comments/7nwmji/timeline_for_nelson_becoming_prophet_the_details/ Donald Trump on Orrin Hatch ht

On this episode, we invite on one of Warren Jeffs’ sons, Roy, to tell us his walk through growing up as a millennial in the FLDS under Rulon and Warren Jeffs. Roy’s story is very compelling and he has a lot to tell the world. Check out his other interviews and appearances in media in the following links. Links: Year of Polygamy Roy Jeffs http://www.yearofpolygamy.com/year-of-polygamy/episode-119-the-prophets-son-an-interview-with-roy-jeffs-part-one/ http://www.yearofpolygamy.com/year-of-polygamy/episode-119-the-prophets-son-an-interview-with-roy-jeffs-part-two/ CNN Interview http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/30/us/warren-jeffs-son-speaks-out/index.html Daily Mail article http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3258425/Work-camps-daily-confession-constant-fear-Warren-Jeffs-Son-cult-leader-opens-tormented-life-father-s-warped-religious-sect.html Show Links: Website http://nakedmormonismpodcast.com Twitter @NakedMormonism Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Naked-Mormonism/370003839816311 Patreon http://patr

On this episode, we invite returning guest, Lindsay Hansen Park of Sunstone and Year of Polygamy, to discuss some contemporary issues with modern-day polygamy and some of the prominent sects of Fundamentalist Mormonism. What some see as practicing religious freedom, others may consider sexual coercion and grooming from young ages, but the sexual dynamic of polygamy is only one small aspect of the day-to-day lives of these Mormons. After that we have another installment of Mormon Leaks Minute with Ryan McKnight to discuss the Trump posthumous work and the recent Homosexuality Pamphlet leaks. Links: Lindsay Park Year of Polygamy http://www.yearofpolygamy.com/year-of-polygamy/episode-111-the-united-effort-plan/ http://www.yearofpolygamy.com/year-of-polygamy/episode-120-flds-and-faithful-part-two/ Mormon Leaks discussed https://mormonleaks.io/newsroom/2017/12/04/mormonleaks-releases-the-posthumous-temple-records-for-the-parents-and-grandparents-of-donald-j-trump/ https://mormonleaks.io/wiki/index.php?title=

On this episode, we continue our examination of Mormon polygamy by walking through more than a century of plural marriage history affiliated with Mormonism. We begin with the Second Manifesto of 1904 and discuss the rise of the Council of Friends and the resulting Fundamentalist Mormon sects which arose from the Council’s leadership. We finish the last half hour with a quick deconstruction of the modern FLDS and Warren Jeffs. Links: Utah Becomes a State http://www.ilovehistory.utah.gov/topics/statehood/index.html Constitution of Utah https://archives.utah.gov/community/exhibits/Statehood/1896text.htm Manifesto and the End of Plural Marriage https://www.lds.org/topics/the-manifesto-and-the-end-of-plural-marriage?lang=eng Second Manifesto 11904 http://www.wikiwand.com/en/Second_Manifesto Reed Smoot Hearings http://eom.byu.edu/index.php/Smoot_Hearings https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reed_Smoot https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reed_Smoot_hearings Kidnapped from That Land: The Government Raids on the Short Creek Po

On this episode, we cover the major sprouts of Mormonism which sprang from the fertile religion Nauvoo soil. From the Strangites, to Whiteites, to Josephites, to Brighamites, to Godbeites, and back to Brighamites again, every major faction of Mormonism seems to have a highly polarized stance on polygamy. Politics plays it’s role as laws are passed in attempt to outlaw the twins of barbarism, slavery and polygamy, largely aimed at curtailing the religious overreach of the Mormon theocracy in Utah. This is part 3 in a multi-part series on the history of polygamy. Links: Opposition to Mormon Polygamy in Utah http://ilovehistory.utah.gov/time/stories/polygamy.html Morrill Anti-Bigamy Act https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morrill_Anti-Bigamy_Act James Strang http://www.strangstudies.org/James_Jesse_Strang/ Lyman Wight http://www.josephsmithpapers.org/person/lyman-wight https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyman_Wight Whiteite Polygamy https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1042&context=usupress_pubs

