For those who love to follow the marriages of the rich and famous, this week was a real doozy. In a new book, researchers are claiming evidence that Jesus married Mary Magdalene and had two sons. In the meantime, a new publication on the website of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints says that Church founder Joseph Smith had as many as 40 wives including one who was only 14 years old.
The findings in the new book “The Lost Gospel,” by Professor Barrie Wilson and writer Simcha Jacobovici seems like something out of “The Da Vinci Code.” It is based on the transcript of an ancient manuscript which tells the story of Jesus’s two sons and his marriage to Mary. The manuscript dates back to 570 AD and written in Syriac — a Middle Eastern literary language used between the 4th and 8th centuries and related to Aramaic, the language spoken by Jesus. It was written on animal skin or vellum and has been siting in the archives of the British Library for about 20 years after being held since 1847 at the British Museum (which bought it from a dealer who said he had obtained it from the ancient St Macarius Monastery in Egypt). Jacobovici, an Israeli-Canadian film-maker, and Wilson, a professor of religious studies in Toronto, decided to reexamine the text and believe that it contains a missing fifth gospel and confirms not just the long debate marriage to Mary but progeny of Jesus.
The news on the plural marriages of Joseph Smith is remarkable not only for its disclosure but its source. The LDS Church has always been highly reluctant to discuss the status of Smith as a polygamous. However, it was the Church that released the detailed account this month. It is a refreshing openness from the LDS leadership on a subject that has always been a matter of discomfort. The research suggests that Smith took his first “plural wife,” Fanny Alger, in the mid-1830s. There was a distinction drawn between bonds for this life, which included full matrimonial relations, and partnerships that would exist only in eternity in such marriages.
The essay, “Plural Marriage in Kirtland and Nauvoo,” notes that “[m]any details about the early practice of plural marriage are unknown. Plural marriage was introduced among the early Saints incrementally, and participants were asked to keep their actions confidential. They did not discuss their experiences publicly or in writing until after the Latter-day Saints had moved to Utah and church leaders had publicly acknowledged the practice.”
Researchers believe that most of those sealed for eternity to Smith were between ages 20 and 40. The wives included Helen Mar Kimball, daughter of Joseph’s close friends Heber C. and Vilate Murray Kimball, who was [14.]” It was lawful to marry girls at the age during that period.
As was raised in our Sister Wives litigation (which is now on appeal), the LDS changed its position on polygamy when Utah became a state. In 1890, President Wilford Woodruff, the faith’s fourth prophet-leader, issued the “Manifesto,” which led to the end of the practice. That led to a split and the continued division between the LDS and FLDS, a small group that believes that polygamy is an essential part of the religion. The LDS Church remains opposed to plural marriages.
Source: Salt Lake Tribune
Dust, Many intelligent people are following the new pope and the changes he is bringing. You all certainly are concerned about Islam.
I doubt the current Pope would think your behavior would be in the spirit of the type of Christinity (sic) he is trying to put forth.
Forgive me. I knew not that you speak for His Holiness.
“Poop spreaders” while free speech is great, we still have people who read here at RIL, who are homosexuals. Would JT allow someone to refer to African American people here as ni**ers? Squeeky that is incredibly uncivil.
The Church is changing thanks to this Pope.
Why are people who aren’t Catholics, who actually don’t even seem to be Christians in many ways and who continually bash Christianity, even remotely concerned about the internal workings and internal struggles of the Catholic Church?
How is this any of YOUR concern? I’m not concerned about how the Pentecostals organize their religion or what the internal struggles within their church might be. The Methodists. The Mormons. The Baptists. It isn’t any of MY business. Why is it yours and others to try to determine what the Catholic Church does or doesn’t believe in or how they organize their internal power structure.
Annie – I know you have a problem between fact and fiction.
Squeeky, I guess you didn’t take the Pope’s comments about showing Christian love to homosexuals to heart, huh? Oh yes, you said previously you were Baptist, no?
Yep, Those Rick Santorum type catholics that got in bed with the fundies are not in favor with the new pope. Some American bishops are having a hard time figuring it out.
@swm
Oh goodness, but we must all rally around the people who sodomize each other because that is such a beautiful and worthy human activity to engage in! (Or, is it more of a sympathetic response to fellow poop spreaders???) Whatever.
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
on 1, November 12, 2014 at 12:38 pmMichael Haz
“Respect, even though I may disagree. It’s an adult behavior.”
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Haz, the behavior you exhibited was not respectful, it was rude and personal. It was antithetical to true Christianity.
LOL, SWM, we were thinking along the same lines again.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2014/11/10/after-demotion-from-pope-francis-cardinal-raymond-burke-falls-from-vatican-grace/
The Church is changing thanks to this Pope. He recently demoted conservative US Cardinal Burke. Good for him, he sees what needs to be done and isn’t afraid to do it.
http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/pope-francis-demotes-anti-gay-bishop These types……
Issac, obviously Haz didn’t understand a word of what you so eloquently said.
Wrong-o, Annie. I understood perfectly well what Isaac said. And I expressed my appreciation for the effort he put into writing his comments.
Did you get that last part? Respect, even though I may disagree. It’s an adult behavior.
@Michael Haz
ROTFLMAO! The best put down in ages!
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter Thought it was rather prosaic.
Yes, it’s the epitome of Christianity interpreted by hypocrites. The Pope has a lot of work to do.
These types are fighting the new pope.
Types? Which types? And how are they “fighting” the new pope?
sat·ire ˈsaˌtī(ə)r/
noun
The use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people’s stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues.
SWM, yes I know, I’ve already read them bashing him. I hope he is well protected.
on 1, November 12, 2014 at 9:29 amissac
“The answer lies in the essence of life, as Plato taught. Truth is not something a bunch of pedophiles and pederasts write down, not something that an exceptional warrior that defiled twelve and thirteen year old girls wrote down. Truth is there and for us to rise to. It is a goal.
We are in a unique moment in history. We are in the moment when you can laugh at and place some religions into context…”
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Issac, obviously Haz didn’t understand a word of what you so eloquently said.
Annie, These types are fighting the new pope.
Haz, are you are Priest? Why would my comment about The Borgia’s and the early Church and Christinity prompt you to insult nurses, or me personally? Is that an example of your own Christianity? I doubt the current Pope would think your behavior would be in the spirit of the type of Christinity he is trying to put forth.