Polygamy in the celestial kingdom?


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He will be married to both. The church discontinued plural marriage in 1890 because of pressure from Washington.....it was illegal. If it were not illegal, I venture to guess that righteous members of the church would still practice it.

But it was illegal to begin with. That is what I have such a problem with, if Joseph Smith felt back then that God's law was to be followed above man's law, why is it not true today? Or is it that other branches of the original Mormon Church, ones that read the BOM, but still practice polygamy, following the true path of Joseph Smith?

Edited by X_Girl
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But it was illegal to begin with. That is what I have such a problem with, if Joseph Smith felt back then that God's law was to be followed above man's law, why is it not true today? Or is it that other branches of the original Mormon Church, ones that read the BOM, but still practice polygamy, following the true path of Joseph Smith?

what reference do you have that says it was illegal to begin with????
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But it was illegal to begin with. That is what I have such a problem with, if Joseph Smith felt back then that God's law was to be followed above man's law, why is it not true today? Or is it that other branches of the original Mormon Church, ones that read the BOM, but still practice polygamy, following the true path of Joseph Smith?

The church was pressured to cease plural marriage by the federal government.....you can read the 1890 manifesto here.

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It's probably good to remember that we have a thousand years during the millenium and then a "little" season before we are judged and then receive Eternal Life in the Celestial Kingdom. My thinking is that we will all be so very much different than who we are today and IF we indeed enlarge our families through the New and Everlasting covenant of marriage it will be for righteous purposes and it will based on a love that we can't comprehend.

That's why I'm not really that worried about. I figure that's plenty of time for me to somehow transform myself into this wonderfully faithful woman who obeys even the toughest commandments without grumbling about it, in other words to become a completely different person than the one I am now. (Boy I hope that makes sense, it did in my head but I can't seem to communicate what I'm thinking today).

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That's why I'm not really that worried about. I figure that's plenty of time for me to somehow transform myself into this wonderfully faithful woman who obeys even the toughest commandments without grumbling about it, in other words to become a completely different person than the one I am now. (Boy I hope that makes sense, it did in my head but I can't seem to communicate what I'm thinking today).

My wife feels exactly the same way......;)

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That's why I'm not really that worried about. I figure that's plenty of time for me to somehow transform myself into this wonderfully faithful woman who obeys even the toughest commandments without grumbling about it, in other words to become a completely different person than the one I am now. (Boy I hope that makes sense, it did in my head but I can't seem to communicate what I'm thinking today).

Makes sense to me. It's kinda how I view the law of consecration, I'm not sure how I'd react to being asked to live it now but it wouldn't be without reservations (at least I'm figuring) to begin with at my current state of self. Not quite the same thing but I think the thinking is analogous.

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Will there be polygamy in the Celestial Kingdom?

Edited to add: I also can't imagine WHY polygamy would be good, righteous, or acceptable. What is wrong with one man and one woman being married? Is that relationship not sacred and special?

I don't think Annamaureen should worry about polygamy in the Celestial kingdom. For one, the Lord is not going to have you do something that you are not happy about. However, I believe that in situations for members like Anna who loathe polygamy in any form, the time will come when you will change your thoughts and feelings once you come to a better understand of the principle and eternal purposes of polygamy and realize that it is truly a divinely inspired plan of our Heavenly Fathers. I know for some like Anna that may be hard to accept now with what limited knowledge we have so don't worry about that. In time, this principle will be better understood than what we know now.

Hang in there!

Edited by omega0401
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But it was illegal to begin with. That is what I have such a problem with, if Joseph Smith felt back then that God's law was to be followed above man's law, why is it not true today? Or is it that other branches of the original Mormon Church, ones that read the BOM, but still practice polygamy, following the true path of Joseph Smith?

It was not illegal until the gov't decided to not allow the Mormons to practice it. Then there was a whole slew of laws passed against bigamy.

A man sealed to two women after one dies is kind've the church's way of making both God and Ceasar happy. Religion and The World don't always agree, but in this case it works despite the claims of the FLDS.

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I used to think it wasn't illegal, too. Now I understand that there were anti-bigamy laws on the books in Illinois as early as 1833. Apologetics doesn't deny it-just questions the legality of the law or that the law didn't apply to religious marriages.

"Sec 121. Bigamy consists in the having of two wives or two husbands at one and the same time, knowing that the former husband or wife is still alive. If any person or persons within this State, being married, or who shall hereafter marry, do at any time marry any person or persons, the former husband or wife being alive, the person so offending shall, on conviction thereof, be punished by a fine, not exceeding one thousand dollars, and imprisoned in the penitentiary, not exceeding two years. It shall not be necessary to prove either of the said marriages by the register or certificate thereof, or other record evidence; but the same may be proved by such evidence as is admissible to prove a marriage in other cases, and when such second marriage shall have taken place without this state, cohabitation in this state after such second marriage shall be deemed the commission of the crime of bigamy, and the trial in such case may take place in the county where such cohabitation shall have occurred."

