Why Do So Many Cults Practice Polygamy?

[Arm Chair Quarterback]

Author Matt Whitney writes:

Interestingly, you see polygamous patterns in cults that range from those that mimic much of Christianity to those that have drifted far from it. Early leaders in the Latter Day Saints practiced it>4 and even venerated it5. The modern horrors of Warren Jeffs’ Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints (FLDS) were headline news only a few years ago. David Koresh and the Branch Davidians (of Waco massacre fame), Jim Jones (of Jonestown massacre fame), and Charles Manson (of, well, Charles Manson fame) were all cult leaders who either practiced polygamy or practiced partner sharing extensively and abusively.

Here's the full article: https://gospel.vision/why-do-so-many-cu ... -polygamy/

[Reluctant Watchman]

Notice how many of those leaders were women…

[kirtland r.m.]

Author Matt Whitney writes:

Interestingly, you see polygamous patterns in cults that range from those that mimic much of Christianity to those that have drifted far from it. Early leaders in the Latter Day Saints practiced it>4 and even venerated it5. The modern horrors of Warren Jeffs’ Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints (FLDS) were headline news only a few years ago. David Koresh and the Branch Davidians (of Waco massacre fame), Jim Jones (of Jonestown massacre fame), and Charles Manson (of, well, Charles Manson fame) were all cult leaders who either practiced polygamy or practiced partner sharing extensively and abusively.

Here's the full article: https://gospel.vision/why-do-so-many-cu ... -polygamy/

I can explain more on plural marriage and have many times here, including the testimony of some sisters involved with real heavenly manifestations. I also have posted on how these modern-day splinter groups are doing the total opposite in practice in living and obeying this principle in a number of ways, and also which is only to be observed when the Lord commands it to raise up seed. "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. … For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people; otherwise they shall hearken unto these things" (Jacob 2:27,30).

I don't expect many to have read all of these posts, however this comes up over and over, and allow me on this one occasion to be extra blunt. I often feel that on this forum I am continuing to just pee into the wind as I try to answer the questions of many die-hard dissenters and mud slingers and who knows who else. I often feal I am posting on exmo reddit. Hopefully I am helping someone, somewhere once in a while.

[Arm Chair Quarterback]

Author Matt Whitney writes:

Interestingly, you see polygamous patterns in cults that range from those that mimic much of Christianity to those that have drifted far from it. Early leaders in the Latter Day Saints practiced it>4 and even venerated it5. The modern horrors of Warren Jeffs’ Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints (FLDS) were headline news only a few years ago. David Koresh and the Branch Davidians (of Waco massacre fame), Jim Jones (of Jonestown massacre fame), and Charles Manson (of, well, Charles Manson fame) were all cult leaders who either practiced polygamy or practiced partner sharing extensively and abusively.

Here's the full article: https://gospel.vision/why-do-so-many-cu ... -polygamy/

I can explain more on plural marriage and have many times here, including the testimony of some sisters involved with real heavenly manifestations. I also have posted on how these modern-day splinter groups are doing the total opposite in practice in living and obeying this principle in a number of ways, and also which is only to be observed when the Lord commands it to raise up seed. "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. … For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people; otherwise they shall hearken unto these things" (Jacob 2:27,30).

I don't expect many to have read all of these posts, however this comes up over and over, and allow me on this one occasion to be extra blunt. I often feel that on this forum I am continuing to just pee into the wind as I try to answer the questions of many die-hard dissenters and mud slingers and who knows who else. I often feal I am posting on exmo reddit. Hopefully I am helping someone, somewhere once in a while.

No need to pee into the wind.

I think the main point of the linked article is not any religious justification for polygamy, but rather, the psychology of cult leaders who institute polygamy among their followers.

[blitzinstripes]

Because brainwashing and manipulating people into believing you are a chosen oracle, is a good way to wield power . Oh, and to get laid. Great way to get laid.

[Arm Chair Quarterback]

In the article the author does include a discussion of the power dynamics involved in being a dynamic leader and how that fosters the institution of polygamy.

