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I think men should be more sensitive and not marry a 2nd wife for eternity unless God really Commands them too I think Dantzel deserves a husband who is faithful to only her and doesn't have to share him with another. Wendy never married before. I think she deserves a husband who she doesn't have to share with another man's wife. That is just my opinion. He could have picked somebody else who's husband had already died and just married for time. Of course I sustain him as a prophet. And he can chose what he wants to do, which he did, and they will have to work it out. But I think of the sweet reunion Pres. Monson must have with his one wife.

Yes, that is true, and I appreciate the comment, but what about the fact that many men, even our own modern day prophet and apostles that marry more than one women for time & all eternity. No doubt they are righteous men of God, but it seems selfish to do that, when they could just marry a 2nd wife for time only. (in my limited opinion) Not that I want to say anyone is selfish, though I said it just to show how it may be perceived, but will they have those 2 wives forever? And why? A man certainly doesn't need 2 wives. What other reason could their be to have more than one other than for pure selfishness? Why is there such an unequality in temple sealings? With men being sealed to multiple women and until recently , women only sealed to one man? (although I don't see a need for anyone to be sealed to more than one spouse) but even though a woman can be sealed to more than one, there is still the caveat or wording that she can only have one in eternity, whereas a man can have an infinite number in eternity. It is a sick doctirne.

OK, sorry, but sometimes you really wonder what is He really thinking?

I really don't see a need for practicing polygamy and I think we all find it easier to respect those who practice monogamy anyway. I don't care how powerful God is, I don't respect polygymists as much as nonpolygymists. The ones who are faithful to one spouse have my respect.

Thank you for the song, it was nice

I've been around quite a long time, and learned decades worth of things in the church

I have taken alot of Institute of Religion and Seminary classes through the years, and though I don't recall where I learned it, I'm sure it was achurch setting, more than once, even, where the doctrine was taught that Mary is God's wife.

(I"m kind of kidding_

Yep, with a God like that, who needs a devil?

Of course, in God's mind this isn't true, but sometimes it can seem to a woman that polygamy is just a man's or male God's excuse to have sex with as many women as he or He wants I mean , lets face it, in our mere mortal minds, there really is no reason for polygamy. There is no righteous reason, there is No Reason. NOthing Good comes of it. Men JUST WAnt IT for There OWn SELFISH, AGEnda

I grew up my whole life in the church I am a returned missionary and have always been an active member

Many LDS have been taught that Mary is given to Heavenly Father as his wife and that Joseph will be given someone else. I was taught this from church teachings..

If that is true, I really have lost respect for Him, and if He is polygamous, yuck, I have no respect for unfaithful men who practice "legalized adultery"

Also, is it really Church doctrine or conjecture that Mary, the mother of Jesus (Father in Heaven's daughter) will or is now one of Father in Heaven's wives. Isn't that incest? And does that mean Father in Heaven has multiple wives? Is that proven or conjecture that there is more than one Heavenly Mother?

like, say she lived a good life, got sealed in the temple, her kids and hubby are sealed to her, was a faithful, temple worthy latter day saint, died, and then was about ready to be exalted and then told she qualified but only if she agreed to let her husband take a 2nd wife, and if she didn't , she would lose her exaltation and thus wouldn't be sealed to her husband and her kids and would just be an angel, living in single blessedness, and her husband would live forever with the other woman/wife and kids. Would Heavenly Father do that?

Is it possible for a woman's exaltation to be taken away, simply for refusing to not want her husband to have a 2nd wife, even if she has obeyed every other commandment?

Emma did not stop the Gospel to come. Polygamy has nothing to do with salvation. It has nothing to do with the priesthood, it has nothing to do with tithing, the ordinances of the temple, baptism, the Gift of the Holy Ghost, the sacrament, eternal monogomous marriages, missionary work, home teaching, visiting teaching, relief society, charity, scripture study, prayer, fasting, attending church, and various other things. Emma was an amazing example of faith and fortitude. She showed much faith before and after this trial. She suffered much and bore a strong testimony. Lucy Mack Smith, Joseph Smith, and many others told of her courage and strength. A wonderful article was written about her in the Ensign, I think around 1992. She was the 1st General Relief Society Pres. She was a scribe to Joseph in translating the Book of Mormon. She was called an Elect Lady. She never did want to accept polygamy, but that is understandable. However, she was still blessed and Joseph took her to heaven when she died, from what I understand. Even though she had married a non member and not gone west with the Saints. But she had seen him and had had a dream or vision where she saw her baby , who had passed on, and Joseph showed her that she had that child again. And she called out Joseph's name, when she died, as if she saw him, as if he was there, to take her home to heaven, as is believed, he did. However, the Law of Sarah, states that a man asks a first wife permission to take a 2nd wife, and if she refuses, he can still take a 2nd wife, and we know by history, that the law doesn't have to be obeyed and Joseph did not always have to obey that law. He loved Emma and never wanted to hurt her and it was a very hard thing for her to deal with. As far as we know, he didn't have any kids from the other wives.

