28. There were more men than women during polygamy.
September 8, 202426. Brigham Young has Zina live with him
September 10, 2024
Polygamy was taught as doctrine by the church in the 1800’s. Aspects of polygamy are now considered “not doctrinal.”
A1) Gordon B. Hinckley state polygamy is not doctrinal.
Supporting Sources and Quotes
Gordon B. Hinckley stated in Larry King Live, September 8, 1998:
"I condemn it [polygamy], yes, as a practice, because I think it is not doctrinal. It is not legal. And this church takes the position that we will abide by the law. We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, magistrates in honoring, obeying and sustaining the law."
Interview available on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAsNMWwRXvs
A2) Other prophets stated polygamy is doctrinal.
Supporting Sources and Quotes
“We will pass along in the Church without obeying or submitting to it in our faith or believing this order, because, for aught that we know, this community may be broken up yet, and we may have lucrative offices offered to us; we will not, therefore, be polygamists lest we should fail in obtaining some earthly honor, character, and office, etc.” The man that has that in his heart, and will continue to persist in pursuing that policy, will come short of dwelling in the presence of the Father and the Son, in celestial glory. The only men who become Gods, even the Sons of God, are those who enter into polygamy.”
-Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 11:269
“Yes, [polygamy is] one of the relics of Adam, of Enoch, of Noah, of Abraham, of Isaac, of Jacob, of Moses, David, Solomon, the Prophets, of Jesus, and his apostles.”
- Prophet Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, v. 11, p. 328
“The Scripture says that He, the Lord, came walking in the Temple, with His train; I do not know who they were, unless His wives and children; but at any rate they filled the Temple, and how many there were who could not get into the Temple I cannot say. This is the account given by Isaiah, whether he told the truth or not I leave every body to judge for himself.”
- Prophet Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, v. 13, p. 309
“God has given us a revelation in regard to celestial marriage. I did not make it. He has told us certain things pertaining to this matter, and they would like us to tone that principle down and change it and make it applicable to the views of the day. This we cannot do; nor can we interfere with any of the commands of God to meet the persuasions or behests of men. I cannot do it, and will not do it.”
- Prophet John Taylor, Journal of Discourses, v. 25, p. 309
Thus the doctrine of plural marriage was of central importance to Smith for religious, doctrinal, ecclesiastical, and emotional reasons. William Clayton, his scribe and companion in Nauvoo, wrote that the Mormon prophet spoke of little else in private in the last year of his life. As he developed the principle of sealing ordinances that connected families for eternity, this doctrine was inextricably bound up with plural marriage. Later nineteenth-century Mormons taught that a monogamist could not gain complete salvation, a belief that was clearly based on Smith’s teachings.
- Todd M. Compton, In Sacred Loneliness: The Plural Wives of Joseph Smith. Signature Books.
Issues these Facts Raise
What do we call male members who are sealed to multiple women if not polygamy? Russel M. Nelson. is sealed to multiple women, isn’t that polygamy in the eternities? It is not uncommon for a man in the church to be sealed and then when his first wife passes away he is sealed to a second wife. If there are multiple women sealed to a man is that not polygamy in heaven?
Gordon B. Hinckley’s statement on Larry King Live that polygamy "is not doctrinal" appears to directly contradict the teachings of Brigham Young and other early church leaders, who insisted that polygamy was essential for exaltation. What is the reliability of prophetic guidance and the coherence of LDS doctrine over time? How can something that was once taught as necessary for salvation now be condemned by a modern prophet?
Brigham Young explicitly taught that the only men who could become gods were those who entered into polygamy. This teaching creates a stark contrast with modern LDS views that downplay or disavow polygamy. How is something that was once deemed essential no longer be necessary?
Brigham Young’s assertion that avoiding polygamy for "earthly honor" or "office" would lead to a failure to attain celestial glory could create tension with Hinckley’s statement that the church must "abide by the law." The historical pressure to practice polygamy, despite societal opposition, was seen as a test of faith. Modern leaders’ rejection of polygamy as a doctrine might cause someone to question whether the church has changed its stance due to external societal pressure rather than divine command. Could the church's position on polygamy have shifted simply to align with legal and cultural norms rather than eternal principles?
Hinckley’s emphasis on obeying the law contrasts with earlier teachings that insisted on the divine mandate of polygamy, regardless of legal restrictions. Historically, the church practiced polygamy in defiance of U.S. law until the late 19th century.
Questions these Facts Raise
Are modern leaders receiving the same changing revelations as the early prophets? How can I reliably believe that what they are stating is necessary for salvation isn’t just a changing doctrine?
How do we reconcile the contradictions between past and present prophetic teachings? If the leaders of the past were wrong about polygamy, what else might they have been wrong about?
Brigham Young's teaching that Jesus may have been a polygamist is a particularly jarring doctrine, especially given the lack of biblical evidence supporting such a claim. How much were early LDS leaders influenced by their own cultural context or personal beliefs in shaping doctrine? If these teachings were incorrect or speculative, what other doctrines might also be in question?
John Taylor’s statement that the church cannot change divine commands about polygamy despite societal pressure highlights a major concern: Why was polygamy considered an unchangeable commandment from God in the 19th century, but now it is not only disavowed but condemned? Does this suggest that revelation can change based on social or political pressures?
If polygamy was once seen as essential for exaltation, but now monogamy is the norm, what does that mean for members' eternal prospects? Will polygamy be restored in the afterlife, as some early teachings suggest, or has the doctrine been fundamentally altered? This leaves major uncertainty about what can be expected in the afterlife.
If polygamy was once necessary for exaltation, what does that mean for current members who are monogamous? Will polygamy be required in the afterlife?
Why did the church change its stance on polygamy? Was it due to divine revelation, or was it simply a response to legal and societal pressure?
How reliable is the doctrine of "continuing revelation" if major aspects of it, like polygamy, can shift so dramatically over time?
