But I honestly don't know. I haven't read the book in well over a decade and what I got from it was jealousy is a mostly foolish emotion and he and his "brides" rose above it.
Maybe I'll have to read it again and go on a classic sci-fi binge for a month or two.
Certainly a lot of parallels with Foster, Bishop Digby, and the Fosterite Church of the New Revelation in general... Clearly Heinlein used Joseph Smith (as well as other similar cult leaders) in shaping the Fosterites and their founding prophet.
STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND is NOT written about Joseph Smith!!!
Jeez...I know a BUNCH of people who would plotz if this were hypothesized by anyone.
Although STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND (as well as the various novels by Robert Rimmer which were written at roughly the "same time") were about future, or "near future" non-monogamous relationships...
...these were polyamorous (egalitarian, respectful, always growing in positive ways, "free thinking," mutable, multi-actual-LOVING and CARING) in intent (expressed in words and concepts meant to be understandable by the mores and the readers of that time period)...
rather than polygamous (authoritarian, male-centric, paternalistic, confining, rigid, "orthodox").
Other than the non-monagamous aspect, the Mormon world created by Joseph Smith, and the different fictional worlds of both Heinlein and Rimmer, have NOTHING in common.
I read it as an idealistic adolescent and just kind of went "okay," liking the idea of "grok" as suggestion of higher awareness and consciousness...
About a dozen years later I found myself in a junior level literature class; it was the first time science fiction was taught as a serious subject, and I think afterwards the professor was "disappointed" by the book even though she loved it when she was younger...
I read an interview with Heinlein were he said the word "grok" came from something like a "clumsy attempt" at speech...
Heinlein used some "visionary" tools, attempting to describe the culture of the 1940's influencing a 1980's setting (I'm guessing on that one since I don't remember when it "took place"); a reporter is described as a "lippmann" and not a "winchell" and there are other elements as well. He clearly spoofed human sexuality and rigid morality, which made it popular during the "Sexual Revolution."
Religion also plays a role; there's an "echo" of "Michael" as the archangel Michael, and a backdrop of almost a "heavenly game" with souls apparently incarnating in this sphere at their leisure... You may have picked up references to regular Christianity which would have elements in common with Mormonism... I'm doubtful the author knew much about Mormonism per se...
The book didn't "fare that well" as a serious work of literature (better though, than Orson Scott Card who came across as pretty "corny"); the one piece that did "offer some meat" was "Canticle for Leibowitz," which addressed the issue of nuclear annihilation in a futuristic setting that was powerful for those of us raised in the "Duck and Cover" of the 1960's...
If you enjoyed the book, that's a good thing in my view even though it was strictly "popular" fiction. I do note there does seem to be a "fondness for science fiction" among many raised in Mormondom. I count myself in that group, although I rarely read much fiction these days...
Among the "big four" of science fiction (Bradbury, Asimov, Clarke, and Heinlein), there will doubtless be a "winnowing" process to determine their relative "literary merit." I see Asimov "winning" that one, ultimately, and I even have "some thoughts" I'm saving for an essay on some of his "visionary" projections.
Thanks for the info. I have not read the book, but ordered it today. An aquaintance suggested that "fosterites" could be compared with mormonism and it piqued my interest. I will also plan to read "Canticle for Leibowitz" in the near future. It sounds even more enticing. Thanks again.
No way. There are some variant ideas about sexuality, but you shouldn't profane Heinlein by inserting Joseph Smith into it.
Joseph Smith was a charismatic cult leader. The martian man in Stranger in a Strange Land is a martian and is meant to parody and emulate the human race. It has nothing to do with JS.