Episode 70 | If Joseph Smith Lived Today, He'd End Up Like Warren Jeffs | Lindsay Hansen Park - The Jaden Jeffs Podcast | Lyssna här

Joseph Smith vs. Warren Jeffs: Polygamy, Power, and Mormonism’s Dark Legacy | Lindsay Hansen Park

On the Jaden Jeffs Podcast, Jaden interviews Mormon historian Lindsay Hansen Park about parallels between Joseph Smith and Warren Jeffs, arguing Mormon culture can normalize coercion by making leaders righteous and excusing abuse. They discuss Joseph Smith’s polygamy (including a 14-year-old), power consolidation in Nauvoo, sincerity versus manipulation, and how his death created martyrdom that helped Mormonism endure. Lindsay describes Mormonism as “catnip for predators,” cites patterns of obedience, complicity, and victim-perpetrator complexity, and compares LDS corporatization with fundamentalist attempts to restore early doctrines. They cover Brigham Young’s influence, the Mountain Meadows Massacre and historical cover-up, Porter Rockwell’s violence, debates over the Journal of Discourses, Adam-God doctrine, psychedelic/trance theories in early Mormon ecstatic experiences, and challenges of healing after leaving high-control religion. Lindsay plugs Sunstone, her upcoming book The Ballad of Juanita Brooks, and her podcasts.

FOLLOW LINDSAY HANSEN PARK
Year of Polygamy Podcast: https://www.yearofpolygamy.com/
Sunstone Education Foundation: https://sunstone.org/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lindsay_hansen_park/
Twitter): https://x.com/FemiLinzi

01:19 Meet Lindsay Hansen Park
06:38 Joseph Smith vs Warren Jeffs
09:59 Martyrdom and Legacy
16:19 Victims and Perpetrators
17:55 Polygamy Then and Now
21:17 Occult Roots and Boredom
25:05 Childhood Parallels
31:37 Gold Plates and Confidence
39:20 Joseph Smith Sincerity
40:56 Warren Jeffs Psychology
45:09 Complicity Shared Delusion
48:11 Porter Rockwell Myth
49:33 Joseph Smith Child Brides
55:40 Predators and Mormon Culture
01:11:01 Charisma and Primary Voice
01:19:36 Brigham Young Guilty Pleasure
01:23:31 Loving a Complicated Father
01:25:09 Faithful Mormon Bad Manners
01:25:50 Journal of Discourses Debate
01:31:10 Mountain Meadows Responsibility
01:37:46 John D Lee Survival Lore
01:41:38 Polygamy Denial Conspiracies
01:49:26 Rulon Jeffs Infiltration Theory
01:55:26 Why Conspiracies Persist
01:58:25 Adam God Doctrine Setup
02:00:55 Brigham Young Origins
02:02:41 Church Scrubs Doctrine
02:04:52 Numbers And Polygamy
02:07:08 Occult Numerology Roots
02:11:26 Life After Mormonism
02:30:01 Book And Farewell