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What does the Book of Mormon have to say about marriage and polygamy? (It might just be more than you realized.)
Scriptures referenced:
Jacob 2:24-35
Jacob 3:5-7, 12-13
Mosiah 11:2-4
Mosiah 19:9-12
Ephesians 5:25
Mosiah 20:1-5
Ether 10:5-7
3 Nephi 26:6-10
D&C 84:54-58
D&C 93:39

Links

Mothers of the largest families

TLC Clip

Summary

In this episode, Michelle Stone examines the Book of Mormon’s stance on polygamy, uncovering clear scriptural condemnations and refuting common pro-polygamy interpretations. She argues that the Book of Mormon is the strongest scriptural argument against polygamy, presenting multiple instances where the practice is explicitly condemned. The discussion focuses on Jacob 2 and 3, King Noah’s polygamy, and the Jaredite kings, highlighting how polygamy is always associated with wickedness, oppression, and destruction.

Key Themes:

  1. Jacob 2 and 3: A Direct Condemnation of Polygamy
    • Jacob 2:23-35 unequivocally condemns polygamy, calling it whoredoms, abominable, and wicked.
    • Verse 27 commands monogamy: “For there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife; and concubines he shall have none.”
    • Verse 31 emphasizes God’s concern for women and children, condemning men for breaking the hearts of their wives and leading their families into sorrow.
    • Jacob 3:5-7 praises the Lamanites for respecting monogamy, contrasting them with the sinful Nephites.
  2. The Polygamy of King Noah: A Sign of Corruption
    • The next mention of polygamy occurs 300 years later with King Noah in Mosiah 11:2, who took many wives and concubines.
    • Noah’s polygamy is directly linked to his oppression of the people, excessive taxation, and moral corruption.
    • Mosiah 11:2-3 shows that polygamy is a tool of powerful men to exploit others, reinforcing the Book of Mormon’s negative view of the practice.
  3. The Wicked Priests of Noah and the Kidnapping of Lamanite Women
    • After King Noah’s death, his wicked priests fled and later kidnapped 24 Lamanite daughters (Mosiah 20:1-5).
    • This event highlights the problematic nature of polygamy, where women were taken against their will and forced into marriage.
    • Stone dismisses apologetic defenses of this act, rejecting claims that the women “happily accepted their captors.”
  4. Jaredite Kings: Polygamy, Tyranny, and Heavy Taxation
    • In Ether 10:5, Riplakish practiced polygamy and funded his wives and lavish lifestyle through severe taxation and forced labor.
    • His rule led to mass rebellion and his ultimate downfall, reinforcing the Book of Mormon’s consistent theme that polygamy leads to destruction.
    • Later Jaredite kings also engaged in whoredoms and concubinage, but the Book of Mormon never once portrays polygamy as righteous.
  5. Rebuttal to Pro-Polygamy Arguments from the Book of Mormon
    • Some LDS apologists argue that large Jaredite families suggest polygamy was practiced and accepted.
    • Stone counters that having many children does not prove polygamy, citing examples of historical monogamous families with dozens of children.
    • Cases of children born in old age (Ether 9:24) are also misused to justify polygamy, even though the Bible includes similar monogamous examples (Abraham and Sarah, Zachariah and Elizabeth).
  6. The Book of Mormon as the Strongest Anti-Polygamy Scripture
    • Despite LDS leaders using Doctrine & Covenants 132 to justify polygamy, the Book of Mormon repeatedly condemns it.
    • Stone urges LDS members to believe what the Book of Mormon actually says, rather than rationalizing polygamy based on later teachings.
    • She highlights 3 Nephi 26:6 and D&C 84, which warn that the church remains under condemnation for failing to accept the truths in the Book of Mormon.
  7. Final Thoughts: Overcoming Cognitive Dissonance
    • Stone acknowledges the discomfort many feel when questioning long-held beliefs but encourages listeners to trust in scriptural truth over tradition.
    • She argues that LDS members must reevaluate polygamy in light of the Book of Mormon’s clear teachings and stop excusing it as a divine commandment.
    • The episode concludes by setting up the next discussion: how Doctrine & Covenants 132 justifies polygamy and whether it aligns with God’s character.

