The Polygamy Poll

[Zathura]

I really think Joseph’s big mistake with polygamy was that he couldn’t figure out or didn’t have the audacity to just go with it. He was the extremely reluctant polygamist to the extant that I don’t even know if they were real wives. Because others were actually commanded to practice plural marriage and started when Joseph was still alive I think he had an idea of how it should’ve been done. I really think members think too binary (we’ve been told that we’re the most binary thinkers in the world, I would expect more of us to become programmers). It’s not just Joseph is some serial adulterer or he’s a lyer. He justifiably lied to protect the innocent and tried his very best to fulfill an excruciatingly hard commandment.

From this, it sounds like you believe that Joseph didn't have enough faith to fully implement the Lord's command. The man who communed with Jehovah and translated 1 Nephi 3:7 who knew the Lord would prepare a way, the man who by various accounts was saved by angels, who stood in front of a loaded gun daring it to fire, who had Moroni actually carry the plates for a bit while they were fleeing mobs and robbers. This man, for some reason lost his faith in God (that he would keep His people safe) and was unable to fully do as the Lord commanded? That is interesting to me.

I have had this thought occur to me as well. Why else did an angel appear 3 times, the 3rd time with a sword and threaten to slay Bro Joseph if he weren't a bit reluctant? For fear of Emma, maybe?

That’s a good point to make, assuming that story is real. The authenticity of the story it is questionable though.

[Zathura]

I really think Joseph’s big mistake with polygamy was that he couldn’t figure out or didn’t have the audacity to just go with it. He was the extremely reluctant polygamist to the extant that I don’t even know if they were real wives. Because others were actually commanded to practice plural marriage and started when Joseph was still alive I think he had an idea of how it should’ve been done. I really think members think too binary (we’ve been told that we’re the most binary thinkers in the world, I would expect more of us to become programmers). It’s not just Joseph is some serial adulterer or he’s a lyer. He justifiably lied to protect the innocent and tried his very best to fulfill an excruciatingly hard commandment.

Assuming this is how it happened, why did D&C 101 condemn polygamy until it was removed without explanation years after his death? Did he throw it in there to confuse outsiders? Did God actually give that commandment but he really didn’t mean it?

Why was Hiram Brown excommunicated? Assuming church membership is crucial to your salvation, his soul is lost because Joseph needed a fall guy to throw the government off?

[John Tavner]

I really think Joseph’s big mistake with polygamy was that he couldn’t figure out or didn’t have the audacity to just go with it. He was the extremely reluctant polygamist to the extant that I don’t even know if they were real wives. Because others were actually commanded to practice plural marriage and started when Joseph was still alive I think he had an idea of how it should’ve been done. I really think members think too binary (we’ve been told that we’re the most binary thinkers in the world, I would expect more of us to become programmers). It’s not just Joseph is some serial adulterer or he’s a lyer. He justifiably lied to protect the innocent and tried his very best to fulfill an excruciatingly hard commandment.

From this, it sounds like you believe that Joseph didn't have enough faith to fully implement the Lord's command. The man who communed with Jehovah and translated 1 Nephi 3:7 who knew the Lord would prepare a way, the man who by various accounts was saved by angels, who stood in front of a loaded gun daring it to fire, who had Moroni actually carry the plates for a bit while they were fleeing mobs and robbers. This man, for some reason lost his faith in God (that he would keep His people safe) and was unable to fully do as the Lord commanded? That is interesting to me.

I have had this thought occur to me as well. Why else did an angel appear 3 times, the 3rd time with a sword and threaten to slay Bro Joseph if he weren't a bit reluctant? For fear of Emma, maybe?

Or, in my opinion, it didn't happen or if it did, it was a fake angel of Light trying to deceive Him. One would think they could find Joseph Smith mentioning that in a journal of his or something somewhere... not 10-20 and even 50 years later through almost entirely 3rd hand accounts with very few second hand accounts most which seem to magically appear sometime around the temple Lot case....

[Mindfields]

No angel appeared and demanded that Joseph practice polygamy. Logically it makes no sense. When does God ever make anybody do anything? There is nothing in contemporary history about an angel appearing to Joseph Smith. These stories were all remembered at later dates, long after Joseph died. More nonsense to justify polygamy after Joseph was murdered.

