Polygamy Essay

[MerrieMiss]

I have not been to RS for years, and since being released from Primary I've always found other things to do than attend. I received an email this week that our lesson on Sunday is on the polygamy essay so I am tempted to go, just to see what it's like.

I usually don't say much in church, but I wouldn't mind making some mild comments on the subject matter. Any ideas on how the lesson might go, what I could say, or what might make people receptive to thinking about the topic? I'm really surprised to see that this is the topic. In my experience, women in the church pretend polygamy never happened and the p-word is a bad word to even say. Any thoughts are appreciated.

[FoundMyOwnWay]

That is going to be one awkward lesson. All lds women I know get really uncomfortable and defensive whenever polygamy is brought up.

If spiritual wifery is brought up to defend Smith's antics, you can always ask why D&C 132 doesn't talk about that. You know the supposed "revelation" detailing how polygamy should be restored.

There is so much that happened that the Church doesn't talk about. Marrying other men's wives, mother daughter combos, full on crazy stuff. At one time you could see all of Smith's wives on the lds family history website, but I'm not sure they do anymore. You can find a List of Joseph Smith's wives wikipedia page though, it even lists the wife's marital status at the time of sealing to Joseph.

[Korihor]

Listen to a few "year of polygamy podcasts" to get updated on some personal stories.
Read the Mormonthink website about this issue

Share your documented information with the class.

[wtfluff]

Direct them to read the footnotes.

[2bizE]

Wow. The teacher is brave and forward thinking. Could be a NOM, too. Really, instructors usually avoid this. For someone to purposefully discusss the polygamy essay is fantastic. Prepare and go. And of course return and report.

[didyoumythme]

Some questions to consider -

Why did Joseph Smith practice polygamy (Fanny Alger) before the sealing power was restored in 1836?
Where in the Bible does God command polygamy to be practiced?
Why was Joseph Smith sealed to 20+ women before being sealed to Emma?
Why didn't Joseph follow his own revelation on polygamy?
-D&C 132:61 "...if any man espouse a virgin, and desire to espouse another, and the first give her consent, and if he espouse
the second, and they are virgins, and have vowed to no other man, then is he justified...”
Why did Joseph Smith publicly lie about polygamy his entire life and hide it from his own wife despite the verse above?
Why did Joseph Smith practice polyandry despite the verse above (not virgins)?
Why did Joseph Smith have the Nauvoo expositor destroyed although it only made statements now admitted as true in these essays?
Why do people claim there were no sexual relations in light of the following verse?
-D&C 132:62 “…for they are given unto him to multiply and replenish the earth…”

You may also point out that there are 3 polygamy essays, not just one. A lot of the details are buried in these other two essays that are linked from the main essay.

[alas]

Boy, that would be worth going to just to see 30 or so women sitting there looking like deer in headlights. I would want to find out if the older TBMs claim that some of it is anti Mormon lies. Anyone who is not shocked by the material in the essay is possibly already NOM or a nuanced believer (I don't understand how people can know how Joseph practiced adulter......um, I mean polygamy and still believe he was a true prophet)

Please return and report.

[Vlad the Emailer]

I received an email this week that our lesson on Sunday is on the polygamy essay so I am tempted to go, just to see what it's like.

I'm really surprised to see that this is the topic.

I stand all amazed as well that that is the topic and I wonder how it became such. Who is the email from? Did they say whose idea it was for that to be the topic? Whoever came up with it, it sounds like a NOM type trying to spread food for thought.

I think something that should be pointed out (by you, if necessary) is that everyone should read the essay for themselves, and all the other essays, for that matter. Why read only one??? They all came from the church.

You can comment on so many things. Like why they would say Helen Marr Kimball married Joe "several months before her 15th birthday" instead of just saying she was 14. Or better yet, ask why Henry Jacobs, a faithful Mormon, had to give up his wife to marriage to Joe, then to marriage and everything else to Brigham. If polygamy is part of God's plan, how did it work out for him?

