In regards to the practice of polygamy, it seems that Joseph Smith was compelled, forced, and otherwise coerced into the practice by an angel, who appeared to him with a flaming sword drawn and commanded him to enter into the practice or be killed. Well, so much for FREE AGENCY!
This is what Mormonism's "Lucifer" suggested in the premortal existance isn't it? Take away their freedom to choose, force them to obey, make them fall in line? Yet, this first prophet claims that is exactly what happened to him, he had no choice but to obey...so it begs the question, "Who is the actual force behind this religion? Doesn't sound like God or Jesus know anything about this polygamy thing or don't you think THEY would have been the ones to teach it to Joseph?
I seem to recall a verse in the Bible that talks about false prophets, angels of light preaching another gospel, something along those lines...
Galations (KJV)
- 1:6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
- 1:7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
- 1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
- 1:9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any [man] preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
Here's some more copy-and-paste quotations for your review:
"The same God that has thus far dictated me and directed me and strengthened me in this work, gave me this revelation and commandment on celestial and plural marriage, and the same God commanded me to obey it. He said to me that unless I accepted it, and introduced it, and practiced it, I, together with my people would be damned and cut off from this time henceforth. We have got to observe it. It is an eternal principle and was given by way of commandment and not by way of instruction."
- Prophet Joseph Smith, Contributor, Vol. 5, p. 259
"When that principle was revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith ... he did not falter, although it was not until an angel of God, with a drawn sword, stood before him; and commanded that he should enter into the practice of that principle, or he should be utterly destroyed, or rejected, that he moved forward to reveal and establish that doctrine."
- Prophet Joseph F. Smith, "Plural Marriage for the Righteous Only-Obedience Imperative-Blessings Resulting", Journal of Discourses, Vol.20, p.28 - p.29
"I know whereon I stand, I know what I believe, I know what I know and I know what I testify to you is the living truth. As I expect to meet it at the bar of the eternal Jehovah, it is true. And when you stand before the bar you will know. He preached polygamy and he not only preached it, but he practiced it. I am a living witness to it. It was given to him before he gave it to the Church. An angel came to him and the last time he came with a drawn sword in his hand and told Joseph if he did not go into that principle, he would slay him."
- Sister Mary Lightner, Address to Brigham Young University, April 14th, 1905, BYU Archives and Manuscripts
See: http://www.ldshistory.net/pc/merlbyu.htm
"His brother, Hyrum, said to me, "Now, Brother Benjamin, you know that Brother Joseph would not sanction this if it was not from the Lord. The Lord revealed this to Brother Joseph long ago, and he put it off until the Angel of the Lord came to him with a drawn sword and told him that he would be slain if he did not go forth and fulfill the law." He told my sister to have no fears, and he there and then sealed my sister, Almira, to the Prophet."
"Soon after this he was at my house again, where he occupied my Sister Almira's room and bed, and also asked me for my youngest sister, Esther M. I told him she was promised in marriage to my wife's brother. He said, "Well, let them marry, for it will all come right.""
- Elder Benjamin F. Johnson, My Life's Review See: http://mormonlore.freeservers.com/johnson1.htm
"He there and then explained to me the doctrine of plurality of wives; he said that the Lord had revealed it unto him, and commanded him to have women sealed to him as wives; that he foresaw the trouble that would follow, and sought to turn away from the commandment; that an angel from heaven then appeared before him with a drawn sword, threatening him with destruction unless he went forward and obey the commandment."
"He further said that my sister, Eliza R. Snow, had been sealed to him as his wife for time and eternity. He told me that the Lord would open the way, and I should have women sealed to me as wives. This conversation was prolonged, I think, one hour or more, in which he told me many important things."
"I solemnly declare before God and holy angels, and as I hope to come forth in the morning of the resurrection, that the above statement is true."
- Prophet Lorenzo R. Snow, sworn affadavidt. See: http://www.mormons.org.uk/celest.htm
"19 year-old Zina remained conflicted until a day in October, apparently, when Joseph sent [her older brother] Dimick to her with a message: an angel with a drawn sword had stood over Smith and told him that if he did not establish polygamy, he would lose "his position and his life." Zina, faced with the responsibility for his position as prophet, and even perhaps his life, finally acquiesced." (In Sacred Loneliness, page 80-81)
"An Angel of God Stood by him (Joseph Smith) with a drawn Sword and told him he should be slain & Cut off from the Earth and the kingdom of God if he did not obey that Law (of polygamy). George Q Cannon was of the same opinion, that a man must have more then one wife at a time in order to obey that Law."
- Prophet Wilford Woodruff, Wilford Woordruff's Journal, Vol. 8, p.235
A grand and glorious principle had been revealed, and for years had slumbered in the breast of God's Prophet, awaiting the time when, with safety to himself and the Church, it might be confided to the sacred keeping of a chosen few. That time had now come. An angel with a flaming sword descended from the courts of glory and, confronting the Prophet, commanded him in the name of the Lord to establish the principle so long concealed from the knowledge of the Saints and of the world—that of plural marriage.(Orson F. Whitney, Life of Heber C. Kimball [Salt Lake City: Kimball Family, 1888], 321.)