[Silver Pie]

I have been seeing this idea of Mary being Heavenly Mother, and like Shadow stated, it doesn't fit the pattern. I suppose Heavenly Mother hung up her Celestial Body, to have Her spirit slip into another mortal baby body as she condescended? Will her second mortal body be an upgrade after the resurrection? I also have scratched the idea.

It does sound strange, I admit it. I don't know all the physics that exist in God's realm. It could be possible - or not. I don't know. It is just something I wonder about - is it true or not? Is it real or not? Maybe I'll find out some day and maybe I won't.

[Silver Pie]

Amen, Mindfields! It wasn't written down because it didn't happen. It was conveniently remembered to add evidence to a lie - the lie being that JS had more than one wife.

No angel appeared and demanded that Joseph practice polygamy. Logically it makes no sense. When does God ever make anybody do anything? There is nothing in contemporary history about an angel appearing to Joseph Smith. These stories were all remembered at later dates, long after Joseph died. More nonsense to justify polygamy after Joseph was murdered.

[MMbelieve]

I dont know how im showing im more moral than others by suggesting adoption.
You talking about having children is also virtue signaling? By saying your more moral than others because you had more children or something, I dont get it.
Kids need parents and christians believe in family and children and charity so they are great candidates for giving these kids a home.

No, I have actually never told anyone here how many children I have.

If one says that someone has a moral obligation to do something, and they have not done it, then that is virtue signaling. And if one tells a person that maybe, rather than use whatever means are available to reproduce, they should just adopt instead, then what is that?

Gee, I dont know, I dont label everything. If you dont like my suggestion about adoption then thats fine. It was just a thought.

[Silver Pie]

Gee, I dont know, I dont label everything. If you dont like my suggestion about adoption then thats fine. It was just a thought.

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[oklds]

What's the big deal with polygamy? Let me point out some thoughts on the issue that I have not seen here, nor most anywhere else:

1. Who in their right mind would want 10 or 20 wives? Ron Sherwood, my first sponsor, asked me back in 1996 to go and speak at a women's prison in Arkansas; 476 women, all doing long-term prison sentences. My first reaction was that it sounded like a REALLY great idea for a service project, and that I could probably help out 476 woman who had not had a man in their midst for several years. My second reaction was exactly the same as my first reaction.

Unfortunately, due to the McClintock Effect, when we got there they were all in the throes of PMS, and the welcome I received was not as warm as what I had expected.

2. Moses was one smart man. He decreed that all women should go and live in special housing several hundred yards away from the rest of the population, for 4 days before and 3 days after (My numbers could be off by 1) their monthly cycles. THAT, my friends, would make for one VERY calm environment. Not to mention the decrease in PMS-related homicides.

3. Why on earth would anyone want to support more than one Wife? In this day and age, with credit so easy to obtain, try to imagine 20 Wives, each with a purse full of credit cards, and ALL with you as the legally responsible financial party. If just the thought of that does give you the shivers, you might want to forego the "Word of Wisdom" and just take up drinking heavily.

4. I raise sheep and goats. I have one ram (that's a boy sheep for you city folks) and one billy (boy goat), 16 ewes and 12 nannys. They each deliver twins almost every time, so on average, I have 2 lambs and 2 goatlings to sell every month, and get to eat lamb chops, rack-of-lamb, and leg-of-lamb constantly. As long as I don't run out of mint jelly, life is pretty rosy. Some of you may have already deduced the corollary, however. But for those haven't, let me put it in simple terms: If one did have 20 Wives, and are forbidden by Almighty God to sell OR eat the extra Children (most of the Wives would also object), how long before we'd be forced, in order to protect our sanity, to simply run away from home.

5. However, all of those reasons pale in comparison to the most important one: My Prophet told me not to. If he decides to change that and wants my opinion, I'm sure he can find my number. Until then, I'll stick with the one God gave me. She's beautiful, devout, healthy, smart, skinny, and was born 10 months AFTER my last day in combat.

I should mention that I was not allowed to actually have contact with any of these 476 women, moods notwithstanding, so I ate with a couple of guards on one one side of the cafeteria, while all of those women glared daggers at us from across the room. Ron Sherwood (now deceased) came in and waved the guards away from the table, and took my picture. I was somewhat flattered with the idea that he thought so much of my willingness to serve that he wanted to immortalize that photographically.

