Mormon Leaders Admit Church Founder Joseph Smith Practiced Polygamy

An essay that was released by Mormon church leaders has admitted for the first time that the denomination’s founder practiced polygamy. According to the essay which was posted on the official website of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Joseph Smith had multiple wives, some of whom married the church leader as teenagers. 

The essay does not provide a definite number of wives that Smith had, but research Todd Compton said that his studies have determined Smith had was married to at least 33 women. Compton also believes that 10 of his wives were under the age of 20 at the time of marriage; one woman, Helen Mar Kimball was 14 when she married Smith. 

The essay says that Smith did not engage in sexual relations with all of the women; some of Smith’s wives were “sealed” for the afterlife.

Mormon church leaders say that Smith practiced a polygamous lifestyle after studying the Old Testament. 

Publication date: November 11, 2014