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: https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300255164/joseph-smith/ To support this series please donate here: https://donorbox.org/josephsmith. One half of all donations will go to Dr. Turner for as long as he is participating in the series. Show notes can be found on the Mormon Stories blog here: https://www.mormonstories.org/the-danites-joseph-smiths-paramilitary-group/ Timecodes: 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? ___________________ 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