Mormon Seminary Student is angry after learning Joseph Smith had teenage wives
by thedrive Feb 2012
Our daughter attends high school with a fair number of LDS kids. They all attend Seminary across the street form the school on the local Ward building and generally hang out together at lunch and at school activities- kind of their own little clique. There is one girl that has some "Gentile" friends of which my daughter is one.
I took my daughter to lunch today and she had to share what happened in her first class this morning.
This morning the girl came to 1st Period in a foul mood. An angry mood. She came in, sat down, and stared straight ahead. And didn't move. My daughter passed her a note, and I will share what it says below.
Daughter: "What's the matter? Can I help?"
Girl: "It's nothing you'd understand. Something from Seminary."
Daughter: "I may understand. I know a lot about the church, REMEMBER!!"
Friend: "Oh yea sorry. Did you know that Joseph Smith was married to teenagers? He had 15 FREAKIN WIVES!!!"
Daughter: "Yep. He had like 30 wives or something. Some were girls too. YUCK!! Pedo!!"
Friend: "PEDO! It pisses me off. Nobody ever talks about it. Like Emma was his only wife. Our teacher said it isn't important but it kind of is."
Daughter: "I know. There's lots of stuff that isn't important that you don't even know about. Teenage wives is just one thing. If you want to talk or vent let me know. BFF."
Friend: "Maybe. It pisses me off that he married girls younger than us. Perv. Who does that?"
Daughter: "Yep. If you want someone to vent to let me know. Luv ya!"
Friend: "TTYL."
knotheadusc
Re: Daughter's friend is flaming angry this afternoon
Uh oh... Sounds like that girl is about to do some real investigation.
Devoted Exmo
Re: Daughter's friend is flaming angry this afternoon
Whoa!!!
SusieQ#1
Re: Daughter's friend is flaming angry this afternoon
wow.. well, she needs to get "the rest of the story" , as they know it, from the bishop, or her family.
scooter
ahh, youth. it's wasted on the young.
but seriously. that's seriously funny as hell.
may be time for that JoD question.
CA girl
Re: Daughter's friend is flaming angry this afternoon
Love that story - good thing your daughter is so sharp and well-informed. I'll keep hoping for the best with her friend - sounds like there is hope for her.
grubbygert
Re: Daughter's friend is flaming angry this afternoon
huh?
this girl is now aware of the fact that JS married girls younger than her - and it disgusts her - pretty simple
what specific information do you think she "needs" to get from her bishop?
WiserWomanNow
Your daughter handled that beautifully!
We'll keep our fingers crossed for DD's friend. Let us know what develops!
blueorchid
Re: Daughter's friend is flaming angry this afternoon
How good is that? It's like the first crocus in the spring. I hope we get to hear more.
kimball
Re: Daughter's friend is flaming angry this afternoon
And she probably doesn't even know how Joseph approached the girls, or about the husbands getting sent on missions, or about the abortions. She's pissed off, and doesn't know the half of it - that's irony.
Queen of Denial
Re: Daughter's friend is flaming angry this afternoon
I love this!!!
Though, I am very curious about the seminary teachers motives for sharing this tidbit of Joseph Smith history.
Is the teacher a closet exmo? Does the teacher believe that the the kids are going to find the truth eventually so it had better come from the church with a spin?
Any thoughts?
quebec
Re: Daughter's friend is flaming angry this afternoon
I love this too. Hopefuly it is the beginning of the end.
CA girl
blueorchid - I literally looked for the "like" button on your response
Then I remembered I wasn't on FB. Consider yourself liked!
scooter
for the life of me!
but ultimately it shows the utter futility of the entire process.
this really is the last generation of BiC's.
latter-days indeed!
blueorchid
Re: Daughter's friend is flaming angry this afternoon
Yeah, good one. What's up with the seminary teacher. Maybe that's why the girl only thought there were 15 wives. The teacher is just going to slowly up the amount.
lillium
Re: Daughter's friend is flaming angry this afternoon
Yeah, the Bishop is exactly the person to tell her the truth. Ha ha ha ha ha. Good one Susie the Mormon Apologist.
Laban's Head forgot her password
She should ask bish and family after, AFTER, A. F. T. E. R. . . . .