Transcript

[00:00:01] Welcome to 132 Problems revisiting Mormon Polygamy, where we explore the scriptural and theological case for plural marriage. Please remember to listen to these episodes in order. If this is your first time with us, welcome. I’m so happy to have you. Please first start with episode one and then continue on from there. My name is Michelle Stone, and this is episode 4, Book of Mormon Evidence of polygamy, where we’ll study what the Book of Mormon actually has to say. Thank you for joining us as we take a deep dive into the murky waters of Mormon polygamy. Thank you for your comments so far. I have loved reading them. I have really appreciated the insights and um other perspectives that some of you have shared, and I also admit that I do appreciate the support. So thank you for your words of encouragement. Today we are going to dive into the Book of Mormon, which I have to admit I was really surprised that after my many years of in-depth study and consistent reading of the Book of Mormon. I was not aware that the Book of Mormon had much to say about polygamy. Of course I knew about Jacob 2:30, that the one scripture we all know about polygamy, but that was pretty much the extent of my understanding of what the Book of Mormon had to teach on this topic. So I, as I studied it, was, was pretty amazed to see that it actually has quite a bit to say, and that’s what I want to talk about today. So we have already touched on the sermon in Jacob 2. We mostly focused on verse 30, and um I hope that with what, with what I outlined and with the different perspective that you guys can agree with me and see Jacob 2 as what it is, a strong, unwavering condemnation forbidding polygamy with no exceptions. I really I really hope that we can see that clearly. So, um, we focus mostly on verse 30, so I want to do a quick, quick recap of the rest of the sermon. I think it starts in verse 23. So I’m just going to do a quick recap of some of those verses. Verse 30, 0, just lost it. Verse 23 defines polygamy as a grosser crime than even pride, greed, and the persecuting and persecuting the poor. Polygamy is defined as whoredoms. Those who promote it do not understand the scriptures. Verse 24 defines polygamy as abominable before God. Verses 25 to 26 explain that that these are God’s. Covenant people and God’s covenant people cannot partake of the sins of the past. Verse 27, I’m gonna read this one in whole because it’s important. It’s the theme of the entire sermon. Wherefore, my brethren, hear me and hearken to the word of the Lord, for there shall not any man among you save have save it be one wife and concubines, he shall have none. OK, pretty clear. Verse 28. Polygamy is again defined as unchastity whoredoms and abomination. Verse 29. If they pursue polygamy, they will encounter curses. Verse 30, God wants a covenant people, so he is commanding them to keep them from falling into the sins of the past. Um, let’s see. OK, now, verse 31, which I want to read again, is where God tells us why this is so abominable. Um, I want to read it again because I think it is so important. It is critical for us to understand how much God cares about women. Verse 31, for behold, I, the Lord,

[00:03:35] have seen the sorrow and heard the mourning of the daughters of my people in the land of Jerusalem. Yeah, and, and in all the lands of my people, because of the wickedness and abominations of their husbands, and I will not suffer, sayeth the Lord of hosts, that the cries of the fair daughters of this people which I have led out of the land of Jerusalem shall come up unto me against the men of my people, sayeth the Lord of hosts, I’m sorry, after so many of the stories that I have read, I can’t read those verses without crying because Because of how much, how true they are and how much God cares, for they shall not lead away captive the daughters of my people because of their tenderness, save I shall visit them with a sore curse, even unto destruction, for they shall not commit whoredoms like unto them of old, saith the Lord of hosts. These can, OK, verse 34 we’ll go back to um outlining verse 34 explains that these commandments, the commandments to have one wife, have been given and were known and thus ye have come unto great condemnation, for ye have done these things which ye ought not to have done. Um, remember that word condemnation. I, I think you’ll see later it’s a very important word in this regard. Verse 35 is the final verse of the chapter summing up what has been taught. It says, Behold, ye have done greater iniquity than the Lamanites, our brethren. Ye have broken the hearts of your tender wives and lost the confidence of your children because of your bad examples before them, and the sobbings of their hearts ascend up to God against you. And because of the strictness of the word of God which cometh down against you, many hearts died, pierced with deep wounds. So I hope that we can agree that if Jacob 2 were the only statement in the Book of Mormon on polygamy, it would be more than enough, more than enough. But the Book of Mormon actually has more to say on the topic. So first, Jacob 3, which we didn’t talk about much, which is a continuation of the sermon he’s giving here. So, um, 5 to 6, Jacob adds a bit more to his sermon. Um. I, I, some of this language is rough and um it’s contributed a lot, I believe, because it has been misunderstood. Like I said, I think the Lord gives us enough rope in the scriptures to hang ourselves. It’s contributed to some of the awful racism that has plagued all of society in the past, and um I believe it needs a lot of clarification. It’s just, that’s not the focus right now, so please don’t think I’m whitewashing or ignoring. Um, I just want to focus on the things that are pertinent to this, but I do want to at least point out I think it’s important to recognize that Jacob here is condemning the Nephites for their judgments, for their, if we, if we want to view it on racism, I think I happen to think a better word for skins is countenance because that makes a lot more sense throughout the scriptures. So I’m not even sure if racism is the correct term, but in any case, they are taking a group of people and othering them. Because of their differences of belief, their differences of way of living and their different histories, and they are judging them as filthy and inferior and being extremely hypocritical as they are doing that, which is almost always the case when we are in that. Othering judging perspective. So anyway, so let’s, let’s just set that on the table. But in verse 5 he explains that your brothers, who are, who he’s telling the Nephites that their brothers who they are so judgmental of and prejudiced against, quote,

