the members want polygamy back...?

[abelchirino]

Emma was at several of the weddings...

Emma repeatedly said she wasn't. And I have not seen any real proof that she was. So we have to decide who we are going to believe. But the Holy Spirit can tell us the truth of all things.

You're really twisting everything. The church is true. It is entirely true. The Scriptures themselves testify of all these things. We can only accept them or deny them. There has been an unbroken line from JS to President Monson and if we stay true to all their teaching we will be safe.

[Lilli]

You're really twisting everything. The church is true. It is entirely true. The Scriptures themselves testify of all these things. We can only accept them or deny them. There has been an unbroken line from JS to President Monson and if we stay true to all their teaching we will be safe.

I served a mission in Italy, I can't tell you how many times I heard the same testimony from Catholics, even the Priests, who would show me the pictures up on their church walls of all the Apostles and their Popes and the continuing line of their authority to today.

I have studied how people think Brigham supposedly got the authority to continue the Church, by mere vote, and probably from only a minority of the Church, which is contrary to scripture and what Joseph Smith said. Many Saints and even Apostles in Nauvoo did not agree with Brigham Young as having authority to lead the Church. So I could say that you are twisting everything. I wonder if you have studied all that very much. For I have noticed that most Mormons know as little about the real foundations of their church as do the Catholics, yet they both are so sure.

I realize you think the Church is true, but you would have to prove it with facts, not feelings or your repeated beliefs, before I would believe you. Remember, even the Church tells investigators to 'prove all things' about the Church, by what the scriptures and Christ say, before believing it to be true.

[Melissa]

I have read through the recent posts that really get into some differing philosophies about truth and the church. This polygamy and priesthood ban and others are a source of confusion. God is not supposed to be the author of this.

Something that came to my mind when you were discussing the different teachings from prophet to prophet and how they really couldn't both be right. What about the Adam-God theory that BY taught? This has been recanted as incorrect teaching. This is a pretty serious topic/doctrine that was taught but was not true for his time, our time, or any time. So it must be possible for prophets to be wrong. They are mere men after all.
I understand that the church was in its infancy but for a prophet of God...I would not expect to be so foolish as to teach with such virgor a false doctrine. Wouldnt he check and double check before speaking as "prophet" binding others to follow?

Just some thoughts and questions to further the discussion. I do not have all the answers to these things as I am also still learning. To those who are able to discern....sometimes something you hear you just know is wrong but you don't always know what to do about it. The fact that there are differences in views here says that something must be wrong but what?

[abelchirino]

You're really twisting everything. The church is true. It is entirely true. The Scriptures themselves testify of all these things. We can only accept them or deny them. There has been an unbroken line from JS to President Monson and if we stay true to all their teaching we will be safe.

I served a mission in Italy, I can't tell you how many times I heard the same testimony from Catholics, even the Priests, who would show me the pictures up on their church walls of all the Apostles and their Popes and the continuing line of their authority to today.

I have studied how people think Brigham supposedly got the authority to continue the Church, by mere vote, and probably from only a minority of the Church, which is contrary to scripture and what Joseph Smith said. Many Saints and even Apostles in Nauvoo did not agree with Brigham Young as having authority to lead the Church. So I could say that you are twisting everything. I wonder if you have studied all that very much. For I have noticed that most Mormons know as little about the real foundations of their church as do the Catholics, yet they both are so sure.

I realize you think the Church is true, but you would have to prove it with facts, not feelings or your repeated beliefs, before I would believe you. Remember, even the Church tells investigators to 'prove all things' about the Church, by what the scriptures and Christ say, before believing it to be true.

No I'm sorry but that is not how missionaries teach. Some may have come to that conclusion but that is not the truth. A testimony is not obtained by facts only by pure revelation from the Spirit. Missionaries don't even have to answer every question or doubt. The only thing a missionary is there to do is to Invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. That is it. The people can accept it or deny it if they want but they can't go through it without facing these facts.