I look forward to reading about how the discussion goes.

[Mormorrisey]

I too am rather surprised your RS is tackling this topic! Not a usual "do your VT" kind of first Sunday message, is it? Wow. I would be very tempted to hang out in the hall and listen to such a lesson myself. Some really good suggestions were given by others so I'll hold my peace; other than to say, please, please if you go, let us know what happened? I will be waiting with anticipation!

[Corsair]

Why did Joseph Smith practice polygamy (Fanny Alger) before the sealing power was restored in 1836?
Where in the Bible does God command polygamy to be practiced?
Why was Joseph Smith sealed to 20+ women before being sealed to Emma?
Why didn't Joseph follow his own revelation on polygamy?
-D&C 132:61 "...if any man espouse a virgin, and desire to espouse another, and the first give her consent, and if he espouse
the second, and they are virgins, and have vowed to no other man, then is he justified...”
Why did Joseph Smith publicly lie about polygamy his entire life and hide it from his own wife despite the verse above?
Why did Joseph Smith practice polyandry despite the verse above (not virgins)?
Why did Joseph Smith have the Nauvoo expositor destroyed although it only made statements now admitted as true in these essays?
Why do people claim there were no sexual relations in light of the following verse?
-D&C 132:62 “…for they are given unto him to multiply and replenish the earth…”

This is a minefield of a church lesson and this is an excellent list questions. I would also add:

• How did the sealing ceremony work with Louisa Beaman since she was sealed to Joseph Smith on April 5, 1841 but was not baptized until May 11, 1843?

This is kind of a detailed question that makes it sound like you are trying to catch the teacher off guard. To really twist the emotional knife try these questions:

• How many of you faith sisters sitting in this room today would humbly accept polygamy if you and your husband were called to start this practice today by being called through priesthood authority by a bishop, stake president, or apostle?
• How many of you would accept having one of your teenage daughters join a plural marriage with a current apostle or seventy who was quite a bit older?
• How many of you would accept having one of your teenage daughters join a plural marriage with their local bishop?

[Just This Guy]

One question I would ask is:

The commonly justifies that polygamy was used to support women who would otherwise have no husband to support them, commonly because they died due to various reason.
1. Census records for Utah clear show that Utah historically had more men than women. This was the case from the first Census all the way up until 1960 when women outnumber men for the first time in Utah's history. There obviously was no shortage of men to take care of the women. Under ideal terms, men would be denied salvation because there were not enough women to go around. Polygamy only made it worse my reducing the number of women available for men to marry.
2. If Polygamy was to take care of to widows, how could they do use it for that since D&C 132 says they have to be virgins?

[FiveFingerMnemonic]

Even better would be to bring a recording device and transcribe the dialogue. It would be fascinating to see how this works out.

[AllieOop]

I have not been to RS for years, and since being released from Primary I've always found other things to do than attend. I received an email this week that our lesson on Sunday is on the polygamy essay so I am tempted to go, just to see what it's like.

Do you know which polygamy essay they will be discussing (there are more than one).

lds.org does not make it easy to find the polygamy essays.

First you must go to the gospel topics page:
https://www.lds.org/topics/essays?lang=eng&old=true

Then click on "Plural Marriage in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints" which will take you here:
https://www.lds.org/topics/plural-marri ... g&old=true

Many members get this far and believe this one is the polygamy essay.

You have to click on the other 3 links within this essay to get to the other 3 essays on polygamy:
https://www.lds.org/topics/plural-marri ... g&old=true
https://www.lds.org/topics/plural-marri ... g&old=true
https://www.lds.org/topics/the-manifest ... g&old=true

[MerrieMiss]

I really appreciate everyone's comments.

I stand all amazed as well that that is the topic and I wonder how it became such. Who is the email from? Did they say whose idea it was for that to be the topic? Whoever came up with it, it sounds like a NOM type trying to spread food for thought.