On this episode, we jump into part 2 of our dive into the history of polygamy, and we’re going to focus in on Joseph Smith and Mormonism specifically. For ease of listening we break this episode into three separate segments (The Entered Apprentice, The Fellowcraft, The Master). Links: Plural Marriage in Kirtland and Nauvoo https://www.lds.org/topics/plural-marriage-in-kirtland-and-nauvoo?lang=eng Joseph Smith: Making of a Prophet http://signaturebookslibrary.org/joseph-smith-09/ Eber Howe Mormonism Unvailed http://www.fullerconsideration.com/images/mormonismunvaile00howe.pdf Fair Mormon on Eliza Winters https://www.fairmormon.org/answers/Polygamy_book/Early_womanizer Hales-Vogel open exchange about Winters and Stowells http://josephsmithspolygamy.org/hales-vogel-2-private-correspondence/ 1830s Joseph Smith polygamy http://josephsmithspolygamy.org/history/polygamy-early-1830s Fanny Alger http://josephsmithspolygamy.org/common-questions/plural-marriages-sexual/fanny-alger-evidence-of-sexuality/ Statement on

On this episode, we finally dive into polygamy. We’re ramping up for polygamy in Nauvoo prior to April 1841, but before doing so we have to set the historical stage to understand the world from which Mormon polygamy evolved. We begin with marriage from the dawn of historical time and skim across the top of major world religions throughout most of written history to finally arrive at the post-enlightenment western world filled with small groups of free-love proto-hippies. This is part 1 of a multi-part series on Mormon polygamy. Links: Code of Ur Nammu http://www.polk.k12.ga.us/userfiles/644/Classes/177912/Code%20of%20Ur-Nammu.pdf History of Marriage – Alex Gendler https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZZ6QB5TSfk 1955 Hindu Marriage Act https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hindu_Marriage_Act,_1955 Polygamy in Judaism http://www.benyehuda.us/poligamy.htm 1908 Jewish encyclopedia on Polygamy http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/12260-polygamy Saint Augustine On the Good of Marriage http://www.newadvent.org/father

On this episode, we bring somebody into our timeline who will become an important dissenting voice against the Mormons throughout the rest of their years in Nauvoo, Thomas Coke Sharp. Raised by a Methodist preacher and learned in all things anti-Mormon, Thomas Sharp’s paper will become an interesting source of Mormon history moving forward through our timeline. After that, Jo gathers the entire Mormon population on the highest hill in town in a grand spectacle to dedicate the plot for the Nauvoo Temple, complete with the Nauvoo Legion parading around town in uniform and thousands of spectators. Newspaper outlets around the country pick up the story and all eyes turn to the Mormons’ new kingdom on the Mississippi. To round out the show for today, we’ll have on Ryan McKnight to discuss a Mormon leak and an exciting announcement that patrons heard in the exclusive Patreon only feed last week. Links: United Methodist Church History http://www.umc.org/who-we-are/roots Literacy Rates in early America https://www.da

On this episode, we take a look at the avalanche of acts and ordinances that were being passed in Nauvoo to establish some semblance of a real operating city. Joseph Smith and his favored elites had a lot of work to do and were in the process of forming new committee and organizations on a daily basis to answer the myriad needs of the burgeoning community. Once again, we find speculation to be the sole ruling factor in the formation of any Nauvoo business or agency. Jo even passed an act against intolerant speech against people of faith, we can’t have those atheists building a church in Nauvoo now, can we? After that we’ll get into part 2 of my conversation with Jack Naneek of the Mormon Awakenings podcast, where we really discuss some hard issues with the church’s stance on LGBTQ+ people and the value churches give society. Patreon subscribers be sure to check your feed. There’s an exciting announcement with Ryan McKnight as a separate episode over there and patrons of the show get to hear it a week early. L

