By Bobby Darvish – Iranian-American Ex-Muslim, Christian Conservative LDS Priest
For decades, the term "Jack Mormon" has been used—sometimes humorously, often derisively—to describe a cultural Latter-day Saint who no longer practices the faith with full obedience but still identifies with it. These are people who may drink coffee, skip tithing, or live with someone outside of marriage, yet still claim a Mormon identity. However, when we dig into LDS history and the life of the Prophet Joseph Smith himself, we find that the so-called “Jack Mormons” are more historically consistent with the founder of Mormonism than the term suggests. In truth, a more accurate, ironic, and theologically grounded name would be "Joe Mormon."
The term “Joe Mormon” is appropriate not because it mocks Joseph Smith, but because it calls into question the rigid expectations modern Latter-day Saints place on themselves and others—expectations that Joseph himself did not live by. The intent is not to encourage rebellion, but to foster a sense of realism, humility, and historical honesty in how we understand faithfulness, obedience, and progression within the restored Gospel.
I. Joseph Smith and the Word of Wisdom: A Principle, Not a Law
One of the first cultural markers of a “Joe Mormon” is a casual attitude toward the Word of Wisdom—often drinking coffee, tea, or alcohol. But this is not new, nor is it necessarily rebellious. The Word of Wisdom was revealed in 1833 as a “principle with promise,” not a binding commandment (Doctrine and Covenants 89:2–3). In Joseph Smith’s time, neither he nor most early Saints interpreted it as a mandate.
Joseph Smith himself consumed wine and beer. At the dedication of the Kirtland Temple in 1836, Church leaders, including Joseph, partook of wine (History of the Church, Vol. 2, p. 428). He also reportedly shared wine with guests and was known to drink in moderation. As late as 1844, Joseph purchased beer and wine at the Nauvoo Mansion House (Bushman, Rough Stone Rolling, p. 439). This practice was not considered scandalous—it was normal.
It wasn’t until Heber J. Grant’s administration in the 1920s that the Word of Wisdom was enforced as a requirement for temple attendance. The policy change came more than 80 years after the revelation was received (Alexander, Mormonism in Transition, p. 251). Therefore, the idea that one must abstain from coffee or alcohol to be a “worthy” Latter-day Saint is not something Joseph Smith would have recognized.
II. Tithing: Surplus, Not Salary
Modern “Joe Mormons” may struggle with the concept of paying 10% of their gross income as tithing, particularly when facing economic hardship. Again, they are not deviating as much from Joseph Smith’s teachings as some may think.
The 1838 revelation on tithing (D&C 119:4) defined it as “one-tenth of all their interest annually.” Early Saints often interpreted “interest” to mean surplus income after necessary expenses. Historian Leonard J. Arrington noted that the early Church taught tithing as “one-tenth of the net increase” or surplus (Arrington, Great Basin Kingdom, p. 18). Joseph Smith never equated tithing with a rigid calculation of gross income, and temple access was not contingent upon tithing settlements or strict interviews during his lifetime.
Brigham Young later used tithing to fund colonization and Church expansion, and only in the 20th century did it become the financial and spiritual measuring rod it is today. Thus, “Joe Mormons” who interpret tithing more flexibly are arguably closer in spirit to Joseph Smith’s original model.
III. Chastity and Complexity: Joseph's Marital Practices
Perhaps the most provocative reason to replace “Jack Mormon” with “Joe Mormon” lies in Joseph Smith’s own tumultuous and controversial marital history. Today, failing to follow the law of chastity is a serious issue within LDS orthodoxy—often seen as a disqualifier for full fellowship or temple worthiness. But Joseph Smith’s own practice of plural marriage included sealing to multiple women, some of whom were already married to living husbands (Compton, In Sacred Loneliness, p. 11–13). These sealings were often secret and without Emma Smith’s knowledge.
Defenders of Joseph argue that his plural marriages were not always consummated and were rooted in divine instruction. Nonetheless, the modern Church does not condone polyandry or secret plural unions. Joseph’s approach to marriage was radically different from today’s standard LDS morality. While modern Saints are taught a strict, uniform code of chastity, Joseph lived out a far more nuanced and evolving view of marital theology.
IV. The Irony of Judgment and the Spirit of Mercy
When modern Latter-day Saints refer to someone as a “Jack Mormon,” it’s often meant to imply spiritual laziness or hypocrisy. But when we compare this image to the actual life of Joseph Smith, we are left with a powerful irony: many of the behaviors frowned upon today were not just tolerated, but lived by the Prophet himself. In truth, many “Joe Mormons” are more historically aligned with Joseph than their more “faithful” critics realize.
Christ taught, “Judge not, that ye be not judged” (Matthew 7:1). As Latter-day Saints, we are called to charity, mercy, and humility. Rather than labeling people as failures or rebels, we might acknowledge that the Restoration began with a flawed, passionate, courageous young man who drank wine, adapted commandments gradually, and lived a wildly complicated life of spiritual searching. That man was Joseph Smith. And many so-called “Joe Mormons” today are simply walking their own imperfect path back to Christ.
V. Conclusion: Embrace the Real, Not the Rigid
The term “Joe Mormon” is not meant to encourage disobedience or undermine doctrine. Rather, it’s a call for realism and grace in how we view the Saints around us. The Restoration was never about Pharisaical perfection; it was about divine progression, agency, and the unfolding of truth. Joseph Smith was not a rigid moralist—he was a seeker, a prophet, a man of both vision and imperfection.
If we are to honor the Restoration fully, we must be honest about its roots. And in doing so, perhaps we’ll stop calling our struggling brothers and sisters “Jack Mormons” and start calling them what they truly are—“Joe Mormons.” Not perfect, but walking the same messy road of faith that Joseph Smith once walked himself.
Sources
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Bushman, Richard L., Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling. New York: Knopf, 2005.
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Compton, Todd, In Sacred Loneliness: The Plural Wives of Joseph Smith. Signature Books, 1997.
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Doctrine and Covenants 89:2–3; 119:4
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Arrington, Leonard J., Great Basin Kingdom: An Economic History of the Latter-day Saints. University of Utah Press, 1958.
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History of the Church, Vol. 2, p. 428
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Alexander, Thomas G., Mormonism in Transition: A History of the Latter-day Saints, 1890–1930. University of Illinois Press, 1996.
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New Testament, Matthew 7:1
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