Every week the RS sends out an email with a summary of the lesson already given, info about what lesson is the next week, birthdays, announcements, etc. First thing listed this week was: Next lesson –Essays on 11 topics:  Plural Marriage in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. If the EQ is having the same lesson, my husband doesn’t know about it.

I imagine the lesson will be very generic. The link is to the general polygamy essay and I doubt anyone will want to dig any deeper than that. I have no idea who is teaching it or whose idea it is. We do have a fairly new bishopric, so it’s possible it came from there. I’m curious to see reactions since we live in a very TBM and pious ward. If there are any heretics about, they’re very quiet.

You may also point out that there are 3 polygamy essays, not just one. A lot of the details are buried in these other two essays that are linked from the main essay.

The general polygamy essay is very tame. The only footnotes are scriptures (and one official statement by JFS). The more troubling parts of polygamy are never referenced or touched upon, and in my opinion, only in a very apologetic and vague way in the other essays. I don't know, maybe I was inoculated too well as a youth.

It’s rather difficult to admit, but polygamy wasn't really a shelf item. It didn’t get to me until I read a book on the FLDS and saw how logical their claim is to following original LDS teachings, so I feel really incompetent on this topic in addition to being a slow thinker. I prefer to mull things over before I talk which is one reason I rarely say anything in church as teachers always proceed with the lesson to stay on topic and rarely pause.

Even better would be to bring a recording device and transcribe the dialogue. It would be fascinating to see how this works out.

It’s crossed my mind to record the lesson, but I’m not really sure how to do it properly. I’m afraid Siri will interrupt the lesson or something.

[Red Ryder]

Just stay home and watch reruns of Gilligan's Island. At least that way if your frustrated you can blame it on the Skipper!

[AllieOop]

Every week the RS sends out an email with a summary of the lesson already given, info about what lesson is the next week, birthdays, announcements, etc. First thing listed this week was: Next lesson –Essays on 11 topics:  Plural Marriage in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

As I posted above, there are 3 more polygamy essays linked to the one you name above (where many more details are given especially the one regarding polygamy that Joseph Smith lived).

If you are able to, raise your hand and point out that the essay you're discussing is only an introduction to three other, more in depth essays (and if you're REALLY brave, say "for instance, there's an essay discussing Joseph's polygamy" or something like that.

Let us know how it goes if you attend!!

[TheRunningmom]

It’s crossed my mind to record the lesson, but I’m not really sure how to do it properly. I’m afraid Siri will interrupt the lesson or something.

Or you could show off Siri's church knowledge. Ask her to list the wives of Joseph Smith or Brigham Young.

I think it is important to point out that a man in his 30s marrying a teenager "a few months shy of her 15th birthday" was frowned upon back then just like it is today, that most of the teens who married that young most often married another teen. The average age of first marriage back in Joseph's time was still around 20 or 21.

[didyoumythme]

Or you could show off Siri's church knowledge. Ask her to list the wives of Joseph Smith or Brigham Young. :lol

For real though...anyone with an iPhone needs to repeat the following - "hey Siri, who were Brigham young's wives?"

Return and report.

[Emower]

I just learned about Luisa Beaman recently. Just when you think you know most of the issues *bam* here comes another.

[Rob4Hope]

I'm coming into this thread late,...but let me just say the story of Henry Jacobs and Zina Huntington infuriates me!

It also blows holes through all the apologetic crap about "surplus girls", and the need for women to marry someone who was "worthy"....etc. What a load of crock.

Joseph Smith and Brigham Young were both narcissistic cruel men. I'm sorry, I can't see it any other way. God sacrificed Henry Jacob's as a test? Paaaleeeease!

So, you are telling me God will command adultry for one, and justify it because "he was the prophet", and for another, blood atonement is the only way out? You have some extremes here folks. It maka no sensa...