I was under the
impression that polygamy was because it was only a commandment, but on p. 118, second to the last paragraph, of Mormon Thunder it mentions that polygamy was partly because women out numbered the men. Is there anyone else that had a question about this?
I've heard this theory as well, but according to the note at the end of chapter 8 it states that "virtually all scholars...affirm a higher percentage of men in nineteenth-century Utah than the myth would suggest." I would be interested in finding out the true statistics regarding the ratio of women and men during this time.
ReplyDeleteI'm also interested in the fact that very few saints were said to know the details regarding how polygamy was introduced into their culture (page 120). If this is the case, I'm interested in why so many people bought into the idea with so little to support its infusion into their culture.
Let's make sure that we ask Dr. Sessions this question on the seminar. He is the expert and I would to have some clarification myself.
ReplyDeleteIt has been a while so I don't remember which apostle said in Mormon Thunder, but I was very surprised by their comment that Jesus Christ was a Polygamist and that Mary Magdelene was one of his wives. I was also surpised by one of Grants comments about Joseph Smith and if he asked you for one of your wives you should gladly give it to him because there were plenty more out there. I had heard rumors of polyandry and marrying other peoples wives, but that kind of confirmed it.
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