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Mormon Polygamy


Chad Uretsky

 

The references at the end of the each quotation from the Book of Mormon and The Doctrine and Covenants are from the official documents located on the Official LDS Scriptures site. - there is no tampering, and they are not from a biased or anti-Mormon site.

According to the Book of Mormon: "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" - Jacob 1:15

Notice, David and Solomon are said to have indulged in "wicked practices" by "desiring many wives and concubines"

"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 commiting whoredoms, because of the things which were written concerning David, and Solomon his son. Behold, David and Solomon truly had many wives and concubines, which thing was abominable before me, saith the Lord. 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. Wherefore, I the Lord God will not suffer that his people shall do like unto them of old. 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; For I, the Lord God, delight in the chastity of women. And whoredoms are an abomination before me; thus saith the Lord of Hosts...for they shall not commit whoredoms, like unto them of old, saith the Lord of Hosts" - Jacob 2:23-28, 33

Notice, David and Solomon having many wives and concubines was "abominable" before the Lord, and having many wives and concubines is considered "whoredom(s) [which] are an abomination" before the Lord

"Behold, the Lamanites your brethren, whom ye hate because of their filthiness and the cursing which hath come upon their skins, are more righteous than you; for they have not forgotten the commandment of the Lord, which was given unto our father - that they should have save it were one wife, and concubines they should have none, and there should not be whoredoms committed among them" - Jacob 3:5

Notice, men of God are to have only one wife, and should not have concubines - to do otherwise is "whoredom(s)"

"For behold, he [King Noah] did not keep the commandments of God, but he did walk after the desires of his own heart. And he had many wives and concubines. And he did cause his people to commit sin, and do that which was abominable in the sight of the Lord. Yea, and they did commit whoredoms and all manner of wickedness" - Mosiah 11:2

Notice, King Noah "had many wives and concubines," and this was considered not keeping the commandments of God, and again, it is considered "abominable" and "whoredom(s)"

According to Doctrine and Covenants, Section 132:

1 VERILY, thus saith the Lord unto you my servant Joseph, that inasmuch as you have inquired of my hand to know and understand wherein I, the Lord, justified my servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as also Moses, David and Solomon, my servants, as touching the principle and doctrine of their having many wives and concubines- 2 Behold, and lo, I am the Lord thy God, and will answer thee as touching this matter. 3 Therefore, prepare thy heart to receive and obey the instructions which I am about to give unto you; for all those who have this law revealed unto them must obey the same. 4 For behold, I reveal unto you a new and an everlasting covenant; and if ye abide not that covenant, then are ye damned; for no one can reject this covenant and be permitted to enter into my glory. 5 For all who will have a blessing at my hands shall abide the law which was appointed for that blessing, and the conditions thereof, as were instituted from before the foundation of the world. 6 And as pertaining to the new and everlasting covenant, it was instituted for the fulness of my glory; and he that receiveth a fulness thereof must and shall abide the law, or he shall be damned, saith the Lord God. - D&C 132:1-6

Notice, God Himself is said to be revealing this directly, and this covenant is to be followed, else the person who does not follow it "shall be damned"

38 David also received many wives and concubines, and also Solomon and Moses my servants, as also many others of my servants, from the beginning of creation until this time; and in nothing did they sin save in those things which they received not of me.
39 David’s wives and concubines were given unto him of me, by the hand of Nathan, my servant, and others of the prophets who had the keys of this power; and in none of these things did he sin against me save in the case of Uriah and his wife; and, therefore he hath fallen from his exaltation, and received his portion; and he shall not inherit them out of the world, for I gave them unto another, saith the Lord. - D&C 132:38-39

Notice, D&C 132 says that David and Solomon "received" their many wives and concubines (from God, as can be discerned from the context), and this was not sin. It futher goes on to say specifically that God gave David his wives and concubines, and that David did not sin in this matter (except in the case of Uriah and Bathsheba)

61 And again, as pertaining to the law of the priesthood-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; he cannot commit adultery for they are given unto him; for he cannot commit adultery with that that belongeth unto him and to no one else.
62 And if he have ten virgins given unto him by this law, he cannot commit adultery, for they belong to him, and they are given unto him; therefore is he justified. - D&C 132:61-62

Notice, according to this passage, men of God (in this case, "priests") may have many wives, and it is neither sin nor adultery, and the priest is "justified" in having many wives

So, to summarize, according to the Book of Mormon, having many wives and/or concubines, is considered abominable, whoredom, and wickedness. As well, according to the Book of Mormon, David and Solomon having many wives and concubines was an abomination before the Lord, and was considered by the Lord to be wickedness. Men of God are to have only one wife, and to do otherwise is an abominable whoredom. According to The Doctrine and Covenants, section 132, David and Solomon received their many wives and concubines from the Lord and did not sin in having these many wives and concubines (i.e., it was not abominable nor whoredom). Priests (men of God) may have as many wives as they like, as long as they are virgins, and as long as he receives permission from his other wives. This is neither adultery nor sin (i.e., abominable or whoredom). If anyone does not abide by this covenant, "he shall be damned". There is nothing open to interpretation here. Both documents are very clear, and both claim to be the words of God (the passage from D&C section 132 even starts with "VERILY, thus saith the Lord unto you my servant Joseph" - so it claims to be direct revelation). Since they contradict one another, there are really only two possibilities (some may say there are more, but any others should be classifiable under these two): 1) Joseph Smith made up one or both of the documents, and they are not really from God, which condemns Joseph Smith as a false prophet (Jer. 23:25-32, esp. 31,32) 2) The "god" who "revealed" these things to Joseph Smith is confused (or lying), which makes him no god at all, and leaves Joseph Smith speaking for a false god, which again condemns Joseph Smith as a false prophet The evidence is clear. The decision whether to follow a false prophet is yours to make.

In Christ,
Chad Uretsky

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