[Peeps]

Maybe this ~10 minute video may shed some light on the situation. It seems to tie into peepstones, fallen angels, Enochian languages/magick, etc. He doesn't mention Joseph Smith, or anything related to Mormonism, but the parallels are there.

[Arm Chair Quarterback]

Parallels? Wow. This is a script for Joseph smith. Peep stones. Wife sharing. Speaking to angels. Adamic language. Deep relationship between the two glass lookers who later parted ways on bad terms over wife sharing (Oliver cowdery anyone). The comment: if anyone shares any other gospel than I have shared with you let him be accursed.

[Reluctant Watchman]

Author Matt Whitney writes:

Interestingly, you see polygamous patterns in cults that range from those that mimic much of Christianity to those that have drifted far from it. Early leaders in the Latter Day Saints practiced it>4 and even venerated it5. The modern horrors of Warren Jeffs’ Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints (FLDS) were headline news only a few years ago. David Koresh and the Branch Davidians (of Waco massacre fame), Jim Jones (of Jonestown massacre fame), and Charles Manson (of, well, Charles Manson fame) were all cult leaders who either practiced polygamy or practiced partner sharing extensively and abusively.

Here's the full article: https://gospel.vision/why-do-so-many-cu ... -polygamy/

I can explain more on plural marriage and have many times here, including the testimony of some sisters involved with real heavenly manifestations. I also have posted on how these modern-day splinter groups are doing the total opposite in practice in living and obeying this principle in a number of ways, and also which is only to be observed when the Lord commands it to raise up seed. "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. … For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people; otherwise they shall hearken unto these things" (Jacob 2:27,30).

I don't expect many to have read all of these posts, however this comes up over and over, and allow me on this one occasion to be extra blunt. I often feel that on this forum I am continuing to just pee into the wind as I try to answer the questions of many die-hard dissenters and mud slingers and who knows who else. I often feal I am posting on exmo reddit. Hopefully I am helping someone, somewhere once in a while.

But the person you can’t quote, nor is there any testimony from, is Joseph himself.

[Luke]

Free love, orgies, wife-swapping, etc. are not the same thing as Celestial Plural Marriage governed by its strict laws.

[Mindfields]

I would argue that they are the same thing. One of them just has a religious justification and a few more "rules".

[BringerOfJoy]

Notice how many of those leaders were women…

There's a point. The cult from California that bought the Forbes ranch outside of Yellowstone Park (Church Universal & Triumphant: Cuttites for short) was led by a woman for many years. (Elizabeth Clare Prophet King). It originated with her husband Mark Prophet, but he died not long after. They took up many strange practices, and she was every bit the dictator for awhile, and both the members and the outlying community feared a local war would break out, (especially when Waco was happening) but there was never polygamy. I had cousins that were members. Some of her prophecies failed, and she developed Alzheimer's and the group began to fall apart. (Though they still exist as a fraction of what they once were.)

[Reluctant Watchman]

Notice how many of those leaders were women…

There's a point. The cult from California that bought the Forbes ranch outside of Yellowstone Park (Church Universal & Triumphant: Cuttites for short) was led by a woman for many years. (Elizabeth Clare Prophet King). They took up many strange practices, and she was every bit the dictator for awhile, and both the members and the outlying community feared a local war would break out, (especially when Waco was happening) but there was never polygamy. I had cousins that were members. Some of her prophecies failed, and she developed Alzheimer's and the group began to fall apart.

I watched a documentary on her and her following. Really kind of interesting.

[Luke]

I would argue that they are the same thing. One of them just has a religious justification and a few more "rules".

Lol, they aren’t even remotely similar.

[BringerOfJoy]

Notice how many of those leaders were women…

There's a point. The cult from California that bought the Forbes ranch outside of Yellowstone Park (Church Universal & Triumphant: Cuttites for short) was led by a woman for many years. (Elizabeth Clare Prophet King). They took up many strange practices, and she was every bit the dictator for awhile, and both the members and the outlying community feared a local war would break out, (especially when Waco was happening) but there was never polygamy. I had cousins that were members. Some of her prophecies failed, and she developed Alzheimer's and the group began to fall apart.

