The Danites: Joseph Smith's Mormon Paramilitary Group - John Turner Pt. 22 | Ep. 2084

Welcome back for Part 22 of our Joseph Smith the Podcast series with Dr. John G. Turner as we continue to cover his new book “Joseph Smith: The Rise and Fall of an American Prophet.” In this episode, we explore one of the most controversial and lesser-known chapters in early Latter-day Saint history –the rise of the Danites, a secretive paramilitary organization formed during the turbulent Missouri period of 1838. We trace tensions between Mormons and non-Mormons escalated into organized violence, how Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, and other church leaders responded, and what this meant for the future of the Latter-day Saint movement. Along the way, we discuss excommunications, failed settlements, political conflicts, and the enduring question: Did Joseph Smith authorize the Danites’ violent actions? This is the first half of Chapter 19 of the book, covering the years 1838-1839 in Missouri –where “Zion” collided with the American frontier. Please purchase the book ⁠here⁠ . To support this series please donate ⁠here⁠ . One half of all donations will go to Dr. Turner for as long as he is participating in the series. 00:06:35 The Mormons settled in Caldwell county, little Zion 00:10:50 Joseph doesn’t want a repeat of what happened in Kirtland, Ohio 00:15:15 Many of the Brethren no longer have confidence in Joseph Smith 00:26:20 The true crime was disloyalty 00:30:07 Is it possible that Oliver falsely accused Joseph with Fanny Alger? 00:36:54 Adam-ondi-Ahman and the Garden of Eden 00:40:18 Did Joseph Smith think the Book of Mormon geography expanded down to MesoAmerica? 00:47:46 Rapidly growing Mormon settlements and non-Mormons object to it 00:50:30 The Danites in Mormon history 01:03:22 People fighting in the temple and everything was falling apart 01:07:37 Joseph Smith authorizes violence against non-Mormon Missourians 01:08:36 Who were the Danites and did Joseph Smith authorize it? 01:21:49 Salty speech from Sidney Rigdon 01:29:44 Danite sign of distress 01:31:19 Closing remarks - lead up to Missouri mob violence 01:36:09 If the Saints had always acted peacefully, could they have been left alone to thrive in Missouri? ___________________ YouTube At Mormon Stories we explore, celebrate, and challenge Mormon culture through in-depth stories told by members and former members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as scholars, authors, LDS apologists, and other professionals. Our overall mission is to: 1. Facilitate informed consent amongst LDS Church members, investigators, and non-members regarding Mormon history, doctrine, and theology 2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis 3. Promote healing, growth and community for those who choose to leave the LDS Church or other high demand religions 🤝Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today One-time or recurring donations: https://donorbox.org/mormon-stories?default_interval=m Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mormonstories Venmo: https://account.venmo.com/u/mormonstories Paypal: https://paypal.me/mormonstories Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx6OgmoqJbOVRq-Lv1P7SzA/join Our Platforms: 🌐Mormon Stories Blog: https://www.mormonstories.org/episodes 🎙️Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mormonstories ✳️Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4sDzk7dRjODTSEqzZKZJzk?si=148b0efc1ccc4404&nd=1 🍎Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mormon-stories-lds/id312094772 🖼️Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mormstories 📱TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mormonstoriespodcast 🎮Discord: https://discord.com/invite/kuX5p6yyjF Contact us: 📧 MormonStories@gmail.com 📬PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117