High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Joseph Smith Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, has been criticized by various contemporaries, historians, and researchers. Some criticisms accuse Smith of being a pious fraud, others claim that he had an immoral character, and others claim that he induced followers to join his church and follow his commands so that he could gain power and reap material and sexual rewards. In spite of the criticisms, most critics acknowledge that Smith was a charismatic and intelligent leader. Smith`s claims and actions are usually defended by his followers, although Latter-day Saints generally accept that he was imperfect.