A testimony through facts does not mean anything. The only way to know is through the Spirit, regardless of "facts". That's the truth. Now I didn't show you proofs that the line is unbroken, but I don't have to. You're basically requiring for a sign which bothJesus and Joseph Smith warned us not to do.

One has to face the Church, the Book of Mormon, the prophets and all these things and make a decision himself. Even before Christ many testified of the Church, after the restoration, and how it will never be taken from the earth until Christ comes. We all have to ultimately make our own decision. But to believe in Christ and in Joseph Smith is to believe that the Church, as it stands and it has stood since Joseph is the true Church. To dIsregard it, or certain aspects of it as false, is to say that Joseph Smith isn't a prophet. They're intertwined.

[abelchirino]

I have read through the recent posts that really get into some differing philosophies about truth and the church. This polygamy and priesthood ban and others are a source of confusion. God is not supposed to be the author of this.

Something that came to my mind when you were discussing the different teachings from prophet to prophet and how they really couldn't both be right. What about the Adam-God theory that BY taught? This has been recanted as incorrect teaching. This is a pretty serious topic/doctrine that was taught but was not true for his time, our time, or any time. So it must be possible for prophets to be wrong. They are mere men after all.
I understand that the church was in its infancy but for a prophet of God...I would not expect to be so foolish as to teach with such virgor a false doctrine. Wouldnt he check and double check before speaking as "prophet" binding others to follow?

Just some thoughts and questions to further the discussion. I do not have all the answers to these things as I am also still learning. To those who are able to discern....sometimes something you hear you just know is wrong but you don't always know what to do about it. The fact that there are differences in views here says that something must be wrong but what?

Well the Adam God theory is not true, Brigham Young didn't preach it. Things that he said were taken out of context. As for the plurality of marriage or the ban, they are sensible subjects. But God provided for everything. We learn precept by precept but we first have to build a foundation.

The first question should be, do God and Christ live? Are they real? Do they truly exist? When we obtain a testimony of that, then the question is, does He love us? Does He care about us? A study on the nature of our God should teach us that if the a God of the Bible (and the others canonized books) is true, then He should. From there the question is, if loves us, does He want the best for us? Is the Gospel (faith, repentance, baptism, Holy Ghost and endurance to the end) the best He can give us? If it is, then the question is, did He call Joseph Smith to reveal it to us? If the spirit has confirmed this to you then the obvious to believe that the Book of Mormon, the D&C and the pearl of great price are true as well because they're all his fruits. Remember, good tree means good fruit. If all this is true and the Spirit has confirmed it then the question is, is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints the only authorized church to administer the Gospel, receive revelation and speak for God? Once we learn this and build a foundation on this then we can, little by little seek answers to all other questions. But it is easier when you are built on this foundation. If you're not built on this foundation it is impossible to receive answers to all these questions.

Build a foundation through the Spirit as Moroni exhorts us to do and understand that all these things are intertwined.

[Lilli]

No I'm sorry but that is not how missionaries teach. Some may have come to that conclusion but that is not the truth. A testimony is not obtained by facts only by pure revelation from the Spirit. Missionaries don't even have to answer every question or doubt. The only thing a missionary is there to do is to Invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. That is it. The people can accept it or deny it if they want but they can't go through it without facing these facts.

A testimony through facts does not mean anything. The only way to know is through the Spirit, regardless of "facts". That's the truth. Now I didn't show you proofs that the line is unbroken, but I don't have to. You're basically requiring for a sign which bothJesus and Joseph Smith warned us not to do.

One has to face the Church, the Book of Mormon, the prophets and all these things and make a decision himself. Even before Christ many testified of the Church, after the restoration, and how it will never be taken from the earth until Christ comes. We all have to ultimately make our own decision. But to believe in Christ and in Joseph Smith is to believe that the Church, as it stands and it has stood since Joseph is the true Church. To dIsregard it, or certain aspects of it as false, is to say that Joseph Smith isn't a prophet. They're intertwined.

