A reader writes:
There is only one thing that has bothered me so far and that is your explanation on Joseph Smith and polygamy? It sounds like you completely believe he was (and is) a prophet but this explanation you give to explain polygamy just is not sitting well with me at all … I do believe in Joseph being a prophet and as such believe in the doctrine of polygamy. How can you believe a man was a prophet and not believe in a vital doctrine that he taught?
JJ
I think that the LDS have a wrong view of prophets. Not every word they teach is God breathed or the black and white truth. For instance, Joseph’s revelation on selling the copyright to the Book of Mormon turned out to be completely untrue.
Even Jesus said the temple would be destroyed so not one stone would be left upon another, but there still exists a wailing wall.
To follow any flesh and blood man without question is to receive the mark of the beast. The only infallible authority comes from the Spirit within. If you want to know the truth behind polygamy or any other doctrine you must run it by your own soul be open to all things as a little child. I have done this and get no go-head to practice polygamy but do not condemn anyone who does through their own free will.
I believe Joseph saw the beginnings of The Molecular Relationship (see my book on this) but what he received was misinterpreted.
It is difficult to sort out all that happened with polygamy. It is interesting that there is not proof that Joseph fathered even one child through his dozens of wives. So far all DNA testing has shown that kids thought to be descended from him are not.
Here’s an interesting book you might want to check out:
http://restorationbookstore.org/jsfp-index.htm
Reader:
So what is for your feeling as to why most of the ancient prophets practiced polygamy? … Is your feeling that they all practiced it out of free will? From what I have read they thought that they would receive greater blessings and rewards which before I had just thought of that as more posterity but when you have 1,000 or more lives how much more posterity do you need, right?
JJ
Not only did the ancient prophets practice polygamy but just about all the ancient peoples did. Many pharaohs, kings, tribal leaders, religious leaders practiced it. Greece and Rome were two empires that only practiced it during part of their histories. Herod of New testament fame had nine wives.
Mohamed had numerous wives and that tradition is still carried on among the wealthy Moslems today. Would you like to be a plural wife of a Taliban leader? I don’t think so.
Just about anyone who had the means to support more than one wife was polygamous in most cultures. Polygamy was much more prevalent among the rich and powerful than the common people for it was all an average guy could do to support one wife and the kids – and often this was a terrible struggle.
This also worked in reverse. Many powerful women in the ancient world had more than one lover, but weren’t usually officially married to them.
So basically polygamy thrived in the ancient world and powerful men took numerous wives because they could. Powerful men also took many slaves. Why? Because they could. Interestingly, neither slavery or polygamy were condemned in the Bible. That doesn’t make either of them right. It just tells us that the consciousness of the people in that age was not prepared to change their age old traditions.
It is interesting that the early Mormons practiced polygamy yet the practice was condemned in the Book of Mormon, the foundation book of Mormonism.
Jacob 1:15 And now it came to pass that the people of Nephi, under the reign of the second king, began to grow hard in their hearts, and indulge themselves somewhat in wicked practices, such as like unto David of old desiring many wives and concubines, and also Solomon, his son.
16 Yea, and they also began to search much gold and silver, and began to be lifted up somewhat in pride.Jacob 2:23 But the word of God burdens me because of your grosser crimes. For behold, thus saith the Lord: This people begin to wax in iniquity; they understand not the scriptures, for they seek to excuse themselves in committing whoredoms, because of the things which were written concerning David, and Solomon his son.
24 Behold, David and Solomon truly had many wives and concubines, which thing was abominable before me, saith the Lord.
25 Wherefore, thus saith the Lord, I have led this people forth out of the land of Jerusalem, by the power of mine arm, that I might raise up unto me a righteous branch from the fruit of the loins of Joseph.
26 Wherefore, I the Lord God will not suffer that this people shall do like unto them of old.
27 Wherefore, my brethren, hear me, and hearken to the word of the Lord: For there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife; and concubines he shall have none;
28 For I, the Lord God, delight in the chastity of women. And whoredoms are an abomination before me; thus saith the Lord of Hosts.
29 Wherefore, this people shall keep my commandments, saith the Lord of Hosts, or cursed be the land for their sakes.
30 For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people; otherwise they shall hearken unto these things.
31 For behold, I, the Lord, have seen the sorrow, and heard the mourning of the daughters of my people in the land of Jerusalem, yea, and in all the lands of my people, because of the wickedness and abominations of their husbands.
32 And I will not suffer, saith the Lord of Hosts, that the cries of the fair daughters of this people, which I have led out of the land of Jerusalem, shall come up unto me against the men of my people, saith the Lord of Hosts.
33 For they shall not lead away captive the daughters of my people because of their tenderness, save I shall visit them with a sore curse, even unto destruction; for they shall not commit whoredoms, like unto them of old, saith the Lord of Hosts.
34 And now behold, my brethren, ye know that these commandments were given to our father, Lehi; wherefore, ye have known them before; and ye have come unto great condemnation; for ye have done these things which ye ought not to have done.
35 Behold, ye have done greater iniquities than the Lamanites, our brethren. Ye have broken the hearts of your tender wives, and lost the confidence of your children, because of your bad examples before them; and the sobbings of their hearts ascend up to God against you. And because of the strictness of the word of God, which cometh down against you, many hearts died, pierced with deep wounds.