Polygamy in the afterlife?

[TurboGirl]

17 minutes ago, estradling75 said:

Do you see anywhere in the gospel where God refuses a person their agency?  Don't mistake this for not liking the consequences.  The choice will always be to follow God or not...  If we choose not then we will limit is ability to bless us... but a blessing will never be forced on someone that does not want it.

 

 

Sorry if I am misunderstand you, but it reads like you are saying if my mother chooses not to be married to this woman and just wants my dad, than she is not choosing for follow God? Can you show me where God has commanded this of LDS men, I have looked and looked but I have found nothing about why a man needs two wives in heaven. I get why Joseph Smith started the practice of polygamy, it was the fastest way to grow a membership, but why would the church encourage widowed male members to take another wife for all time and eternity?

[TurboGirl]

28 minutes ago, NeedleinA said:

A couple of thoughts. What you Mother would or wouldn't do, or who she would or wouldn't choose is at best a "guess" on your part right now. In addition the thoughts/understandings/realizations that your mother had while on earth may not be the same as those she currently has in the afterlife.

ching, ching...my 2 cents.

But just because a person dies doesn't change the core of who they are. My mother might appreciate that this lady has stepped in and is keeping my dad from being lonely, but I do know beyond a shadow of a doubt that she would not like to be tethered to this woman for all of eternity. She might not mind her as a visiting teacher, but she is no one she would choose to live with.

 

[TurboGirl]

33 minutes ago, Jane_Doe said:

Why do it?  Because the Lord told us to.  

Also, there are some things (like the eternities) which we simply aren't really capable of understanding at this time.  

Where is it that "the Lord told us to"? I looked for this, and can't find anything.

[estradling75]

11 minutes ago, TurboGirl said:

Sorry if I am misunderstand you, but it reads like you are saying if my mother chooses not to be married to this woman and just wants my dad, than she is not choosing for follow God? Can you show me where God has commanded this of LDS men, I have looked and looked but I have found nothing about why a man needs two wives in heaven. I get why Joseph Smith started the practice of polygamy, it was the fastest way to grow a membership, but why would the church encourage widowed male members to take another wife for all time and eternity?

If God command polygamy (which the church says he did and practiced it up until the manifesto) then God has his reasons for it.

If the reason is that it is part of Exaltation (Which again the church did say until the manifesto forced the stop of the practice while living) then a person must accept polygamy as part of Exaltation.  If part of a core of a person is dead set against being in a polygamist marriage even after they understand that... well then God will not force polygamy (or Exaltation) on that person.

 

 

[LeSellers]

6 minutes ago, TurboGirl said:

Where is it that "the Lord told us to"? I looked for this, and can't find anything.

While the vast majority of section 132 is about Eternal/Celestial marriage and sealings in particular, there are a few verses that clearly command at least some Saints are called to practice Plural Marriage. Further, the whole Eternal Marriage concept kinda sorta requires it to extend into, well, eternity.

Lehi

[TurboGirl]

4 minutes ago, estradling75 said:

If God command polygamy (which the church says he did and practiced it up until the manifesto) then God has his reasons for it.

If the reason is that it is part of Exaltation (Which again the church did say until the manifesto forced the stop of the practice while living) then a person must accept polygamy as part of Exaltation.  If part of a core of a person is dead set against being in a polygamist marriage even after they understand that... well then God will not force polygamy (or Exaltation) on that person.

 

 

So what you are saying is women of the church have to accept other wives, or they cannot be with their husband in heaven?

[LeSellers]

1 minute ago, TurboGirl said:

So what you are saying is women of the church have to accept other wives, or they cannot be with their husband in heaven?

No. I can't speak for others, but the Lord is not going to force anyone to do anything he does not want to do.

The thing to remember is that we don't know enough to make any serious determination about the condition of the eternities. We don't know what we don't know. So no one is saying much of anything that really counts.

Lehi

[TurboGirl]

11 minutes ago, LeSellers said:

While the vast majority of section 132 is about Eternal/Celestial marriage and sealings in particular, there are a few verses that clearly command at least some Saints are called to practice Plural Marriage. Further, the whole Eternal Marriage concept kinda sorta requires it to extend into, well, eternity.