[00:07:07] are more righteous for than you, for they have not forgotten the the commandment of the Lord which was given unto our father that they should have save it were one wife and concubines, they should have none, and there should not be whoredoms committed among them. Because they, OK, verse 6 explains that because they keep this one commandment, this one commandment, that they will not be cursed by the Lord, but they will become a blessed people, and that is profound how important this one commandment is the That is such a testimony of the power of families, fidelity, the power between a husband and a wife raising up their children in love and hopefully in righteousness. That’s profound to me. Verse 7. Behold, their husbands love their wives and their wives love their husbands and their husbands and their wives love their children. And their unbelief and their hatred towards you is because of the iniquity of their fathers. Wherefore, how much better are you than they in the sight of your Creator? You’re not, you’re not at all. He goes on commanding them to repent both for their racism and for their immorality. Wanting to have more than one wife, and, and this is what he says in verses 12 and 13. And now I, Jacob, spake many more things unto the people of Nephi, warning them against fornication and lasciviousness and every kind of sin, telling them the awful consequences of them. And 1/100 part of the proceedings of this people which now began to be numerous cannot be written upon these plates. I wanted to point that out because That explains that anything dealing with the Nephites had less than a 1 in 100 chance of being preserved in their records, and yet this sermon was preserved in its entirety. Jacob, I assume, made sure the whole thing was written in the, the small plates. Those small plates were included in the record by um Morona, correct? Mormon and Moone. Now all of a sudden I can’t remember, so someone’s gonna correct me. But, um, anyway, I think that the fact that. This entire sermon was was included and there aren’t that many complete sermons included in the Book of Mormon. Should help us to give it some weight, right? It’s kind of important. So, um, OK, so we’re gonna move on. It seems that Jas Jacob’s sermon was effective because we don’t encounter polygamy again in the Book of Mormon for. Around 300 years. There’s a big, there’s a big, um, it’s somewhere around 300, 100 years. Until we come to, OK, take a second. Does anyone want to guess? When is the next time we encounter polygamy? I’ll just give you a second to think about it. OK, I’m gonna say it now. Wicked King Noah, is, is that not interesting? So in into Mosiah, Mosiah 11:2, for behold, he did not keep the commandments of God, but he did walk after the desires of his own heart, and he had many wives and concubines, and he did cause his and he did cause his people to commit sin and do that which was abominable in the sight of the Lord. Yeah, they did commit whoredoms and all manners of wickedness.

[00:10:19] And it’s interesting how polygamy and taxation often seem to go together. I think there are so many implications of that. One is that polygamy is something for powerful men. It just is. That’s, that’s, you know, the powerful men get a lot of wives. The powerless men don’t have a wife. And um so the powerful men are the ones who have the power to tax, and they have a big lifestyle to support, and that seems to be a pretty consistent, that that seems to be pretty consistent with polygamy. Um, in our history as well. So verse 3, and he laid a tax of 1/5 part of all they possessed, 1/5 part of their gold and their silver, 1/5 part of their zi and of their copper, and of their brass and their iron, and a 5th part of their fatlings, and also a 5th part of their grain. And all this he did to take to this all this he did take to support himself and his wives and his concubines and also his priests and their wives and their concubines. Thus he had changed the affairs of the kingdom. OK, so the next one who comes up with it seems that, you know, I just think that. The adversary puts it in the heart of men to want more than one life for a concubine. It seems to be a consistent thing that we encounter. And um, I’m actually really disappointed that um it doesn’t tell us how they justified it because we know that they were a record keeping people. So I assumed that these priests had access to Jacob’s sermon at least, and they knew the um. The commandments that Lehi had given, you know, a Benedine makes sure like lets us know that they knew all of these things. So I’m so curious to see what their rationalizations and justifications were. I would have, I would love to hear how, you know, if they also clung on to verse 30 of Jacob 2. Um, in order to teach that what they were doing was right, because we always as humans, we always have to believe that what we’re doing is right to some level, right? That’s why we rationalize and justify. Um, it’s, it’s more common for us to do that than it is for us to say, nope, I’m just. I’m just wanting to do something bad, you know, especially when you’re in a position of authority or power, especially like a priest. And so, um, you know, a priest that’s teaching the religion, so it would be interesting to know. But um OK, I’m, one thing I think is worth noting is how these polygamist leaders viewed and valued women and children. So Jacob too is making it clear that the reason God has given such strong prohibitions against polygamy is because of how much he loves his daughters, and also the children that it hurts the women and the children, right? So here we have King Noah who ignores that command and does have many wives and concubines and I think if we go to chapter 19, it’ll make the point that I’m trying to express that I think that. Sometimes, at least it seems to me that God loves,