Sometime on the drive back I realized what that miserable SOB really wanted was a picture of me eating alone in a Women's prison.

[Fiannan]

Who in their right mind would want 10 or 20 wives?

If we apply knowledge of the mammal kingdom to humans then the ideal is not that big. Size differences between males and females with virtually the same DNA suggests the ideal would be one male and two or three females. Human males are slightly taller than female counterparts. Mammals with that dynamic tend to "pair off" in those ratios while large male-to-female differences see more the harem effect. Species with no size difference tend to be monogamous.

[Sirius]

What ?

You’ll have to look at his Posts in the thread he started about virtue. Talked about those things, and received “revelation” about it .

Honest question:

So how do you personally decide which doctrines to believe and disbelieve?

To me, there are 2 main options, or main branches.

Either Joseph was a liar and practiced something that I believe to be an abomination according to the scriptures and that continued on until 1900s,

Or,

Joseph did not preach or practice what Brigham preached and practice . There are multiple smaller branches of possibilities that sprout from this large branch that I accept as possibly being the truth.

I think like a programmer, and my mind envisions an If- Else statement with nested If-Else statements(I’m sure that’s nonsense to you, but to some that might help explain my thinking) the first condition having one outcome, while the 2nd condition has multiple possible outcomes

So according to your (2) stated options, either Joseph was a fallen prophet, or Brigham was a fallen prophet, through teaching and living this "abomination", as you call it? Yet EVERY prophet following them, testifies they were BOTH faithful and true, to the end. Not sure your conclusion is solid footing for reconciliation on the topic.

[Zathura]

You’ll have to look at his Posts in the thread he started about virtue. Talked about those things, and received “revelation” about it .

Honest question:

So how do you personally decide which doctrines to believe and disbelieve?

To me, there are 2 main options, or main branches.

Either Joseph was a liar and practiced something that I believe to be an abomination according to the scriptures and that continued on until 1900s,

Or,

Joseph did not preach or practice what Brigham preached and practice . There are multiple smaller branches of possibilities that sprout from this large branch that I accept as possibly being the truth.

I think like a programmer, and my mind envisions an If- Else statement with nested If-Else statements(I’m sure that’s nonsense to you, but to some that might help explain my thinking) the first condition having one outcome, while the 2nd condition has multiple possible outcomes

So according to your (2) stated options, either Joseph was a fallen prophet, or Brigham was a fallen prophet, through teaching and living this "abomination", as you call it? Yet EVERY prophet following them, testifies they were BOTH faithful and true, to the end. Not sure your conclusion is solid footing for reconciliation on the topic.

I’ve said all I have to say on the topic, there’s a lot more than just this post. God is the one that will judge those leaders, I don’t pretend to know what God will do. I care about my personal salvation and I’ve shed my unbelief in this aspect, I will not support an abomination. God bless

[Sirius]

No angel appeared and demanded that Joseph practice polygamy. Logically it makes no sense. When does God ever make anybody do anything? There is nothing in contemporary history about an angel appearing to Joseph Smith. These stories were all remembered at later dates, long after Joseph died. More nonsense to justify polygamy after Joseph was murdered.

Logically makes no sense?? There are many examples of similar experience in the Scriptures. We have Nephi not wanting to kill Laben, yet the spirit is telling him to SLAY Laben, or else Nephi and all his descendants will perish or be destroyed. Alma the younger and the sons of Mosiah had an angel come to them, because they were completely outside of what the Lord had in store for them. The angel specifically tells Alma the younger to change his ways or he will be cast off (destroyed). I'm sure Jonah wasn't swallowed by a big fish either, as he was fearing having to go to Nineveh to bring the people there to repentance. Every one of these examples (and many others) still had the ability to choose to obey or disobey. Yet, like Joseph, everyone of them would have been "destroyed" had they disobeyed these "demands" of the Lord.

[Jamescm]

I don't think enough thought goes to the man in the situation. I absolutely love my family, so don't take this the wrong way; I'm merely attempting to illustrate what I mean.

My wife is expensive. There is never a time she doesn't want some new, nice thing that either costs a lot of money or takes a lot of space in the house. She wants my help, attention, and input while she spends a lot of time on the phone, having me make her snacks every night instead of taking care of her body to increase her attunement with the spirit, make childbirth (which she cares about) easier and safer, or even please me.