While it was a great trial for Mercy to enter into plural marriage, it was even a greater trial for Mary to consent to it. Truly, it was the most difficult thing both ever had to do. It was equally difficult for Hyrum. The principle of plural marriage was given as early as 1831. Joseph Smith had inquired of God to know and understand wherein He justified His prophets of old as touching upon the principle and doctrine of their having plural wives and concubines. The principle was then revealed by the Lord to Joseph. He was commanded to obey it. He did not immediately comply. Then, according to Apostle George A. Smith, an angel with a flaming sword appeared to the Prophet Joseph and warned him that unless he obeyed it, he would be destroyed. (Don Cecil Corbett, Mary Fielding Smith, Daughter of Britain: Portrait of Courage [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1966], 154.)
[Author: Deconstructor, from the RFM boards]:
Q: Just before (Joseph's) death, (didn't) he told his wife he would denounce plural marriage, destroy the revelation, etc.? ... (I)f this revelation was from God was not Joseph turning from God at that point?
Joseph Smith did in fact denounce polygamy and burned the revelation. Only his secretary (who had many wives) had another copy! Lucky for him, and the other polygamists like Brigham Young.
This became a real issue after Smith's death. Part of the church membership recognized polygamy was wrong and wanted to move on without it in the church. Another group, led by Brigham Young, were polygamists (secretly) and wanted to keep it in the church.
No wonder Brigham Young declared that Smith lost the spirit the last few days of his life (when he burned the revelation).
But this whole fiasco begs an even bigger question. If polygamy was such a big deal that God would send his angels to threaten Joseph Smith, why didn't those same angels protect Smith? And why didn't the Lord bless the Saints in Utah so they could continue with the practice?
My thoughts:
My head literally swims every time I try to figure out whether the current leaders of the Mormon church still believe Brigham was a prophet or not. They can't claim that he was a prophet when he spoke good, agreeable doctrine, and just a man when he proclaimed unsavory, difficult doctrine. Brigham Young himself stated that:
"...I have never preached a sermon that the saints could not call Scripture." (Journal of Discourses, vol 13 Page 95)
In Ezra Taft Benson's "Fourteen Fundamentals of Following the Prophet", he lists one of these fundamentals as: (#7)
"The prophet tells us what we need to know, not always what we want to know."
Why then, is the Mormon church distancing itself from the teachings of Brigham Young? (who in my opinion, must have been the most worthy, the most inspired leader of all the prophets of the church because he lasted longer than any other prophet in his 'calling'). He must not have been leading the church astray, or why would God have permitted him to last so long? Howard Hunter only got 2 years worth of time...
Yet, the modern Mormon church does not practice half of the doctrine that Brigham Young received by "divine revelation"! Where is the open practice of polygamy? Where is the blood oath of vengeance against the U.S. Government unto the third and fourth generation? Why can't we immediately punish those who have committed adultery by using the doctrine of Blood Atonement? Why are BLACKS allowed to hold the priesthood when Brigham Young EXPRESSLY forbid it would EVER happen?
Seems to me that the Mormon church is the separatist faction from the REAL restored gospel. The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (in Hilldale, UT and Colorado Springs, AZ) led by none other than Warren Jeffs, IS the only church that is still upholding Brigham Young's teachings...
So, can Gordon Hinckley still claim to be a prophet, even though the church disregards many of Brigham's teachings? Maybe the answer lies somewhere before Joseph died. The RLDS, (now Community of Christ) believed that Joseph's son was the rightful chosen leader. They have since realized the folly of maintaining belief in the 100% authenticity of the Book of Mormon, and now call it 'suggested reading' instead. They solved their problems by being honest about their foundation, their historical beginnings, and now have become more Christ centered in their beliefs.
I realize that it would be a hard pill to swallow at this point, with the LDS church having spent so much effort at blaming the members for their lack of faith, blaming the former members for their loss of spirit, and blaming the outright anti-mormons for their distribution of books and website-building in the promotion of lies and slander against the church. Pride sure does have it's place in Mormonism.
It would look bad, for a while. They could admit defeat gracefully and steer what's left of their organization into a truly Christ-centered religion. Or they can adamantly refuse to look at their own history, their own foundation, and continue to blame all the persecutors for causing this uproar. Tightening the strings on the bag would help keep members in for many years, so long as the church can convince it's members that they are safer inside, keep the "limited reach" system in place, and chastise anyone who doubts the "Lord's Anointed".
There's a reason why they are so desperate to keep their members "safe". And it has nothing to do with worrying about their individual spirits. When you consider how much a typical Mormon family pays in forced tithing every year, and multiply it by 10,000 members that resign every year, that's considerable loss to a corporation as large as the church has become. They can't afford the loss of revenue. They know that if tithing were voluntary, the church would fold. They can't keep losing more than they bring in, it's just not good business practice. So the guilt gets laid on thick, the fear-based notions of 'outer-darkness' and loss of the Celestial Kingdom become weapons of control. Suddenly, a member's 'free agency' becomes an angel with a flaming sword, and the plan of salvation becomes the only choice left to take.
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