[00:13:24] cares about, empathizes with, and values the experiences of women and children more than it seems to me that polygamist leaders do. And so, um, I think chapter 19 is a good example of that. So, um, this is where, this is after Gideon has chased King Noah onto the top of the tower, and Noah sees that the Lamanites are, I mean that the Lamanites are attacking, so he pleads for his life and starting in verse 9, and the king commanded the people that they should flee flee before the Lamanites, and he himself did go before them. He, he ran at the front of those escaping, and they did flee into the wilderness with their women and their children, and it came to pass that the Lamanites did pursue them and did overtake them and began to slay them. Now it came to pass that the king commanded that all the men should leave their wives and their children and their children and flee before the Lamanites. Now there were many that would not leave them but had rather stay and perish with them, and the rest left their wives and their children and fled. Now. The only ones we know who are polygamists for sure are King Noah and his priests who we know all fled. Some stayed and like I said, I do believe there are good, good polygamist men, so please don’t take this as an indictment of every individual, just of the system, just of the the ideas behind the ideology of and the temptations of that system. And um, you know, so maybe some of the men that stayed had more than one wife. Maybe they didn’t because they weren’t the king and the priests, but in any case, I want to compare that way of viewing women to the things that Jacob taught. Jacob 3:7, I’ll read it again. Behold of the Lamanites, behold, their husbands love their wives and the wives love their husbands and their husbands and their wives love their children. They wouldn’t leave, flee and leave them to be slaughtered and save their own lives. I just, I cannot imagine being in an. Being in a marriage where that would even be a possibility. And um, you know, and even though in some ways I, I struggle with some of Paul’s teachings about women, I think that some of those were maybe not all perfectly recorded, but, um, still in Ephesians 5:25, he teaches husbands love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it. The exact opposite of what King Noah did. Husbands are supposed to be willing to give themselves for their, their families, give their own lives if it need be. So anyway, I think this seems like a harsh indictment again, but I think that the sad truth is that in polygamy, many women feel and often are unloved and um. And of course as polygamists love to say yes that can happen in monogamy absolutely, but again in monogamy, it matters. If the wife is unhappy and feeling unloved, the husband is also most likely unhappy and feeling unloved and they are equally committed. To either working it out, struggling through and making it better, or, or not ending the marriage. There is not the imbalance. So I just want to show one quick example of this that, um, that some of you might be familiar with, and then we’ll move on. My relationship with Mary is at best just. Distant and amicable, you know, I,