We have four children-four needy children who continuously demand attention and maintenance without so much as keeping their toys picked up in return, cry when a given specific toy is lost, and want me to trip over them to snuggle them in bed at night. Three of them are in diapers, lately two of them have had diarrhea. When I come home, my wife goes to either make dinner or lay in bed while I deal with them the majority of the evening. They get hurt doing dumb things they're told not to, then we get haunted with $1,000+ collections notices months out because insurance didn't pay what it was supposed to and we received no bills in the meantime.

Again, I love them and would never give them up. I don't consider them bad or undesirable, but we're all mortal and this is what having a family is like. Then imagine I'm called to the Stake President's office and told I have to double or triple(!) all of that! Do you not think that's a load on the man? Do you not think the drama that will spark between the women will weigh down on the man? What consolation is having multiple sex partners if we can never do it because we have over a dozen children so that there is always at least one awake, and where the women all want something different from sexual activity but won't do what I want anyway?

-

God commanded it, so it's okay. There are those who were commanded to do it on Earth, did it, and will be blessed for it. It is not a false doctrine, nor something penned wrongfully on Joseph Smith.

[Zathura]

Yeah, Joseph probably went off his own rails there at the end. Might be why he got killed.

The argument is that section 132 wasn't from Joseph. It is accepted history that the revelation was not brought to light until 1852. It was allegedly a second copy that had been made and laid in a desk drawer for the 8 years following Joseph's death. Once polygamy began to be taught publically, the revelation emerged. The original had been thrown in the fire by Emma (in a jealous rage?). Emma obviously denied this for the remainder of her life.

Yeah, I know - I’m presenting another alternative.

And Hyrum’s widows, Mary & Mercy Fielding obviously affirmed it the remainder of their lives - a pretty strong counter-example to Emma.

I was going to post this information to the recent topic "The question of polygamy sifts the honest from the liars" But it seems to have died out a few months ago.

There are several reasons to question the standard narrative that Joseph & Hyrum were polygamists. DNA evidence has eliminated those what were considered possible children of Joseph from wives other than Emma. There are many other factors, but it still bothered me. If both Joseph and Hyrum were against plural marriage, why do we have testimonies that they both had additional wives. I think I have resolved the question for Hyrum, that indeed he did not have any plural wives.

Hyrum Smith was not a polygamist as has been claimed.

Hyrum married Jerusha Barden Nov. 2, 1826 and they had six children. She died in 1837. Then he married Mary Fielding on December 24, 1837. He had two children from this second marriage, Joseph F. Smith and Martha Ann Smith.

Mary Fielding had a sister Mercy Fielding who was married to Robert B. Thompson on June 4, 1837. Mr. Thompson died August 27, 1841 leaving Mercy as a widow.

In the Temple Lot Case in the 1890s Mercy Fielding Thompson was asked to testify. She stated:

Hyrum Smith never had any wives except the one that died and my sister and myself.

I never went by the name of Mrs. Smith when I lived in Nauvoo during the lifetime of Hyrum Smith. I went by the name of Thompson. I never was called Mrs. Smith.

She was always called Mrs. Smith, because she was his wife. I do not know exactly that I was his wife in the same sense that she was, for I was his wife for time. I meant that I was connected with him only by proxy , and that is why I made that expression. No, sir, I never saw, while I lived in Nauvoo, any child, boy or girl, of Hyrum Smith's, or that was claimed to be his, except the children of his first wife. There were no others that I know of. (Abstract Evidence Temple Lot Case U.S.C.C. p. 351) https://books.google.com/books?id=qi5OA ... &q&f=false

But was Mercy even a wife of Hyrum? Notice that she said that she "was connected with him only by proxy." Why would she use that terminology if she considered herself a wife. We can get a more complete understanding by looking at the May 29, 1843 journal entry for Joseph Smith. https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper ... y-1843/234 Footnote 458 gives the following information:

