I would assume from your posts that you are about 15 years old, or maybe 20 What makes you think these people are baptized into our church? They are not members of our church, can you understand that? They are just as much members of the Catholic Church as they are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. So what is the Catholic Church going to do about these polygamists?
BJ
First of all I’m Catholic, not LDS. Secondly, equating NAMBLA or any other organization that victimizes children with two consenting adult women sharing a man verges on the ridiculous. I have no problem with the State of Utah prosecuting polygamists for REAL crimes. I do however, have a problem with prosecuting someone for a lifestyle which hurts no one but themselves directly. UNLESS, they do it across the board. So, if you want to prosecute polygamists, then prosecute homosexuals, adulterers, fornicators and everyone else practicing socially “unacceptable” lifestyles.
Immoral. What does the Catholic Church consider it?
BJ
The leaders of the LDS Church could not be more clear in their statements, actions and teachings about their condemnation of polygamy. The FLDS groups believe the LDS Church has lost all of it’s authority so it would make no difference to these groups what the LDS Church did anyway. I would say statehood was certainly a motivating factor in the elimination of polygamy but I’m sure many of the leaders (and the faithful) thought it distasteful anyway and were glad to be rid of the practice.
BJ,The state of Utah is populated with all religions including Catholic. The government is the same as any other state, not made up of just Mormons, so therefore the Catholics have just as much power to take charge of prosecuting polygamists as the Mormons do. There is a separation of Church and State, as there is in the whole USA. Arizona also has the polygamist problem and they do nothing about it either. So why don’t you organize a group and march on Washington and get the US governent to do something. I will join you if you want to pursue this. I am just as outraged as you are that this is allowed to continue and that these women and girls and boys are abused in the ways that they are abused.
BJ
They have “progressed” to viewing it as immoral. What I was responding to was the contention that the Declaration held it to be immoral. No, it does not. To tell the truth, I am not sure at just what date the LDS started referring to it as immoral- perhaps a LDS member could enlighten us on that. However, if you read the original Declaration, you will see that the concern was if they continued on with polygamy, they would be attacked by the U.S. Marshals and not be able to continue building. So they started with a purely prudent financial decision, absolutely outlawed polygamy on that basis- not sure, I think the year was 1890-, and then sometime in the subsequent decades, began to view it as completely immoral. Unfortunately, just as in all religions, there is controverys and there are still those in Utah, LDS, Catholic, and others who think it is nobody’s business and a victimless crime.
Then you need to brush up on your Catholic theology. There are no victimless “crimes,” my friend. Sin hurts not only the sinner, but also those around the sinner. The entire Body of Christ is affected negatively. This is real, not just some esoteric or theoretical point.
Can I second (or third) that request? There must be some doctrinal statement.
Is it spurious? (I don’t hold a position either way because I’m in the dark.) Unless the LDS has issued a formal doctrine on the matter, isn’t it a matter left to their members?
Are you really this obtuse? Please don’t put words in my mouth. I’m not saying polygamy is a victimless crime. I’m saying that our society generally leaves people to their own devices when it comes to sex unless it impacts an innocent person in a direct manner.
That’s not what I am suggesting at all. The LDS church has very different beliefs than the Catholic or protestant churchs and their presence is felt in our every day lives. For example, Monday’s are “Family Home Evening” for the Mormons. A few years ago, the president of the LDS church, in one of his speaches, asked public schools to not schedule events on Mondays because it interfered with family home evening. Mind you, he is asking public schools. Some schools here in Utah actually went along with his request.
One correction, Declaration 2 was issued in 1978 to extend temple blessings to “all worthy male members”, I believe that had to do with african americans entering the priest hood. That is another issue, but the issue I would have with D&C 132 is the 1st 6 verses
In the synopsis/intro, whatever you want to call it before section 132 is the following:
Okay. I need to correct myself here. No, it’s not spurious. It is spurious that they officially uphold polygamy. It is not spurious that they have not yet, at least anywhere I looked, considered it immoral. My error. So I am back to where I started- with the current statements about what they believe on the website- which is that they condemn polygamy and officially ex communicate anyone who practices it. They then go on to give several Old Testament examples of who practiced polygamy such as King David. But, no, I can find no document where they declare polygamy immoral. With charity though, we could say they are not willing to pronounce the actions of the persons in the Old Testament as immoral and sinful. I’m just suggesting that is more likely a reason for no morality decalration than some secret conspiracy theory to keep polygamy secret as has been suggested earlier. Sometimes, when a people are sola scriptura, especially if they have re written the scripture, they are reluctant to be critical of any practice found in it.
