Have Mormon Leaders Led the Church Astray?
If God truly commanded Joseph Smith to practice polygamy, why did Smith go to such great lengths to deny it publicly? In May 1844, just weeks before his death, Joseph Smith stood before a crowd in Nauvoo and boldly declared he had only one wife—despite secretly marrying more than 30 women. Historical records, now acknowledged by the LDS Church in its 2014 essay “Plural Marriage in Kirtland and Nauvoo,” reveal that Smith took other men’s wives, pairs of sisters, and even a mother and daughter as plural wives. His words and actions reveal a troubling pattern of deception, manipulation, and coercion.
God’s Word gives a very different picture of marriage and leadership. From the beginning, the Lord established marriage as a covenant between one man and one woman:
- “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” (Genesis 2:24)
- Jesus reaffirmed this in the New Testament: “What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.” (Matthew 19:4–6)
The Bible also warns strongly against adultery and corrupt leadership:
- “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” (Exodus 20:14)
- “A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife.” (1 Timothy 3:2)
- “Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.” (Hebrews 13:4)
Instead of modeling godly leadership, Joseph Smith used spiritual threats and promises of exaltation to pressure women—some already married—to enter into secret unions with him. Such practices do not reflect divine revelation but rather the abuses of a man exalting his own authority above God’s Word.
This video examines the disturbing contrast between Joseph Smith’s public denials and his private practices, showing how his choices violated God’s clear commands in both Old and New Testaments. Was polygamy truly a command from God—or religious exploitation cloaked in revelation? Scripture gives us the answer: leaders who twist God’s Word and mislead His people stand under judgment (Jeremiah 23:16; Matthew 7:15–20).
Join us as we uncover the truth behind one of the most controversial aspects of Joseph Smith’s legacy, and compare it with the unchanging standard of God’s Word.