Lehi

But is there anything telling member why they need more than one wife in eternity? For that much why do you need one wife, should an individual acts be enough? What is it that members of the church are working for?

 

Edited May 10, 2016 by TurboGirl

[SpiritDragon]

1 minute ago, TurboGirl said:

But is there anything telling member why they need more than one wife in eternity? For that much why do you need one wife, should an individual acts be enough?

Single people can be in Heaven (Celestial Kingdom) but they are angels. To have the highest glory requires eternal marriage, at least in part for eternal off-spring it would seem. As for why the need for more? There are plenty of theories about why, but we really don't have any specific details to why that I'm aware of.

[LeSellers]

11 minutes ago, TurboGirl said:

But is there anything telling member why they need more than one wife in eternity? For that much why do you need one wife, should an individual acts be enough? What is it that members of the church are working for?

I suggest you read section 132. We could quote it here, but the scriptures need to be read in quiet and with some inspiration. The 'Net ain't good enough.

Lehi

[estradling75]

14 minutes ago, TurboGirl said:

So what you are saying is women of the church have to accept other wives, or they cannot be with their husband in heaven?

I am saying... No one male or female should expect to be Exalted, gain all the father has, and be a Joint-Heir with Christ... unless they are as willing to be obedient as Christ was to whatever it is that God commands...  We should not expect it to be easy...  in fact we should expect it to test our very Souls to "prove us"...  When we fail we need to repent and try again.

If the very idea that God might Command something we don't want to do... we then we have a perfect chance to humble ourselves and work on increasing our faith

 

[Vort]

1 hour ago, TurboGirl said:

Yes, I know, let me explain why I want to know. My mother and father where married in the temple, my mother died, my father married another woman in the temple (or all time and eternity). So in his beliefs he is now a polygamist in the next life. I am reading this thread to find something about if a woman will have a choice if she wants to be a polygamist in the afterlife or not. There is no way my mother would have choose this woman to be her sister-wife, and my mom made it clear in this life this was not something she wanted. I was very surprised my dad did it. I think he was very heavily pressured by his bishop and this woman to have her sealed to him in the temple. She went as far to get a temple divorce from her 1st husband (which she got, because he was an abuser) so she could marry my dad. I just want to find something on this subject to find out why a man even needs two wives in the next life. Why would the church have members do something if they have no idea why they need to do it?

TurboGirl, please welcome your stepmother into your family. You will be doing your father an enormous favor. You will make his life greatly easier and more joyful. He has chosen to remarry, as his is legal and moral right. Please support him in this and find a place in your heart for his new wife.

As for the polygamy question, it's a reasonable question, but not one we have all the answers for. What we can be sure of is that worthy and righteous people who gain exaltation will do so of their own free will, and will never be "forced" into any situation they find intolerable. If your mother accepts this arrangement, she will do it gladly and joyfully, because she will understand (or at least have firm faith) that it is the path to indescribable joy. If she does not accept it, neither God nor your dad nor anyone else will ever force anything on her.

So even though we do not have all the answers, this really and truly is something you don't need to be concerned with. You may have questions, but you need not have any fears on this account. God loves you, he loves your mother, he loves your father, he loves your father's second wife. What God has in store for them that love him is beyond your ability to imagine. You can depend on that.

[Guest MormonGator]

3 minutes ago, Vort said:

TurboGirl, please welcome your stepmother into your family. You will be doing your father an enormous favor. You will make his life greatly easier and more joyful. He has chosen to remarry, as his is legal and moral right. Please support him in this and find a place in your heart for his new wife.

As for the polygamy question, it's a reasonable question, but not one we have all the answers for. What we can be sure of is that worthy and righteous people who gain exaltation will do so of their own free will, and will never be "forced" into any situation they find intolerable. If your mother accepts this arrangement, she will do it gladly and joyfully, because she will understand (or at least have firm faith) that it is the path to indescribable joy. If she does not accept it, neither God nor your dad nor anyone else will ever force anything on her.

So even though we do not have all the answers, this really and truly is something you don't need to be concerned with. You may have questions, but you need not have any fears on this account. God loves you, he loves your mother, he loves your father, he loves your father's second wife. What God has in store for them that love him is beyond your ability to imagine. You can depend on that.

