There were more Males than Females.

[_Yong Xi]

Was there really a surplus of women in the LDS Church at the time some the LDS men were Practicing Polygamy?

Sounds like the wrong question to me. Some better questions might revolve around how many men were worthy and had the means.

As I understand it, both BY and HCK had 50+ wives each. I am curious whether they and their children really were supported financially. I can't imagine they were. If so, where did BY and HCK get the "means" for this?

Additionally, you would have a hard time convincing me that BY and HCK supported their wives (or children) emotionally. It just isn't possible. They did not possess the emotional "means". (Where are the love letters for wife #49?)

As much as sex is discussed as it relates to polygamy, do you really believe that BY and HCK had the sexual "means" (time,energy) to satisfy all their wives?

Oddly, those with the most wives were church leaders. Don't church leaders determine worthiness?

Anybody know a man that can support 50+ women and meet all their needs? These poor women were chattel.

[_Yong Xi]

For a sociological study that examined ratios and economics, contrary to your opening thread, I recommend Kathryn Daynes, "More Wives than One: Transformation of the Mormon Marriage System, 1940-1910 (Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 2001), chapters 5 - 7. The book concludes that there was a slight surplus of women in the territory but a significant surplus of worthy and endowed women to worthy and endowed men.

The census data does not distinguish between Mormons and non-Mormons.

Widstoe had no sociological data.

I would be interested in any non-anonymous critiques of Daynes' work.

I think it was the endowed men who determined that the women were endowed. No pun intended.

[_Boaz & Lidia]

Was there really a surplus of women in the LDS Church at the time some the LDS men were Practicing Polygamy?

Sounds like the wrong question to me. Some better questions might revolve around how many men were worthy and had the means.

Oh sure, like John D. Lee?

He was dirt poor and treated his wives like crap.

Next attempt?

[_rcrocket]

Do you think a single anecdote proves your theory and disposes of contrary theories?

[_Boaz & Lidia]

Young also was poor. He died a million dollars in debt to the the Mormon church.

Next!

[_beastie]

Well, there are more temple-worthy females than males in the LDS church today, from what I've heard. So as soon as polygamy is legalized (which will happen one day, I predict), will the LDS church reinstitute polygamy to "care for" all these surplus women who can't find a temple-worthy man?

It's a very sly use of "care for", by the way.

[_truth dancer]

This "men have to be married to girls and women so they can take care of them" is such nonsense I don't even know how it is said in seriousness.

Like human beings can't help those in need?

Like a father wouldn't take care of his fifteen year old daughter?

Like brothers and sisters don't help their siblings?

Like one has to be married to someone to help them out?

What does it say about a group of men who won't help the needy unless they are MARRIED to them?

And what about the boys and men who needed help? Were they not helped because the guys couldn't marry them?

And this silly argument assumes men took care of their wives... what nonsense. The women were for all intents and purposes single women, trying to raise their children alone, working a farm, living in poverty without a decent husband but sexually attached to a man.

~dancer~

[_antishock8]

The most recent FLDS debacle should be an object lesson for even the most ardent supporters of Mormon polygamy. It's a sham system, designed to abuse minors with sexual assault and abandonment. How anyone could see BY's marriage to teenagers as young as 15 as an older adult male, and still think he was called of God is another good take on the brainwashing Mormons undergo in order to accept such a horrible reality.

Mormons. Your faith is misplaced. Your prophets are just men doing what men do, which is run an enterprise, and in some cases accrue women along with a comfortable lifestyle. Don't continue to deceive yourselves just because you were indoctrinated to believe what you were told. You have the ability to see this thing for what it is: A lie.

[_Brackite]

Even if there were an imbalance of females, (which I've never seen supported) why couldn't the members simply take care of them out of good will and Christian charity? Why did there have to be a marriage, like some kind of trade off?

That is a very Great Point, Beastie! The Following is how the Great King Limhi in the Book of Mormon, handled the imbalance and Surplus among his People. Here is Mosiah Chapter 21, Verses 16 and 18:

Mosiah 21:16-18:


[16] And it came to pass that they began to prosper by degrees in the land, and began to raise grain more abundantly, and flocks, and herds, that they did not suffer with hunger.

[17] Now there was a great number of women, more than there was of men; therefore king Limhi commanded that every man should impart to the support of the widows and their children, that they might not perish with hunger; and this they did because of the greatness of their number that had been slain.

[18] Now the people of Limhi kept together in a body as much as it was possible, and secured their grain and their flocks;

King Limhi in the Book of Mormon, did Not have any of his People to Practice the sin of Polygamy to be able in order to take care of the females among his People. In the Book of Mormon, there were not any of the righteous and worthy men who Practiced the sin of Polygamy. Please See For Example: Jacob 2:23-34 and Ether 9:23-24.

[_LifeOnaPlate]

Hello again,

We also need to remember that the 2nd President of the LDS Church, Brigham Young, also married pretty very young females as wives when he was over the age of 40 years old.
Here are a list of some of the young Wives, of Brigham Young:

How about the older wives? How old were they?