I am saying "for now" because I really don't know what the future holds. Of course I expect and hope to be married for eternity,but I will have to earn that and choose that and be happy with that. As far as God not 'forcing' us to live a polygamous marriage , that is 'true' but if he were to ask my husband to take a 2nd wife and I didn't want him to, and if I were told I would be destroyed like Emma was told if I wouldn't except, could I possibly lose my exaltation for not acceptiing that? I don;t know. Maybe not, but I really don't know what God meant to Emma by that or what that would mean. Can a Som lose exalation for not agreeing to accept her husband taking another wife or not? I really don't know. Doesn't seem fair, but I really don't know. However, I would hope not. But it seems a bit harsh. I really don't know. It seems unfair. A woman can only have her children be hers for eternity if she is married for eternity, but why would Emma be destroyed for not accepting Joseph's other wives? Why should that matter? What kind of destruction was meant? Physical? Spiritual? Barred out of exaltation? Anyways, I don't understand it.

Thank you for the well thought out responses. I found an article written by Greg Trimble entitled something like, What Every Mormon Really Needs to Know About Polygamy and he has it on Greg Trimble.com. And he reflects on some studying he and his wife did on the subject regarding Doctrine & Covenants Section 132. He relates how polygamy is not a requirement for exaltation, as some may have mistakenly believe. As for Carol Lynn Pearson, I think if there were a problem with her standing in the church, it would have made headlines, with her being so well known. I think she is sincerely trying to do her best. I, of course, don't know her personally, and do not know the situation, but I am not wanting to judge her. That is not my place. I am grateful that the Church practices monogomy and that I can enjoy my marriage for now. I can feel peace about that for now.

I know there have been some general authorities of the Church who have had some things to say that show that we shouldn't expect everyone to have to practice polygamy in heaven, that there will be monogomy in heaven too. And there is nothing selfish about having monogomous families. A husband and wife and children that love each other is normal and healthy. Just look around and see what happens when that doesn't work. And see how good it is when it does. The Lord started with Adam and Eve. He knows what He is doing. I'm sure it saddens Him when man departs from that.

Carol Lynn Pearson is respected for her many works in the Church. She has done many programs for LDS youth, among them, video entitled, A Time To Love, as well as numerous poems and other media for the Church. She has also had her share of trials. She was married in the temple, and much later, found out that her spouse came out as gay. He later chose to pursue a gay lifestyle. One of her children, a daughter, got married, and also found a trial in her marriage, I believe, as well. Also, Carol found at a young age, that polygamy was treated, at times, unintentionally, insensitively. When she was in seminary, her teacher, a man, who had married for time and all eternity in the temple to his 1st wife, told how she had died, and he was sealed for eternity to his 2nd wife, and told how he believed he would be married forever to both of them. This really bothered the young, impressionable Carol. I think, I can sympathize, how a young, perhaps 16 year old young woman, would feel to go to seminary and hear that. How would that make a faithful young woman, or any young woman feel? She had been taught that polygamy was not allowed, but hear she had heard that polygamy will continue in the eternities. She wrote a book recently called The Ghost of Eternal Polygamy. We have been told that polygamy will come back someday, although it is not practiced now. In the Book of Mormon, Jacob (one of my favorite prophets, I guess because he does seem to show sensitivity towards a woman's feelings) and sensitivity towards how I think the Lord intended marriage to be) did say monogamy was generally the Lord's standard, and only polygamy was allowed when the Lord commanded it, otherwise, it was monogamy. I look at the billions of people on the earth today. And they evolved from the start of just one couple: Adam & Eve. A couple of one man with only one wife. I think that , although I have not read her book, from what I have heard about it, she is trying to help others realize the need to be sensitive about this issue. I know she wants polygamy to not be in existence. Certainly, if there were an even amount of righteous men and women to be paired off, I couldn't, in my mere mortal mind, comprehend a need for polygamy, as I see marriage as a sacred, close relationship, and a partnership with a spouse and God and a way to invite His children to be in a family to teach them to come learn of Him and come return to Him someday. And in the next life, I really don't know what the purpost beyond creating worlds would be. I really think one couple would be enough with just one man and one wife. I don't see the hurry to have a man have multiple wives to do that. God is patient, and that sacred relationship and trust do not need to be broken. Of course, I am limited in my understanding, and if there is an unequal amount of righteous men & women, that can change things. The Lord will work things out. In her book, she apparently sought out how hurt it made people feel about polygamy and the concern about it occuring in the eternities. I have had some concern, but have also prayed and felt peace about it. However, I think it is important to treat this topic with sensitivity. Sometimes I do feel concern, when a man marries 2nd wife (and I am just saying in general) for eternity) after he has a1st sealed to him forever) I think that can be seen, and pardon me for seeming a little blunt, but I think it may seem a bit selfish for him to do that to those 2 woman. He could simply marry the 2nd for time and not have to make them have to deal with emotionally going through sharing him in eternity. I can understand wanting a companion in life and needing someone to raise kids, but its not fair for the 2nd woman to not have her very one man to herself and for the firsr wife too. Anyways, and the purpose of polygamy, if people research the real reasons, is not for some of the unsensitive reasons some people have alluded too. The Lord meant for all marriage to be sacred and holy. There was a article on mormon hub recently emphasizing pleasure in marriage and it really took away from the spirit of the sacredness of what the Lord intended. Also some have mistakenly said polygamy would satisfy a men's sex drive, this is wrong. Men need to control themselves. And that kind of a man will not have another wife. I don't believe the Lord will condone the 100's of wives David had in eternity and the ones Joseph Smith and Brigham Young had were mostly in name only for protection at a time that was different then what we experience now. Anyways, its not the sick way some people make it out to be and if people have that mind set, there won't be polygamy at all. The FLDS have it all wrong. Monogomy is the Lord's standard on the earth today. The ancient practice was what men set up, not what God set up, God started with Adam and Eve. Anyways, Carol with her book is trying to get polygamy to end. Men can be sealed to more than one. Women can only be sealed to one , in the end they have to choose only one. We really don't know how it will be on the other side. I know we can feel peace with it. She seems to be in good standing with the Church, so perhaps they are not opposed. I think we should be open minded and respectful of marriage and sensitive and be careful what is said about polygamy,.

