Mormons believe that the book of mormon was translated correctly, unlike the bible, and is the word of god. Theres a book called kingdom of the cults, in which the lds org is listed. Ambitious mormon men must beget many children with as many wives as possible, for their glory in heaven is in proportion to the number of their wives. Members of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints the mormon church have only been allowed to have one wife for over 120 years, so they dont have so many wives. A few words concerning the history of the people of nephi. One of the most offensive aspects of mormon based polygamy is the rampant practice of taking underage girls as polygamous wives. Mormon is usually used to indicate people that believe the book of mormon. Instead, he taught that there are three heavenly kingdoms where nearly all people will be saved.
Some mormons marry and have more than one wife, but this is not accepted by the mormon church, which. In getting there, smith had to have done something pretty big, which for all intents and purposes was publishing the book of mormon. Starting in 1853, the mormons began to claim that jesus had many wives and possibly even children by them, all on the strength of an idiosyncratic reading of a few passages in the gospels and the psalms. Had several wives, but didnt live with them openly. The pr answer is no, members of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints do not have many wives. What is mormonism, why can men have multiple wives, what. Those many wives in heaven need to first be sealed to a husband on earth. Mormons believe that the book of mormon tells the story of. However for the mormons trying to recruit new people they will whip out a. Doctrine and covenants, section 101 removed in 1876.
Smith translated the book of mormon, the churchs sacred scripture. Some mormons marry and have more than one wife, but this is not accepted by the mormon church, which does not accept polygamy or plural marriage. What the book of mormon tells us about jesus christ. This is chapter one from women of the book of mormon. Brigham young had more than 50 wives, 19 were connubial wives, and with all these women had 56 children. Josephs percentage of wives in their teen years was less than the series percentage of teen wives in kirtland, nauvoo, or the 1850 u. What is mormonism, why can men have multiple wives, what are. And by lds people, im referring to the organization headquartered in salt lake city, utah and is currently presided over by russel nelson. The early mormon church embraced polygamy and in so doing they sought to justify their preferred form of marriage by citing biblical examples. A mormon is only allowed to have one wife, according to the book of mormon.
These polygamous arrangements were not, and are not, considered adultery by the church, as it is the mormon view that god specifically commanded those men and select others to take many wives. These chapters in the book of mormon, giving an account of the message, trial, and death of the prophet abinadi, are quite well known. The mormon view of heaven and hell the bottomline guide. Currently, the official mormon position supports monogamy. The problems come when people later find out the truth, whether its about how the book of mormon was translated or how many wives joseph smith had. In the western united states, there are at least 30,000 people involved in the practice of mormon. The book of mormon, therefore, is the only record professing to be divine which condemns the plurality of wives as being a practice exceedingly abominable before god.
Why did the early mormons believe in plural marriage. The bible and the book of mormon teach that the marriage of one man to one woman is gods standard, except at specific periods when he has declared otherwise. As well, many modern readers dont quite know what to do with a book that is more than 500 pages long but has only six named women sariah, abish and isabel in the book of mormon s. He confoundeth a man who seeketh to overthrow the doctrine of christ. Explaining polygamy and its history in the mormon church. This is precisely what brian david mitchell did when he abducted elizabeth smart. During this time the church publicly taught against polygamy and denied practicing it, while church authorities were privately taking plural wives. She has been called the first plural wife of the prophet joseph smith. A man may take a 100 wives if he can support them, but only one can be on paper. What do we know about mormon leader joseph smiths wives. Polygamy plural marriage lds church perspective on. Some women feel frustrated or offended that in what joseph smith called the most correct of any book on earth, god would have neglected to mention women. Mormons believe that the book of mormon tells the story of gods dealing with americans in. Jacob and joseph seek to persuade men to believe in christ and keep his commandmentsnephi dieswickedness prevails among the nephites.
