One of these tenets was polygamy, which his contemporaries said came as a result of smith having been commanded by an angel to marry plural wives. In getting there, smith had to have done something pretty big, which for all intents and purposes was publishing the book of mormon. Doctrine and covenants, section 101 removed in 1876. God does not approve of polygamy, and it should only be instituted when it is specifically commanded by god. As early as the publication of the book of mormon in 1830, latter day saint doctrine maintained that polygamy was allowable only if it was commanded by god. List of denominations in the latter day saint movement. The 14 year old he married, helen kimball, was heber c. Top 10 embarrassments of the mormon religion listverse. Mormon church publishes essay on founder joseph smiths polygamy the mormon churchs founder was married to as many as 40 women in the years before his murder in 1844, the church acknowledged in. Book of mormon statements about the practice of polygamy does joseph smiths lack of children through polygamy contradict the commandment to multiply and replenish the earth. In biblical times, the lord commanded some to practice plural marriage. In 1831 joseph smith made a prayerful inquiry to the lord regarding the ancient old. A portrait of religious excess winner of best book awards from the mormon history association and john whitmer historical association. This tells me that he knew what polygamy was all about and what josephs intentions were.
Among its former members were jerald and sandra tanner, opponents of the latter day saint movement and founders of the utah lighthouse ministry. Mormons believe in the bible, as well as other books of scripture, such as the book of mormon. Oaks, first counselor in the lds churchs governing first presidency, used the. During this time the church publicly taught against polygamy and denied practicing it, while church authorities were privately taking plural wives. Did early church leaders state that the book of mormon condemns polygamy. New mormon narrative history book includes polygamous roots. Mormon is allegedly a prophethistorian who was the native american believed by mormons to have written the book of mormon the main religious text of the church of jesus christ of latter day saints mormonism. Mormonism differs from mainstream christianity for being nontrinitarian. The book of mormon was written for the intent that we may believe the bible, morm. Best book at the time on mormon polygamy has still stood the test of time as an indispensable resource decades later. Mormon elders who publicly taught that all men were commanded to enter plural marriage were subject to harsh discipline. Similarly, the book of mormon lends little support for polygamy.
National geographic society statement on the book of mormon national geographic society statement on the book of mormon language. The mormon handbook is a reference to the church of jesus christ of latterday saints lds, headquartered in salt lake city, utah. In this chapter, the prophet jacob calls his people to repentance because they have been abusing the practice, with the influential men of the commun. Mar 28, 2016 what does the book of mormon say about polygamy. Why polygamy is still associated with the mormon church. Latterday saints believe that the marriage of one man and one woman is the lords standing law of marriage. The original quotation is in an untitled journal of 278 manuscript pages, which is thought to be in the handwriting of willard richards, one of josephs scribes. It is time to put the words otherwise and righteous seed, as found in the book of jacob, into their proper context and proclaim that polygamy is a false doctrine, and that the book of mormon, brought forth through the prophet joseph smith, is a conclusive witness against this false doctrine. In fact the book of mormon forbids polygamy for any other reason than to raise up seed. Portraits of a utah town and other acclaimed works, including mormon polygamy.
For there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife. Carol lynn pearson the ghost of eternal polygamy pt. Dear gramps, in my search for truth i began to study the lds religion. Additionally, leviticus 18 forbids marrying a mother and her daughter and marrying sisters, which joseph smith and other early mormon leaders commonly did. The us constitution guarantees freedom of religion, though it does not allow polygamy or polyandry. While latterday saints today do not know all the reasons for gods command, they do understand some reasons why god would command the practice of polygamy. Polygamy, or plural marriage, would increase the descendents of faithful mormon families. Hardys book, on the other hand, deals almost exclusively with the postmanifesto era polygamy between 1890 and 1910. Why was polygamy prohibited in the book of mormon but. It is not to be confused with the lds church handbook of instructions after the death of joseph smith, the church he founded split into several organizations. However, whereas islam insists upon the eternity, complete oneness and uniqueness of god, mormonism asserts that the godhead is made up of three distinct beings, each of which is referred to as a god.
