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A portion of section 101 of the original D&C, (Book or Commandments) reads:

Inasmuch as this Church of Christ has been reproached with the crime of fornication and polygamy, we declare that we believe that one man should have one wife, and one woman but one husband, except in case of death, when either is at liberty to marry again.

If I recall correctly, this verse was removed from the official scriptures of the CoJCoLDS in 1876.

I'm wondering how members of the LDS church, participating in polygamy and polyandry justified and rationalized living in direct opposition to this official doctrine and teaching.

Thanks for your thoughts,

~td~

Those who had the ability to believe conflicting "doctrines" at once were able to justify it.
Those who believed the two could not be reconciled went with non-polygamous branches of the church, later left the Brighamites, or kept quiet and didn't participate.

I think that many who did participate were able to produce a "spiritual confirmation" that it was from god. They also used the Old Testament as justification.

truth dancer wrote:A portion of section 101 of the original D&C, (Book or Commandments) reads:

Inasmuch as this Church of Christ has been reproached with the crime of fornication and polygamy, we declare that we believe that one man should have one wife, and one woman but one husband, except in case of death, when either is at liberty to marry again.

If I recall correctly, this verse was removed from the official scriptures of the CoJCoLDS in 1876.

I'm wondering how members of the LDS church, participating in polygamy and polyandry justified and rationalized living in direct opposition to this official doctrine and teaching.

Thanks for your thoughts,

~td~

Joseph didn't see it as his "own", as pertaining to him... and so neither did anyone else that he initiated into it.

truth dancer wrote:I'm wondering how members of the LDS church, participating in polygamy and polyandry justified and rationalized living in direct opposition to this official doctrine and teaching.

Thanks for your thoughts,

~td~

Sometimes the doctrine is strong but the flesh is weak. Of course, this is not so much a justification as it is a statement about the natural man.

If I recall correctly, this verse was removed from the official scriptures of the CoJCoLDS in 1876.

I'm wondering how members of the LDS church, participating in polygamy and polyandry justified and rationalized living in direct opposition to this official doctrine and teaching.

They probably noted that 1833 comes before 1843.

bcspace wrote:

If I recall correctly, this verse was removed from the official scriptures of the CoJCoLDS in 1876.

I'm wondering how members of the LDS church, participating in polygamy and polyandry justified and rationalized living in direct opposition to this official doctrine and teaching.

They probably noted that 1833 comes before 1843.

I'm wondering why you see that as important?

bcspace wrote:

If I recall correctly, this verse was removed from the official scriptures of the CoJCoLDS in 1876.

I'm wondering how members of the LDS church, participating in polygamy and polyandry justified and rationalized living in direct opposition to this official doctrine and teaching.

They probably noted that 1833 comes before 1843.

So it was a known lie when issued?

I wish we could hear from believers on this... or anyone who has any information from believers at the time.

We have a significant number of LDS members living in direct, flagrant opposition to official doctrine, supposedly directly from God.

How did they justify it?

During the 1800s you have official doctrine clearly defining monogamy as official doctrine yet members were going against God's word; today those scriptures have been eliminated and the church teaches polygamy is of God (when God says so).

Who is to say that even though the LDS church speaks out in opposition to polygamy today, there are not members engaged in the practice?

There are certainly members, (we all may know a few), who believe they know more than the brethren, or believe they are one of the elect in the church, or that they are a little more special than the regular members. Hmmm....

:-)

~td~

Td, I don't think the people living Polygamous lives at a time when the doctrine being taught was monogamy should be classed as just LDS members. They were the Leaders. It was "do as we say, not as we do".

In fact a member was excommunicated by Joseph Smith for expressing Polygamy as a righteous principle at the very time that he himself (Joseph that is) was living polygamously.

truth dancer wrote:A portion of section 101 of the original D&C, (Book or Commandments) reads:

Inasmuch as this Church of Christ has been reproached with the crime of fornication and polygamy, we declare that we believe that one man should have one wife, and one woman but one husband, except in case of death, when either is at liberty to marry again.

If I recall correctly, this verse was removed from the official scriptures of the CoJCoLDS in 1876.

I'm wondering how members of the LDS church, participating in polygamy and polyandry justified and rationalized living in direct opposition to this official doctrine and teaching.

Thanks for your thoughts,

~td~

interesting point, especially about "official doctrine". Considering that Oliver Cowdery wrote that particular quotation and offered as a statement of belief (not revelation) at conference shows that perhaps the issue of polygamy was not quite Church-wide approved by the Lord, yet (see DC 132).
I think the assumption that leaders were in "direct opposition" is not founded on the context of this particular scripture reference, especially considering the politics of the matter and O.C.'s motivations.