Wait, Aren't Mormons Polygamists?

Good question. First, may I clarify a point before I answer your question? The title “Mormons” is actually a nickname given to members of our church in the mid-1800s. The nickname came from the book of Scripture that Joseph Smith translated, called the Book of Mormon.

To read more about the Book of Mormon, Click Here

To request a copy of the Book of Mormon so you can find out for yourself, Click Here

To learn about Joseph Smith, Click Here

The mid-1800s was a rough time for religion, and the Church was persecuted by many outside and inside many of the religions of the time. The term ‘Mormons’ actually became a derogatory term, and though many members of the church embraced the title, it has never been the actual name of the Church.

The name of the church, given by revelation to the Prophet Joseph Smith, is “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints”. It’s a mouth-full, but it truly defines who we are. This is the same church that Jesus established while He was on the Earth, complete with Apostles and Prophets, Priesthood Authority to act in His name, and Revelation to guide the saints (meaning those who have been baptized into the church and are on the covenant path) in these Latter Days.

We believe that the famine of the word prophesied in the bible, was the loss of Christ’s church on Earth as all His Apostles were killed. With no one to lead the church, Christ’s authority was removed from the earth, and a famine of God’s word began (see Amos 8:11-12).

This was nothing new, throughout history, God’s people have gone through periods of strength and apostasy. Apostasy means to fall away, in this case, it literally means to fall away from God. Everyone goes through periods of falling away, but when all the people fall away, and God’s prophets are killed, then there’s no one left to lead the people in righteousness. This is a general apostasy.

After each general apostasy, a restoration must take place for God to start up His church again. Each time, this restoration is brought about by God calling a prophet and authorizing him to preach and organize His church. When God calls a prophet to restore his church, it is called a Gospel Dispensation.

Abraham, Moses, Noah, and others have been prophets of a dispensation that have restored God’s church. Peter was one who Jesus called to lead His church in His absence. But when he and the other apostles were killed, there was no one left to lead His church, and the world fell into apostasy.

The next prophet that God called to lead his church, and open the last dispensation, was Joseph Smith. In the process of restoring God’s church again on the earth, Joseph Smith was visited by many of the Dispensational Prophets, who bestowed on him Authority and Keys pertaining to their dispensation. Moses, Peter, Elijah, and others all bestowed priesthood power needed to organize the Church. This is why it is called the Dispensation of the Fullness of Times, for this dispensation has received the fullness of each dispensation before it.

Whether it was the sealing power spoken of by Elijah, to seal the hearts of the children to the fathers and the fathers to the children, or baptisms for the dead, or the keys to the Gathering of Israel, and, yes, even to doctrine of Polygamy. Many of the patriarchs of old practiced polygamy; Abraham, Jacob and others, and it was counted unto them for righteousness. Was this just a custom of their time, or a commandment of the Lord? In the Bible, we learn that some were commanded of the Lord, and even though we aren’t told that for all of them, we can believe that since they were God’s prophets, they couldn’t have been living in sin.

In the Book of Mormon, a prophet named Jacob taught that it is only permissible when God commands it, and otherwise it is an abomination in His eyes.

Joseph Smith also viewed it as an abomination and shrunk back in fear and self-loathing when he was commanded to take another wife. It took a few commandments from the Lord before he finally succumbed and married a second wife. He later taught a few of the Apostles and others, and it became if not a common practice, at least not as abhorred as before. According to the prophet, only those who were called to do so by their Priesthood Leaders should enter into polygamy. Some who were called to do so entered willingly, others followed the commandment even though they felt it was like Abraham offering his son, Isaac on the altar.

This practice continued until it was revealed to the 3rd prophet after Joseph Smith, Wilford Woodruff, that the saints should cease the practice. The understanding at the time was that, similar to the temple they’d been commanded to build in Kirkland and then had to abandon due to persecution, the purpose of Polygamy was only truly known to God, and the saints had grown through the experience.

Today, although there are a few small groups who call themselves ‘Mormons’ and practice polygamy, they are not part of The Church of Jesus Christ. No members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints practice polygamy today.