Thompson, however, in an undated reminiscent account, reported that sometime in 1843, Hyrum Smith learned that “a Revelation had been given stating that Marriages contracted for time only lasted for time and were no more one until a new contract was made, for All Eternity and for those who had been sepperated by Death a Proxy would have to be obtained to Act for them.” Thompson reported that “no time was lost by those who had an opportunity of securing their Companions and the first presidency and as many of the Twelve as were [available] and the Presiding Bishop of the Church were all invited to meet in an Upper room in the Prophets House” to be married for eternity, “each Man bringing his Wife.” Thompson, whose husband Robert B. Thompson had died in 1841, noted that her situation “was a singular one and had to be considered but the Prophet soon concluded that his Brother Hyrum had the best right to act for Robert B. Thompson.” In Mercy Fielding Thompson’s marriage ceremony, Hyrum Smith thus served as proxy for Robert B. Thompson. Mercy also reported that her sister, Mary Fielding, Hyrum Smith’s second wife, stood as proxy for Hyrum’s first wife, Jerusha Barden, who had died in 1837.

You can see in this account from Mercy Fielding Thompson, that Hyrum was married to Mercy as PROXY for Robert B. Thompson. Hyrum wasn't married to Mercy at all. He was simply standing in for her dead husband. However, since Mercy was a widow, a couple years years after her husband's death (1841) she came to live with Hyrum and Mary in 1843 and lived with them until Hyrum's death in 1844. After that she was married to John Taylor for a time and then was divorced and married Lawson. So I am sure that she was told that she was a wife continuously after Hyrum's death. So she believed that she was, but she also knew that it was only a proxy relationship. She didn't seem to realize that it meant that she was only sealed to her first husband and not to Hyrum at all.

Catherine Phillips testified on January 28, 1903, (after her mother and other witnesses were dead) that—nearly 60 years prior--she had been plurally married to Hyrum in August 1843, lived with him a few months, but then moved away to St. Louis before the year ended (Joseph F. Smith, Jr., Blood Atonement and the Origin of Plural Marriage, 70). Her account stands in stark contrast to Hyrum’s personal writings during that same time-frame, which record no such relationship with her but instead documents at least three brutal court cases where Hyrum was prosecuting and dis-fellowshipping polygamists.

After Hyrum's death three women were sealed to him (Catherine Phillips, Lydia Dibble Granger & Polly Miller) but that is not proof that they were ever married to him as a plural wife.

[Thinker]

I was just listening to the clip below. It’s actually about how poverty is not the most common cause of crime but rather inequality (jealousy) was the highest factor in areas of male-on-Male crime. This is said to be because men want to climb the social status ladder to be desirable to women. A student asked if polygamy practiced more, would then cause more male-on-male crime & the answer was yes, probably.

I never thought of it that way, but it makes sense in the case of the UT “lost boys” - young men who were kicked out of fringe Mormon polygamy cults, so the older men had less competition.
https://youtu.be/M3XYHPAwBzE

[MMbelieve]

I was just listening to the clip below. It’s actually about how poverty is not the most common cause of crime but rather inequality (jealousy) was the highest factor in areas of male-on-Male crime. This is said to be because men want to climb the social status ladder to be desirable to women. A student asked if polygamy practiced more, would then cause more male-on-male crime & the answer was yes, probably.

I never thought of it that way, but it makes sense in the case of the UT “lost boys” - young men who were kicked out of fringe Mormon polygamy cults, so the older men had less competition.
https://youtu.be/M3XYHPAwBzE

Polygamy is terrible for men and women. Not sure why so many don’t get that.
We’re human beings created in the image of God, we have the essence of being number one within us. Not one of us are designed to be second class citizens.

[Silas]

I was just listening to the clip below. It’s actually about how poverty is not the most common cause of crime but rather inequality (jealousy) was the highest factor in areas of male-on-Male crime. This is said to be because men want to climb the social status ladder to be desirable to women. A student asked if polygamy practiced more, would then cause more male-on-male crime & the answer was yes, probably.

I never thought of it that way, but it makes sense in the case of the UT “lost boys” - young men who were kicked out of fringe Mormon polygamy cults, so the older men had less competition.
https://youtu.be/M3XYHPAwBzE

Polygamy is terrible for men and women. Not sure why so many don’t get that.
We’re human beings created in the image of God, we have the essence of being number one within us. Not one of us are designed to be second class citizens.

I believe Joseph Smith was reported to say that he feared polygamy would damn more people than it would save.

Not everyone can or should be involved in it. But it has its place in the plan.

