Robert:
Yes, these "changes" are bothersome. One can say that the actual covenants have not changed but you are starting to cutting a really fine line here. Not to mention initiatory work etc. I believe it is all because of reactions from apostate members trying to embarrass the church.
Regarding the survey, I need to ask a friend of mine who told me this.
I'm a bit concerned with the logistics of the whole operation if plural marriage is in fact the order of heaven. We know from science and statistics that the birth/conception rate is only slightly off of a 1:1 ratio. Assuming that the average wife to husband ratio will be 3:1 (It could be much higher), there is a problem. Where are all the women going to come from?! It seems to me that God is in the same position as the Fundamentalist church has found themselves in. The Fundamentalists solved this problem by banning males from their community upon committing very minor offenses. Is this what God is going to resort to? Are his male children going to be held to much more rigorous standards than his female children? Perhaps women are naturally so much more righteous than men that the whole thing will work itself out.
Any thoughts?
TheMark, I assume you are not keen about this Plural Marriage idea. I don't know what God has in store but he will surely make everything work out. I don't think the Church will ever practice plural marriage again, half of the membership will be gone!
Well, I don't really have a problem with plural marriage in general. Cross-culturally, strict monogamy is not the norm. It is much more common to find a society that allows plural marriage than to find one that absolutely does not. In a lot of ways, it makes sense. That is, on a temporal level. I believe it was unjust of the the American Congress to forcibly ban the Saints from their polygynous practice.
My problem is specific to the religious character of Mormon plural marriage. I think it is a righteous for some women to desire complete fidelity, and it is an unrighteous imposition to tell them that they are wrong for having that desire or that they must not hold on to it. Some women can handle it, some can't. I don't believe a person's character or desires are going to automatically change after they die.
I'm not sure on the is or isn't part If I had to guess I would say if it is in anywhere in the scriptures in which the Lord God says to the church as a whole "Thou Shalt do this" in old new or D&C Esp in D&C then it become doctrine.
but Look at the church history ! first and foremost we believe in obeying the law and second notice that that those who did practice were worthy temple rec. Holders (And there was no law against it) And had to be interviewed before entering into this ,not every member of the church was worthy to do this even if they could support the extra family life. And besides that remember we are world wide and not all countries outlaw Plural Marriage.
D&c says where there is no law there is no punishment :)