You apparently have not studied what Joseph Smith taught about discerning truth from error and true prophets from false prophets, etc.

And I'm sorry, but the Church's "Man's Search for Happiness" Film, as well as the New Testament, tells investigators and even all of us, to 'prove all things', as it should tell us and them. And Joseph Smith and many other Presidents of the Church have taught us that we must test all opinions, revelation and teachings against what Christ and the scriptures say, to know if they are true or not. So I'm going to go with them, for that's what I believe too.

Yes it's vital to also have the confirmation of the Spirit but we need both, sure knowledge and the Spirit to make sure we aren't being deceived, for spiritual confirmations can easily be thought to be from God when they aren't. The Adversary is always trying to give us false revelations and false confirmations.

And I didn't say 'missionaries' had to 'prove all things' to the investigators, though they can help out, but that the investigators have to go do their own studying, searching and proving things on their own, to make sure what they are being told by the missionaries or the Spirit is true or not. Even Moroni at the end of the BoM says to ponder and study these things before praying about them for a confirmation. For God has said he will not just give us answers unless we study things out on our own 1st and do our own homework.

Proving all things does not mean seeking for a sign, which means seeking 'more of a miracle or sign from heaven' before some would believe. That doesn't really convert. Knowledge converts, for as Joseph Smith said, we are saved no faster then we get knowledge.

Proving all things means we search the scriptures and Christ and apply his Gospel to our lives to test and compare if something is right or not. If something is contrary to what Christ taught then we know it's false. God does not want us to just blindly follow anyone, even those who claim to be prophets, for that is the quickest way to be deceived and led astray by false prophets. For again, He has warned us about watching for false prophets today, even in the Church.

It's clear that we believe differently about so many things and have not studied the same prophets or scriptures, so it's ok with me if we just agree to disagree.

And no, just because Joseph Smith was a true prophet or the Book of Mormon is true, doesn't mean everyone or everything else in the Church is or that the church today is still true. It would be nice if things were that easy, but the Book of Mormon even foretells a latter day apostasy of the Holy Church of God.

[ElectLady]

So, basically what we're demonstrating here is that a return of polygamy could cause a rift in the membership? Lol. Such venom dripping off the screen as I read these posts.

[andsmith0723]

I do not want polygamy back. There would be absolutely no need for it unless we were being driven to extinction and needed to multiply and replenish the earth. I think there is a lot of confusion about WHY polygamy was practiced. It is not a "higher law". It was necessary in the early days of the church to strengthen our numbers and make the trek west. The Book Of Mormon teaches against polygamy and JS taught against polygamy his entire life. There is too much scripture damning polygamy for D&C 132 to somehow "okay" it. It served its purpose and has been rightly reversed. If the church DID reinstate polygamy it would take a very strong and confirming spiritual experience for me to practice it. I would probably leave the church as I love my wife with all my heart and never put her in a situation like that.

[Melissa]

To the post talking about the difference betwwen "Laws" and commandments of God. The post said something like laws are eternal and unchanging and commandments are given for different circumstances etc. I looked up on lds.org under plural marriage and at the bottom there was a 1min. Video from Gordon B. Hinkley stating that polygamy is now against Gods Law. Anyway, to who ever posted about laws vs commandments, check out this little video.

https://www.lds.org/media-library/video ... e-polygamy" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Melissa]

I do not want polygamy back. There would be absolutely no need for it unless we were being driven to extinction and needed to multiply and replenish the earth. I think there is a lot of confusion about WHY polygamy was practiced. It is not a "higher law". It was necessary in the early days of the church to strengthen our numbers and make the trek west. The Book Of Mormon teaches against polygamy and JS taught against polygamy his entire life. There is too much scripture damning polygamy for D&C 132 to somehow "okay" it. It served its purpose and has been rightly reversed. If the church DID reinstate polygamy it would take a very strong and confirming spiritual experience for me to practice it. I would probably leave the church as I love my wife with all my heart and never put her in a situation like that.