I watched a documentary on her and her following. Really kind of interesting.

Yup. The teen that wrote the fantasy novel, "Eragon" that became a movie was part of the group with his family. We met them once because they lived in the house that my sister had previously lived in, and we went to take them several things that belonged with the house. (The fireplace had a remote control? Go figure.) Also because my nephew was a HUGE fan of Eragon, and wanted to meet Chris Paolini, the author. So we did. Very nice family who were out of the CUT by that time, and actually were involved in a lawsuit against the CUT, because they and others had sunk a huge amount of money in that group when they joined, and they felt it was under false pretenses. I don't know if they were successful in that or not. Buyer Beware, and all that.

[kirtland r.m.]

Author Matt Whitney writes:

Interestingly, you see polygamous patterns in cults that range from those that mimic much of Christianity to those that have drifted far from it. Early leaders in the Latter Day Saints practiced it>4 and even venerated it5. The modern horrors of Warren Jeffs’ Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints (FLDS) were headline news only a few years ago. David Koresh and the Branch Davidians (of Waco massacre fame), Jim Jones (of Jonestown massacre fame), and Charles Manson (of, well, Charles Manson fame) were all cult leaders who either practiced polygamy or practiced partner sharing extensively and abusively.

Here's the full article: https://gospel.vision/why-do-so-many-cu ... -polygamy/

I can explain more on plural marriage and have many times here, including the testimony of some sisters involved with real heavenly manifestations. I also have posted on how these modern-day splinter groups are doing the total opposite in practice in living and obeying this principle in a number of ways, and also which is only to be observed when the Lord commands it to raise up seed. "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. … For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people; otherwise they shall hearken unto these things" (Jacob 2:27,30).

I don't expect many to have read all of these posts, however this comes up over and over, and allow me on this one occasion to be extra blunt. I often feel that on this forum I am continuing to just pee into the wind as I try to answer the questions of many die-hard dissenters and mud slingers and who knows who else. I often feal I am posting on exmo reddit. Hopefully I am helping someone, somewhere once in a while.

But the person you can’t quote, nor is there any testimony from, is Joseph himself.

And what if I can, will that change your mind? I think we both know the answer to that question.

[Reluctant Watchman]

And what if I can, will that change your mind? I think we both know the answer to that question.

Show me a public quote from Joseph, on record. There’s plenty of fodder for poly promoters when second-hand accounts are considered “from Joseph.”

[Telavian]

Here's the full article: https://gospel.vision/why-do-so-many-cu ... -polygamy/

Good article. Thanks for sharing.

[ransomme]

Free love, orgies, wife-swapping, etc. are not the same thing as Celestial Plural Marriage governed by its strict laws.

Strict?

Like this?

Brigham Young -
"The Second Way in which a wife can be separated from her husband, while he continues to be faithful to his God and his priesthood, I have not revealed, except to a few persons in this Church; and a few have received it from Joseph the prophet as well as myself. If a woman can find a man holding the keys of the priesthood with higher power and authority than her husband, and he is disposed to take her he can do so, otherwise she has got to remain where she is... there is no need for a bill of divorcement... To recapitulate."

"I believe in sisters marrying brothers, and brothers having their sisters for wives... This is something pertaining to our marriage relation. The whole world will think what an awful thing it is. What an awful thing it would be if the Mormons should just say we believe in marrying brothers and sisters."

“In conversing with brother Marsh, I find that he is about the same Thomas that he always was—full of anecdotes and chit-chat. He could hardly converse for ten minutes without telling an anecdote. His voice and style of conversation are familiar to me.
He has told you that he is an old man. Do you think that I am an old man? I could prove to this congre[ga]tion that I am young; for I could find more girls who would choose me for a husband than can any of the young men...
When brother Thomas thought of returning to the Church, the plurality of wives troubled him a good deal. Look at him. Do you think it need to? I do not; for I doubt whether he could get one wife. Why it should have troubled an infirm old man like him is not for me to say." - Journal_of_Discourses#5:210

and on and on

[Telavian]

Brigham Young -
"The Second Way in which a wife can be separated from her husband, while he continues to be faithful to his God and his priesthood, I have not revealed, except to a few persons in this Church; and a few have received it from Joseph the prophet as well as myself. If a woman can find a man holding the keys of the priesthood with higher power and authority than her husband, and he is disposed to take her he can do so, otherwise she has got to remain where she is... there is no need for a bill of divorcement... To recapitulate."