[Thinker]

I was just listening to the clip below. It’s actually about how poverty is not the most common cause of crime but rather inequality (jealousy) was the highest factor in areas of male-on-Male crime. This is said to be because men want to climb the social status ladder to be desirable to women. A student asked if polygamy practiced more, would then cause more male-on-male crime & the answer was yes, probably.

I never thought of it that way, but it makes sense in the case of the UT “lost boys” - young men who were kicked out of fringe Mormon polygamy cults, so the older men had less competition.
https://youtu.be/M3XYHPAwBzE

Polygamy is terrible for men and women. Not sure why so many don’t get that.
We’re human beings created in the image of God, we have the essence of being number one within us. Not one of us are designed to be second class citizens.

Generally, I agree with you. But the fact is that polygamy was practiced in our church by several leaders and others (including my ggggrandfather), and is still practiced by some. Another fact is many owe their existence to polygamy. Lastly, something like 50% of couples cheat - and isn’t that a form of polygamy? I actually have a friend who is married with 2 kids... and who had another woman in another country also with 2 kids and he had the nerve to tease me about Joseph Smith’s polygamy. (Projection! )

I would never want to be involved in it - either way. I wouldn’t want to share a husband nor would I want to have more than one husband, lol. Just thinking about it is so ridiculous it’s funny. However, I also see some good and truth from it, thanks to another friend, who was like one of the “lost boys” - kicked out of a fundamentalists Mormon polygamy group. He grew up with like +70 siblings, one dad and several moms. He praised his mothers as being loving to all children no matter who they were, and as not requiring constant validation as many women seem to need from their husbands. I could see how for some, polygamy could inspire or teach some higher, more mature ways. But I imagine the negatives are a lot and more often the case.

[Alexander]

I wasnt able to answer to the poll the way I wanted so I’ll explain it here. I believe it is false doctrine and an abomination, and that Joseph didn’t practice it. But I would leave judgment up to the Lord in where people will end up after their mortal probation on this world, especially with those who practiced it. God knows their intentions and hearts.

[MMbelieve]

I was just listening to the clip below. It’s actually about how poverty is not the most common cause of crime but rather inequality (jealousy) was the highest factor in areas of male-on-Male crime. This is said to be because men want to climb the social status ladder to be desirable to women. A student asked if polygamy practiced more, would then cause more male-on-male crime & the answer was yes, probably.

I never thought of it that way, but it makes sense in the case of the UT “lost boys” - young men who were kicked out of fringe Mormon polygamy cults, so the older men had less competition.
https://youtu.be/M3XYHPAwBzE

Polygamy is terrible for men and women. Not sure why so many don’t get that.
We’re human beings created in the image of God, we have the essence of being number one within us. Not one of us are designed to be second class citizens.

Generally, I agree with you. But the fact is that polygamy was practiced in our church by several leaders and others (including my ggggrandfather), and is still practiced by some. Another fact is many owe their existence to polygamy. Lastly, something like 50% of couples cheat - and isn’t that a form of polygamy? I actually have a friend who is married with 2 kids... and who had another woman in another country also with 2 kids and he had the nerve to tease me about Joseph Smith’s polygamy. (Projection! )

I would never want to be involved in it - either way. I wouldn’t want to share a husband nor would I want to have more than one husband, lol. Just thinking about it is so ridiculous it’s funny. However, I also see some good and truth from it, thanks to another friend, who was like one of the “lost boys” - kicked out of a fundamentalists Mormon polygamy group. He grew up with like +70 siblings, one dad and several moms. He praised his mothers as being loving to all children no matter who they were, and as not requiring constant validation as many women seem to need from their husbands. I could see how for some, polygamy could inspire or teach some higher, more mature ways. But I imagine the negatives are a lot and more often the case.

Yeah, I don’t care for polygamy either and couldn’t imagine myself in that situation. I’m the type that believes in the higher law of having one sexual partner for life and sharing of a sexual partner is unclean.

One statement that really bothers me is the one that says many owe their existence to polygamy. How so exactly? If polygamy didn’t happen they wouldn’t have existed? That’s not true at all. I have one polygamist in my history and I descend from the 1st wife. So technically, I do not have have polygamy roots in my line but am related to people who do.