Makes sense to me, thank you!
I agree that it is not the "higher law" as some seem to think
Its just not logical for many reasons, especially when God himself says monogamy is his standard.

[jbalm]

Sec. 132 was placed in the D&C by the polygamist faction of the church to try and justify their adultery. Plain and simple.

And Joseph was either a polygamist and a liar, or not a polygamist. I like to believe the latter despite all the evidence of the former.

[Fiannan]

If polygamy was indeed against God's law why can a man whose wife dies get sealed to another wife and if she too shares the former wife's fate, and he finds another wife he can get sealed to her as well?

In a spiritual sense we still are performing polygamist marriages and have done so since the days of Joseph Smith. ;)

[Fiannan]

I do not want polygamy back. There would be absolutely no need for it unless we were being driven to extinction and needed to multiply and replenish the earth. I think there is a lot of confusion about WHY polygamy was practiced. It is not a "higher law". It was necessary in the early days of the church to strengthen our numbers and make the trek west. The Book Of Mormon teaches against polygamy and JS taught against polygamy his entire life. There is too much scripture damning polygamy for D&C 132 to somehow "okay" it. It served its purpose and has been rightly reversed. If the church DID reinstate polygamy it would take a very strong and confirming spiritual experience for me to practice it. I would probably leave the church as I love my wife with all my heart and never put her in a situation like that.

Point A) The Bible never condemns polygamy.

Point B) The prophet Nathan pointed out to David that God blessed him with six wives.

Point C) You don't like it nobody would force you to practice it.

Point D) Many women in and out of he Church cannot find husbands who are good quality men. Note, there are twice as many exclusively gay men as there are lesbians. That alone leaves a surplus of women. There are also many, many men who do not want to assume the responsibilities of family or marriage. This leaves many single women out there and thus this is why early prophets said sexual immorality and monogamy went hand in hand.

Point E) If the Church reinstated polygamy, a God-given form of marriage, then you would leave? Don't let the door smack you on the behind if it happens then.

[ebenezerarise]

These twisted arguments and tales of revisionist history fail when we look at other circumstances of "changing" laws and commandments, the simplest being Nephi being commanded to kill Laban. There are dozens of other examples where contrary direction is given under revelation. That Joseph taught and practiced plural marriage cannot be denied by any serious student of history. I have family that began practicing plural marriage in the 1830s and I have that confirmed -- that happened under Joseph, not Brigham.

The purpose of this thread eludes me. It seems it exists only to divide and to argue a point that is, in the end, pointless. As Latter-day Saints we are not called to live the laws of those of other dispensations. We are, instead, called upon to live the will of the Lord, whatever it might be. To compare ourselves to any other time and to lay down conditions for our church membership based upon hypotheticals is foolish and a waste of time.

Revelation always dictates whether or not we comply with the Lord's will. On that I will rely. But for those here asking a goofy question about whether or not we'll stay members of the Church if polygamy is re-instated or -- worse! -- conjectures that present membership is FOR the return of polygamy is all just a gross exercise to entertain false doctrine and phoney history.

[jbalm]

So your ancestors were unrepentant adulterers. Join the club.

The purpose of the thread is the same as every other polygamy thread: a certain group of mormons love the topic because polygamy is the only church-approved adultery fantasy and like to talk about it. Another group sees polygamy as a ridiculous excuse for a sinful lifestyle choice and like to talk about that.

And who says Nephi was supposed to kill Laban? Hell, Nephi wrote it down--what else was he going to say? "Dear diary, today I killed my jerk-off uncle over that book we have been arguing about all these years. But God told me too, so it's all good."

Polygamy as a "Abrahamic test"...laughable.

[ebenezerarise]

So your ancestors were unrepentant adulterers. Join the club.

