"Sometimes Heavenly Father gives special commandments for a
time. Long ago, He told Joseph Smith and some Saints to live
plural marriage, like in the Bible. It was hard for many people.
Later, Heavenly Father told Church leaders to stop. Today, His
commandment is that a man should have only one wife."
This page compares how different LDS / Mormon / Ex-Mormon audiences frame the same topics. These are representative statements meant to capture typical emphasis, tone, and level of detail. For each topic, there are cards representing each voice.
Each point places a voice on two axes:
- Historicity (vertical)
- How much historical detail and context is included. Higher up = more historical detail.
- Skepticism (horizontal)
- How critically the topic is treated. Further right = more critical stance.
Polygamy
Primary
Sunday School
"Marriage between one man and one woman is God's standard unless
He commands otherwise. By revelation, the Lord directed Joseph
Smith to introduce plural marriage in the early 1840s as part of
the Restoration of all things. It was a severe trial of faith
for Joseph, Emma, and many Saints. Later, by revelation, the
Church discontinued the practice; today the Lord's law is
monogamy."
Saints
"In the 1840s, Joseph Smith taught a small number of trusted
followers about plural marriage, believing he had received a
commandment from God. Some women entered plural marriages
reluctantly, others after spiritual confirmation. The practice
was kept largely private and caused emotional pain,
misunderstanding, and opposition, both inside and outside the
Church."
Gospel Topics Essays
"The Bible and the Book of Mormon teach that monogamy is God's
standard unless He declares otherwise. In limited cases, the
Lord has commanded plural marriage. From the early 1840s to
about 1890, in response to revelation given to Joseph Smith,
some Latter-day Saints practiced plural marriage. This required
faith and sacrifice and drew significant opposition. Eventually,
the Lord directed the Saints to discontinue the practice; today,
Latter-day Saints do not practice plural marriage."
Rough Stone Rolling
"Joseph Smith introduced plural marriage cautiously and in
secret, aware that it would be shocking even to devoted
followers. He married multiple women, including some who were
already married to other men and some who were quite young by
modern standards. The practice produced deep personal anguish,
strained marriages, and lasting confusion, even among those who
accepted Smith's prophetic claims."
No Man Knows My History
"Joseph Smith's practice of polygamy was marked by secrecy,
deception, and manipulation. He married dozens of women,
including teenagers and the wives of other men, while publicly
denying the doctrine. Revelation functioned as a rhetorical tool
to secure compliance and silence dissent."
Redditors
"Joseph Smith invented polygamy to justify predatory behavior.
He coerced teenage girls, married other men's wives, lied to his
followers, and used God as leverage. The Church still
whitewashes this and calls it 'faith-promoting context.'"