I would think an excellent sign that something is off about a group, is if the higher you go in the group the better things you get.
The top leaders during Brigham's day got better homes, better wives, more wives, loans from the church that they didn't have to repay, guaranteed income.
This was all while the members were struggling.

[Mindfields]

He has told you that he is an old man. Do you think that I am an old man? I could prove to this congre[ga]tion that I am young; for I could find more girls who would choose me for a husband than can any of the young men...
When brother Thomas thought of returning to the Church, the plurality of wives troubled him a good deal. Look at him. Do you think it need to? I do not; for I doubt whether he could get one wife. Why it should have troubled an infirm old man like him is not for me to say." - Journal_of_Discourses#5:210

What a Christ like guy.

[harakim]

Author Matt Whitney writes:

Interestingly, you see polygamous patterns in cults that range from those that mimic much of Christianity to those that have drifted far from it. Early leaders in the Latter Day Saints practiced it>4 and even venerated it5. The modern horrors of Warren Jeffs’ Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints (FLDS) were headline news only a few years ago. David Koresh and the Branch Davidians (of Waco massacre fame), Jim Jones (of Jonestown massacre fame), and Charles Manson (of, well, Charles Manson fame) were all cult leaders who either practiced polygamy or practiced partner sharing extensively and abusively.

Here's the full article: https://gospel.vision/why-do-so-many-cu ... -polygamy/

That is exactly what Uchtdorf's talk was about. It's not easy to entice people with "chastity, abstinence and a flavorless mush I call root marm". Enticing people with free sex is easy. That's why they free sex is popular with successful, fast-growing communities. As a counter argument, free love is almost universal these days, outside of Islamic countries and for the same reasons. Governments need people to think they are free as they tighten the chains.

On to polygamy, I imagine it's fairly rare in these groups outside of LDS. On the other side of that is that polygamy is actually practiced in Africa, in Muslims countries and was practiced by Europeans who remained outside the reach of the Catholic Church. So there's not even a good correlation with polygamy as more than 99% of people practicing it are not in these cults.

To summarize, the answer is you can find the correlation with polygamy by conflating it with free love like the article. You can also reach that conclusion by ignoring the 99% of cases that don't match your argument (which is how paid research is often done, so I can't fault them for that). And why free love is popular... well, if you don't instinctively know, you should watch Uchtdorf's talk with that in mind.

[harakim]

He has told you that he is an old man. Do you think that I am an old man? I could prove to this congre[ga]tion that I am young; for I could find more girls who would choose me for a husband than can any of the young men...
When brother Thomas thought of returning to the Church, the plurality of wives troubled him a good deal. Look at him. Do you think it need to? I do not; for I doubt whether he could get one wife. Why it should have troubled an infirm old man like him is not for me to say." - Journal_of_Discourses#5:210

What a Christ like guy.

Makes me want to set some JoD to rap.

[TheDuke]

I guess you consider 30% of the worlds population to be a cult? Not that 30% are polygamous, I mean less than about 30% even have partners. But, much of Asia, accepts multiple wives. That doesn't make it right, it just means most polygamists in the world (vs.US) are not cultish and are not Christian either.

[Telavian]

I guess you consider 30% of the worlds population to be a cult? Not that 30% are polygamous, I mean less than about 30% even have partners. But, much of Asia, accepts multiple wives. That doesn't make it right, it just means most polygamists in the world (vs.US) are not cultish and are not Christian either.

1. Only about 2% of the global population lives in polygamous households, and in the vast majority of countries, that share is under 0.5%.
2. Polygamy is most often found in sub-Saharan Africa, where 11% of the population lives in arrangements that include more than one spouse.
3. Many of the countries that permit polygamy have Muslim majorities, and the practice is rare in many of them.

https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads ... w-regions/