No. I'll tell you of just one: she was a 17-year old Saint from Scotland who married my 4th great grandfather after he came to Salt Lake in 1856. Her family joined the church in the UK in the 1830s. He joined the Church after the sudden loss of his first wife in the 1840s.

When he was sent to St. George on a mission, she went with all the kids. But when news of her brother's sudden death came to her she left to tend to her ailing parents. She was pregnant with her fifth child by him. After the baby was born, Grandfather came by long enough to provide a blessing, then it was back to Northern Arizona to complete yet another mission, where he died.

She partnered with her sister-in-law -- also widowed -- and together they raise their families. She served as a Primary President for 37 years -- a rock in her community and her ward.

Her journal is filled with all the anxieties, hopes, dreams, faith and testimony of a woman of faith, who believed in her temple covenants.

Was her husband an adulterer? She clearly didn't think so.

Shame on those who paint with a broad brush to make small those who lived a law given at a time when in the Lord's wisdom it was necessary.

These people didn't operate by the all knowing authority of Google and bogus "historical artifacts" -- they operated by the Spirit and it changed lives and affected generations. Their faith continues to inspire and instruct. To label them in judgment 150+ years after the fact with smug, bitter recriminations because you don't like the Restored Gospel for whatever reason just shows how shallow the thought and research is that you've put into this.

I don't live polygamy. I'm grateful for that. I'm grateful I don't have to live in 19th century Utah. I'm not sure I could have done what they did but I'm grateful they were true to their faith and lived by the Spirit. They are on record time and time again of sacrificing everything for that faith.

[jbalm]

Sec. 132 is the prime example of calling good evil and calling evil good.

[andsmith0723]

I do not want polygamy back. There would be absolutely no need for it unless we were being driven to extinction and needed to multiply and replenish the earth. I think there is a lot of confusion about WHY polygamy was practiced. It is not a "higher law". It was necessary in the early days of the church to strengthen our numbers and make the trek west. The Book Of Mormon teaches against polygamy and JS taught against polygamy his entire life. There is too much scripture damning polygamy for D&C 132 to somehow "okay" it. It served its purpose and has been rightly reversed. If the church DID reinstate polygamy it would take a very strong and confirming spiritual experience for me to practice it. I would probably leave the church as I love my wife with all my heart and never put her in a situation like that.

Point A) The Bible never condemns polygamy.

Point B) The prophet Nathan pointed out to David that God blessed him with six wives.

Point C) You don't like it nobody would force you to practice it.

Point D) Many women in and out of he Church cannot find husbands who are good quality men. Note, there are twice as many exclusively gay men as there are lesbians. That alone leaves a surplus of women. There are also many, many men who do not want to assume the responsibilities of family or marriage. This leaves many single women out there and thus this is why early prophets said sexual immorality and monogamy went hand in hand.

Point E) If the Church reinstated polygamy, a God-given form of marriage, then you would leave? Don't let the door smack you on the behind if it happens then.

First off, thank you for your loving understanding of my stance. I can feel the love radiating from your words 8-|

Point A response) The Book Of Mormon does. It comes right out and says polygamy is an abomination. Is the BOM not the keystone of our religion and the most correct book on earth?
As for the Bible...the first polygamist wife taken in the Bible was by Lamech a descendent of Cain. So the first example of polygamy is a murderer during the time of a sinful society. Other then that you have Kings and mostly patriarchs who practiced polygamy. They were not blessed for their practice of polygamy in fact King David and King Solomon were both punished for their adultery. It's not that polygamy was "condemned" in the Bible, but it WAS a departure from the divine institution that God ordained. Adam and Eve are the most perfect example of what marriage is. In the New Testament there are no examples of Polygamy.

Point B response) Jacob 2:24
Behold, David and Solomon truly had many wives and concubines, which thing was abominable before me, saith the Lord.
This is straight from the Lord. Do you take the words of Nathan over Gods?

