Missionary Training Center

Objection 12 of 21

Polygamy / plural marriage

Abraham, Jacob, Moses. Commanded, then withdrawn. The Church does not practice it. Hard history is not today’s handbook.

The objection

Joseph Smith practiced polygamy — including young and already-married wives — and lied about it. That’s not a prophet.

  • What they say

    “Joseph had 30–40 wives. Some were teenagers. Some already had husbands.”

From the Bible

They say

A real prophet would never practice polygamy.

If polygamy means a man cannot be a prophet, start in Genesis. Abraham, Jacob, and Moses had more than one wife. 2 Samuel 12:8: the Lord says He gave David his master’s wives. Nathan rebuked David for murder and theft, not for having more than one wife. Their Bible already has this. They only treat it as disqualifying when Joseph did it.

  • Genesis 16:3

    KJV · Sarai Abram’s wife took Hagar… and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.

    NRSVUE · Sarai… took Hagar… and gave her to her husband Abram as a wife.

  • 2 Samuel 12:8

    KJV · I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives into thy bosom.

    NRSVUE · I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your bosom.

From the Book of Mormon

They say

Even Jacob 2 forbids it — so Joseph broke his own book.

Jacob 2 is the rule: one wife, unless the Lord commands to raise up seed (v. 30). D&C 132 claims that exception. Official Declaration 1 ends it. That is the book’s own frame — not a cover-up. Use the essay. It already said the hard sentences: ages, already-married sealings, Emma’s pain.

  • Jacob 2:27, 30

    There shall not any man among you have save it be one wife… For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people; otherwise they shall hearken unto these things.

From modern revelation

They say

You still secretly practice it. FLDS is you.

Official Declaration 1 is the current commandment. Members who enter plural marriage now are excommunicated. The Manifesto essay is public. Fundamentalist groups are not the Church. Point to the essay. The Church does not practice plural marriage today.

  • Official Declaration 1

    We are not teaching polygamy or plural marriage, nor permitting any person to enter into its practice.

From faithful sources

From Preach My Gospel

Lesson 4 — Commandments (family)

“The law of chastity and the family are what we teach now. One living spouse.”

If they bring 1840s plural marriage: ‘The Church published that history. It was commanded then. It is forbidden now. We are not that breakaway group on the news.’ Then teach today’s family doctrine.

Open Preach My Gospel

Suggested videos

Faithful voices only. Most of these are independent — not official Church productions unless marked as such.

Restored Truth (Chandler Hendry)

Does the Bible Condemn Polygamy?

Watch on YouTube

Related

In the MTC

Full library