Revised Laws of Illinois, 1833, p.198-99

The D&C also contained something called the Article on Marriage which said that marriage was between one man and one woman-unless one died at which time the other was free to remarry. The article was presented to the church and accepted by common consent for the 1835 printing. It was not removed from our canon until 1876.

"Inasmuch as this Church of Christ has been reproached with the crime of fornication and polygamy, we declare that we believe that one man should have one wife, and one woman but one husband, except in the case of death, when either is at liberty to marry again." (History of the Church, vol. 2, pg. 247)

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what reference do you have that says it was illegal to begin with????

Ah, you got the uppper hand in this discussion Palerider. If the reference is unknown then it was clearly not illegal. :D

Actually I am curious as to its exact legal status. Does anyone know?

:confused:

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Ah, you got the uppper hand in this discussion Palerider. If the reference is unknown then it was clearly not illegal. :D

Actually I am curious as to its exact legal status. Does anyone know?

:confused:

As polygamy was illegal in the state of Illinois [Greiner & Sherman, Revised Laws of Illinois, 1833, pg. 198-199] , it was practiced privately.

This is taken from a paper on the history of polygamy in America.

My previous post has more of the wording from the law in it.

ETA: crud I'm slow. <blush>

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Michael has only one wife and no other. Some of us will follow that course here and into the eternities.

Only one that was sent out of Eden... but I heard that the jewish legendas say he had 2 made before Eva, but these 2 did not want to partake... one was needed for that.

Sometimes I think that maybe wemen have so much to do in eternities that there is need for more than ome?

How about the men that loose their first wife early in marriage and marry an other? It would be VERY wrong then to marry again unless it would be allowed more than one wife in the eternities! Then they should marry ONLY those that have lost their husband and the children they would get would go to the earlier husband and not the one she had then with, which is the way it seems to go if you marry a widow.:eek:

Anyway I completely trust that God knows what He does with this problem, when the time comes! :P

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....If Joseph Smith and Brigham Young taught that you where to have more then one wife to get into the Celestial Kingdom, why is it so frowned upon by the church today? I mean when we got the discussions, we where told that a prophet would never be aloud to lead the followers astray. So who which is correct, the beginning prophets and their talks, or today's prophets and their talks?

Here is an example:

I have an Uncle that is LDS, he was married to his first wife in the temple for all time and eternity, and they had children. Sadly she died at age 45. He still being pretty young married another woman (who had never been married before) in that same temple for all time and eternity, and they have children? The church has records of both marriages. So tell me, which wife will he be with? What will happen with the second wife and her children, if that is not what the church believes?

Not all Celestial bound men will have more than one wife.

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Only one that was sent out of Eden... but I heard that the jewish legendas say he had 2 made before Eva, but these 2 did not want to partake... one was needed for that.

Sometimes I think that maybe wemen have so much to do in eternities that there is need for more than ome?

How about the men that loose their first wife early in marriage and marry an other? It would be VERY wrong then to marry again unless it would be allowed more than one wife in the eternities! Then they should marry ONLY those that have lost their husband and the children they would get would go to the earlier husband and not the one she had then with, which is the way it seems to go if you marry a widow.:eek:

Anyway I completely trust that God knows what He does with this problem, when the time comes! :P

Anytime Joseph Smith seen both Michael and his beloved companion, there was only one. These marvelous visions occurred more than once.

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If Eternal Marriage is the only way for us to achieve Exaltation and receive the fullness of glory promised to us by God, then what do you do in this case: You have a woman who has done everything right and has lived up to everything she needs to in order to receive those eternal blessings. But through no fault of her own she has no Eternal Companion. She can't get to Exaltation without one. So what can be done to help her? What solutions can you offer for her?

Marry a man in the same situation? Seems the logical answer. Its not only women who dont get married you know. What about severly mentally disabled people who have not been able to get married? They will need someone.

The idea of polygamy sickens me to the core. My DH said if we ever had to do it he would leave the church thats how strongly he feels about it. It is so wrong to me.

Who said eternal marriage exists in the lower kingdoms? This is weirdly exciting to me. I too dont feel I want to go the the CK. I doubt I would make it anyway, but the only reasom I would want to go would be to be with my DH. If we could be together in the lower kingdoms I think my life would be complete!!

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To those who are LDS and say that they don't want to go to the Celestial Kingdom if wives have to share husbands or if their spouse would not be in the CK, how do you explain that statement with the 1st great commandment?