Point C) Nobody would force me but here's the thing. My wife is not LDS. She is pentecostal. I am teaching her about the church and she's even reading the BOM with me. She is a devout Christian and understands just as well as me that polygamy is not Gods law. If the church reinstated polygamy it would put a huge strain on my marriage and destroy any chance of her ever getting baptized. Like I said before, for me to give up my marriage and stay in a church who's practices I don't agree with it would take a special and decisive spiritual experience to change my mind.

Point D) Everything you just laid out is part of Satans war on the family. Polygamy is just another facet of that war. Why do you think our sinful society is legalizing gay marriage and in the midst of that now Polygamy may be legalized? You cannot fight sin with sin.

Point E) A swift smack of a door on my behind is well worth living the example of my savior and clinging to my wife. The spirit of the Lord and the light of christ are what guide me, and it guided me to marrying my wife. My WIFE, not WIVES.

[ebenezerarise]

Sec. 132 is the prime example of calling good evil and calling evil good.

The Temple is full of higher laws, greater symbolism, and covenants that require far more than what you read in the scriptures. These things are found and explained alone through the Spirit. I would hope, that should this point of doctrine ever be required of you that you could reconcile yourself to it. I do not read Section 132 like you do, it is sacred text to me. The Spirit has confirmed only after years of struggle and study with what I could find of history and, frankly, my heart turned only when I was able to read the private, unpublished journals of long dead ancestors who lived it and explained it from that perspective.

Just because you don't like it doesn't mean you have to go on a witch hunt to disprove it as not being from Joseph or from the Lord. That's not necessary. The Lord will be proven in these things and will provide a way of understanding.

I grow weary of the rampant speculation on these boards of antis who drag something like plural marriage out of the basement and then try to make a case against the Church with it as a hypothetical.

My temple covenants require me to consecrate my all and I will do that, if asked by those who have been called through the Priesthood ask those things of me -- no matter what it is. Would that include plural marriage??? Possibly. That's not a test -- that's a covenant.

Will the world get so crazy?

I'm certain that was questioned back in the day. And the truth was that yes, the world gets that crazy. I believe we'll see it in our time -- that we ARE seeing it in our time. Standing in holy places means abiding by those temple covenants...and just how far that might take us really remains, I feel, to be seen. I feel my pioneer ancestors bore it well, and bore it through the Spirit.

There was simply no other way.

[Fiannan]

First off, thank you for your loving understanding of my stance. I can feel the love radiating from your words

Don't mention it big guy. :ymhug:

Point A response) The Book Of Mormon does. It comes right out and says polygamy is an abomination. Is the BOM not the keystone of our religion and the most correct book on earth?
As for the Bible...the first polygamist wife taken in the Bible was by Lamech a descendent of Cain. So the first example of polygamy is a murderer during the time of a sinful society. Other then that you have Kings and mostly patriarchs who practiced polygamy. They were not blessed for their practice of polygamy in fact King David and King Solomon were both punished for their adultery. It's not that polygamy was "condemned" in the Bible, but it WAS a departure from the divine institution that God ordained. Adam and Eve are the most perfect example of what marriage is. In the New Testament there are no examples of Polygamy.

No the Book of Mormon does not. It condemns them for excess and does not say polygamy is a sin.

You have no idea of how many wives Adam had other than Eve and maybe Lilith. As for polygamy being bad because a man who was a descendant of Cain practiced it...not the best argument I have ever heard.

And David was punished for adultery and causing the earth of the husband, not for polygamy.

Point B response) Jacob 2:24
Behold, David and Solomon truly had many wives and concubines, which thing was abominable before me, saith the Lord.
This is straight from the Lord. Do you take the words of Nathan over Gods?

Okay, now Nathan is a liar? What spirit do you channel through? Like I aid before, it was excess, making women into a huge collection. There is a big difference between having 1000 wives and concubines and having two or three wives.

