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Mormons Having Many Wives - Mormon Polygamy - Page 3

Those are some interesting points above. What is the basis for stoping the practise then?

Polygamy Mormon Wives Many Mormons

Referring to the Official Declaration 1, contained in the Doctrine and Covenants (one of our books of scripture), God gave the people the choice to practice it or not. They chose to not practice it, so that the Church would not be destroyed.

Over the years, the Church officially made choices leading further and further away from practicing plural marriage in mortality. In effect, we still practice it, in the fact that we believe our marriages are for eternity, not just for time. So, when a man's wife passes away, he may get remarried, again for eternity, thus he has more than one wife for eternity. However, he still only has one wife at a time during his mortal life.

Some people, over the years, have chosen to live this law. That is, they have chosen to have multiple wives during their mortal lives. The Church excommunicates these people, cutting them off from all Church ordinances and fellowship.

Now, keeping in mind that this law is one with a great reward (according to Brigham Young and others), deciding not to live it does not bring punishment. Living it does bring great blessings in Eternity.

I personally know several people who live in polygamous marriages. As far as I can see, they are at least as happy as those who don't.

Mormons Having Many Wives - Mormon Polygamy Studies Doctrine Mormon

So you are saying that Mormons can live in a polygamus relationship if they want to?

Page 3 Polygamy Mormon Wives Many Mormons

Well, no, not if they want to remain members of the LDS church. Anyone who lives in a polygamous marriage is also subject to arrest and prosecution. Actually, only the man in the marriage is subject to arrest.

While the term "Mormon" is usually used to refer to the LDS church and its members, many people do apply it to most (or all) of the churches and culture that came from the Restoration, led by Joseph Smith. Many of the polygamist people and groups in the western US claim this designation.

What I was describing that you quoted is the concept on which the polygamists base their decisions to live that life.

One thing I should point out is that a polygamous lifestyle is NOT about sexuality. If a man really wants multiple sex partners, there are a lot of ways to fulfill that urge that do not put the huge burdens on him that polygamy does. I personally know one man who was engaged to one woman, but when she was pregnant, had a relationship with one of her friends, resulting in a pregnancy, then when the fiance was in prison, he had a relationship with another woman, then ended up marrying the other one and living with both of them (the ones not in prison). Yet the one in prison seems to still think that she can't live without him. However, he provides absolutely no financial support for any of them. In fact, we are informally fostering one of his four children, and he has provided less than $300 in the 14 months we have had her.

However, when a man enters a polygamous marriage, he accepts total fiscal, physical, emotional, and spiritual responsibility for the women and children in the marriage. It costs far less (emotional as well as fiscal) to have a regular "bit on the side" than to live in a plural marriage.

Polygamy Mormon Wives Many Mormons

This is getting more confusing, so the Mormons and the LDS church are two separate groups of religion?

Mormons Having Many Wives - Mormon Polygamy

Not at all. The simplest way to look at it is this. All members of the LDS church are Mormons. Some Mormons are not members of the Church. However, this is off topic from this discussion.

Historically, almost all Mormons have the belief in plural marriage in their background. However, now, almost all Mormons reject the current practice. Only a very few (percentage wise) now believe in and participate in, the practice of plural marriage. The Church officially repudiates the practice, while affirming the doctrine. The Church also teaches that since US law forbids the practice, and so does the Church, that nobody will lose any blessings by obeying the law of the land.

Mormons Many Wives Mormon Polygamy - Page 3

I believe the reason is because of a couple of things:

a. This is a Studies of Latter-Day Saints Board and does not cover other off shoot religious groups. Your question with the mention of Warren Jeffs should probably have gone here: Source 2

b. The other reason is to understand the concept Doctrinally will also require the person asking to have a foundation in the background of the early Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and the revelations received on the subject. That is NOT covered here, it is not even covered in the public LDS Doctrine Board just because as you say "This is getting more confusing...". That is why in this Community certain Topics are covered only in what we call an LDS Mature section.

Now with that said I would like to try and clear up with simple statements any misunderstanding over this Topic:

1. The term "Mormon" is a celebrated nickname because of our use of the Book of Mormon. Essentially anyone believing the Book of Mormon to be the word of God may refer to themselves as "Mormon", but not necessarily be part of the main body of the Church known as "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints".

The early Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints did practice polygamy as authorized by the then Church leaders.

2. During a certain period the Church was harassed by the US government about the practice and a manifesto was issued abolishing the practice.

3. Off shoot groups formed their own leadership to continue the practice using the term "Mormon" as explained in point #1.

4. The main Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints reaffirms that it does not practice polygamy to date.

I hope this makes it clear and understandable.

Mormons Many Wives Mormon Polygamy Mormon Doctrine Studies - Page 3

Thanks JB that cleared it up for me and I understand the relationship with the LDS church and the use of "Mormons" to describe believers of the book of Mormons.