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No woman need have any fears about polygamy in this life or the next. Very very few men will live it anyway, for it takes such a high level of righteousness & true love & care for the 1st wife to be worthy of having any others, & it is & has always been rare to find a man that righteous.

Women who stay faithful to a husband who isn't righteous enough will have him all to herself in the eternities. Many women divorce unrighteous men because it's so hard to deal with him & thus I guess they won't mind sharing a righteous one in heaven. But there will be many monogmous marriages in the Celestial Kingdom because it is so rare for a man to be worthy of one let alone more. Many prophets have taught that righteous wives can save their unrighteous husbands (& visa versa) to eventually be with them in the Cel. Kingdom after they pay for their unrepentant sins of nelgect, abuse, adultery or abandonment, etc, in Spirit Prison. But the husband will have lost his opportunity for more than one wife, & like the Prodical Son he will live there with his wife because of her love & righteousness, he having spent or lost his inheritance. So many women throughout history have stayed faithful & took care of the home despite having husbands who were unfaithful by wandering eyes, feelings or hands or worse. Thus it makes it worth it to hang on through the hard times in marriage, else if it wasn't possible to save your spouse, who would stay married, for in very few marriages both are truely righteous & have true love for each other.

Church leaders have said that a righteous man is rare even today even though women's equality, position & rights are finally understood & accepted after 6000 years. Abuse, neglect & control of wives was the norm throughout history & even in the 1800's while polygamy was being practiced. It was so rare for a man to treat his wife as an equal & not break her heart & neglect her by running after & choosing other wives for himself, showering more love & attention on newer younger wives.

I don't think we have ever seen polygamy lived the way Heavenly Father meant it to be lived & only truely righteous men be allowed to live it & the 1st wife not neglected & hurt & the 1st wife do the choosing of who the other wife would be & the man limited to only a few who he could really keep happy & take care of right. It's hard enough for the best of men to give one wife the love & companionship & help with the children that she needs let alone keep 5 or 10 wives content & happy. That is virtually impossible in this world & most just get neglected. Heavenly Father has spoken out so much lately about abuse & neglect & he does want his children raised by fathers who neglect & hurt the mother of his children.

Women entered plural marriage in the 1800's because they were told they had to be sealed to a man in this life to achieve Exalation, which was not true, she can marry in the millenium for eternity. Had women known this wise ones would have learned quickly & not entered into marriage or stayed with husbands who were so painful & neglectful as most were. They would have just waited til the next life to be married to a righteous safe man.

Edited by foreverafter
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But there will be many monogmous marriages in the Celestial Kingdom because it is so rare for a man to be worthy of one let alone more.

Anyone living in the CK is worthy. I think it is disingenuous to men to state that they aren't good enough or whatever. There are many, many righteous men.

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Many prophets have taught that righteous wives can save their unrighteous husbands (& visa versa) to eventually be with them in the Cel. Kingdom after they pay for their unrepentant sins of nelgect, abuse, adultery or abandonment, etc, in Spirit Prison.

Sources please. The scriptures state very clearly that NOW is the time to repent.

Alma 34:

32 For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors.

33 And now, as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many witnesses, therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed.

34 Ye cannot say, when ye are brought to that awful crisis, that I will repent, that I will return to my God. Nay, ye cannot say this; for that same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world.

35 For behold, if ye have procrastinated the day of your repentance even until death, behold, ye have become subjected to the spirit of the devil, and he doth bseal you his; therefore, the Spirit of the Lord hath withdrawn from you, and hath no place in you, and the devil hath all power over you; and this is the final state of the wicked.

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Anyone living in the CK is worthy. I think it is disingenuous to men to state that they aren't good enough or whatever. There are many, many righteous men.

Brigham Young said that there are many different levels of Exaltation, depending on the level of righteousness of the person. If a wife's righteousness saves her husband who otherwise wouldn't have made it to the Cel. Kingdom, then he only receives the blessing of being with her & Brigham Young said he won't be given more wives.

And I didn't say all men weren't worthy, just that it's rare to find one with true love for his wife & totally faithful mentally, visually, emotionally & physically & who really loves & serves her above all else. I am grateful for the men who do this, for it renews hope in women that there are some men who can love like this, but it is rare.

Edited by foreverafter
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Brigham Young said that there are many different levels of Exaltation, depending on the level of righteousness of the person. If a wife's righteousness saves her husband who otherwise wouldn't have made it to the Cel. Kingdom, then he only receives the blessing of being with her & Brigham Young said he loses the right to more wives.

References, please.

That doesn't make sense. I can't save anyone but myself. And only Jesus can save someone else. And if a man makes it to the 3rd section of the CK, which is the only place for celestial marriage, then I would think he is worthy of ALL blessings available in that place. Whether that means 1 wife, more than 1 wife, all the Oreos he can eat, whatever...he's worthy if residing in that area.

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