[00:16:49] I could buck up, put my backup hack on and go for a run, be tough about it, but I, I’m not interested in it. I haven’t put relationship effort into that relationship specifically because I have 3 other relationships that are rewarding and, and wholesome and with, with children that need me, need to see me. Abandoning their wives and children to death for their own sakes isn’t the only example of, um, the, the King Noah and his priest’s view of women. Um, it seems as if they also felt entitled to take women as they see fit. The women’s um, opinions, freedom, desires didn’t seem to matter much to them. And actually, when we’ll get into 132, and, um, there’s, uh, there’s a lot to talk about in 132, but one of the things that first alerted me that I, I believe part of it to be problematic, um, is that certain verses in 132 really do view and speak of women as property, not as our own independent agents with agency and desires and feelings and. You know, uh, experiences that the Lord cares about, and we’re on our own journey. It views women as property, um, without any, they can be taken here, given here, used this way. They’re property used as rewards for men, and that, that’s not in keeping with how, with my experiences with God, with how God views me as a woman. So, um, so I want to compare the attitude in, well, the attitude of these priests, let’s compare it to either Jacob 2 or certain verses of 1:32. So in Mosiah 20, it goes on and, um, so you have to remember King Noah was killed and his priests escaped. They flee. Um, the righteous men and the righteous, the brave daughters who plead for the lives of their families and the Lamanites allow them to live but put heavy taxes on them and The priests are too ashamed and too afraid to go back now that King Noah has been killed, so. Mosiah 2:1. Now there was a place in Shemlon where the daughters of the Lamanites to gather together to sing and to dance and to make themselves merry, and it came to pass that there was one day a small number of them gathered together to sing and to dance. And now the priests of King Noah, being ashamed to return to the city of Nephi, yeah, and also fearing that the people would slay them, therefore they durst not return to their wives and their children. And having tarried in the wilderness and having discovered the daughters of the Lamanites, they laid and watched them. And when there were but a few of them gathered together to dance, they came forth out of their secret places and took them and carried them into the wilderness. Yeah, 20 and 4 of the daughters of the Lamanites, they carried into the wilderness. So, um, so we don’t know how many priests there were minus Alma. We know that they took 24 daughters. We don’t know if they took one daughter each. It doesn’t really matter.

[00:19:48] They abandoned their own lives. Then they found more women and they just took them. Um, It’s pretty sad. So, OK, so I’m just gonna address this one thing because I’ve heard this defended before in some of our polygamy discussions, and I just want to get it out there so that hopefully it doesn’t come up again. Um, so later on in the narrative, these, these sweet Lamanite daughters plead for the lives of their husbands, the, of, of the priests who kidnapped them. And so some people who support polygamy have, or at least in their way of wanting to talk about this narrative, say, see, it wasn’t a bad thing that they were stolen and the women ended up loving them and, you know, it’s like a happy uh seven brides for seven brothers, ha, happily ever after situation. And um so, OK, so just let’s just I don’t know. Stockholm syndrome notwithstanding. I don’t know the full narrative on maybe these men repented and ended up being good. Maybe we are looking at women who, you know, like abused women. In, say, a hospital when they’re like, are you OK? Are you safe? Yes, I’m OK, I’m safe because my husband’s standing here and that’s what I have to say. You know, who knows what the situation was, but in any case, there is no defense for men kidnapping women, right? There’s no defense for men abandoning their families and Happy women. So, um, so let’s just not go there, um, and let’s not try to say, see, it worked out happily. It was good. We know that these priests were very wicked men. They abandoned their many wives and children to death. Then when King Noah was killed, they abandoned them permanently because of their own fear and their lack of Integrity and integrity and then they went and stole new wives. So that’s, that’s an important perspective of these particular polygamists in the Book of Mormons. So, OK, so that’s the next case of polygamy. Now we’ll move forward. The other time we encounter polygamy is with the Jaredites. So, um, there’s a, there’s quite a bit to talk about here, but the next clear case is with replication. Ether 105, and it came to pass that Riplicke did not do that, which was right in the sight of the Lord, for he did have many wives and concubines and did lay upon men’s shoulders that which was grievous to be born. Yeah, he did tax them with heavy taxes and with the taxes, he did build many spacious buildings and also goes on to talk about and he supported his wives and concubines. Isn’t it interesting again, that, that parallel, um. Let’s see, it continues,

[00:22:20] and he, oh, here it is, and he did erect him in an exceedingly beautiful throne, and he did build many prisons and Hoso would not be subject unto his taxes. He did cast into prison and Hoso was not able to pay taxes, he did cast into prison. And it had caused that they should labor continually for their support, and whoso refused to labor he did cause to be put to death. Wherefore he did obtain all his fine work, yeah, even his gold, and he did cause to be refined even his gold he did cause to be refined in prison and all manner of fine workmanship he did cause to be. Brought in prison and it came to pass that after he had that he did a um afflict the people with his whoredoms and abominations. So it, the Book of Mormon again ties together that heavy burden that with the whoredoms and abomination that he is putting himself others and above all of the people and, you know, um, living off of them to support his extravagant lifestyle with his many wives and concubines as well. And so, um, Anyway, let’s see. I skipped something. OK. Sorry, I lost my. So, um, I’m sorry, I’m wasting your time. OK, well, and let’s see, I think I wanted to go here. Um, after Riplike, oh there it is. After Ripliish came Mori Anton, so this is just continuing the narrative. I’m sorry for wasting your time. Please put it on double speed. After Replike, the next king that took over was Mori Anton. He, he came back in after the rebellion that replication inspired just like Noah inspired a rebellion. So verse 10, and after the he, Moriantton had established himself king, he did ease the burden of the people, by which he did gain favor in the eyes of the people, and he did anoint him, and they did anoint him to be their king. And he did do justice unto the people, but not unto himself because of his many whoredoms. Wherefore he was cut off from the presence of the Lord. So Mori Anton stopped the taxation, but he still was an immoral king, so he was not in the presence of the Lord. Sorry about that. Wasting time. But, OK, that’s what I found so far in the Book of Mormons. So if anyone knows of or finds or sees any other Book of Mormon scriptures, please comment. Please share them with me because I would love to learn anything that I have missed. So, um, OK, now I want to talk about, there are a few other things that those are all of the clear cut cases of polygamy in the Book of Mormon, and I think we can agree that they are pretty universally, not pretty universally, they are universally condemned. The Book of Mormon is actually the strongest document we have. Against polygamy. And um OK, so, but yeah, there are some subtle, more subtle claims um in favor of polygamy that I’ve heard from, from um polygamist apologists. So I want to look into some of those. So they mostly have to do with the Jaredites. So there are claims um of the people that the large Jaredite families, the kings with many children and having children in their own age. All evidence of polygamy.

