Active Mormons become offended when Joseph Smith is tagged as an adulterer.

In a polygamist setting, only ONE of those marriages can be recognized as “legal.” Joseph was legitimately married to his first wife, Emma.

The church NOW admits he had more than 30 wives.

How, in the eyes of the law, can any other woman than Emma be legally counted as his wife? By God? This appears to be his justification for taking women who were already married. There is no legal merit for his other unions. Additionally, these trysts were done in secret. Why should we believe this was a divine maneuver?

No – Joseph Smith was one of the most prodigious adulterers in early 19th century America.