A YouTube video from Analyzing Mormonism argues that Joseph Smith may have claimed polygamy was being restored for theological reasons while living it for personal ones. The 3,572-view video responds to commentary from another creator, focusing on Smith's marriages to women who were already married to other men.

The video cites Doctrine and Covenants 132, which states three times that Emma Smith should accept plural marriage, as evidence that personal desire played a role alongside any doctrinal justification. The argument explores the tension between institutional narratives about polygamy's restoration and the historical evidence of how Smith practiced it.

The debate reflects ongoing scholarly and popular discussion about the origins of Mormon polygamy, with historians and ex-Mormons examining whether the practice was primarily religious revelation or shaped by Smith's personal circumstances and desires.