Beautiful post. 

 

 

[zil]

TurboGirl, like others, I recommend you study D&C 132 and church commentary on it, and ponder, and pray.  I also recommend you watch this video (or on YouTube) by various BYU religion professors to help you in your study of D&C 132.  I think you will find it helpful - perhaps not in resolving your concerns about how your mother will feel about your father's second wife, but at least about polygamy and eternal marriage in general.

For your parents' situation, just love them and trust God - all will come out right for those who obey God (and all those worthy of Celestial glory will ultimately become much better people than they are now, and all will love everyone (even those who haven't received Celestial glory) because that's one of the attributes of a Celestial person).

[TurboGirl]

1 hour ago, SpiritDragon said:

 To have the highest glory requires eternal marriage, at least in part for eternal off-spring it would seem.

So you would still have babies in Heaven?

[NeedleinA]

2 hours ago, TurboGirl said:

But just because a person dies doesn't change the core of who they are.

...I do know beyond a shadow of a doubt...

You appear to assume an awful lot about your mother and what she would or wouldn't do over the eternities. 
I suggest, you have no way of knowing your Mom's choices beyond a shadow of doubt, and at best you are using what could be outdated information at this point. 

Also, just because a person dies doesn't exclude them from changing their core either. 

Lastly, like Vort said, include/welcome your step mother. Who she is today may not even be who she is in the future or even who she may become upon her own departure from this life. For all you know both women could in fact become more aligned with each other in thoughts and deeds than you ever could imagine. That of course is only "guessing", the one thing we are trying to avoid.

Edited May 11, 2016 by NeedleinA

[TurboGirl]

1 hour ago, Vort said:

TurboGirl, please welcome your stepmother into your family. You will be doing your father an enormous favor. You will make his life greatly easier and more joyful. He has chosen to remarry, as his is legal and moral right. Please support him in this and find a place in your heart for his new wife.

As for the polygamy question, it's a reasonable question, but not one we have all the answers for. What we can be sure of is that worthy and righteous people who gain exaltation will do so of their own free will, and will never be "forced" into any situation they find intolerable. If your mother accepts this arrangement, she will do it gladly and joyfully, because she will understand (or at least have firm faith) that it is the path to indescribable joy. If she does not accept it, neither God nor your dad nor anyone else will ever force anything on her.

So even though we do not have all the answers, this really and truly is something you don't need to be concerned with. You may have questions, but you need not have any fears on this account. God loves you, he loves your mother, he loves your father, he loves your father's second wife. What God has in store for them that love him is beyond your ability to imagine. You can depend on that.

I'm okay with him remarrying, she is a nice lady, and he seems happy. When my mother died I thought he would go soon too from a broken heart, so I very happy that he has found someone. Both my parents where LDS members, I am not, and this whole Celestial kingdom polygamy thing is just weird, I'm having a hard time understanding it. I have read D&C 132, and it was no help at all. My dad has just really got into the church since my mom die, and the woman he married is a whole other level LDS person. I use to think if they where happy in the church what harm is there in it, but since his marriage to this woman, and all the crazy stuff they say trying to get my family to go to church, they are freaking me out a little. So I am trying to get information and I have search LDS.org, read the Ensign, Conference talks etc...and I have found nothing on the "why". First God told Joseph Smith to have the members practice polygamy, and they He told Wilford Woodruff to tell them members to stop, and even Gordon B. Hinckley touched on it in an interview saying no one in the church practices it, but then my dad becomes a polygamist...it's very confusing.

 

[NeedleinA]

9 minutes ago, TurboGirl said:

...and I have found nothing on the "why". 

On "why" what?

[estradling75]

1 minute ago, TurboGirl said:

I'm okay with him remarrying, she is a nice lady, and he seems happy. When my mother died I thought he would go soon too from a broken heart, so I very happy that he has found someone. Both my parents where LDS members, I am not, and this whole Celestial kingdom polygamy thing is just weird, I'm having a hard time understanding it. I have read D&C 132, and it was no help at all. My dad has just really got into the church since my mom die, and the woman he married is a whole other level LDS person. I use to think if they where happy in the church what harm is there in it, but since his marriage to this woman, and all the crazy stuff they say trying to get my family to go to church, they are freaking me out a little. So I am trying to get information and I have search LDS.org, read the Ensign, Conference talks etc...and I have found nothing on the "why". First God told Joseph Smith to have the members practice polygamy, and they He told Wilford Woodruff to tell them members to stop, and even Gordon B. Hinckley touched on it in an interview saying no one in the church practices it, but then my dad becomes a polygamist...it's very confusing.

