Hi, I am new so pls forgive my reply to an old thread. I joined so I could add something.

I too was a Mormon. I was not born into it but I converted with my moms consent when I was 15 years old. I am now 45. I spent alot of time studying. I am suprised that no other Mormons have mentioned something else about the polygamus lifestyle from the day.

If you read (I cant recall exactly where it is in the D and C) you will discover that during the early 1840's when Joseph SMith was being persecuted for his new religion, he and his followers ferried from state to state to escape from it. They were more or less pioneers. Many women were left as widows with children and no one to support them, for one reason or another. Some men were lynched or shot or hung. Some were just killed by mysterious circumstances.

Now this was the day when women were not like they are now. They couldnt just pickup and go get a job. They were also expected to rear their children and keep the family going. This really bothered Mr. Smith. He wanted to keep everyone together and he didnt know what to do about it and so he prayed for the answers on what he should do. After a few unsuccessful prayers (I dont know what else you want to call them) it was finally revealed to him from the "lord god" that he should marry some of these women and encourage the other elders to do so as well. Not only was it the right thing to do in the eyes of the lord, he was also told that it was a blessing to have more than one wife. They couldnt legally marry in the eyes of the law and so it was a spiritual marriage because after all their spirtuality had much more meaning to them than the laws of men.

In his time, there were many who didnt agree with polygamy but did say that it was honorable that he had left no women behind with their kids to fend for themselves. What kind of a man would he be if he left them to fend for themselves? Many people could interpret just what kind of a blessing multiple wives were. But I think that even though having extra mouths to feed and support, extra children to clothe and feed and love AND to also tithe to the church....that would not be easy and so they looked upon it as god would bless them in greater ways to make their hardships seem small.

I think that many people along the way mostly from FLDS have interpreted that into how polygamy is today within their sect, where lots of wives gets you a higher place in heaven. And I am not sure how they came up with "keep sweet" or how they justified a wife at age 14 or 15 but that practice was not common even in the 1953 raid. (teen wives)

I dont mean to stir anything up and it is with respect that I post.

By history we see a pattern where a lot can be disorted or interpreted to a mans thinking or liking. Some say this is true of Joseph Smith, some say the same for Osama bin Laden and his jihad. The Koran does not teach their faithful to go out and kill infidels on an hourly basis (I read it thru and many muslims will tell you the same) yet that is how those radicals perceive it to be. In the early beginnings of the LDS, the doctrine did not say to go out and get as many pubescent girls as wives and force them to have sex and treat them badly, yet that is how most FLDS view plural marriages today.

"Oh, you're a polygamist or polyamourist...you live on a compound and marry teen girls and have 20 kids!"

I dont have to repeat what others have already said but I will agree with the comment that was made about Mormonism being more of a culture or ethnicity just like Jews and when I say Mormonism I do not mean off shoots.

I am polyamorous and I believe polygamy can work. It needs a framework of honesty and trust and commitment and is not for the faint of heart. Hows this for a mix.....I am an initiated Gardnerian that is now practicing more ecletic. I am also native american (Metis-Ojibwe). I have 4 kids. I am married to my husband for 2 years but we have been together for 20. We have a blended family, my kids, his kids and our kid. We said that when we could be legally wed in our religious beliefs that we would do it and we did. We had a native/Wiccan ceremony/hand fasting done by a minister. This is our 3rd marriage each. I am lucky that my mate has the same beliefs as I AND that he holds some that I do not. (As above so below). Maybe thats what makes it work. I am also hard of hearing and I am soon to be deaf. We have had alot of trials and ordeals that would have made others give it up (we lost a son) but we made it work. They key was communication, after all its just as hard to argue in sign language than it is by voice! LOL We have always agreed that another wife would be a good thing for us and that when it was right it would happen. Until then only the god/dess can tell.

Thankyou for allowing me to share and to be here and ad my little blurb,

DJ