The issue centers around a definition of pedophile. According to my understanding of pedophile, in which it refers to an abnormal pedominant sexual interest in children as opposed to sexual interest in sexually mature individuals, J.Smith doesn't fit that profile.
One can look at averages of menarche over past 100 years but that is irrelevant to specific cases as there will obviously be individuals outside the mean average, which make up that average. in my opinion one would have to show J. Smith had a sexual interest mainly in, sexually undeveloped females. I don't think it's been shown any of the women Smith had an interest in were sexually immature, even if they were 14 years old, as in the case of Helen Kimball.
J. Smith's sexual liasons with many women, is not uncommon with men who are in positions to take advantage of this. It's biologically quite normal behavior.
Marg, thankyou, for this. According to wiki, the term paedophile (looks like there is a difference between the UK and US spelling of the term) wasn't coined until long after Joseph had died. (1886) So, I don't know how useful it would be to use this definition against him. At 14 Helen, and others, are going to be undeveloped that's for sure, even if she was capable of becoming pregnant.
I take your point about individual cases, and it may have been that she 'looked' mature (as many adolescent girls do) but hmmmmm. I don't know.
It's a difficult one, because it seems from the records (and I really (again) never knew that Joseph had polygamous wives let alone very young ones when I was an active member) that the list included females that 'probably' wouldn't have been of a sexual interest to Joseph. (Heck, I don't know how can anyone ever prove what his sexual tastes were and maybe the older women were just a ruse to muddy the waters a bit??).
I would say that the case of Fanny Alger, would suggest a pattern perhaps. There's no evidence that he ever married her, but there are indications that the relationship included sex, and was justified by others either using polygamy or Old Testament practices?
Speculation I know, but if you can get away with something once, then it might just give you a little more confidence to try again (and again).
I take Harmony's point about power (rather than sex) being a factor in all this, as well as your point about it being common behaviour for men in positions such as Joseph's.
I think that is why I felt sick to my stomach (oh dear emotional reaction) when I read about David Koresh, simply because he seems to have used his religious power over parents to obtain the sexual rights to their children. That's one heap of power we are talking here.
I think it is also important to keep in mind the age differences between Joseph and many of his plural wives. They weren't just 5 years. These were major differences that puts Joseph in his mid to late 30's, in some cases, with very young teenagers.
I'm very uncomfortable with it, even if the marriages DIDN'T include a sexual element. In my books Helen at 14 was a child, and there is much indication that she would have been considered a child in the 19th Century.
Thoughts?
(I'm more than happy for anyone to criticise my thinking here)