Q. EXACTLY how many wives did Joseph Smith have?

Oh, and one more thing, none of your circular bull**** is allowed from this point on; just give me the exact, indisputable figure -- nothing more, nothing less.

32-33 well documented ones,

32-33 tells me that there is at least one marriage that is in dispute; that tells me that you really don't know the exact number of wives Joseph Smith had. If you don't know how many wives Joseph Smith had, then why do you keep waving this question in everyone's face as if you already know the answer?

Decaf wrote:
32-33 tells me that there is at least one marriage that is in dispute; that tells me that you really don't know the exact number of wives Joseph Smith had. If you don't know how many wives Joseph Smith had, then why do you keep waving this question in everyone's face as if you already know the answer?
Yup, looks like you are going to try the stubborn, illogical route. Very well, I'll go with Compton's well documented 33 wives (in addition to Emma) and dismiss Bushman's disagreement on Lucinda Morgan Harris. How's that? And BTW, I did name her as the one in dispute in my previous post.

Now if you want to go with Bushman's 32, be my guest. I won't even argue about it. To use an analogy, you are trying to argue the difference between a murderer who murders 32 people and one who murders 33. Mass murder is mass murder, mass polygamy is mass polygamy, and mass polyandry is mass polyandry.

To use another example, the exact number of people killed at Mountain Meadows is uncertain. Does that change the fact that what happened there was a horrible act of violence and mass murder?

Very well, I'll go with Compton's well documented 33 wives (in addition to Emma) and dismiss Bushman's disagreement on Lucinda Morgan Harris. How's that?

Not bad Hurts -- I only had to ask you twice to come up with a definitive answer.

So now you can tell me, with supreme confidence, that Joseph Smith did in fact, have 33 wives (in addition to Emma) which would bring the grand total to 34 wives?

And just so I have zero question about where you are coming from, are you also trying to tell me that Todd Compton is the undisputed champion of LDS historical truth? That he is the Alpha and Omega? The pinnacle, the zenith, the All-Father of LDS history research?

Decaf wrote:
So now you can tell me, with supreme confidence, that Joseph Smith did in fact, have 33 wives (in addition to Emma) which would bring the grand total to 34 wives?

And just so I have zero question about where you are coming from, are you also trying to tell me that Todd Compton is the undisputed champion of LDS historical truth? That he is the Alpha and Omega? The pinnacle, the zenith, the All-Father of LDS history research?
I have made no claim about Compton being the "Alpha and Omega" of LDS History. I know of no historian that would fit that description. I also know of no one who fits that description in any subject . However, I know of no other historian, Mormon or non-Mormon, that has done more research on Smiths' marriages than Compton, and I know of none who seriously disputes his findings on the subject. Bushman disagreed on one, for example. If you can find another whose analysis of Smiths' marriages you feel is better than Comptons', please present his or her findings. That said, whether the "exact" number is 32 or 33 or 34, or 35 or 40, does not change the fact that Smith had:

A. A lot of wives besides Emma.

B. Many who whom were married to other men at the time, and

C. The mix included mothers and daughters, and sisters.

As I mentioned earlier, the exact number murdered at Mountain Meadows is uncertain. Does that change or diminish the tragedy any? Any at all? Your same slippery logic would apply there as well.

Compton has put the number at thirty three additional wives besides Emma. I accept his findings based on his evidence. Hume's Maxim applies...A wise man proportions his belief to the evidence. Do you have any substantial evidence that Compton is wrong? And not one or two wrong either, but ten or twenty or thirty three wrong?

Now I have been answering questions, and alas, you have not. Once again, just so I can see if your position from your Dapto86 days has flip-flopped, how many wives do you maintain Smith had? In your next post. Please. You've ignored it once...don't ignore it again.

I insist.

I've been reading these posts on this subject, and although I'm not an expert in polotics or religion, I can say it looks as though Truth has made Decaf look like a fool! Decaf, you are beginning to sound like Dubbs - Stupid! You are a common Utah mormon republican. You should probaby give up this argument with TRuthhurts before he rips you apart more.

It has not bothered me to come up with an exact count but I heard if you go into the lds church's website and type in Joe's name you will find links to at least 10 women named as wives. Then if you click on them you will find 3-4 showing them to be married to other men at the same time 'ol Joe was bopping them. A known fact in history isn't it Decaf?