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BACK           A fundamentalist reader writes...

Joseph Smith      The resurgence of the practice of polygamy in the Latter Days in America, is attributed to Mormonism's Prophet, Seer and Revelator, Jos. Smith. Though officially illegal in Utah, it is still practiced here by many fundamentalist groups and offshoots or splinter groups from the Latter-Day Saint church (Mormons) such as the FLDS  ( COC ).

      Polygamy is not illegal in some of the other states and current U.S. Supreme Court Justice Scalia is of the opinion that Polygamy would need to be upheld as constitutional if it were to be presented in front of the Supreme Court.   He bases this decision on the rights of the Polygamist being equal to the rights of the Homosexual.
 

Polygamy Library:

God's Brothel
The Extortion of Sex for Salvation in Contemporary Mormon and Christian Fundamentalist Polygamy and the Stories of 18 Women Who Escaped

by Andrea Moore Emmett

      Polygamy was practiced anciently and is practiced currently by many cultures.  While it may seem unnatural to you and me, it is and has been a way of life for many, if not most cultures throughout history.  We find that Polygamy was practiced in the Old Testament by the likes of Abraham, Jacob, David and Solomon.  The New Testament does not explicitly condemn the practice of polygamy, so some other Christian groups practice it today as well.   Joseph Smith received his interest from studying these Old Testament scriptures and claims to have received a revelation from God that it is not only acceptable, but desired by God for righteous men to have more than one wife throughout eternity.  Of course, who among us is righteous enough to be worthy of one wife, let alone several.

      I offer the following statistics as my evidence that those who currently engage in this relationship would probably have been better off if they followed the more recent Latter-Day Saint doctrine which abolishes the practice in the church on this earth.  Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who enter into polygamous relationships are excommunicated from the church, but there are other "Mormon" splinter groups that are waiting to accept them with open arms.  :-)

I am not trying to write your WWW page for you and I have no burning desire to do so.  I was checking around for some various things on the net and happened to come upon you page.  When I read that you fealt that Joseph Smith "practically" invented Polygamy, I just had to E-mail you and let you know I thought it inaccurate.

I certainly didn't (and still don't) mean to be contentious.  While I am a Latter-day Saint, I do believe in the doctrine of Polygamy more than I do the Manifesto which "abolished" it in the LDS church.  I have sympathy for both sides.   There are many I know who could and maybe should practice it, but don't.   There are others who do practice it, but probably shouldn't. Who am I to judge.   I only have control of my life and am only accountable for the same.  I may one day practice polygamy, who knows.  Maybe you will one day also.  :-)

Stan Shepp
York, PA  Center of the Universe



 

Outside, Looking in 
 by
Gil Gaudia

This is an atheist novel, not merely a secular novel. Many novels, including whodunits, science fiction and romance novel are secular, in that religion is not mentioned or does not play any role. But that merely means, the author does not bring up the topic of religion, as we mostly don't in everyday life. This book is about the main character having no religion and god being an illogical construct. This first-time novel, written by an Atheist, is about one man's struggle to find a sense of place in a religious society.

 

Here’s a handy chart to help you understand what we Mormons
actually believe.. This guide can help you track the progress of
your soul from its disembodied birth in heaven to its final resting
place in one of the four houses of the afterlife...

This graphic was taken from the very excellent page here.