[00:25:22] So a couple of points I want to make on this. Um, first of all, I disagree with their claims and we’ll go into all of that. Second of all, even if those claims were true, it’s not justified or correct or righteous, as it has made very clear. And, um, and it’s clearly never commanded. The, the best you can do is say, well, they did. So there, you know, so it doesn’t make much sense. But, um, it did make me curious about the Jaredites because it’s interesting in the Jaredites record how often they talk about who lived to a great age and who had children in their old age. I think it’s interesting how much they focused on that. It, it just made me curious. I had a couple of thoughts of why that might be. But, um, Let’s see. So, OK, the, the record, it, it, it often will record, they lived to a great old age and they had many, many um children. So I think that it was maybe a means of their record keeping. It specifies when they had children in their own age, in their old age. Sometimes it just says they lived to an old age and they had many children, so kind of like listing their accomplishments. I think, you know, so anyway, in any case, some of those that, that list their old age and then list that they had many children are Easter, in 104, Shez and Replike, in um, oh, in 104, it talks about Shez and replication. In 1016, it talks about Levi and Quorum. So Shez had replication, Levi had quorum, and in 114 comm and Shivlam. So I’ll let you look those up because they’re kind of unclear. But these are the cases where it specifically says they were born in their old age, and I’m only covering this because this is a defense that I’ve heard more than one time in um favor of the Book of Mormon support for polygamy. So, either 10:14 says about Kim, the wicked son of Mour Anton, and in his Old age he begot Levi and he died. So Kim had a child in his own age, um, but it wasn’t only wicked Kings, Ether 10:1, and it came to pass the oraha and execute judgment upon the land and righteousness all his days, whose days were exceedingly many. Again, it points out when they live a long time. And he begat sons and daughters. Yeah, he begat 30 and 1, among whom were 23 sons, and it came to pass that he also begat Kibb in his old age. So he had 23 sons and a child in his old age. And then in verse 7, Kib beat Schul in his old age while he was yet in captivity. Verse 26, and it came to Gat that and Came to pass that Shu will begot sons and daughters in his old age. Easter 914, and it came to pass that Omer began to be old. Nevertheless, in his old age he be he begot Emer. So that those are the cases I could find that um support this claim that polygamy is supported in the Book of Mormons, specifically the Book of Ether.

[00:28:04] So, um, OK, I think for so many reasons this is a bit of a stretch. So like we already talked about. At best, this is very indirect circumstantial evidence to even argue in favor of polygamy. So, um, as for large families, the 23 cents, like, some women are capable of having a lot of children. Um, I happen to have a lot of children. I’ve had several miscarriages. I didn’t have my first till I was 22, and we’ve used our fair share of prevention, but I still have given birth to 13 children. So, you know, That’s, that’s, that’s, that’s not nothing. And I have friends who have large families, and I have one friend who, she and her husband between the two of them have 21 children and it was all done in monogamy. He had a first wife who passed away and she, um, they since have had children together. So, um, so I want to just kind of point out how different women throughout history have had large families, not that it’s that essential, but I kind of just think these women deserve. As much attention as we can give them, right? So if you look up, like, this is just what we have available in our, in our history. So it’s mostly women in Europe and, um, you know, we don’t have any records that we have access to of women in Asia or in Africa to know, you know, but here’s just a little list. Mary, Mary Jonas, 1800s England, had 33 children. Mrs. Harriet, Mrs. Harrison, 1700s England, had 35 children. I’m, I know some of you when I say I have 13 probably like are dying and I’m dying at these numbers. 1600s England had Elizabeth Greenhill with 39 children, Alice Hooks with 42 children, and Elizabeth Mott with 42 children are the ones recorded. Um, Maddalena Granada, 1800s Italy had 52 children. Barba um Barbara Stratsman, not Barbra Streisand, Barbara Stratzmann, not Barbra Streisand. In 1400s, Germany had 53 children. Leonida Albina, 1900s, Argentina and Chile, she moved. She had 55 recorded children at the time with reports that she had 9 children after that, so 64 children. Um, the first wife of Yakov Kirilov, he gets the credit, not his wife. Um, we know his name, 1700, 1700s Russia. She had 57 children and first wife of Theodore Vasili Vasiliev,