On this episode, the era of excitement for the new official Mormon home in Nauvoo gets to the leadership’s collective head. Wreck-it Bennett gets up on the stand during his mayoral inauguration and sets out a number of decrees Nauvoo would need to fulfill if it’s to last into the coming decade. The Nauvoo government establishes a small number of committees and passes ordinances to set out the letter of the theocratic law. Nauvoo would be a temperate society, but effectively fostered an underground market for liquor, just like the U.S. government in the following century, but Jo and Bennett had their fingers on the knobs for who could buy and sell liquor within the city limits. This episode is all about organization by a group which had suffered from lack thereof for over a decade up to this point. After that we’re joined by Jack Naneek of the Mormon Awakenings podcast to discuss just what it means to be a member of the church and seek validation from our Mormon community. Links: Warsaw Signal http://www.sidne

On this week’s episode, we read through a bunch of the first revelation Joseph Smith gave in Nauvoo that made it into the D&C, section 124. Since the passing of the Nauvoo Charter, the Mormons could finally rest easy that they wouldn’t be chased out of Illinois after living there a year like had happened in Missouri, so they set up camp. By that, I mean, Jo gave a revelation dictating the organization of Nauvoo to build it up, starting with the most important parts, like building a house for Jo and his family. Section 124 has a bunch of important names in it so we review most of the names and why they’re relevant as we move through the revelation. After that, Nauvoo holds its first election in February of 1840, electing John Wreck-it Bennett to the office of Mayor and various church elites to the offices of aldermen and councilors. Jo finally had a legally sanctioned theocracy with no looming threat of a Missouri militia to come and take it away like 2 years ago. Links: D&C 124 1844 vs 2013 http://com

On this episode, we finally introduce someone who’s been long overdue for our historical timeline, Heber C. Kimball, maybe you guys can help me come up with a fitting NaMo nickname for him. After that we jump into a letter Bennett wrote to the brethren to be published in the Times and Season stating the Nauvoo Charter had finally passed the Illinois State Legislature. Bennett was a powerful lobbyist and ally to have on the Mormons’ side, and he specifically called out a few government officials who were paramount to the Charter’s success. Then we find out that God gave a sign in the heavens to the Mormon missionaries in England, signaling the passing of the Nauvoo Charter, legends are born easily but never die. After that, we’re joined by a special guest who recently dove really deep into the BoM to try and make sense of it all. Patreon supporters be sure to listen to this episode in the Patreon feed to hear the special extended interview with Colt. Links: Heber C. Kimball biography https://archive.org/strea

On this episode, we dive right back into the historical timeline with talk on some detailed land purchase agreements. Jo and the Mormons were in a bad spot when they began settling Nauvoo and land speculation was the new counterfeit money to hobble the church along with a falsely inflated economy. Land speculators never pass on making some money on destitute people, and Jo does the same when selling land to the Mormons, but actual specie exchange rarely happened. After that, we bring on Ethan Dodge, the second half of the Mormon Leaks team, to discuss the recent leaks leading up to conference weekend as well as a little bit about himself. To cap it off, I’ll speak very briefly about Mythcon 2017 in Milwaukee. Links: Susan Easton Black lectures https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YT931JI2LTI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBbhBHvvmEk&t=355s Ethan Dodge Reddit AMA https://www.reddit.com/r/exmormon/comments/7342m8/im_ethan_dodge_aka_privacy_p_pratt_lead_engineer/ My Mormon Experience Podcast https://player.fm

On this episode, we invite on Tom and Cecil of the Cognitive Dissonance podcast to talk about the worst presidential candidate in American History, Joseph Smith. From New York to Illinois, everything Jo touched fell into a state of chaos and ruin. By the time we get to his 1844 presidential campaign, he’s won and lost dozens of business ventures, built and dissolved a handful of newspapers, and fully established his Mormon theocracy on the Mississippi. Join us for all the shenanigans and don’t forget to check out Tom and Cecil’s podcasts, Cognitive Dissonance and, for all the history fans out there, Citation Needed on all your favorite podcast vehicles. Links: Cognitive Dissonance http://dissonancepod.com/ Citation Needed http://citationpod.com/ Show links: Website http://nakedmormonismpodcast.com Twitter @NakedMormonism Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Naked-Mormonism/370003839816311 Patreon http://patreon.com/nakedmormonism Music by Jason Comeau http://aloststateofmind.com/ Show Artwork http://we