. . . .she goes to the church sources and gets the REAL info. Then she can see how honest and truthful bish and family feel like being.
You cannot honestly believe that her bish and family will give her the whole story - if they even know the whole story.
myselfagain
Re: Daughter's friend is flaming angry this afternoon
Wonderful! It gives me hope that there are sweet YW who have independent thoughts. That was my 'niche' in tscc- I have been called to YW over & over and my 'mission' (love that word, lol) was to tell these girls they were smart, as good as any boy, that they had options, and that being independent and strong was a good thing, not bad. I also told them that God made them who THEY were and that they didn't need to try to conform to anyone else's ideas of how to be. And tscc wonders why the YW and I really love each other. They could always be real with me! That is the only thing I am sad about since I have left. Of course, there were the odd YW here and there who toed the line and one actually told me our activities that we planned had no spiritual value to her. *sigh*
matt
And the Bishop will talk with her, ALONE, in a locked office, and they will discuss...
a man the girl refers to as a 'pedo.'
Inappropriate or what?
Mia
Re: Daughter's friend is flaming angry this afternoon
I would not be surprised if that girl summons the google gods first chance she gets.
Another one down. So glad she's young with the rest of her life ahead of her.
Hope her parents handle this without doing any more damage. That's always my concern with kids that young.
nosko
Re: Daughter's friend is flaming angry this afternoon
"Our teacher said it isn't important"
The TSCC needs to teach their members how to spin and become better liars...!
lurker 1
Re: Daughter's friend is flaming angry this afternoon
When I told my son that JS had 31 wives he asked the bishop. The bishop told him it wasn't true, only Emma. When I got pissed he told the Bishop who about a week later told him that 31 was an exageration, it was only 29.
When I talked to the Bishop, I got the feeling it was new information for him, that he had looked at the apologetic response to Comptons book and that was all he knew about it. The most pathetic thing about it is that this Bishop had spent years in a stake presidency and had been the GD teacher for years and with all that, seemed to truely have no idea that JS had many wives or the ages and marital status of the wives.
imalive
Re: Daughter's friend is flaming angry this afternoon
This is great. Wait until she sees the seven variations of the First Vision!
Mia
Re: Daughter's friend is flaming angry this afternoon
Amazing how the church has kept the dirt under the carpet for so long and for so many.
The cat out of the bag is no small thing. When I found out, 3 other people left with me. That means no bic grandkids. No friends signing up. That can really add up quick. I'm far from done.
My happiest day would be to see my sister, bil, and their 5 kids and 6 grandkids all jump ship.
The church can't fight the internet. They are trying, but they will not win. All it takes is one mention of one lie, and any TBM can click into a mountain of info in minutes. Then they can find out they aren't alone, and have a huge support group. They can do it all anonymously, without having to talk to anyone at church. Then they know they will be staying out, never to return.
saviorself
pobrecita - her worldview has been shattered -- in seminary of all places
Hiding your head in the sand is getting to be a dangerous way of preserving your testimony. The information is getting out. You can't put the genii back into the bottle.
Tauna
This COULD be a bold new approach by the church to inocculate the youth
I am very curious to know if this is just an isolated incident or if this is a new program to phase in some of the less flattering details of mormon history.
The internet is not going away and the church knows it. I spoke with Marlin Jensen a year and half ago (that's a whole thread itself), and he told me that the church is in the process of 'coming clean' with its history. He doesn't think the church has any reason to hide its history and he agreed that it was a tragedy that I was just finding out about this 'stuff' at age 35 after spending my whole life in the church. He told me that the CES and MTC will start to teach a more honest history. He said there was a commitee working on this. I believe that he was sincere, but I haven't seen any sign of this happening...until now, maybe?
ronas
Re: This COULD be a bold new approach by the church to inocculate the youth
Problem is it will still be half the story and with a huge spin.
nowI'mfound
Re: Daughter's friend is flaming angry this afternoon
LOVE this story!! Today's youth are much smarter than the church gives them credit for. Many of them will not buy the "it's not important" line. And with the availability of quality information these days...good luck, TSCC, you can't keep sanitizing the truth. And congrats to this girl for being appalled by JS's pedo-ness, and to the seminary teacher for passing on the info.
