Two Items on Joseph Smith and Early Mormon Polygamy

[_jon]

Back to the subject of polygamy; do Mormon's still believe this:

July 7, 1878 - Apostle Joseph F. Smith preaches from the Tabernacle pulpit: "Some people have supposed that the doctrine of plural marriage was a sort of superfluity, or non-essential to the salvation or exaltation of mankind. In other words, some of the Saints have said, and believe, that a man with one wife, sealed to him by the authority of the Priesthood for time and eternity, will receive an exaltation as great and glorious, if he is faithful, as he possibly could with more than one. I want here to enter my solemn protest against this idea, for I know it is false. . . . Therefore, whoever has imagined that he could obtain the fullness of the blessings pertaining to this celestial law, by complying with only a portion of its conditions, has deceived himself. He cannot do it."

[_moksha]

Back to the subject of polygamy; do Mormon's still believe this:

July 7, 1878 - Apostle Joseph F. Smith preaches from the Tabernacle pulpit: "Some people have supposed that the doctrine of plural marriage was a sort of superfluity, or non-essential to the salvation or exaltation of mankind. In other words, some of the Saints have said, and believe, that a man with one wife, sealed to him by the authority of the Priesthood for time and eternity, will receive an exaltation as great and glorious, if he is faithful, as he possibly could with more than one. I want here to enter my solemn protest against this idea, for I know it is false. . . . Therefore, whoever has imagined that he could obtain the fullness of the blessings pertaining to this celestial law, by complying with only a portion of its conditions, has deceived himself. He cannot do it."

That's like asking if the person who knocked over a bank for a $1.2 heist has a greater reward than a person who earned only $60,000 that year. I would choose to view it on an honesty index rather than a greater or lesser amount of money basis. Many other Mormons in 2011 would choose this view as well.

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