Polygamy plural marriage lds church perspective on polygamy. I am thankful that book of mormon prophets saw our day and knew the troubling threat homosexuality would bring upon the eternal families of the world. Apr 18, 2018 both rape and polygamy cultures are generous to the man and critical of the woman. Back to mormon quotes index for behold, thus saith the lord. Polygamy had been permitted for millennia in many cultures and religions, but, with. Van wagoners work gives essentially equal balance to the mormon practice of polygamy from the early 1830s until the present day. Islam and mormonism both originate in the abrahamic tradition. For if i will, saith the lord of hosts, raise up seed unto me, i will command my people. A man having multiple wives and a wife having multiple husbands are both disallowed in the church of jesus christ of latterday saints under its current rules, even for church members who live in countries where such things are legal. Dna vs book of mormon incredible new evidence duration. The book of mormon, along with his revelations, then became fundamental tenets of the mormon church. Mormons change references to blacks, polygamy the changes are the first since 1981, and deal specifically with the churchs original ban on black priesthood ordination and polygamy. It was released by the church to help dispel myths about common public beliefs about how joseph smith introduced not just polygamy having multiple wives to the church, but polyandry marrying women who are already married to a husband.
The book of mormon says the following concerning plural marriage. Channel 4 will rewrite the book of mormon with a major documentary series presenting the case for polygamy after being granted unprecedented access to a fundamentalist mormon community in utah. You are exactly right i have studied and tested the book of mormon and know that it comes from god and have had profound spiritual experiences. The following essay is the official lds released essay entitled plural marriage in kirtland and nauvooo. The books recognition of polygamy which the faith banned in 1890 and prohibits today is the most recent example of the utahbased faith. Was polygamy necessary in the 19th century because there. A place to share odd mormon things, doctrines, experiences. All that we call progressthe enfranchisement of man, of labor, the substitution of imprisonment for death, of fine for imprisonment, the destruction of polygamy, the establishing of free speech, of the rights of conscience. Unlike the 1831 revelation, the 1830 version of the book of mormon does not specify that the native. When writing the book of mormon and foundational documents of the early. For i, the lord god, delight in the chastity of women.
The book of mormon, translated in 1829, makes mention of polygamy and, while it seems to forbid polygamy, it recognizes that sometimes god commands men to practice polygamy. Mormon church publishes essay on founder joseph smiths polygamy. Lds participation in the boy scouts which began in 1911, bans on. Mar 28, 2016 for if i will, saith the lord of hosts, raise up seed unto me, i will command my people. The practice began during the lifetime of founder and prophet joseph smith but became publicly and widely known during the time of 2nd prophet, brigham young. First latter day saint denomination to be established by a woman.
The book of mormon identifies one reason for god to command it. Polygamy was made illegal in the state of illinois during the 183944 nauvoo era when several top mormon leaders, including smith, brigham young and heber c. Most lds church members mormons or members of the church of jesus christ of latter day saints arent aware that the book of mormon contains no lds exclusive doctrines, and explicitly forbids the adding of new doctrines. For example, the book of mormon teaches that men should have only one wife see jacob.
Mormon church publishes essay on founder joseph smiths. Polygamy culture life outside the book of mormon belt. Mormons believe that returning to god requires following the example of jesus christ, and accepting his atonement through ordinances such as baptism. On august 29, 1852, young publicly announced to the world that the mormon belief in polygamy was the ideal marriage form in the eyes of god. How can latterday saints claim to follow the book of mormon when it specifically forbids having more than one wife. Although the book of mormon generally forbids polygamy, it allows for its practice when divinely mandated, apparently for the purpose of raising righteous posterity.
Mormons today are strictly prohibited from practicing polygamy. An introduction to mormon polygamy with todd compton. The second chapter of the book of jacob in the book of mormon contains the only explicit teaching about polygamy in the nephite record. The doctrine and covenants, by contrast, wishes to explain how and when polygamy can be acceptable to god. However, polygamy was not taught by the early church of christ. Wherefore, my brethren, hear me, and hearken to the word of the lord. Mcconkie, in his book mormon doctrine, looked forward to the time when the holy practice of polygamy would be practiced once again. In 1904, the church strictly prohibited new plural marriages. Polygamy lives on in lds temples, spurring agony, angst and a key. The book of mormon makes it clear that the lord may, under some circumstances, command the practice of plural marriage.
The book of mormon shall stand as a testimony against the world, ether 5. The bible and the book of mormon teach that the marriage of one man to one woman is gods. Polygamy called plural marriage by mormons in the 19th century or the principle by modern fundamentalist practitioners of polygamy was practiced by leaders of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints lds church for more than half of the 19th century, and practiced publicly from 1852 to 1890 by between 20 and 30 percent of latterday saint families. For the mormon mainstream, the 1887 edmundstucker act proved the final straw. What the book of mormon says about polygamy jacob 1. Wellwritten and concisely summarized, it is one of the first books you should read if you want to track the principles history throughout mormonism. Heres everything you always wanted to know about mormon polygamy, from why it started to how it works to its prevalence today. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the book is very different from van wagoners effort. This spotlight on polygamy is likely to make the majority of mormons who. Is polygamy mentioned in the book of mormon answers. The rich, contradictory history of mormon polygamy cold case. Heber had already married other women and had children with them. These antimormons many times dont realize that the book of mormon actually forbids polygamy. After months and months of questions about our religion and christian beliefs, we.