Mia
Re: This COULD be a bold new approach by the church to inocculate the youth
You're right. She was only told about half of JS wives.
ronas
Re: This COULD be a bold new approach by the church to inocculate the youth
Not to mention she wasn't told:
Joseph Smith publicly decried polygamy while secretly practising it.
He pre-tested his full inner circle by fake asking for their wives or daughters - if anyone had a problem with it like Sidney Rigdon off they go.
He married other men's wives. Sometimes he sent them on missions so he could have the wives to himself. (I like to call it "pulled a David")
He on the spot divorced a couple of them when Emma found out and was mad.
He treated Emma horribly in this regard with much of it done in secret behind her back. D&C 132 is a horrible "revelation" that told Emma she would go to hell if she didn't allow it. That's just the surface.
He promised the girls and parents automatic exaltation for allowing the marriages.
I guess 1/2 the story is way to generous.
Quoth the Raven "Nevermo"
Re: Daughter's friend is flaming angry this afternoon
SusieQ#1 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
No. She needs to get the truth and learn that her religion is a cult and a farce. Then maybe she will be able to live an authentic life. She does not need lies and excuses.
honestone
Re: Daughter's friend is flaming angry this afternoon
This is great and so glad she truly likes your daughter and will converse with her about this. I just don't get WHY they would bring this up in seminary...doubt many do.
suckafoo
Re: Daughter's friend is flaming angry this afternoon
If she called her prophet pedo that is the beginning of the end. What kind of testimony would there be to claim someone you disrespect as your prophet? Can't do that one for long.
augustsummerdawn
Re: Daughter's friend is flaming angry this afternoon
Because in his mind 29 is soooo much better. I guess I was not Mormon long enough or born into LDS cause this is the first I heard of this. Makes me glad I left when I did.
spaghetti oh
Re: Daughter's friend is flaming angry this afternoon
Your daughter's flaming angry friend has a great friend in your daughter! She (your daughter) handled that brilliantly, like a true, real friend would.
grubbygert
Re: Daughter's friend is flaming angry this afternoon
haha - good point
once you've awarded JS the pedobear seal of approval it's all over
http://www.flickr.com/photos/linnoinen/456474931/
heftmyplates
Re: Daughter's friend is flaming angry this afternoon
Well if someone could prove to me that it was just 29, I'd consider re-joining. And I'd be pissed at the sources that told me it was 31.
deco
Re: Daughter's friend is flaming angry this afternoon
This is a representation of the future.
The google generation is far better at determining truthiness. Propaganda type information must compete with open research and it does not hold up.
I still wonder why LDS Inc has not pulled Mitt out of the race yet. The TSCC is about to be exposed as never before, to a generation of people that will ask questions and not be satisified with circular reasoning. The 'fake it till you make it' and 'keep coming back' attitude LDS Inc tries to impress on newcomers with questions will not work for them anymore.
intellectualfeminist
Re: Daughter's friend is flaming angry this afternoon
WOW. I can't believe that came up in seminary!! Glad to hear it, "thedrive". My daughter is now in college, but my middle kid is in seminary, and his brother will start in a few years. I ask him about it and what they talk about; nothing controversial has come up in his class. I think he mostly sleeps through it. Yeah I agree, I don't know how they think they're gonna keep this generation of kids engaged and involved in the sham. It's becoming more and more obvious; like I said, I don't think 2012 will be a good year for LD$ Inc ;)
MollieNomores
Re: Daughter's friend is flaming angry this afternoon
I LOVE this !! My son started Seminary in 9th Grade. His teacher was frustrated that my son kept asking questions that weren't "uplifting". He was asked to not ask questions in class because it was hurting the testimonies of others. He asked me to have him taken out of Seminary and that teacher called and asked me if I was aware of my child's class schedule change! He thought he was tattling on my son! I said I took time off from work to make the change. He then went so far as to get my sons cell phone number from a classmate and call my son and try several times to get him to come back. He told my son to put those questions on his "shelf". My son told him- "There aren't enough shelves at IKEA for all of my questions."
I cant go to IKea without thinking about that poor schlub and his shelf full of cog-dis.
"Recovery from Mormonism - www.exmormon.org"