This documentary examines the roots of Joseph Smith’s legacy, and its modern-day fruit. Living Hope Ministries follow the compelling testimonies of nine former fundamentalists, who shed light on this practice and lifestyle which has been shrouded in secrecy since the earliest days of Mormonism.
Watch the entire movie HERE
I’ll have to check out the video. But polygamy is all done in the name of attaining godhood. Sad.
Fundamentalists aren’t Mormons.
Because they practice polygamy? Joseph Smith practiced polygamy. Is he not considered a mormon?
I can’t tell to whom I’m responding since I’m relatively new to blogging. However, if it’s “The Molitor,” yes Joseph Smith was definitely a Mormon, and yes again, he practiced polygamy. However, in 1890 the practice of plural marriages ceased and has neither been practiced nor approved of since that time by the LDS church. In fact, “any member adopting this practice is subject to losing his or her membership in the Church.” (lds.org)
Under what circumstances did the practice of plural marriage cease? And if it did cease, why is it still in mormon doctrine and convenants?
“Any member adopting this practice is subject to losing his or her membership in the Church.” Doesn’t that mean Joseph Smith cannot be considered a member of the Church anymore? Is he excluded from this rule? That sure is convenient for him.
It just seems weird that the leader/profit of the church openly practiced plural marriage and basically told people it was a requirement for godly living, and now, because of government intervention, that has been taken out of mormon practice. Kinda wishy washy if you ask me. It shows that what the mormons practice is only true so long as the government allows it.
Saw this on another blog. Thought it fit well with this discussion: http://ldstalk.wordpress.com/2007/07/29/jesus-was-a-polygamist/
I think THIS sums it all up. “I didn’t have any proof and it wasn’t anything logical…I wasn’t thinking.” Scary.
Hmmm. Not really sure how to answer this because I KNOW that regardless of what I say, you’re basically unwilling to look at anything different from what you believe. I, however, enjoy learning about Hinduism, Buddhism, all sorts of Christian religions, Judaism, and so forth. Whatever and however people want to worship (or not) is fine by me.
However, in response to your first question, polygamy ceased because it became unconstitutional, and according to one of our Articles of Faith, we are subject to the law of the land (in a manner of speaking). About why it’s still mentioned in the Doctrine and Covenants, I can only say that I guess it’s still there for the same reasons that it’s still mentioned in the Old Testament. How many wives did David have? And what about Jacob? Do we go back and rewrite scripture because times change?
Exclude Joseph Smith because of a practice outlawed AFTER his death? I keep thinking of all the (unlawful) things that Christ did that irritated (angered) the Jewish community so much that they pushed and pushed and pushed to have him crucified. Among those “crimes” that he committed were healing people on Sunday.
How can you so emphatically say that you “KNOW” that I am unwilling to look at something different than what I believe? I’ve looked into many different belief systems. I even own a copy of the book of mormon and the qur’an. The difference is that I’m not okay with people believing whatever they want. It is a logical fallacy to think that all these different beliefs can co-exist under the umbrella of truth. They cannot. Each of the different beliefs you mentioned above contradict one another (in a big way). It doesn’t require too much studying to realize this. That goes for mormonism and Christianity too. They are not the same.
The manner in which the Bible mentions polygamy is very different from the way the book of mormon mentions it. For one, the Bible (old and new testament) NEVER condones polygamy. Sure there were people in the Bible that practiced it, but they never said “this is how you should live.” If you consider that time, polygamy was a popular thing. So was pedophilia. I guess you could call it “cultural sin.” People were open about it, but that doesn’t mean it was okay. David and Jacob were not perfect men. Nobody was, or ever will be, perfect (except Jesus Christ). Therefore, I believe David and Jacob sinned when they practiced polygamy. That is very different from the book of mormon, which not only mentions people practicing polygamy, but takes it a step further and says that it is a requirement for attaining godhood.
Part of the Jewish communities downfall was their legalistic view of the Bible. What Jesus did was not unlawful in the eyes of God. However, what Joseph Smith did (among the many things being polygamy) was unlawful in the eyes of God.
In all this, if God impregnated women to populate the Earth (as the mormons believe), then why were the first humans Adam and Eve? Wouldn’t there be more than just two people if the mormon belief of life after death were true? Also, the Bible says that Eve came from Adam’s rib, not from one of God’s many celestial wives (as the mormon’s believe). So that means that if mormonism is true, God only had one offspring. But wait, theres more. The Bible also says that God made Adam from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life (Genesis 2:7). So, under the mormon belief of the afterlife, God did a pretty crappy job of populating the Earth with his celestial wives. Guess he decided to take care of business on His own
—Some verses to consider
Genesis 2:24 - For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife [not wives], and they will become one flesh [not many flesh].
Malachi 2:15 - Has not the LORD made them one [not many]? In flesh and spirit they are his. And why one [not many]? Because he was seeking godly offspring. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith with the wife [not wives] of your youth.
1 Corinthians 7:2 - …Each man should have his own wife [not many wives], and each woman her own husband [not many husbands].
One more thing: Jesus Christ was crucified because he claimed to be God. Plain and simple. Not because he healed people on Sunday.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=D7v_V8qSIIo
Good question…about how I KNOW. Perhaps I was a bit hasty with that. I’m guilty of making quick judgments (not always correct) based on decades of teaching college students. Somehow right in the beginning I can sense the ones who are eager and willing to learn and others who say, “Try to make me change my mind.”
You need to know upfront that I’m not into contention and argumentation. I’m willing to discuss things in an amicable, reasonable way, and I promise not to attack you and your beliefs. In one of Marianne Williamson’s books, she mentions that she often asks herself this question: “Do I want to be right, or do I want to feel peace?” The truth is that most of us want to be both right AND at peace. However, peace comes first for me, especially if I already KNOW the answers that work for me.
Okay, just a couple of things. Does it ever cause problems in your relationships when people in your life believe differently from you? I’m asking because you said you’re not okay with people believing whatever they want. As the only “member” in my extended family, I often get chided, harassed, criticized, and even pitied about being LDS. When that happens, I tell them (as I’m telling you) about the Eleventh Article of Faith: “We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege; let them worship how, where, or what they may.”
That paragraph about God impregnating women is news to me…and erroneous. We believe in the Bible…and yes, the Adam and Eve story.
I didn’t say Christ was crucified because he healed on Sunday. I said that was one of the many “crimes” he was accused of.
An image of Ghandi just came to mind. I think he’s the one who used the metaphor of a mountain with God being on top of it. We all want to get where He is, and yet we all must start at the bottom of whereever we are. If in China, then you start from there (as a Buddhist) and so forth. Sooner or later, the paths converge as we near the top.
I hope we all get there.
In reply to the 11th article:
How can a sinful conscience dicate correctly how to worship God?
I take issue with the Ghandi qoute.
“An image of Ghandi just came to mind. I think he’s the one who used the metaphor of a mountain with God being on top of it. We all want to get where He is, and yet we all must start at the bottom of whereever we are.”
Problem is we are sinners. All of us. We dont desire to know God as he truly is. Some of us sinners have a desire to know God but this is skewed because of sin.
God chooses who goes up the mountain so to speak. Ghandi’s logic flawed in this.
1) By thinking we can reach God on our own.
2) Thinking we have a true/real desire to know God.
3) Not acknowledging that it is God who carrys us up the mountain to see Him.
4) Ghandi’s reasoning is pluralistic. It allows the sinful thought of ‘all roads lead to God’. The Bible says the path is narrow. Christ is the path. It is Christ who guides to the end.