Ep. 35: Mourning in "Liberty" - D&C 133-136

Two weeks' worth of LDS Come Follow Me study and commentary, covering Doctrine & Covenants Sections 133-136.

In this episode, we deepen the conversation around 19th century Mormon polygamy and disability/neurodivergency. We mention various instances of disabled and neurodivergent people in polygamous relationships, and discuss how that relationship style worked to either aid or disadvantage the disabled/neurodivergent person.

We reiterate the fact that just because a person has a specific disability or neurodivergence, it does not make them an automatically good person; we can hold space for disability/neurodiversity representation while also holding people accountable for the harm they've caused others.

This is especially true when discussing Brigham Young and both his eschewment of tradition (a neurodivergent trait) and the fact that he promoted eugenic, ableist rhetoric around Mormonism, as well as his complicity in the enslavement of indigenous people.

Lastly, we bring Emma Smith to the forefront during our discussion of Joseph Smith's martyrdom, as we read the blessing she requested from Joseph right before he went to Carthage Jail. We correlate the mourning of the LDS church after Joseph's death with the expression of mourning of Black people in America during Black Lives Matter. The spilling of innocent blood is therefore something that Mormons should especially resonate with.

CW: In this episode, we touch on eugenics, enslavement, and anti-Black racism.