Joseph Smith Polygamy Denialism w/ John Hamer | Ep. 2003
Mormon Stories Podcast
Dr. John Dehlin
4.6 • 5.2K Ratings
🗓️ 20 March 2025
⏱️ 148 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In this episode, we’re joined by historian and mapmaker John Hamer as he responds to Michelle Stone’s recent claims that Joseph Smith did not practice polygamy. Drawing from historical records, primary sources, and his extensive research, John offers context and analysis on one of the most debated topics in Latter-day Saint history. Join us for an insightful conversation unpacking the complexities of Joseph Smith’s involvement in early Mormon polygamy.
John Hamer is an American-Canadian historian who has focused primarily on Mormon history and has published a number of books on the topic, including Scattering of the Saints: Schism Within Mormonism and House of the Lord: The Story of the Kirtland Temple. John Hamer was raised in the Mormon Church, left the religion and joined the Community of Christ Church in 2010 and now serves as a pastor in their Toronto Congregation.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hello everyone and welcome to another edition of Mormon stories podcast. I'm your host |
| 0:04.0 | Sean DeLinn. It's March 20th, 2025. And today we have a scandalously named episode for you. |
| 0:13.0 | This is our guest's title for today's show. He's calling it Disinformation Addiction Joseph Smith polygamy denialism. I was calling |
| 0:25.4 | it something like a Mormon historian responds to, you know, Joseph Smith polygamy denial. But for |
| 0:33.8 | those of you who have not been regular viewers or listeners of Mormon Stories podcast, |
| 0:39.8 | there's a very old and a quite new movement of faithful Latter-day Saints to deny that Joseph Smith, |
| 0:49.0 | the founder of the Mormon Church, ever practiced polygamy. |
| 0:51.6 | Recently, we had Michelle Stone, who's viewed by many as the leader |
| 0:55.4 | of the modern sort of movement to, you know, to perpetuate the idea that Joseph Smith didn't |
| 1:02.8 | practice polygamy. We had her on Mormon Stories podcast recently. It was a six-hour episode. |
| 1:08.0 | I believe she's a lovely person, good heart, super smart. And she told her |
| 1:13.7 | basic Mormon story and then shared her opinions and perspectives in a limited form about |
| 1:20.6 | why she believes that Joseph Smith did not practice polygamy. And we've also done an episode |
| 1:26.1 | on LDS discussions about it. |
| 1:28.2 | But when I was thinking about who my, |
| 1:30.6 | probably my favorite person in the world, |
| 1:33.1 | I think I could safely say to address this topic, |
| 1:36.3 | it's none other than John Hamer. |
| 1:40.2 | And so let me bring him on now. |
| 1:42.5 | John Hammer will not be an unfamiliar voice to Mormon Stories super fans. |
| 1:48.3 | He's been on Mormon Stories podcast at least 11 times, but I'll bring him on now. |
| 1:53.4 | Hey, John Hamer, thanks for joining us today on Mormon Stories. |
... |
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