Why is not mentioned that Joseph Smith had at least 33 wives? And that the youngest was 14, And that he explained to her that god had commanded she marry him or face eternal damnation ? And if you believe everything else he preached, why dont you practice polygamy ? The Prophet described plural marraige as part of " The most holy and important doctrine ever revealed to man on earth " . And taught that a man had to have at least 3 wives to attain the " fullness of exaltation " in the after life. He warned that God had explicitly commanded that " All those who have this law revealed unto them must obey the same.... and if ye abide not that covenant, then are ye damned; for no one can reject this covenant and be permitted to enter into my glory. "
How can you actually say that you have faith in something, when you pick and choose what it is about the religion that is acceptable to believe in ?
2007-10-07 10:06:56 · 12 answers · asked by candidworker 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
We Mormons take great pride in our rich and colorless history.
The framers of our religion were not perfect and, as the Lord demands from time to time, the precepts of our religion should - (how shall we say) ADAPT to the times.
Seriously, how do you think we would continue to get converts if we still preached that black people were inferior, or that polygamy is OK or that marrying 14 year old girls is good?
DUH! So, in order to survive and thrive, we hold councils with all the elders of the headquarters and we take polls, etc, and kinda re-assess those writings and try to paint them in a more contemporary light.
But the ESSENTIALS of mormonism are what actually count - not those periphery items...
What counts is that God the Father (Who lives on the planet, KOLOB) made Jesus and Satan BROTHERS and has sex all the time with his infinite beautiful wives and we are his children.
When we die, in our faithful underwear and move on to the next plane, we too, will have sexy wives and bear infinite children to populate planets of our own.
2007-10-07 10:22:04 · answer #1 · answered by The Burninator 1 · 1⤊ 8⤋
We don't pick and choose. You have turned things into what you think it should be. All you want to do is pick and choose which doctrines you want to pick at.
So what if he had 33 wives!! Is that your business? Does it matter now? He's DEAD!!!!!!!!!!! His wives are DEAD!!!!!!! Does it apply to you?? NO!!! So give it up!!
As far as marrying young women, that was NORMAL for the day. The legal age for marriage in his state at the time was NINE!!!!!!!!!!!! That means that 9 year old girls could choose to marry if they wanted. It was legal. Just because we don't think that's right today doesn't mean that's the way it has always been.
Polygamy is a great concept, if done right. When men take it and twist it by saying it's all about sex, or having as many wives as you want, that is taking something that is very divine and making it what men want it to be. That isn't the way God works. Polygamy is the greatest love of all. Being able to support, love and protect those women were what it was about. It wasn't about sex, or about having a lot of wives. It was about loving the women of the church, and wanting to protect and provide for them.
God gave this commandment when He thought it was needed. He took it away when He wanted to. We aren't picking and choosing, we are following what God would have of us. God took it away, not the church. The doctrines are constant. God can change what He wants, when He wants to. There was a reason for it then, and there was a reason to stop it. Does it matter what those reasons were? Are you questioning God? All I know is that we don't practice it now, and don't allow those in the church to practice it. That's enough of a reason for me.
2007-10-07 10:37:20 · answer #2 · answered by odd duck 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Polygamy, like animal sacrifice is part of the everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ.
There is a time for everything.... The time for animal sacrifice was a long one- from about the time of Adam's and Eve's expulsion from Eden to the death of Jesus Christ.
The time for polygamy has been more sporatic-- Abraham, Jacob/Israel, Solomon, David.... There's even a place where it lays out inheritance laws for children of mulitple wives!... doesn't sound exactly "forbidden" to me... (Deuteronomy 21)
Just because it's not currently practiced, doesn't mean we don't feel that it isn't part of the gospel as we know it.
That last quote looked familiar, so I looked it up. It's from Doctrine & Covenants, section 132.... You may want to read verse 7 for more clarification. It specifies that any and all agreements (including marriage) are of no force after death unless "...made and entered into and sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise..."
