For nearly two centuries, Joseph Smith’s involvement in polygamy has been a topic of controversy. While historians and LDS leaders widely accept that the Mormon prophet practiced polygamy, a growing movement challenges this narrative, arguing that Smith was a monogamist and that polygamy was later introduced to justify the actions of Brigham Young and other church leaders.
One of the most vocal advocates of this perspective is Michelle Stone, creator of 132 Problems: Revisiting Mormon Polygamy, a YouTube channel with nearly 120,000 subscribers. A lifelong member of the LDS Church, Michelle was once a firm believer that polygamy was divinely inspired. However, her perspective shifted dramatically ten years ago when her husband questioned its legitimacy. Determined to prove him wrong, Michelle embarked on an exhaustive study of historical records—only to find herself questioning whether Joseph Smith practiced polygamy at all.
Michelle’s research led her to conclude that polygamy was not instituted by Joseph Smith but was instead a later development within the church. Her journey has been deeply personal, shaped by her strong LDS upbringing, the challenges of raising a large family, and faith struggles that intensified during the 2015 policy changes and the 2020 pandemic. She has also grappled with broader issues within the church, including LGBTQ+ inclusion, doctrinal inconsistencies, and historical reinterpretations.
Her deep dive into LDS history and theology has brought her into conversations with scholars, church members, and critics alike. Through her YouTube channel and public discussions, Michelle critically examines key documents such as Doctrine & Covenants 132, affidavits from Joseph Smith’s contemporaries, and historical accounts of polygamy in early Mormonism. She argues that the mainstream LDS narrative on polygamy has relied on later testimonies and that the original sources point to a different reality.
Michelle’s work has gained both support and criticism. While some view her as a much-needed voice for historical clarity, others see her stance as controversial within the LDS community. She remains committed to evidence-based research and open dialogue, believing that challenging established narratives can strengthen faith rather than weaken it.
Now, Michelle joins Mormon Stories to share her journey, her research, and why she believes the LDS Church has been mistaken about one of its most controversial doctrines.
3 Responses
Polygamy (and polyandry) has been a recurrent scourge of the Church for decades. It should therefore be no surprise when an apologist seeks to take the pressure off the church by regurgitating the deception started by Emma that Joseph never practiced polygamy. The overwhelming mass of evidence including first person accounts clearly affirms that he did. But, regardless, whether Smith did or did not practice polygamy, the current Salt Lake City centered church did so from before they left Nauvoo and entered the Salt Lake Valley until the so called 2nd Manifesto. And from that perspective, the scourge of polygamy remains as eternal as section 132 of the Doctrine & Covenants. Might she next tell us that the “seer” stone in the hat was really a discovery of the very same stone that was in Aaron’s vestments, to whit the very same “Urim & Thummin? This reminds me of Holocaust deniers.
Doesn’t this kind of belong in the LDS Discussions series?
Or is that series only for church-critical arguments?
No link to RFM’s episode thar was referenced multiple times?
Hey, classy interview, y’all! Really enjoyed this and hoping to hear more from Michelle.
Nice job, John and Michelle.