I agree with those statements above that forgiving does not mean you have to marry him. I had a situation in the past where I was dating someone, who had a problem with honesty. It wasn't the same thing as you are experiencing, but I remember feeling like somehow, I felt responsible for the pain he would feel if I broke things off with him and that I would be being unChrist-like. Even though I had considered myself to be mature enough after my mission, to know what was best for me, and began dating him after my mission, I feel into a kind of an emotional "trap" where I felt like I "owed" him something, since I had agreed to date him. He wanted to marry me, and I knew it wouldn't be a good idea. This was not what I had envisioned for myself. I knew that I wouldn't marry a perfect person (my wonderful spouse that I have now and I know that we are not perfect, but we know that we are right for each other) But I had to really pray, and remind myself that I did not have to marry him. This guy had told me he didn't know what he would do, if I didn't marry him. Perhaps unintentionally, he was creating a stress for me, I was allowing it, at first, and thinking I was responsible for his happiness. I had to remember that I am not the one that has to be everything for him. That is the Savior's role. I was off the hook. I didn't have to feel guilty. I didn't have to feel like I owed him anything. I needed to be kind, but I could let go with a clear conscience. I didn't have to worry and fret about, would he repent and be totally honest or not? I knew I couldn't feel peace if I kept dating him. My mission taught me so much about peace and living the Gospel. I already lived the Gospel prior, but I realized, that it wasn't fair to me, or him, for me to have continuous doubts about him and it wouldn't help a marriage be moving the way it should. And what about any children? How would they learn and grow in the Gospel in an environment like that? Is that what I was willing to settle for? Would he really repent and not just be doing it for me, but because he had a testimony? Before you are married, you have a choice. Once you are married, you really can't get out of things so easily. I did not marry that guy, I was able to tell him, with Christ backing me up, that I appreciated our time we had spent, but I felt it would not be best for either of us to continue on in the relationship. I was sorry that it hurt him, and it hurt me somewhat too, but I had already been able to feel that peace, and really, I didn't like him as much after the honesty problems. You have a right to have a clean, pure spouse. A spouse that you can trust, will be faithful to you, and not hurt you. Of course, no one is perfect, but I think this man could have been more sensitive in how he shared his past with you. If you do not feel peace with the decision to stay in a relationship with him, or your not sure, you may find opening up to get to know other friends, dating others, not waiting, praying and being fully immersed in your life, in what you want, and achieving your goals, may help make the answer more clearer, more reassuring for you, and who knows, there may be someone out there, that you may find makes you feel good about yourself and doesn't have something in their past that may tear you apart and make you wonder from time to time, when you are married and have so many other responsibilities that that is the least thing you want to have to be dealing with. We are all human. It is only natural that you would worry about this kind of a thing. If it were me, I know it would bother me too. May the Lord bless you, comfort you, strenghthen you and guide you, and it will all end up all right.

i was told some perhaps conflicting information from 2 different "church" sources, concerning the Final Judgement. One mentioned that others will judge us ( I am thinking of bishops, mission pres, etc) and that Christ will be our final judge, which I believe He will be, of course. The other said in the final judgement it will be records, the tablet of our mind, and Chirst, but that there won't be others judging us. Unfortunately, even Church leaders aren't perfect and I think they could complicate, as also false earthly records could complicate a person's final judgement. What is the truth?

The Bible indeed seems to use the term "meat" for food at times. The Savior ate fish and a honeycomb after his resurrection. In looking at the Word of Wisdom in the Doctrine in Covenants, they are talking about it being ok to eat actual meat, the flesh of beasts. So there is a difference depending where you look. Also, I do not know exactly what we will be eating in the next life, probably won't need to eat at all, but I'm sure it would be enjoyable to eat sometimes. And if we end up with no meat, I sure hope they have some good substitutes.

I am sorry, I should have worded some of what I said better. That was not my intent.