men and their love for religion

Male Belief Systems and the Reinvention of Reality: From Joseph Smith to John Money

By TSR

Joseph Smith and John Money, despite operating in vastly different realms, share striking parallels in how they used their authority to advance controversial practices. Both illustrate the potential dangers of unchecked power and the ethical pitfalls of prioritizing ideology—whether religious or scientific—over the well-being of women and children. Joseph Smith, the founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is a historical example of how individuals can create and propagate belief systems that challenge societal norms and establish new frameworks of understanding. Smith’s claim of divine revelation and his subsequent creation of a religious movement generated significant controversy. One of the most debated aspects of Smith’s life was his marriage to underage girls. Historical records indicate that Smith married at least 30 women, with some as young as 14 years old. 

In the modern era, this dynamic is echoed in the rise of movements that challenge foundational concepts of biological reality, particularly those surrounding sex. Sex is rooted in biological fact—determined by chromosomes, hormones, and physical characteristics. The emergence of ideologies that seek to redefine or deconstruct sex as a material reality has sparked significant debate, with critics likening these movements to new forms of belief systems or secular religions. Central to this debate is the role of men in starting and driving these movements, often to the detriment of women and children.
 When men create new ideologies, they often do so in ways that disrupt existing systems, leaving women and children disproportionately vulnerable to the fallout. Trans ideology is no exception.

The assertion that sex is a mere construct undermines the material reality that has shaped the lives and experiences of women throughout history. Women’s rights movements have been grounded in the biological reality of sex, recognizing the specific challenges women face due to their reproductive roles and societal marginalization. By redefining sex through the lens of subjective identity, trans ideology risks erasing the protections and spaces women have fought to secure.

Children, too, bear the brunt of these shifts. The increasing push for children to adopt ideological frameworks that challenge biological reality raises ethical concerns. Encouraging children to question their sex or pursue irreversible medical interventions undermines their long-term well-being and prioritizes ideological goals over scientific evidence and developmental care.

Joseph Smith and John Money both exploited their positions of authority in ways that caused profound harm to women and children. Smith used his role as a religious leader to coerce women and underage girls into polygamous marriages, presenting these unions as divine commands. This created a dynamic where refusal was nearly impossible, as dissent was equated with rejecting spiritual obligation. Similarly, John Money leveraged his scientific authority to conduct experimental practices on vulnerable children, overriding their autonomy and well-being in pursuit of his theories on gender identity.

The harm to women caused by Smith’s actions was deeply rooted in the structure of polygamy, which disproportionately relegated women to subservient roles within a patriarchal system. Young girls, like Helen Mar Kimball, were especially vulnerable, pressured into marriages they were neither prepared for nor able to resist. While Money’s work was less directly tied to women, his theories significantly influenced societal attitudes about gender and identity. In doing so, they sometimes undermined women’s sex-based rights and protections by prioritizing ideological constructs over biological realities.

Children were also profoundly affected by both men’s actions. Smith’s normalization of child marriage under religious justification exposed young girls to adult relationships for which they were not emotionally or physically prepared. In Money’s case, the invasive psychological experiments conducted on David Reimer and his twin brother resulted in severe long-term trauma. These practices, rooted in Money’s determination to prove his theories, disregarded the children’s well-being and autonomy, leading to devastating consequences.

The long-term impact of their actions continues to resonate. Smith’s introduction of polygamous doctrine left a legacy of harm, with splinter groups persisting in the practice long after the mainstream LDS Church abandoned it. These communities perpetuate cycles of exploitation affecting women and children. Money’s theories, while foundational to modern gender studies, sparked ongoing debates about ethical practices in medical and psychological treatment. Issues such as informed consent and the rights of children in the face of ideological pursuits remain contentious.

In examining their legacies, it is clear that both Smith and Money caused significant harm by placing their ideologies above the rights and well-being of women and children. Their actions highlight the dangers of unchecked authority and the far-reaching consequences of prioritizing personal or ideological goals over human dignity.