Alex Joseph - Mormon Fundamentalism

Mormon Fundamentalism

Joseph was not raised in the Greek Orthodox Church, but was baptized into it in his late teens. He became a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) in 1965. In 1969, he abandoned the LDS Church and briefly joined a group of Mormon fundamentalists under the leadership of Rulon C. Allred in Pinesdale, Montana. In time, he convinced four students at the University of Montana to marry him and become his plural wives. His wives were not Latter Day Saints; rather, two were Roman Catholics, one was a Methodist, and one was a Presbyterian. The parents of the students were outraged and confronted Allred with their displeasure. Allred was displeased that Joseph had married without his permission, and after Joseph pointed out that Allred had also taken multiple wives, Joseph was asked to leave the colony in Montana. Joseph's exposure to Mormon fundamentalist groups eventually led him to see them as oppressive and corrupt. "Atrocities are committed and people have no recourse because they're outside the law, like the Mafia", commented Joseph. From then on, Joseph followed his own Christian-based religious convictions.

Elizabeth Joseph, one of Alex Joseph's wives who served as Big Water City Attorney and an instructor at Coconino Community College, was a featured speaker at the Utah NOW conference in 1997.