Polygamy

 "The best revenge is massive success."  -- Frank Sinatra

There are some controversial things in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints that I don't claim to understand completely. One such thing is polygamy. First of all, as I understand it, we don't practice polygamy anymore. That was in the past and according to counsel received from God to prophets in the past. I know that Joseph Smith and other early saints practiced polygamy and married wives for both "time and eternity" and "eternity." Joseph Smith said, "the same sociality that exists here will exist in heaven." He also taught that God is fair and that those who do not have an opportunity to marry in this life will have that opportunity in the next life if they are faithful.

One thing that seems clear to me now is that most guys aren't going to make it into heaven. Guys especially, have a problem with faith, and charity, living the commandments, ( i.e, the law of chastity), and just being decent human beings. It seems to me there are a lot more women than men living celestial law nowdays. 

Is it really fair though that guys get to marry many wives and women have to share? I don't know about that. Anyone ever thought that God is fair and all-powerful and can easily make good boy babies. Maybe there is a batch of perfect men in heaven and enough to go around for every girl there. I also don't think heaven mirrors the reality we have here and that that sociality quote I mentioned above is not too important. I think God is extremely, extremely fair and if a girl wants to have their own man, that will be a viable option for them. It is taught in the Book of Mormon that marriage to one woman is God's standard manner of union.  

Personally, I have a hard time keeping up with one woman let alone a dozen. If I had many wives I'm sure I would fail to spend equal time with them, neglect them somehow, or not respect their various differences and be partial to one wife over another at times. 

Also, what about the instance in the Bible where Christ was asked a question about a woman who had seven husbands. He was asked who does she belong to in the resurrection? Christ said, "Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven." Anyone know what that all means?

I feel like I have read the scriptures a lot in my life and pondered these things a bit, but it still hasn't dawned on me what they all mean. Maybe I'm missing out on something good, I don't know. I still think I am going to stick with the conservative monogamy ideals I have always had. All I know is that I gotta choose my love and love my choice. She's gotta be my soul mate and after marriage I gotta work hard, live right and make it an enduring eternal marriage regardless of whether our marriage is solemnized in a temple or not. I believe you can be married for eternity in a temple but that doesn't mean anything if you break your covenants or marry unworthily without the holy spirit of promise. 

My understanding may be too simple. I know I am as Brigham Young said, "a menace to society" (I consider that a compliment not an attack) and a fool in many regards. I just have always said I wasn't going to marry wrong and take one step forward and two steps back. That is just me though, and I understand why many women marry even when it isn't real love. They are just realists and not going to deprive themselves of some of the joys in life. I get that, it also makes sense. I know I am just an exception, not the norm in society. I am very stubborn once I get something in my head, be it wrong or right. 

So anyways that's my spiel about marriage. I don't know why I am writing about it right now, I guess it has been on my mind lately. I will try and resolve some of these questions I have in the future. Talk at ya later.  

UPDATE:  It has been about two years since I wrote this blog post.  I have had a big evolution in my thinking since this last post and think what I understand now is the right train of thought on marriage. Read my Sept. 2024 "Alabama" post to see what I now think about polygamy and marriage and things. Take care and thanks for reading.