Point C) Nobody would force me but here's the thing. My wife is not LDS. She is pentecostal. I am teaching her about the church and she's even reading the BOM with me. She is a devout Christian and understands just as well as me that polygamy is not Gods law. If the church reinstated polygamy it would put a huge strain on my marriage and destroy any chance of her ever getting baptized. Like I said before, for me to give up my marriage and stay in a church who's practices I don't agree with it would take a special and decisive spiritual experience to change my mind.

Again, nobody forces you to hook up with any additional wives. And if she believes polygamy is not part of God's laws then she does not know her Bible all that well.

Point D) Everything you just laid out is part of Satans war on the family. Polygamy is just another facet of that war. Why do you think our sinful society is legalizing gay marriage and in the midst of that now Polygamy may be legalized? You cannot fight sin with sin.

You already called Nathan a fallen prophet so I suppose adding the other OT prophets to that list is just logical, isn't it? Polygamy is not a sin.

Point E) A swift smack of a door on my behind is well worth living the example of my savior and clinging to my wife. The spirit of the Lord and the light of christ are what guide me, and it guided me to marrying my wife. My WIFE, not WIVES.

That would still be your choice if polygamy came back.

[natasha]

Correct me if I'm mistaken...but didn't FATHER Abraham have three wives that we know of? And what about Jacob? Four that we know of from whom descend the 12 tribes of Israel.

[andsmith0723]

First off, thank you for your loving understanding of my stance. I can feel the love radiating from your words

Don't mention it big guy. :ymhug:

Point A response) The Book Of Mormon does. It comes right out and says polygamy is an abomination. Is the BOM not the keystone of our religion and the most correct book on earth?
As for the Bible...the first polygamist wife taken in the Bible was by Lamech a descendent of Cain. So the first example of polygamy is a murderer during the time of a sinful society. Other then that you have Kings and mostly patriarchs who practiced polygamy. They were not blessed for their practice of polygamy in fact King David and King Solomon were both punished for their adultery. It's not that polygamy was "condemned" in the Bible, but it WAS a departure from the divine institution that God ordained. Adam and Eve are the most perfect example of what marriage is. In the New Testament there are no examples of Polygamy.

No the Book of Mormon does not. It condemns them for excess and does not say polygamy is a sin.

Response: First a sharp rebuke from Jacob to those using King David and King solomon as an excuse
I must speak unto you concerning a grosser crime.... The word of God burthens me because of your grosser crimes. For behold, thus saith the Lord, This people begin to wax in iniquity; they understand not the scriptures: for they seek to excuse themselves in committing whoredoms, because of the things which were written concerning David, and Solomon his son.

Jacob 1:15
And now it came to pass that the people of Nephi, under the reign of the second king, began to grow hard in their hearts, and indulge themselves somewhat in wicked practices, such as like unto David of old desiring many wives and concubines, and also Solomon, his son.

Jacob 2:27
Wherefore, my brethren, hear me, and hearken to the word of the Lord: For there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife; and concubines he shall have none. I bolded the "one wife" for you, don't skip responding to it.

Mosiah 11:2
For behold, he did not keep the commandments of God, but ... he had many wives and concubines.

Ether 10:5
Riplakish did not do that which was right in the sight of the Lord, for he did have many wives and concubines.

You are wrong. The Book Of Mormon DOES condemn polygamy. It's not even debatable.

You have no idea of how many wives Adam had other than Eve and maybe Lilith. As for polygamy being bad because a man who was a descendant of Cain practiced it...not the best argument I have ever heard.

And David was punished for adultery and causing the earth of the husband, not for polygamy.

The Bible never states that Adam was a polygamist. It's never even hinted at. If you want me to take your argument seriously you will need to have evidence instead of just saying "Will you don't know!". With that line of reasoning you could make up anything.
Are you going to address what I said or just simplify it into an unintelligible mess? I will say it again "It's not that polygamy was "condemned" in the Bible, but it WAS a departure from the divine institution that God ordained." That departure started with Lamech. Davids polygamy and his unquenchable lust for more and more women go hand and hand. Do you think that if David was a loyal monogamist that he would have gone down that road? Nope.

