Joseph Smith Rejected Polygamy: Gods Being: One man and one woman

There was a recent conference up in Boise Idaho with a bunch of offshoots of joseph. One person named Jeremy hoop gave an excellent talk about how Joseph did not practice polygamy or if he did he would have been also a liar (often known as "lying for the lord"). But as we know God's character includes "God cannot lie". He will never ask us to lie or do something different in secret as he says in public.

The paper is found below.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ot3en2njq66u5mi/Of%20Demigods%20and%20Dark%20Knights%20-%20Presentation%20Version.pdf?dl=0

The full conference is below if interested.
Morning session: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njXZd-ZGEWs
Afternoon Session: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cg3vsHMcbNw

A brief summary of my own, as there are others that have written on this topic, which I might of mentioned in the past, but felt this was one was a good timely post to share.

Joseph and Emma Rejected Polygamy: God is One man and One wife.

June 27 is the day both Hyrum and Joseph were killed. I think a post showing that Joseph was both pure and innocent is a great way to show the Lord we are willing to lay hold upon the restoration and no longer reject it. Not only to say but to do. Though many fail to also "say".

Back in 1823 an angel appeared to Joseph as follows, "He called me by name, and said unto me that he was a messenger sent from the presence of God to me and that his name was Nephi, that God had a work for me to do, and that my name should be had for good and evil among all nations, kindreds, and tongues, or that it should be both good and evil spoken of among all people." (TC JSH 3:3)

On May 26, 1844,  he said:
“What a thing it is for a man to be accused of committing adultery, and having seven wives, when I can only find one. I am the same man, and as innocent as I was fourteen years ago; and I can prove them all perjurers." (History of the Church, vol 6, p. 411).

It is my belief that one of the greatest evils spoken against Joseph Smith is Polygamy. Over and over he publicly denounced it, privately did in his journal, excommunicated someone who taught he was teaching it privately, and Emma said Murder and polygamy went hand in hand. Also I believe Hyrum was not lying on March 15, 1844, when he as the President of the Church wrote,

"To the brethren of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints, living on China Creek, in Hancock County, Greetings - Whereas brother Richard Hewitt has called on me today, to know my views concerning some doctrines that are preached in your place, and states to me that some of your elders say, that a man having a certain priesthood, may have as many wives as he pleases, and that doctrine is taught here. I say unto you that that man teaches false doctrine, for there is no such doctrine taught here; neither is there any such thing practiced here. And any man that is found teaching privately or publicly any such doctrine, is culpable, and will stand a chance to be brought before the High Council, and lose his license and membership also therefore he had better beware what he is about."

To say Joseph preached something in public directly contradicting what he did in private is to say he is a liar. By some its become known as "lying for the lord ". Its OK to promote faith, even through lying, if its brings faith in God. I think calling someone a liar is "speaking evil" of them, and today, of all days being the anniversary (though posted on June 28th a day later), I want to be known as someone who does not speak evil of Joseph.

The Character of God:
God cannot lie. In a modern revelation, "The Lord said, Marriage was, in the beginning, between one man and one woman" (TC 175). That is part of God's character. If it is Gods character to not lie I believe Him. I believe the scriptures. Those who teach that "lying for the lord", or "lying" period, is OK is preaching against the character of God. We must have a correct idea of His character, attributes, and perfections to be saved. This is how we show Him, by our actions, what character we decide to believe in and profess as part of our religion.

Christ As the Advocate

In Richard Rohr’s Universal Christ, he asks a very profound question “Did Jesus come here to live and die to change God’s mind about us or to change our mind about God?” Did Christ die so that God would now view us as worthy of redemption by paying a price for our sins, or did he come to show us that God was willing to give everything in order to bring us back to his presence.

"And my Father sent me that I might be He  lifted up upon the cross; and after that I had been lifted up upon the cross, that I might draw all men unto me"

Why was he lifted up...what about it draws men to him.. . He laid it ALL on the line for us...how can we refuse him when we really understand that.

The idea that Jesus is an advocate makes more sense if we see him as an advocate to convince us of our own worth. Whereas Satan is called the Acusser. God will not accuse us, instead he forgives and forgets. Seeing what we may become not what we may have once done. Satan finds fault with the children of men.