A mormon, whether male or female, can only be sealed to one living person at any given time. As well, many modern readers dont quite know what to do with a book that is more than 500 pages long but has only six named women sariah, abish and isabel in the book of mormon s own. Excommunicated fringe groups that splintered from the mormon church currently practice this. By the time of his death in 1844, joseph smith is believed to have married at least 33 women, with some as young as 14 years old. This spotlight on polygamy is likely to make the majority of mormons who are nonfundamentalist uncomfortable. Mormon belief about relationships fact and myth cheat sheet. Insights and inspirations, originally published by covenant communications, inc. One of the biggest complaints i hear about the women of the scriptures is that there very few women mentioned in the book of mormon. Joseph smith rejected the idea that all people go either to heaven or to hell. Mormon leaders have acknowledged for the first time that the churchs founder and prophet, joseph smith, portrayed in church materials as a loyal partner to his loving. The stark contrast between the righteous dedication of abinadi and the stubborn wickedness of king noah and his priests is unforgettable.
In an attempt to justify early mormon polygamy, many mormons point to the bible. For if i will, saith the lord of hosts, raise up seed. That may be true, but never, and in no way, does the bible ever say that god commanded them to take additional wives. It is a spiritual topic, associated with faith, belief, testimony, emotion, revelation, and personal conviction. A man who has multiple wives can beget many more spirit children, making him much more powerful. The biblical imagery of god as husband and his people as wife is continued in the book of mormon, mostly from the writings of isaiah.
Behold, david and solomon truly had many wives and concubines, which thing was abominable before me, saith the lord. Mormons wont tell you that the state of utah, which is predominately mormon, has a higher than the national average of wife. Words of mormon mormon son of mormon moroni visited joseph smith mosiah isaiah sons and daughters sons and daughters children of ammon a people descended from lot solomon king many wives and concubines many wives. Lds historian todd compton, in his book in sacred loneliness, described various instances where some wives in polygamous marriages. Mormons believe that the book of mormon confirms information found in the holy bible. Though mormon history and press indicate beaman was not baptized until may 11, 1843, she had migrated with mormons to nauvoo in 1839 or 1840. After smiths death, beaman remarried, becoming the ninth wife. Martin harris may 18, 1783 july 10, 1875 was an early convert to the latter day saint movement who financially guaranteed the first printing of the book of mormon and also served as one of three witnesses who testified that they had seen the golden plates from which joseph smith said the book of mormon had been translated. New mormon narrative history book includes polygamous roots. The critics use this quote to state that orson pratt admitted that the book of mormon condemns plural marriage by extracting only the portion of his quote that mentions it. The book of mormon shall stand as a testimony against the world, ether 5. Mormon leaders have trust issues religion news service.
Unfortunately, later book of mormon peoples saw the rise of wicked kings such as noah, the son of zeniff, who did not keep the commandments of god by taking many wives and concubines mosiah 11. Bassett, it begins with a family, in the book of mormon. The churchs public affairs department directed huffpost to todd compton, a mormon researcher whose 1997 book in sacred loneliness compiles a list of 33 welldocumented wives. Interestingly, this passage also links the polygamy of noah and his. Women in the book of mormon encyclopedia of mormonism. From 1830 to 1876, lds scripture was consistent in prohibited polygamy. The greatest triumph is the way the 19th wife illuminates the larger landscape of faith. The book of mormon videos youtube channel is a collection of videos based on accounts from the book of mormon. This verse clearly says that it was abominable to god that david had many wives and concubines. After all, abraham and jacob and david and solomon had more than one wife. Salt lake city ap mormon church founder joseph smith insisted on introducing polygamy in the early 1800s despite knowing the. And i specify that as the pr answer because it is effectively true, but there are technicalities. For there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife.
Due to legal and social pressures, mormon officials banned the practice of plural marriage in 1890. Check out this fascinating article which shows what book of mormon prophets thought of polygamy and also why polygamy was practiced in the. The book of mormon is a sacred text of the movement, which mormons used alongside the bible for teaching. Many mormons, especially those with polygamous ancestors, say they.
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