What are the questions you should ask your polygamy theories, both traditional and skeptic/revisionist? Dr Jesse James is a research psychologist and you’ll want to take notes! Check out our conversation…
Don’t miss our other conversations with Dr Jesse James: https://gospeltangents.com/people/jesse-james/
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Polygamy Theories
Research psychologist Dr. Jesse James applied psychological frameworks to evaluate the historical controversy surrounding the origins of Mormon polygamy. Specifically, he examined the “Brigham Young conspiracy” theory—the idea that Brigham Young, rather than Joseph Smith, was the true architect of plural marriage and successfully framed Smith for its inception. Through the lens of source credibility, logical consistency, and Occam’s Razor, Dr. James argued that the traditional historical narrative remains significantly more plausible than the conspiracy alternative.
One of the most striking points in the discussion is the lack of direct evidence for a conspiracy involving Brigham Young. Dr. James contrasts this with the “RLDS conspiracy,” where direct evidence exists—such as letters from Joseph Smith III to William Smith—showing an explicit attempt to cover up Joseph’s involvement in polygamy. In a legitimate conspiracy of the scale required for the Brigham Young theory, one would expect to find “whistleblowers” or records of Brigham instructing others to stick to a false narrative. Instead, even defectors who left the Church often continued to implicate Joseph Smith, not Brigham, as the source of the practice.
The discussion also highlights how skeptics often utilize “red herrings” and theological arguments to distract from historical data. For example, skeptics point to factual errors in D&C 132—such as the inclusion of Isaac among polygamists—to argue that a prophet like Joseph Smith could not have written it. Dr. James notes that this presupposes prophetic infallibility, which is not part of LDS theology; a prophet could easily make a theological or factual mistake in a revelation. Furthermore, many conspiracy theorists engage in “spaghetti against the wall” logic, holding multiple contradictory theories simultaneously (e.g., that a virus is both a hoax and a bio-weapon) just to undermine the mainstream narrative.
A significant psychological hurdle for the conspiracy theory is the scope and scale required to pull it off. Such a plot would require the total silence and cooperation of the Quorum of the Twelve and dozens of women. Dr. James introduces the concept of “duper’s delight”, a psychological phenomenon where liars feel a micro-expression of joy or an urge to brag about their successful deception. While historical records are full of “juicy gossip” about the difficulties of polygamy, there are no records of participants bragging about a secret plot to frame Joseph Smith.
When applying Occam’s Razor—the principle that the simplest explanation is usually the correct one—the traditional narrative holds more weight. Skeptics often cite the lack of DNA evidence for Joseph Smith’s polygamous children as their strongest argument. However, Dr. James suggests more parsimonious explanations: Joseph may have been a “reluctant polygamist” who rarely consummated these marriages, or he may have viewed them as sacred sealings rather than sexual relationship.
Finally, the consensus among forensic experts and historians heavily favors the traditional view. Dr. James observes that while many skeptics are talented amateurs, no PhD-trained historian supports the theory that Joseph Smith fought against polygamy. Ultimately, the traditional narrative accounts for the breadth and depth of the data—including the journals, affidavits, and the martyrdom of Joseph Smith—far better than a convoluted conspiracy theory.
Copyright © 2025
Gospel Tangents
All Rights Reserved
0:00 Questions to Ask: Counter-evidence
7:46 Is it Logically Consistent?
13:05 Falsifiability
15:38 Scope & Scale for Conspiracy
18:10 Duper’s Delight
30:08 Where are the Children?
33:15 Motives
47:14 Interrogate Own Assumptions
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