This criticism is a fine example of taking something out of context, or of not reading an entire passage. Plural marriage in the church of jesus christ of latter. Modern mormon scholars, who have had access to records in the mormon churchs archives, have found that this statement has been changed. For example, the book of mormon teaches that men should have only one wife see jacob 2. Dec 29, 2019 a man having multiple wives and a wife having multiple husbands are both disallowed in the church of jesus christ of latterday saints under its current rules, even for church members who live in countries where such things are legal. By making jacobs teachings more comprehensible, readers of the book of.
The only place where a doctrinal stance on polygamy is taken in the book of mormon is in jacob 2. The bible and the book of mormon teach that the marriage of one man to one woman is gods standard, except at specific periods when he has declared otherwise. Mar 24, 2017 the only place where a doctrinal stance on polygamy is taken in the book of mormon is in jacob 2. Congress renewed its attack on polygamy by disincorporating the church and seizing its assets.
Behold, david and solomon truly had many wives and concubines, which thing was abominable before me, saith the lord. Moroni, the last of the nephite prophethistorians, sealed up the abridged records of these people and hid them in about a. Supreme court found the antipolygamy laws to be constitutional in 1879, federal officials began prosecuting polygamous husbands and wives during the 1880s. The book of mormon records the visit of jesus christ to people in the americas following his resurrection. In the case of plural marriage, the bible and the book of mormon teach that monogamy is gods standard for marriage unless he declares otherwise official declaration 1 heading, or, in jacobs language, if i will, saith the lord of hosts, raise up seed unto me, i will command my people to practice plural marriage.
I am grateful that they included these revelations in the book of mormon, the one book where every line and word is true unlike the bible. In polygamy culture, the woman is either seen as unrighteous for not giving consent or not seen at all. Polygamy, or plural marriage, in the church of jesus christ of latter day saints is generally. Mormon polygamy, however, was an important part of the teachings of the church for fifty years. Hinckley, the 15th president of the church of jesus christ of latter day saints, made the following statement in 1998 about the churchs position on. Inasmuch as laws have been enacted by congress forbidding plural. The lord covenanted with enos to bring forth the book of mormon to the lamanites, enos 1. And, in fact, the descendents of polygamous families sustained the church for years. From 1830 to 1876, lds scripture was consistent in prohibited polygamy. Plural marriage in the church of jesus christ of latterday saints. For if i will, saith the lord of hosts, raise up seed. God never introduced the patriarchal order of marriage with a view to please man in his carnal desires, nor to punish females for. As a few book of mormon central knowhys have explored see below, jacobs teachings about polygamy are made more comprehensible when they are read in light of ancient israelite and mesoamerican social practices and in light of the larger point of jacobs speech.
A twohundredyear era of peace followed that visit of christ. Nov 14, 2014 mormon church publishes essay on founder joseph smiths polygamy the mormon churchs founder was married to as many as 40 women in the years before his murder in 1844, the church acknowledged in. But the disturbing reality of mormon polygamy lies first and foremost in the. Joseph smith and the origins of mormon polygamy bringhurst, newell g. Explaining polygamy and its history in the mormon church.
Second, in the book of mormon, polygamy is prohibited unless the lord needs to raise up seed unto me jacob 2. Mormonism is a religion less than two centuries old, but in this short time it has managed to accrue a long list of embarrassments which the church leaders would prefer were kept. Plural marriage in the church of jesus christ of latterday. Among polygamous fundamentalist mormons, can women have. The book of jacob condemned polygamy as adultery, 71 but left open the proviso that for if i will, saith the lord of hosts, raise up seed unto me, i will command my people. They have a unique view of cosmology and believe that all people are spiritchildren of god. Mormonism and polygamy main article mormonism and polygamy background origin of latter day saint polygamy latter day saint polygamy in the late19th century 1890 manifesto second manifesto council of friends woolley 1886 revelation current state current state of polygamy in the latter day saint movement mormon fundamentalism. How saints and jacobs teachings can help contextualize. Given the persecution of the church, there was an imbalance between men and women, and more women needed to be cared for, especially as the church transplanted itself from illinois to the utah desert. Channel 4 rewrites the book of mormon with utah polygamy. Van wagoner is a clinical audiologist and lehi city historian, author of lehi. Other christian denominations, catholic and protestant, reject the book of mormon, considering it to be neither inspired nor ancient.
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