What does the church do if and when polygamy is legalized?

[Sleeping in EQ]

Think about polygamy from this direction: there are multiple cultures that allow polygamy (eg. Islam and many cultures in Africa). As it currently stands, these people can't be baptized if they have more than one wife. Are we going to in perpetuity have a stance that will either completely preclude these people from joining the church or at the bare minimum force them to split up their families?

This is a POV I've considered. I think it has merit in the long term.

[TripletDaddy]

can you imagine the PR mess that would create?

"We are announcing that the LDS Church has officially reinstated the practice of polygamy, or plural marriage.

To clarify, at one time we did practice it, although apparently a bunch of our members didn't even know we practiced it, then we stopped practicing it, although a bunch of our members refused to stop practicing it. In the past 100 years, we no longer practiced it and have tried our best to clarify that we stopped practicing it, although we never really stopped practicing it because we still practice it in the temple by allowing multiple sealings.

Today we officially start practicing it again, even though it appears that we never really stopped practicing it entirely.

Also, please note that while we are now officially practicing it (again?), not everyone will be practicing it.

Any questions from the press?"

It's no wonder that people don't always understand Mormon doctrine. L-ToPe recently gave a talk at Women's Conference or some similar meeting about strengthening the image of the Church. It was a great talk because it used actual man-on-the-street interview footage to show how most people don't even know who we are or what we believe. There was one great quote from someone in N.O. that had received disaster aid in the aftermath of Katrina. The person basically said, "the 2 most helpful groups during this time have been the LDS Church and the Mormons."

[Jarid in Cedar]

can you imagine the PR mess that would create?

"We are announcing that the LDS Church has officially reinstated the practice of polygamy, or plural marriage.

To clarify, at one time we did practice it, although apparently a bunch of our members didn't even know we practiced it, then we stopped practicing it, although a bunch of our members refused to stop practicing it. In the past 100 years, we no longer practiced it and have tried our best to clarify that we stopped practicing it, although we never really stopped practicing it because we still practice it in the temple by allowing multiple sealings.

Today we officially start practicing it again, even though it appears that we never really stopped practicing it entirely.

Also, please note that while we are now officially practicing it (again?), not everyone will be practicing it.

Any questions from the press?"

It's no wonder that people don't always understand Mormon doctrine. L-ToPe recently gave a talk at Women's Conference or some similar meeting about strengthening the image of the Church. It was a great talk because it used actual man-on-the-street interview footage to show how most people don't even know who we are or what we believe. There was one great quote from someone in N.O. that had received disaster aid in the aftermath of Katrina. The person basically said, "the 2 most helpful groups during this time have been the LDS Church and the Mormons."

[beefytee]

There was one great quote from someone in N.O. that had received disaster aid in the aftermath of Katrina. The person basically said, "the 2 most helpful groups during this time have been the LDS Church and the Mormons."

I've heard this, but it was from some disaster relief for tornadoes in Oklahoma City.

http://www.shields-research.org/Hoax...ds.htm#tornado

[wuapinmon]

Even if tomorrow it became legal nationally and the church immediately reinstated polygamy, what percentage of Melchizedek Priesthood holders would ever actually be asked to practice it?

I think this is part of why the current leadership wouldn't ever bring it back, even if it were suddenly made legal everywhere; they would lose control. People could start claiming that the Lord told them to marry someone. People would splinter into groups and factions; basically, I think it would lead to jism schisms.

[Indy Coug]

I think this is part of why the current leadership wouldn't ever bring it back, even if it were suddenly made legal everywhere; they would lose control. People could start claiming that the Lord told them to marry someone. People would splinter into groups and factions; basically, I think it would lead to jism schisms.

Weren't polygamous unions supposed to be essentially "by assignment" back in the 19th century?

[LA Ute]

can you imagine the PR mess that would create?

"We are announcing that the LDS Church has officially reinstated the practice of polygamy, or plural marriage.

To clarify, at one time we did practice it, although apparently a bunch of our members didn't even know we practiced it, then we stopped practicing it, although a bunch of our members refused to stop practicing it. In the past 100 years, we no longer practiced it and have tried our best to clarify that we stopped practicing it, although we never really stopped practicing it because we still practice it in the temple by allowing multiple sealings.

Today we officially start practicing it again, even though it appears that we never really stopped practicing it entirely.

Also, please note that while we are now officially practicing it (again?), not everyone will be practicing it.

Any questions from the press?"

These are the kinds of images that will be in my mind as I run screaming into the night.

[wuapinmon]

These are the kinds of images that will be in my mind as I run screaming into the night.

This is the kind of thing you find out about Sunday morning in a letter from the pulpit. Would you turn off the lights in the cultural hall and run around screaming?

[Indy Coug]

This is the kind of thing you find out about Sunday morning in a letter from the pulpit. Would you turn off the lights in the cultural hall and run around screaming?

The only audible gasp I've heard during General Conference was when they announced the rebuilding of the Nauvoo temple. I think most of the reaction was because people temporarily thought they were talking about Jackson County instead of Nauvoo.

[LA Ute]

This is the kind of thing you find out about Sunday morning in a letter from the pulpit. Would you turn off the lights in the cultural hall and run around screaming?

If you are asking me to think rationally about this, I am not ready to do so. But that does sound like fun, and it would keep me out of any callings whatsoever for a very long time.

[Art Vandelay]

The only audible gasp I've heard during General Conference was when they announced the rebuilding of the Nauvoo temple. I think most of the reaction was because people temporarily thought they were talking about Jackson County instead of Nauvoo.

On my mission I had an investigator at church when Elder Hunter was speaking and didn't land his backflip, she let out a loud, "Oh My Gawd !!!" Thankfully the other 3 families who went to the church to watch GC were either asleep or too busy eating their bowls of cheerios to notice.

[Pheidippides]

These are the kinds of images that will be in my mind as I run screaming into the night.

And I will volunteer to be your screaming running buddy. We can both run from my wife, who will have a massive amount of dissonance to deal with at that point and who will be as likely to shoot me as not, depending on how I answer very specific questions.

Side note: You know that horrible game that couples out in the world play where the woman asks the guy which one of her friends he'd sleep with if she'd let him (you know, where there's not a right answer, especially if she has hawt friends)? I've noticed we Mormons play that game too, only it's the "who would you take as a second wife if polygamy came back" game. Same general concept, same no-win scenario. Female version of the Kobayashi Maru.

[Color Me Badd Fan]

As for the self-loathing aspect of polygamy, I think it's very uncomfortable to look at the alleged polygamous history of Joseph Smith and then look at what Warren Jeffs did. There are a few things that aren't dissimilar in the way both men practiced.

[RobinFinderson]

How can bigamy be illegal, when the 'marriages' are not recognized by the state? Presently, I could legally have multiple partners, including my one state-sanctioned wife. No problem. But if I say that the other women/men are my husbands/wives, then I am breaking the law.

Does this mean that it is against the law to have plural-wives, but it is legal to have plural-wyves? When does having multiple partners break the law?

[Indy Coug]

I've noticed we Mormons play that game too, only it's the "who would you take as a second wife if polygamy came back" game. Same general concept, same no-win scenario. Female version of the Kobayashi Maru.

The variation I've played is "if polygamy comes back it and comes by priesthood assignment, who would I get stuck with?" Seeing some of the single sisters in various wards I've lived in, it's a very scary game and one that is probably best played at a campfire in the middle of the wilderness.