How do you deal with hard questions

[zeezrom]

1) I accept is as a mistake most likely originating with Joseph Smith's weakness for women.

2) Then I simply add it to my long list of reasons that I do not believe in the church anymore.

3) Then I live and be happy.

I can understand how letting this issue go might "set you free" in a way.

I haven't become convinced yet that he had a weakness for women. I'm still of the opinion that it was more of a weakness for power, but I could be wrong.

[CV75]

Forgive me for being presumptuous, but could this answer fall into the category of:

"I'm okay with the concept historically and doctrinally today."

I want to be sure to convey that I am not OK with it as a doctrine to be practiced today, given the keys to practice it haven't been re-activated.

[divinenature]

I want to be sure to convey that I am not OK with it as a doctrine to be practiced today, given the keys to practice it haven't been re-activated.

What about men who are sealed to more than one woman in the temple today? (but not living with them at the same time on earth)

[zeezrom]

Then the situation would be identical to what it was prior to the offer, there is no suggestion that I remember that says HMK or her family will suffer if she doesn't do it.

Wasn't it Joseph Smith who said,

Blessings offered, but rejected, are no longer blessings, but become like the talent hid in the earth by the wicked and slothful servant;

I think the 14-yr old girl would be afraid of disappointing God [or the prophet of God]

[Mark Beesley]

You have no way* of supporting your "observation", but there is a wealth of data to support mine.

* Short, that is, of admitting being there.

I have never claimed that women do not enjoy the act of sexual intercourse. But that is not why they enter long-term relationships.

Their values may be just as subjective as men's, but they are usually more interested in the prospect's prospects and his (probable) status. Or so I've seen in several studies. Informal relationships can be just as flip as men's. But whatever those criteria, the women choose the best option available to them at the time, and "best" is solely in the eye of the woman making the choice.

Lehi

I think you have changed your argument here. In your first post in this thread, you made the following comment that raise the ire of some of us:

Women must (in general) find polygyny appealing because we see that there are so many who make themselves subordinate wives to men who they know are already married, although their status is "mistress" or "kept woman", or "harlot" or "whore".

You are now tweaking the argument by seemingly limiting your argument to women who enter "long-term relationship." I guess it now depends on what you define as a long-term relationship, but I don't consider women whose status is "mistress" or "kept woman", or "harlot" or "whore" are the types of women looking for long-term relationships. The idea that women find polygyny appealing because of the supposed security you think they seek is belied by the fact that 32 percent of married women have engaged in at least one extra-marital affair, and thus jeopardized the security they had within their marriage. Did they engage in extra-marital affairs because they wanted more security. No, they did it because they wanted more variety in their sex life.

You claim there is a wealth of data to support your claim that women find polygyny appealing, but have yet to provide any references.

[SilverKnight]

Wasn't it Joseph Smith who said,

I think the 14-yr old girl would be afraid of disappointing God [or the prophet of God]

Compton's, In Sacred Loneliness, suggests Helen probably had little input in the decision, but Joseph did not seek her out for marriage. It was a joint agreement between JS and Heber C Kimball to join the two families together.

[Senator]

... No, they did it because they wanted more variety in their sex life.

Um...well, I was right there with ya, until this last statement. You might have a hard time backing that one up.

[zeezrom]

Compton's, In Sacred Loneliness, suggests Helen probably had little input in the decision, but Joseph did not seek her out for marriage. It was a joint agreement between JS and Heber C Kimball to join the two families together.

But what was the whole purpose of plural wifery in the first place?

D&C132:63

But if one or either of the ten virgins, after she is espoused, shall be with another man, she has committed adultery, and shall be destroyed; for they are given unto him to ^amultiply and replenish the earth, according to my commandment, and to fulfil the promise which was given by my Father before the foundation of the world, and for their exaltation in the eternal worlds, that they may bear the souls of men; for herein is the work of my Father continued, that he may be ^bglorified.

Was a commandment broken?

[zeezrom]

Compton's, In Sacred Loneliness, suggests Helen probably had little input in the decision, but Joseph did not seek her out for marriage. It was a joint agreement between JS and Heber C Kimball to join the two families together.

And why did Helen say these words:

[This] had a similar effect to a sudden shock of a small earthquake.

no one else could have influenced me at that time or brought me to accept of a doctrine so utterly repugnant and so contrary to all of our former ideas and traditions.

My father had but one Ewe Lamb, but willingly laid her upon the alter

This promise was so great that I willingly gave myself to purchase so glorious a reward. None but God & his angels could see my mother

[divinenature]

Compton's, In Sacred Loneliness, suggests Helen probably had little input in the decision, but Joseph did not seek her out for marriage. It was a joint agreement between JS and Heber C Kimball to join the two families together.

Didn't JS first ask to marry Heber's wife? I thought I've seen that somewhere, but I don't have any books on it to check.

[zeezrom]

Didn't JS first ask to marry Heber's wife? I thought I've seen that somewhere, but I don't have any books on it to check.

[Mark Beesley]

Um...well, I was right there with ya, until this last statement. You might have a hard time backing that one up.

See here.

[CV75]

What about men who are sealed to more than one woman in the temple today? (but not living with them at the same time on earth)

That is clearly not the same practice as that conducted in the 1800's.