If polygamy didn’t happen in the early church, the church would be better off today and we would have a more Zion mind than we do now. Right now we cannot agree on our own doctrine or nature of God. This is a big problem. Until polygamy is resolved and other early church dramatics and teachings we will continue to have issues as a church. Who knows, perhaps this was the design to create opposition to even being a member of this church which has the restored gospel, priesthood and sealings.

Polygamy is against men in many ways. In my opinion it diminishes them. If polygamy was accepted and active today, how many men would never be allowed a chance at fulfilling their creation? Of having a spouse and children. To be a priesthood leader of a family unit? To be a patriarch? To have the love and companionship of a woman? To receive the assistance and mellowing only a woman can give to a man? To learn and participate in creation to experience a small measure of Godhood and selflessness?
And the men who have many wives, they are still diminished. I see it no different than I see a man who accumulates many houses or yachts or businesses. The world will see that man as more powerful than others. A polygamist man may be viewed as superior in the world but it comes as a huge cost. He will be less loved and less respected and less important to his wives and possibly children who must have a close and distant relationship with him to survive the arrangement.

If sex was taken out of the picture, men wouldn’t desire a wife let alone more than one wife. It’s not wise to take a natural human desire implanted by God and pervert it or make it the driving factor in our lives. To essentially make sex our god. This is likely why men were admonished to avoid multiple wives so their hearts were not turned. Even men with one wife can still struggle to place sex in its correct and proper place. Polygamy just compounds the problems we face with monogamy. Men and women are absolutely terrible together and should never get married. A husband and wife however are ordained of God. Polygamy keeps men...men. And women...women. It’s really not good.

I see no place for polygamy in this world that we live in. I also see no reason it would be needed in the eternities otherwise no man would be exalted being monogamist. BY himself said men would be there with one wife only. Our church today never indicates that it is needed or required for Godhood.

Levite marriage was a law that was implemented at that time. Much like the 600+ Jewish laws. They created them for themselves. They had Gods laws then created their own lesser laws to enforce them. Doctrine is doctrine always.

[hedgehog]

A lady once told me that her sister was single, and that if needed she would gladly share her husband so her sister would not miss out on the blessings of eternal families.

It was then I sensed the bigger picture and realized how contaminated with perversion and degeneracy my views on polygamy were. In fairness to me. We all get that from living in such gross times.

On paper I think reverse polygamy sounds better. Frankly one wife is alot to handle alone and having brother husband's around to tag in and tag out sounds awesome. Together as a team, we might not loose an argument!

Just having a laugh but also pointing out that every arrangement will have pros and cons.

[TIFI]

Poligamy is not for me but is good in time and place for some other people. Nothing wrong with it other wise people from the Bible would not have it

[Thinker]

One statement that really bothers me is the one that says many owe their existence to polygamy. How so exactly? If polygamy didn’t happen they wouldn’t have existed? That’s not true at all. I have one polygamist in my history and I descend from the 1st wife. So technically, I do not have have polygamy roots in my line but am related to people who do...

If polygamy didn’t happen in the early church, the church would be better off today...

I don’t know the stats but a lot of members come from polygamy lines - they would not exist if their dads didn’t marry etc with polygamous wives.

My guess is that if it weren’t for polygamy and the encouragement to have big families, this church would’ve died out early on.

[MMbelieve]

One statement that really bothers me is the one that says many owe their existence to polygamy. How so exactly? If polygamy didn’t happen they wouldn’t have existed? That’s not true at all. I have one polygamist in my history and I descend from the 1st wife. So technically, I do not have have polygamy roots in my line but am related to people who do...

If polygamy didn’t happen in the early church, the church would be better off today...

I don’t know the stats but a lot of members come from polygamy lines - they would not exist if their dads didn’t marry etc with polygamous wives.

My guess is that if it weren’t for polygamy and the encouragement to have big families, this church would’ve died out early on.

Come on...your intelligent enough to know that these people would have still existed. Their mothers would have married a man and had their children. There were plenty of men. Sure their lineage would be slightly different and less convoluted and such.

Just like the lost boys situation, the 40+ year old men take the young brides and have children with them. The children wouldn’t have existed without the older guy taking an additional wife? All the while the better spouse and father to those children is dropped off somewhere with a couple hundred dollars and forbidden to return.

Don’t buy the traditional LDS narrative. We can appreciate their sacrifices but we don’t need to elevate their lifestyles or anything like that.