Mormon Polygamy has always been a topic of social and political interest. Ever since the early days of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, people have been fascinated and sometimes repulsed by the idea of multiple wives.
Social Reactions
Throughout most of its history, polygamy has been socially frowned upon. Polygamous families tended to be quite secretive, and many people saw polygamy as a form of exploitation or abuse. In fact, until 1890, polygamy was actually illegal in the United States.
Political Reactions
Polygamy has also been a source of political controversy. For many years, the federal government threatened to seize Church property and disband the Mormon Church entirely if it did not stop practicing polygamy. Polygamy was also used as a justification for denying Utah statehood until it finally became a state in 1896.
Today, polygamy is still illegal in the United States, although the law is not vigorously enforced. Polygamy is also considered a crime in many other countries around the world. However, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has officially discontinued its practice of polygamy, and today there are only a few small polygamist sects that continue to practice it.
It was a system in which men dominated over women, and it has resulted in much persecution and political reaction. Polygamy is one of these things. There was a lot of social and political opposition to the Mormons as a result of this. The majority of this hostility had originated from anti-polygamist Christians. This is strange since the anti-polygamists subscribed to biblical teachings, but not polygamy, one among them. Many God’s righteous followers in the Old Testament were polygamists.
Polygamy was a big part of early Mormonism, but it caused much division and persecution. Polygamy was finally abandoned by the LDS Church in 1890 under immense pressure from the US government.
Polygamy is defined as having more than one spouse at one time. It is a practice that is found in many religions around the world. The most well-known example of polygamy is Islam, where it is allowed under certain circumstances. Polygamy also exists in other Christian denominations, such as the Mormon Church. The Mormon Church has a history of practicing polygamy dating back to its early days in the 1800s.
The justification and reason for polygamy is that a man may have more than one wife provided that both parties are willing to enter into the marriage in accordance with God’s law. Mormons thought that when a pair or family was sealed in the Lord’s temple using one individual’s authority to seal, the bond was not permanent until death do us part; rather, it would endure for all eternity. If this is true, then when a guy loses his spouse and marries a second wife, he would be married to two women.
Because we value freedom so highly, we’re going to need a separation of church and state. The Mormons believe that if a man can have multiple wives in heaven, then the same should be true on Earth. According to the Lord’s marital statute, it is legal for a guy to have only one spouse at a time unless by revelation God commands him to have a plurality of spouses in the new and everlasting covenant (McConkie5770). If a woman who has been sealed in the temple becomes widowed, she is not permitted to be resealed; only her husband is allowed an infinite number of spouses.
Polygamy was practiced by many early Christians, and even Jesus Christ himself is said to have had multiple wives. Polygamy continued to be practiced by some Christian groups until the late 1800s when it was outlawed. The Mormon church began practicing polygamy in the early 1800s when it was founded, and it continued to be practiced until 1890 when it was officially discontinued by the church. Polygamy caused a lot of controversy and backlash from the general public and other Christian groups.
Many people believed that polygamy was immoral and unethical, and that it was a direct violation of the Ten Commandments which state “thou shalt not commit adultery.” Polygamy also posed a threat to the social order and traditional family values. It was often seen as an oppressive and sexist practice that disadvantaged women. Polygamy was also seen as a way for men to control and exploit women. In 1890, the Mormon church officially discontinued polygamy after facing a lot of opposition and backlash from the public. Polygamy is now illegal in all 50 states.
While polygamy is now illegal in all 50 states, there are still some groups who continue to practice it. Most notably, the FLDS church which is led by Warren Jeffs. The FLDS church has been involved in a number of legal battles over the years involving child abuse, sexual assault, and incest. Polygamy is a controversial topic that continues to be debated today.
Joseph Smith endured terrible abuse before the LDS church’s formation and practice of polygamy were publicly exposed. Joseph Smith was tarred and feathered by a mob, but it paled in comparison to the harsh treatment that the saints received once their polygamy grew known (Arrington JS 26-7). Joseph Smith led one hundred and fifty or more followers from New York to Kirtland, Ohio in 1831 in order to avoid torture (Arrington JS 21).
Polygamy had been introduced to Nauvoo, Illinois in 1841 and the saints were driven out in 1844. Joseph Smith was killed while incarcerated awaiting trial on polygamy charges. Polygamy was not only an issue with the church’s members, but also with the public and government officials.
Kirtland grew into a thriving metropolis after several years of living in harmony with the native Gentiles. In 1843, Joseph Smith and other church members were discovered to be practicing polygamy, which alarmed the locals. They acknowledged their wrongdoing but concealed it from the non-Mormons (Newell 66-7). The news spread fast, and the hatred against the Mormons intensified even more.
Polygamy became a hot topic in the press, with newspapers and magazines from all over the country writing about it. Polygamy was also discussed in the halls of Congress, and a bill outlawing it was proposed (Newell 71-2).
The general attitude towards polygamy at this time can be summed up by an editorial published in the New York Herald on September 4, 1852: “What is this Mormon infatuation? Polygamy! What is to be next? Cannibalism?” (Newell 73). Polygamy was seen as an evil, ungodly practice that threatened the very fabric of society.
Many Christian groups condemned polygamy as well. The Methodist Church published a resolution in 1844 stating that polygamy was “contrary to the laws of God, and to the principles of our religion” (Newell 71). The Quakers also spoke out against it, as did the Universalists, the Congregationalists, and many others.
The Mormons themselves were not immune to the public’s negative opinion of polygamy. Polygamous marriages were often frowned upon by other church members, and some men were even excommunicated for practicing polygamy. In 1852, a group of polygamists led by Brigham Young seceded from the Mormon Church and formed their own sect, known today as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS Church) (Newell 81-2).