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HBO's 'Big Love' is a Big Problem 26 March 2006 By: Todd Bauerle
Page 3 of 12 A Brief History of the LDS Church and Polygamy (Continued) The Saints moved west, out of the United States and into the Utah Territory in search of religious freedom. Eventually polygamy was outlawed in the United States, and it became a major issue in the determination of Utah's statehood. This weighed heavily upon the current Prophet's mind, now Wilford Woodruff, fourth in line from Joseph. He was deeply troubled, especially with the conflict in counsel to the Saints to be subject to the laws of the land.6 On the matter and time, President Woodruff pondered: "Which is the wisest course for the Latter-day Saints to pursue—to continue to attempt to practice plural marriage, with the laws of the nation against it and the opposition of sixty millions of people, and at the cost of the confiscation and loss of all the Temples, and the stopping of all the ordinances therein, both for the living and the dead, and the imprisonment of the First Presidency and Twelve and the heads of families in the Church, and the confiscation of personal property of the people. "The Lord showed me by vision and revelation exactly what would take place if we did not stop this practice. If we had not stopped it, you would have had no use for . . . any of the men in this temple at Logan; for all ordinances would be stopped throughout the land of Zion. Confusion would reign throughout Israel, and many men would be made prisoners. This trouble would have come upon the whole Church, and we should have been compelled to stop the practice. Now, the question is, whether it should be stopped in this manner, or in the way the Lord has manifested to us, and leave our Prophets and Apostles and fathers free men, and the temples in the hands of the people, so that the dead may be redeemed."7 This 'Official Declaration' ended the practice of plural marriage in 1890. Since that time effort has been made to excommunicate those who performed or practiced polygamy after the declaration. The United States allowed those who had already entered into a plural marriage to remain married and officially recognized. However, there were some who disagreed with the ending of plural marriage, and refused to recognize the divine commandment to submit to the laws of the nation. These families continued the practice, and became the founding members of polygamist compounds and communities in Utah and Arizona. The communities are the estimated 20 - 40 thousand mentioned in the disclaimer for Big Love. The purpose of the abbreviated, yet detailed history of the LDS Church in regard to the practice of plural marriage is for education. As a member of the LDS Church, I accept this history and the divinity of the Prophets, both of old and current. I have not made an attempt to 'defend' this doctrine as I believe it is valid and inspired principle, and for the time...practice. After all, this is not an essay in defense of the practice, but one of education. 6. The Articles of Faith 1:12. The Pearl of Great Price. 7. Official Declaration 1. The Doctrine & Covenants.
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