Point B response) Jacob 2:24
Behold, David and Solomon truly had many wives and concubines, which thing was abominable before me, saith the Lord.
This is straight from the Lord. Do you take the words of Nathan over Gods?

Okay, now Nathan is a liar? What spirit do you channel through? Like I aid before, it was excess, making women into a huge collection. There is a big difference between having 1000 wives and concubines and having two or three wives.

Way to put words in my mouth. All I said was that I take the Lords word over Nathans. Prophet have and can be wrong.

Point C) Nobody would force me but here's the thing. My wife is not LDS. She is pentecostal. I am teaching her about the church and she's even reading the BOM with me. She is a devout Christian and understands just as well as me that polygamy is not Gods law. If the church reinstated polygamy it would put a huge strain on my marriage and destroy any chance of her ever getting baptized. Like I said before, for me to give up my marriage and stay in a church who's practices I don't agree with it would take a special and decisive spiritual experience to change my mind.

Again, nobody forces you to hook up with any additional wives. And if she believes polygamy is not part of God's laws then she does not know her Bible all that well.
You really do not understand, do you? You are not even trying to understand my position in the least bit. My wife is not LDS. Being a part of a polygamist church would ruin my marriage. As far as my wife not knowing her Bible, you just sound like a pompous jerk. =;

Point D) Everything you just laid out is part of Satans war on the family. Polygamy is just another facet of that war. Why do you think our sinful society is legalizing gay marriage and in the midst of that now Polygamy may be legalized? You cannot fight sin with sin.

You already called Nathan a fallen prophet so I suppose adding the other OT prophets to that list is just logical, isn't it? Polygamy is not a sin.
Either your reading comprehension is lacking or you just enjoy putting words in my mouth. I never said Nathan was a fallen prophet. I just quoted the BOM. Polygamy in certain times and situations is okay, but it is not ideal. It is not the "higher law". In fact it is an abomination unless given permission from the Lord.

Point E) A swift smack of a door on my behind is well worth living the example of my savior and clinging to my wife. The spirit of the Lord and the light of christ are what guide me, and it guided me to marrying my wife. My WIFE, not WIVES.

That would still be your choice if polygamy came back.

It would leave me no choice but to practice my religion independently.

[RaVaN]

@Natasha

Reread your bible...Abraham and Jacob having more than one wife both showed exactly why polygamy is so wrong. It causes strife, hatred, and confusion within the family unit. At no point were either of them commanded by God to live polygamy, it was a choice they took upon themselves and the fruits of those decisions echoed through history.

The Scriptures are clear on the subject of polygamy. It has been the anchor drowning the LDS church since before they left Nauvoo.

[Fiannan]

@Natasha

Reread your bible...Abraham and Jacob having more than one wife both showed exactly why polygamy is so wrong. It causes strife, hatred, and confusion within the family unit. At no point were either of them commanded by God to live polygamy, it was a choice they took upon themselves and the fruits of those decisions echoed through history.

The Scriptures are clear on the subject of polygamy. It has been the anchor drowning the LDS church since before they left Nauvoo.

'

So the ten tribes of Israel were a big mistake?

Oh, and if Abraham was indeed wrong in practicing polygamy what other concepts might we infer were wrong about him, and Moses and others?

As for polygamy being a weight, so too is opposition to gay marriage, but the Lord does have his reasons to have the Church stand up against it. Jews suspended the practice of polygamy in Europe due to persecution but they never condemned it. How can some person come along today and tell the Jews their interpretations of the Bible are wrong? That is what you are doing if you say the LDS position on polygamy is wrong.

[Fiannan]

Christian commentators with a perverted perspective following in the Roman Catholic tradition have tremendous difficulty with Yaakov having four wives. This very point shows to what extent the Roman church is not a continuation of Jewish traditions, society and morality, but rather the continuation of Greek and Roman pagan traditions, society and morality.

http://emeslyaakov.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;