 

So you are not a member...  Which explains alot of your questions...  It is totally understandable that you seek answers to things you are now faced with considering...  But to some of your questions the answer is simply because God said so.

The church teaches that all members should study and pray about all the decisions we make in this life double so something like marriage.  If your father did as the church councils he prayerfully considered marrying this woman and did has he felt the Lord should have him do as a result of that.  Assuming he did that then we can safely assume that your father felt that the Lord approved of his actions in getting married and sealed to your step-mother...  That is a position none of us (including you) are in a position to argue with.

You might not understand how things will work out between your mom, dad and step mom in the eternities...  but it is also totally and completely out of your control.  It is between them and God.

[TurboGirl]

25 minutes ago, NeedleinA said:

You appear to assume an awful lot about your mother and what she would or wouldn't do over the eternities. 
I suggest, you have no way of knowing your Mom's choices beyond a shadow of doubt, and at best you are using what could be outdated information at this point. 

Also, just because a person dies doesn't exclude them from changing their core either. 

Lastly, like Vort said, include/welcome your step mother. Who she is today may not even be who she is in the future or even who she may become upon her own departure from this life. For all you know both women could in fact become more aligned with each other in thoughts and deeds than you ever could imagine. That of course is only "guessing", the one thing we are trying to avoid.

While I can see once a person dies, your mind is expanded, you let go of imperfect emotions like jealousy and anger. Just don't understand how sharing a husband is any good, nor can I see a purpose in it. And if a church is going to tell their members to do something, shouldn't they tell them why?

[NeedleinA]

4 minutes ago, TurboGirl said:

And if a church is going to tell their members to do something,

Um... where is this happening?

[Jane_Doe]

24 minutes ago, TurboGirl said:

I'm okay with him remarrying, she is a nice lady, and he seems happy. When my mother died I thought he would go soon too from a broken heart, so I very happy that he has found someone. Both my parents where LDS members, I am not, and this whole Celestial kingdom polygamy thing is just weird, I'm having a hard time understanding it. I have read D&C 132, and it was no help at all. My dad has just really got into the church since my mom die, and the woman he married is a whole other level LDS person. I use to think if they where happy in the church what harm is there in it, but since his marriage to this woman, and all the crazy stuff they say trying to get my family to go to church, they are freaking me out a little. So I am trying to get information and I have search LDS.org, read the Ensign, Conference talks etc...and I have found nothing on the "why". First God told Joseph Smith to have the members practice polygamy, and they He told Wilford Woodruff to tell them members to stop, and even Gordon B. Hinckley touched on it in an interview saying no one in the church practices it, but then my dad becomes a polygamist...it's very confusing.

 

Ok this explains a lot.  Let's back up here: do you understand sealings for eternity between 1 husband and 1 wife?  (Let's start there, and then work to other situations).

[TurboGirl]

16 minutes ago, NeedleinA said:

Um... where is this happening?

The Bishop told my dad, Man was not meant to be alone...if wanted to go on a mission he had to be married.

 

[TurboGirl]

12 minutes ago, Jane_Doe said:

Ok this explains a lot.  Let's back up here: do you understand sealings for eternity between 1 husband and 1 wife?  (Let's start there, and then work to other situations).

So they can get into the top level of the Celestial Kingdom.

 

[estradling75]

2 minutes ago, TurboGirl said:

While I can see once a person dies, your mind is expanded, you let go of imperfect emotions like jealousy and anger. Just don't understand how sharing a husband is any good, nor can I see a purpose in it. And if a church is going to tell their members to do something, shouldn't they tell them why?

Because God says so...

Lots of questions are like that...

Why do we need a Savior?

Why do we need to be baptized?

Why do we need to repent?

etc etc