It seems that you're pretty bitter about this whole thing. I don't know what was said or done that has caused you to feel this way, but posting harsh questions on YA probably isn't going to make things better. All you'll get is either a) people agreeing with your perception that Mormons are hypocritical and amoral or b) people that will call you un-informed and antagonistic.
2007-10-07 13:25:35 · answer #3 · answered by Yoda's Duck 6 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Well, they also believe that the law of the land is to be followed. Believe it or not polygamy helped Mormon women. Of course not everybody wanted to practice it (and many didn't) but it helped take care of women who were too old to marry or had lost their husbands. It was a way to care for the community.
Why do people expect Mormons to justify their faith? The entire bible is followed be interpretation and selection of scriptures. You don't stone your children do you? Do you leave the community when you are on your period? No. You cannot criticize another person's religion when there is not even an ideal religion to choose from.
I am all for challenging the church, but you should at least have the decency to have a valid view point that is based on facts. "An opinion should be the result of thought, not a substitute for it."
2007-10-07 10:11:28 · answer #4 · answered by alana 5 · 6⤊ 0⤋
One thing to remember, is that if you are a member of any church, the ability to remain, is the believe in the doctrines! If you don't believe it, you might as well leave!
Is there a lot to take on faith? Yes, there is! and, you can't ''pick and choose' what you believe! Some people, are members for a life time before they learn some of the doctrine that is held back, just for this reason!
So,take it all, or take nothing, and leave! It is that simple with any religion1
2007-10-07 10:22:35 · answer #5 · answered by evictus 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
3 wives? Documentation please
Most LDS marriages that had polygamy had two wives, and only 10-15 percent of the LDS marriages were polygamous inthe 1800s.
As for the 14 year old who married Joseph Smith was the daughter of Heber Kimbal, a n apostle of the church.
None of the other wives Joseph Smith had ever gave birth to any of his children, only his main wife Emma.
2007-10-07 11:30:55 · answer #6 · answered by Brother G 6 · 4⤊ 0⤋
During his lifetime Joseph Smith had only 4 or 5 wives that I am aware of. Many LDS women as well as RLDS women had themselves sealed to him after his death. (Please note two different churches) Joseph did have a 14 year old wife but the details you gave have been added to the story to heighten the drama. There is no proof that any of the mirages other than his first to Emma were even consummated in the physical sense. And since most of his time was spent in jail after polygamy was introduced, it seems unlikely he had the opportunity to spend any time with the wives.
The LDS church members today are required to follow the Manifesto of 1890. ".....There is nothing in my teachings to the Church or in those of my associates, during the time specified, which can be reasonably construed to inculcate or encourage polygamy; and when any Elder of the Church has used language which appeared to convey any such teaching, he has been promptly reproved."
Wilford Woodurff
President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
2007-10-07 10:31:38 · answer #7 · answered by Nora Explora 6 · 4⤊ 0⤋
At that time it was not uncommon for 14 yr. olds to be wed. As for the 33 wives the man must of had great patience. I don't support nor condemn him or the LDS. There are plenty others doing that. If a person wants to join LDS that is their privilege and right. Why do so many condemn those that don't believe as they do. You preach love thy neighbor as thy self, but I don't guess you plan on any you disapprove of being your neighbor.
2007-10-07 10:18:10 · answer #8 · answered by gwf2 2 · 4⤊ 0⤋
We beleive what God tells us, thru His prophets. Would you pick and choose what to believe in, from everything that God tells you? Would you pick and choose from the Bible what to believe?
Plural marriage is not what brings the fullness of exaltation, it's CELESTIAL marriage, marriage for time and all eternity. And we will always believe that.
2007-10-07 18:40:00 · answer #9 · answered by mormon_4_jesus 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Since babies are issued if fairly equal numbers of little boys and little girls with a few extra girls when they hit adulthood, I'm wondering where you could get enough women for all the guys to have three each. What do you do, have one man three women to support and two horney bachelors or make sure everybody has one then find homes for the few ugly ones that couldn't attract someone on their own?
2007-10-07 10:13:48 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 3⤋