[00:30:37] forgive me for that names, 1700s Russia had 69 children. She is the current gay. Record holder. So the only reason I’m pointing the those out, those are like families of note. And the and the Book of Mormon only points out one king who had this many children. I just want to say it is possible that he and his wife had that, that many children and it just lists his name just like the men who were given. Credit in these lists rather than their wives. So, um, OK, so there, there’s one thing that big family big families cannot be used as evidence of polygamy. So then we have the other thing that claims of the children born in old age. And again, there are very clear scriptural examples of why this is not, um, evidence, necessarily evidence of polygamy. First, the most obvious is probably Sarah and Abraham. Who, um, she and he together had Isaac in their old age. The other one that I’m, that I could find quickly or think of quickly was Elizabeth and Zachariah who had John the Baptist in their old age. So God is definitely known to Um, help women as well as men bear children in their own age when it’s old age when it serves his purposes. We don’t know much about the people at the time of, um, the Jaredite Society and What, um, what might have prolonged their women’s fertility as well as their men’s. So, um, so that’s, that’s the one thing that provides a clear possibility. But Ether 9:24 in the book itself provides another clear possibility, it says, and it came to pass that his wife died being 102 years old, and it came to pass that Corey Anton took. To wife in his old age, a young maid and begat sons and daughters. Wherefore he lived until he was 142 years old, and he bore sons and daughters. So again, we have zero evidence that it wasn’t a subsequent marriage in some of those cases. So I just want to point out that, um, these things are not clear evidence of, um, uncondemned polygamy in the Book of Mormon. So, um, let’s see. And so, and I think we can all agree it’s not, it’s not uncommon to have a subsequent marriage and that’s never considered a polygamy. So, in a later episode, we’ll talk about the concept of eternal polygamy for, for Mormon men. So, um OK, so anyway, I think that the evidence seems pretty weak, but some might still find it compelling and think, no, the Jaredites were polygamists. So that’s just fine. We can all choose to believe what, what feels most likely to us. But um Again, even if it is true that some of them were, God clearly never ever commanded it or approved it. So just like if the Jaredites, um, maybe had some of them had plural wives, if you want to do that, well,

[00:33:32] they also had constant battles and fighting and imprisoning one another. And there are all kinds of corrupt parts of their society. So it’s really strange to say, well, because they did this, we know that God approves it. It just does not hold at all, especially, so this is interesting because the Jaredites were right um at the time of the tower people, right? So after the flood, long before. Lee high and long before the brass plates so that we don’t know. I, I studied and couldn’t find any, couldn’t find any, um, records that the brother of Jared that the Jaredites brought with them. So if anyone has any insight into that, I would also love to know. I don’t know if they had any records, but we do know that they were led by God, um, and, and You know, well, here, I’ll leave in ether 141 and 2 verses 1 through 3, it talks in detail about the preparations they made to go and to travel and everything that they gathered and it doesn’t say anything about their records, which it’s like, wow, isn’t that interesting? So we have the records from them, but I don’t know what records they had. But in any case, They had, they knew, like God, they knew God’s commandment on marriage. They had also been commanded because it says that um they had been commanded by God to honor his established law of marriage between one man and one woman, and they knew polygamy was not quote, right in the sight of the Lord is what the book of Ether itself says. So, um, so God commanded each of these people that he brought forth to raise up seed unto him every time he commanded them in his law of marriage. And every time Satan put it into someone’s heart down the road to take many wives, and God again has to come and condemn it, command the people that it is not right in his sight. So, OK, so to recap the Book of Mormon, we have Jacob 2 and 3 which are powerful, Mosiah. 11 and E 10. Again, if anyone knows of any others, let me know. But it is so clear that the Book of Mormon clearly, strongly, repeatedly, and with no exceptions, condemns and forbids forbids polygamy and declares it to be contrary to the commandments of God. So, just in closing, I want to just point out how much this matters because I know we, we, people might be feeling uncomfortable or be refusing to listen because they don’t like the way it makes them feel cause it’s always cognitive dissonance is not a comfortable feeling, right? So, um, but I want to just point out two verses, one in 3rd Nephi and one in Doctrine Covenants. To just point out how important it is that we are willing to shake off some of our old beliefs when the truth is staring us right in the face. Third, Nephi 26:6. Another cannot be written in this book, even 1/100 part of the things which she, which Jesus did truly teach the people,

