LDS Perspectives: Tough Questions about Mormon Polygamy

[Third Hour]

Few aspects of Joseph Smith’s life have been scrutinized more in recent years than his personal practice of polygamy. Some readers' first exposure to Joseph Smith's practice of polygamy comes from reading sensational headlines. Exaggerations and assumptions fill internet discussions, podcasts, and newspaper articles, so it is hard to know where to go for accurate information. The temptation by some authors to fill in historical gaps often results in distortions that stir up emotions and create tantalizing soundbites that, even if largely fictional, may generate unnecessary fear and confusion. Polygamy is part of the collective Mormon past that many struggle to understand. Current members have no cultural or religious basis to situate plural marriage. Members in pioneer Nauvoo shared that same struggle. When Benjamin Johnson first heard of it, he recalled: "If a thunderbolt had fallen at my feet I could hardly have been more shocked or amazed." Early Mormon polygamy is a historical puzzle that can at best be awkwardly reconstructed from fragmentary recollections. But it is apparent from reminiscences that those who practiced it were convinced it represented a...

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[eddified]

I enthusiastically endorse the research of Brian Hales. He has done much to dive deep into church history (primary sources) and interpret it from the perspective that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. His work can be found at JosephSmithsPolygamy.org .

Also google for "Brian Hales Reddit AMA" ... he has two that are just fantastic reads.

He also has written large volumes about Joseph Smith's polygamy which I have not read.  

The gist of his work is this: Joseph Smith had many wives, this is documented. However some were "eternity only" which based on the evidence were not consummated. Also, Joseph was commanded by an angel to practice polygamy, under penalty of death (yes, the angel actually threatened to kill Joseph with a sword if he did not practice it.) Joseph was loyal to Emma till the end in all other respects and cherished her. Joseph apparently did consummate some of his polygamous marriages, but it seems not any of them were consummated when they were still young teens. Finally, the stories told in the primary sources really do paint a picture of Joseph's polygamy being a faith-based trial, not the activities of a libertine like the anti's would have you believe. Mr Hales shared a great quote about church history. It went something like this (paraphrasing). "If your testimony is shaken by studying church history, then REALLY study it and your testimony of Joseph as a prophet of God will actually increase." Mr Hales affirmed this to be true. 

Edited May 25, 2017 by eddified

[Jojo Bags]

Honestly, why does this matter?  Back in 2013, the Church made a statement through the Mormon News Room that polygamy was not a requirement to gain the celestial kingdom.  The only thing that matters is whether or not the Church is true.  Everything else is secondary.

[Sunday21]

I think Joseph Smith was dealing with some quite advanced spiritual issues. I don't expect to understand his motives.  

[Vort]

I appreciate honest attempts to tackle issues that some find troubling. I consider this to be just such an attempt. But I would like to see an article that has a few features:

• It doesn't label questions as "tough questions". There are no "tough" questions. There are questions we can answer with confidence, and questions we cannot. In the latter group, there are questions we can reasonably speculate on and questions on which we cannot reasonably speculate. But none of these are "tough". Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, or else he was not. That really is a binary choice. Those who claim otherwise are invariably those who want to grant Smith some prophetic abilities or insights here and there, but also want to maintain a hedge of deniability so they can keep issues at arm's length if they find them offensive (or, more likely, someone else finds them offensive) by saying, "Oh, well, you know, a prophet's only a prophet when he's doing the prophet thing." Joseph Smith was commanded by God to practice polygamy, and he did so under direct authorization from God -- or he was a liar. It's one or the other. No squishy middle ground.

• Don't hide behind excuses or faux ignorance, claiming that polygamy is "puzzling". It is not puzzling. It's straightforward. Some men were allowed, or even commanded, to take multiple wives. In some cases, those "wives" were sealed to the man for eternity, but not married in this life; in other cases, they were indeed fully married, both for time and for eternity. In the former case, at least among the righteous practitioners, there is no strong evidence that the sealings were carnally consummated. In the latter cases, sometimes they were, sometimes not. Again, this is straightforward, not puzzling.
• It's weak sauce to claim we have no modern context for such things. The opposite is clearly true; many places on Earth still sanction polygamy (e.g. African and Middle Eastern countries). Modern sex perversions have made extramarital couplings common and even accepted in so-called "open" marriages. Some even practice what they term "polyamory", which combines polygamy with polyandry in a sexual game of musical beds. To suggest that we moderns are just too naive and unfamiliar with such exotic sexual practices is, well, laughable.

The bottom line is: Quit apologizing for plural marriage (a better term than polygamy). It's a historical fact, and it is what it is. If you are a faithful Latter-day Saint, you need not love or relish the idea, but you do need to accept that it was the will of the Lord at the time. Today, it is not. In the eternities -- we don't know. Strong arguments might be formulated in either direction, but all such arguments are speculative. Until we receive revelation on the matter, we will not know. And we certainly will not be receiving any revelation on that matter until we stop hyperventilating and averting our eyes every time the subject is brought up.

[The Folk Prophet]

7 hours ago, Vort said:

And we certainly will not be receiving any revelation on that matter until we stop hyperventilating and averting our eyes every time the subject is brought up.

I agree with all except this last statement. If the word(s) "certainly will" was changed to "may" then I'm on board.

[eddified]

On 5/25/2017 at 0:41 PM, Jojo Bags said:

Honestly, why does this matter?  Back in 2013, the Church made a statement through the Mormon News Room that polygamy was not a requirement to gain the celestial kingdom.  The only thing that matters is whether or not the Church is true.  Everything else is secondary.

Some people with doubts may find that it matters very much. Personally I find that it matters because the trial of polygamy, in a sense, really helps show Joseph's true character as a prophet of God. 

I do see your point though, and I agree with the sentiment-- the Holy Ghost has impressed on my mind the truthfulness of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ, so any facts I may learn about polygamy shouldn't affect that testimony. 

[eddified]

@Vort why do you believe "plural marriage" to be a better term, and why is it better?

[Sunday21]

I am looking forward to reading the work of historians on the practice of polygamy. It is so great that the early saints kept journals.

[Vort]

49 minutes ago, eddified said:

@Vort why do you believe "plural marriage" to be a better term, and why is it better?

"Polygamy" is a general term that means multiple (simultaneous) spouses. Throughout history, lots of people have practiced polygamy. Many still do. "Plural marriage" is a form of polygamous marriage practiced by the early Saints of our dispensation at the command of God as a covenant to him. So I think the term "plural marriage" better emphasizes the unique covenant aspect of "Mormon polygamy".