Rational justification for Polygamy?

[_William Schryver]

So where are the offspring of Joseph Smith?

Good question. Where are the offspring of Joseph Smith if, as we are repeatedly assured on this message board, he was busy practically every night of the week with some young, fecund female in Nauvoo?

He certainly wasn't sterile, since Emma apparently never had any trouble conceiving.

[_asbestosman]

If there's one thing I've learned from this board, it's that consensual sex with multiple partners is okay unless God commands it.

[_The Nehor]

God told us to do it.

Prove it.

Sure, commit seppeku and ask him. Problem solved. Report on your results.

[_badseed]

How hard is that to understand?

Not too hard. The idea is pretty straight forward. Believing it is the tough part.

I just seems far more likely that it is a man-made institution driven by a desire for sex and power than to believe God either A) rewarded his faithful leaders with wives or B) that He had some celestial breeding program so that offspring would be born into the homes of leaders. You may not be suggesting the latter, Will, but some have.

I have my doubts about the effectiveness of the breeding plan anyway. Heber C. Kimball, the consummate (intended) polygamist, had many wives (40+) and children however it is unclear that, when it's said and done, his offspring were more valiant. Some attribute this to the fact that he and other polygamist fathers were often absent as role models and influencers. Just a thought.

[_badseed]

So where are the offspring of Joseph Smith?

Good question. Where are the offspring of Joseph Smith if, as we are repeatedly assured on this message board, he was busy practically every night of the week with some young, fecund female in Nauvoo?

He certainly wasn't sterile, since Emma apparently never had any trouble conceiving.

Right. I see your point.

Problem is that either Joseph was holding out on God and not fulfilling the commandment (perhaps following Onan rather than Abraham and "spilling" or avoiding intercourse altogether — because as you've stated Joseph Smith had kids with Emma) OR there are children that have not been ID'ed and the apologetic argument of no kids is vapor. I suppose it could be possible that he only could conceive with Emma and none of the other 2 dozen + others. Not likely though.

Problematic either way. Personally the fact that there are accounts of wives confirming sex w/ Joseph Smith I think the existence of kids is most likely.

[_zzyzx]

Nehor wrote: "God told us to do it."

If he actually did the D&C says "virgins" and 'permission of the first wife'.

As for numbers of women and men, Census figures show the opposite of what one on this topic is claiming.

Even the Book of Mormon says it is wrong.

If you can justify Polygamy... why not concubines? They are biblical as well.

[_zzyzx]

"Joseph Smith lived at a time in which there were no laws against polygamy"

There were laws against it at the time.
Later as the Saints moved to Canada and Mexico to escape the more heavily enforced Anti-bigamy statutes they moved into countries where Polygamy/bigamy was also against the law. They just moved into places where the laws were not enforced.

So much for 'obeying the law' with this practice.

[_badseed]

If there's one thing I've learned from this board, it's that consensual sex with multiple partners is okay unless God commands it.

That's the part I have issue with. So sure, while polygamy is not my chosen form of marriage, if more than 2 consenting adults "marry" and have sex— I don't care. That's their bizness.

However, if they feel compelled to practice this because they think God commanded, then it is of interest to me. I would guess that most consenting adults (couples, threesomes, whatever) have sex by choice rather than feeling commanded or compelled to. That's the difference.

Before I go and marry another wife, give my wife to the prophet or cut off the head of a drunken sleeping man— you bet I'm going to as sure as I can be that it was God that told me to do it before pulling the trigger. I'm selective about who I allow to control my actions, relationships and sex life.

in my opinion polygamy and a number of other practices attributed to God are nothing more than ideas that men have come up with and then claimed came from God.

[_DarkHelmet]

If there's one thing I've learned from this board, it's that consensual sex with multiple partners is okay unless God commands it.

How can God command consensual sex? The problem with polygamy is it is non-consensual. The only reason the women agreed to it was because God, through his chosen prophet, commanded them to do it. That is NOT consensual sex, and that is the very root of the problem with polygamy.

[_William Schryver]

If there's one thing I've learned from this board, it's that consensual sex with multiple partners is okay unless God commands it.

Oh, my!

That is classic!

You might have just earned a week on my sig line. Congratulations, abman. You pulled a funny.