Since Romney's 2012 run, the Mormon church has been forced to admit many negative things regarding its past history in "essays" posted on the official Mormon website. These admissions, which have been repeatedly denied by church leaders until now, are very disturbing to tithe paying faithful Mormons.
The essays admit that Joseph Smith never used his claimed "golden plates" to produce his famous "Book of Mormon". He actually dictated it while "burying his head in a hat". The essays also concede that prior to this time he used the same technique to locate buried treasure. On one occasion, Smith was found guilty and fined by a New York court for falsely claiming he was able to do so.
The church has also been forced to admit that Smith told several differing versions of the Mormon proclaimed "First Vision" over his lifetime. Smith's various versions differ in describing who appeared, how many appeared, and what he may have been told. In fact, they are so different that one must logically question if anything actually took place.
Much more damaging is the admission that Joseph Smith was "sealed" (secretly, but not legally, married) to some forty women during his lifetime. Many of these were teenagers some half his age with the youngest only fourteen when Smith was 37. In an attempt to minimize the damage, the essay states that she "was sealed to Joseph several months before her 15th birthday"! The Mormons just can't bring themselves to say she was only "fourteen". Most disturbing is that several of these "sealings" were with women in active marriages with their legally married husbands at the time. Some of the husbands had been sent on missions by Smith prior to the "sealings". These were clearly adulterous affairs even though the Mormons can't bring themselves to fully admit it.
The church has also admitted that sexual intercourse sometimes occurred. The truth is that it probably occurred in most, if not all, of these "celestial marriages". Why else would Smith go through phony "sealing" ceremonies which were especially kept secret from his only legally married wife? Smith told his intended partners that god himself ordered him to "marry" them and promised special blessings from god for them and their family in Mormon heaven if they complied.
Other admissions include the facts that the 150 years of Mormon church discrimination against blacks was not based on revelation, but rather was only church "policy" and that no independent proof has ever been found that Book of Mormon peoples and cities ever existed in the Americas.
The important thing to keep in mind is that these are not rumors spread by enemies of the Mormons, but rather clear admissions by the Mormon church itself on its official website. It is questionable that a secretive religion like Mormonism can continue to exist when the truth is readily available at the click of a mouse. Christian Science and Scientology are quickly realizing that they are unable to do so. A church representatives has stated that "droves" of formerly faithful Mormons are leaving after becoming fully aware of this damaging material readily available on the internet.
Romney will surely be questioned regarding these recent Mormon Church admissions especially in light of the fact that his very own father George Romney was born in Mexico at the Mormon settlement established by Mitt's polygamous ancestor after the feds forced the end of open polygamy in the United States.