On this episode, we record from NAUVOO during the John Whitmer Historical Association conference. We talk with historians William Shepherd, Joseph Geisner, and H. Michael Marquardt about the Council of Fifty and the Hodge murders, the subjects these historians have been researching most recently. After that, I offer my own musings wrapping up the conference with a few headlines which have come out in the Mormon community recently. Thanks to everybody who made the JWHA conference a resounding success and such a pleasure to attend this year! Links: John Whitmer Historical Association https://www.jwha.info/ Joe Geisner Year of Polygamy episode http://www.yearofpolygamy.com/tag/joe-geisner/ BoM Printer’s Manuscript article https://www.deseretnews.com/article/865689273/LDS-Church-buys-printers-manuscript-of-Book-of-Mormon-for-record-35-million-from-Community-of.html Community of Christ http://www.cofchrist.org/ Show links: Website http://nakedmormonismpodcast.com Twitter @NakedMormonism Facebook https://www.face

On this episode, we catch up with the Quorum of the Twelve apostles to see how their missionary efforts were developing in Europe prior to their departing England to make their way back to Nauvoo. They got in some sight-seeing and spare no detail in reporting everything back to the brethren on the other side of the pond. We continue to dive into a number of newspaper articles covering the Mormon expansion efforts. To round out the history for today, we feature a debate between a skeptic and Mormon apologist, but it’s not what you’d expect. After that, we’ll be talking to Mike who just posted an interesting analysis in the ExMormon subreddit comparing Utah to the socialist utopia of Norway. At least somebody listened to the teachings in the Book of Mormon about socialism and wealth. Links: Utah Vs. Norway armchair experiment https://www.reddit.com/r/exmormon/comments/708qxi/utah_vs_norway_an_armchair_experiment_norway_is/ Coolture podcast http://coolturecast.com Show Links: Website http://nakedmormonismpodcas

On this episode, we jump right in to adding an incredible well of depth to the character of Joseph Smith by reading a number of excerpts from William Morain’s “The Sword of Laban, Joseph Smith and the Dissociated Mind”. The excruciating pain from his childhood leg surgery coupled with the death of his eldest brother in his late teens had significant impacts on Jo’s psyche, baggage he would carry for the rest of his life. Maybe we can understand the inner-workings of a broken mind by viewing decisions Jo made through child’s eyes. Jo calls the Quorum of the Twelve home from their mission in England but permits Parley P. Pratt (P-cubed) to tarry a bit longer to continue his publishing duties with the Liverpool Book of Mormon and the Millennial Star. The economic outlook for Nauvoo looked good on the surface at the end of 1840, but the whole thing was built on credit and there was a jobs vacuum affecting every Mormon who chose to settle roundabout. After that we invite recurring correspondent, Ryan McKnight, for

On this episode, we try to gain new perspective. John Bennett addresses the brethren during the October 1840 conference to gain access to the in-group of trusted Mormon leaders with a new rule requiring 2 or 3 witnesses to any crime. How would this affect polygamy as it begins to lurk under the surface of Nauvoo? We bring on a very special guest to discuss the plight of women’s rights in the 19th-century and how having a child out of wedlock essentially condemned single mothers to a life of misery and hardship. Links: M Russell Ballard Where Will You Go? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0PjZYgUZY8 What was Abortion Like in the 19th Century? http://www.elle.com/life-love/a14570/abortion-in-the-19th-century/ My Book of Mormon Podcast https://mybookofmormonpodcast.com/ God Awful Movies SLC https://www.eventbrite.com/e/god-awful-movies-live-in-salt-lake-city-tickets-34145066814 Mythinformation by Mythicist Milwaukee http://www.mythicistmilwaukee.com/mythconoverview/ Show Links: Website http://nakedmormonismpodc