I am disturbed by polygamy. As a practicing Mormon, it is by far the most troubling historical issue to me (and I've heard them all, *I think*). Even more disturbing: Is it still doctrine? We don't have an answer.
REGARDLESS, the recent incidents in Texas with CPS and the FLDS church are messed up. To be clear, rape is wrong. I even think that patriarchy intentionally creating a bunch of single mothers (one of the effects of polygamy) is unethical at best. But who can seriously say that these 416 kids are better off in foster care? Well, CPS can, apparently. Foster care is NOT a good answer. Some kids come out of it okay, for sure--there are some good homes. But taking them from their mothers and creating a future of revolving foster homes, group homes, attachment problems, weekly therapy, and alternative schools for the next 20 years is amoral. Foster care is the LAST resort for kids. We can't take away kids from mothers just because we don't like polygamy. If the FLDS men are raping girls, they should be taken out of the homes. Leave the women and children alone.
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"Leave the women and children alone."
ReplyDeleteThe women are far from innocent bystanders. They are active participants in the culture and cultivate the belief in their children that it is their god's will to do this, that, and the other.
So,is leaving children within an abusive household - where the father and mothers are the abusers - amoral?
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"The women are far from innocent bystanders."
ReplyDeleteI agree with that statement. I just don't think that foster care is a good solution in this case. In abuse cases, removal may be necessary. However, it seems like the Texas CPS thought "remove first, build case later." Should we be removing kids based on threat of abuse?
I have never lived in foster care, and I didn't grow up in an abusive home. However, I have worked with foster kids for over a year, and I really think it should be the last resort.
3/18 addition: "FLDS mothers testified they were willing to do whatever the judge required, including moving away from the sect's YFZ ranch and getting jobs, to regain custody of their children."
I believe that unless the church leadership eliminates D&C 132, or at least parts of it that condone polygamy, it will always be a fundamental core doctrine of Mormonism. It was taught by Joseph Smith and Brigham Young especially as a fundamental core belief that polygamy was essential to making it into the highest degree of the celestial kingdom.
ReplyDeleteAlthough the church excommunicates members that practice it and the church leadership has done a lot to distance themselves from FLDS groups, it is still a core doctrine of Mormonism and was a major principal taught in the early days of the church.
I think the church should just come out and renounce D&C 132 by vote of the membership.
"it is still a core doctrine of Mormonism"
ReplyDeleteAt the very least, it would be nice if it was made clear one way or the other.
Some people say it's just something we don't know right now, but if it's in that category, then I don't think we should continue to renounce it publicly, yet accept it in the back of our minds... I would have no problem if it was removed from the D&C.
I do appreciate that the issue is *somewhat* open in church. Just the other day in primary the kids each had a prophet to read about and then share something from their lives in front of the other kids. One of the little girls said that "Wilford Woodruff married 4 wives on the same day!" And they all thought that was pretty weird.
I say *somewhat* open because I think a lot of members still think that polygamy was practiced because there weren't enough men...lol. I don't know where that comes from, considering polygamy is "doctrinal" in the D&C...
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Late as I may be to this conversation, I want to add my thoughts. What troubles me is that, as far as I understand it, the LDS Church still practices polygamy, only not in this realm.
ReplyDeleteIt is doctrine and practice that a man may be spiritually sealed for eternity to more than one woman. While members and church leaders strongly condemn the polygamy as it is practiced by fundamentalist Mormon groups - which is i think i positive as a far as it goes - they seem hypocritical to me by saying how wrong it is, but then in effect condoning the practice in the eternal perspective. I wish they would just do away with the whole misogynistic practice once and for all - in the mortal world and the afterlife.
I agree Judd, it is obviously hypocritical to condemn it yet still practice it. The condemnation should be limited to the forced marriages with underage girls that are still going on.
ReplyDelete"It is doctrine and practice that a man may be spiritually sealed for eternity to more than one woman."
This makes no sense to me (not what you said, but the doctrine itself). If polygamy is "not doctrinal" as President Hinckley opined some years ago (which I was glad to hear), we should not be practicing it right?
As for practice, there have been cases (such as one mentioned in the David O. McKay bio) of women being sealed to second husbands. McKay said something like "We'll let the Lord figure it out." :)