Mormon perspective on modern and historical polygamy:
What we know is that Joseph Smith was an inquisitive man.
At the beginning of the Church in modern days, a lot of knowledge was being revealed very quickly, and Joseph was eager to learn more.
One day he asked the Lord about the practice of polygamy as it was done among the Biblical patriarchs such as Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who all had wives and concubines.
Moses, King David and King Solomon also had had multiple wives, and these were all righteous men. He wanted to know if this practice of having many wives and concubines was a practice that was sanctioned by the Lord.
The Lord told Joseph to "prepare thy heart to receive and obey the instructions which I am about to give unto you" (verse 3). What the Lord then tells Joseph about is what we call "the new and everlasting covenant" of marriage (verse 4).
Near the end of Section 132, God tells Joseph Smith that "plural marriage" or polygamy, is also part of this "new and everlasting covenant of marriage" and it talks about some of the laws that surround the proper practice of this.
These are the views shared by Winston Blackmore and James Oler. Based on the history and practice of polygamous marriages incorporated into the mormon religion, mormons view this an acceptable and expected behaviour. This has come to be a crucial part of their religion and believe it benefits those involved.
What we know is that Joseph Smith was an inquisitive man.
At the beginning of the Church in modern days, a lot of knowledge was being revealed very quickly, and Joseph was eager to learn more.
One day he asked the Lord about the practice of polygamy as it was done among the Biblical patriarchs such as Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who all had wives and concubines.
Moses, King David and King Solomon also had had multiple wives, and these were all righteous men. He wanted to know if this practice of having many wives and concubines was a practice that was sanctioned by the Lord.
The Lord told Joseph to "prepare thy heart to receive and obey the instructions which I am about to give unto you" (verse 3). What the Lord then tells Joseph about is what we call "the new and everlasting covenant" of marriage (verse 4).
Near the end of Section 132, God tells Joseph Smith that "plural marriage" or polygamy, is also part of this "new and everlasting covenant of marriage" and it talks about some of the laws that surround the proper practice of this.
These are the views shared by Winston Blackmore and James Oler. Based on the history and practice of polygamous marriages incorporated into the mormon religion, mormons view this an acceptable and expected behaviour. This has come to be a crucial part of their religion and believe it benefits those involved.