[00:36:30] but behold, the plates of Nephi do contain the more part of the things which he, which he taught the people, and these things have I written which are a lesser part of the things which he taught the people. The portion we have is the lesser portion, right? We all know that, and I have written them to the intent that they may be brought again to this people from the Gentiles according to the words which which Jesus hath spoken. And when they shall have received this, which is expedient that they should receive first when they have received the Book of Mormon, which they need to get first, to try their faith, and if it so be that they shall believe these things, then shall the greater things be made manifest unto them. And if it so be that they will not believe these things, then shall the greater things be withheld from them unto their condemnation. So this is just one application of this incredibly important. Information we’re getting here in the Book of Mormon. Remember that word condemnation that I pointed out before that Jacob warned that it will be to your condemnation if you don’t hearken and heed these things and here God is telling us, I have given you the Book of Mormon. Are you willing to believe it? Are you willing to believe it? And here it is. I’ve done my best to spell out just this one concept as clearly as possible. Are we willing to believe the Book of Mormon so that maybe You know, maybe we can receive more light and truth if we will receive, if we will believe what we’ve given so far. Isn’t it interesting that we haven’t really received more? Um, again, the same, uh, I want to also read Doctor Mc Covenant’s 84, this starts in verse 54. And your minds in times past have been darkened because of unbelief and because you have treated lightly the things you have received, which vanity and unbelief have brought the whole church under condemnation. What state are we in as a church? We don’t like to talk about it, but If anyone can show me where these warnings have been reversed and we’re not under condemnation, I would be very open to hearing your thoughts. Verse 656. And this condemnation resteth upon the children of Zion, even all, and they shall remain under this condemnation and Till they repent and remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon and the former commandments which I have given them, right? God commanded all of the people before about marriage. He commanded us again in the Book of Mormon. I know this has broader application, but it certainly applies to this topic as well. And the former commandments which I have given them, not only to say, but to do according to that which I have written. How much good does it do us to claim to be disciples of Jesus Christ if we don’t listen and heed and hearken unto what we’ve been given. That they may bring forth fruit, meat for the kingdom for the father’s kingdom. Otherwise there remaineth a scourge and a judgment to be poured out upon the children of Zion. There certainly has been scourge and punishment poured out in the past, in large part due to practicing polygamy, which was counter to God’s commands. And who knows what is yet to come if we don’t, if we are willing to accept what God has given us. So, OK, again, I know that it, it can be a difficult process to realize that maybe some of what we were taught might be wrong. I promise, I understand. I, I had, I have had to do the same thing. So, um, but I want to read one more verse, the Doctrine of Covenants, 9339, that explains a bit of why we are where we are and why we’re having to experience that. Um, and that wicked one cometh and taketh away light and truth through disobedience from the children of men and because of the tradition of their fathers. How many times does the Book of Mormon talk about the traditions of their fathers,

[00:40:19] the traditions of our fathers. It is the book written for our day, for us as a people. We’re the only ones reading it. It’s not, we’re not supposed to be reading it about someone else, even Nephi tells us to liken it unto us. There are some things that are handed down to us as the traditions of our fathers that do not serve us well. And I think that where true faith comes in and true reliance on the spirit is in a willingness to acknowledge that, accept it, and to have the courage and faith to know that God can lead us to further truth. We’re all so worried about being deceived, so we cling on so tightly to all the traditions of our fathers without realizing that those might be the very things that are keeping us in deception and keeping us from further truth, so. Anyway, I know that this was a little bit longer of an episode. I apologize. I hope it was useful to you. Thank you for joining us, for joining us, and please come next time. Um, this, please join us next time, we’re going to study what the doctrine and covenants has to say about polygamy. I am Michelle Stone, and this is 132 problems.