On Polygamy and Religion

The following thoughts occurred to me this morning:

Joseph Smith taught and practiced a doctrine and system of religion that involved people -- men and men, women and women, and men and women -- being "sealed" to each other (in ways that are not altogether clear now) for both here and hereafter.

Joseph believed that people could be "sealed" together in marriages, families, kindreds, even nations! He believed a covenant people could be "sealed" to God, both as a group and as individuals.

Men and women were sealed (by Joseph and others) as husband and wife for "time and all eternity." When one of these spouses died, the survivor -- according to Joseph, Hyrum, and the doctrine of the church -- was at liberty to marry again.

Some argued that someone could NOT get married again on earth because they were STILL married "eternally" to someone now in heaven. Joseph and Hyrum taught this was NOT true. Spouses of the deceased, they taught,  are free to remarry -- and thus be married to more than one person! (Just not on Earth! That would be polygamy!)

Eternity is a long, long time, Joseph taught, involving many sheres of influence and activity. "It will be a great while after you leave this life before you will realize perfection," he said. (I'm paraphrasing.)

The great "secret" is that "eternity" involves many mortal probations -- with many opportunities for associations. These must necessarily be "staffed" with people and we are free to choose our colleagues, to some extent, both here and hereafter. (Freedom of association is a divine principle vouchsafed by our US Constitution as the 4th amendment.)

God Himself lives in "eternity" and makes Himself flesh, as we do. He expresses Himself perfectly not just in a tabernacle of clay we call the Son of God, but also imperfectly by and through all of us. He is "in" us. (But now I am straying from my point!)

Joseph was interested in organizing people into groups that would allow them to maximize their potential for growth and development in present and future spheres.

I imagine you have married -- and have even been sealed to a spouse -- for here and hereafter. Your expectation is that your relationships will continue beyond the grave.

It is my assertion that Joseph and Hyrum taught that such sealings and expectations are honored by God for the worthy, who obtain faith and assurance from God that they may do so. In other words, birds of a feather who wish to flock together may do so, God willing.

That concept was pushed a little too far by Brigham Young and those who deigned to implement (restore?) polygamy on earth -- demonstrating their misunderstanding of the scriptures, the doctrine of sealings and "eternal marriage," and the will of God.

Just as God would not have us commit fornication -- but enter into marriage and families by appointed means and channels -- He would not have us commit adultery or polygamy.

He nonetheless has condoned (or allowed) both ad-hoc "marriages," fornication, adultery, and polygamous associations, for His purposes. "If I choose to raise up seed unto Myself," as it were.

Strange as it may seem, there are many "bastards" -- born of fornication and adultery, even polygamy, "rightly" or wrongly practiced -- who fulfill God's purposes in the eternal scheme of things.

The "will of God" is expressed in all of us, more or less, by the power of the Holy Ghost: the Spirit (or mind) of God. The more carefully and closely we follow that Spirit (or will), the more like God we will become. And, of course, the less we follow that Spirit, the opposite is true.

Men organize and practice "religion" as an expression of that Spirit in them. Inasmuch as those expressions become codified and catechized, that Spirit is constrained.

You may notice that Jesus operated, for the most part, "outside" of religion -- while honoring its requirements and observances (for the time being) for the law's sake -- to "fulfill" the law and bring about the atonement, with Himself as the Eternal sacrifice, after which "the law" was done away.

God does not intend for men to practice ANY "religion" eternally. We are made "free" in Christ! Embracing more truth sets us free -- free from the shackles, dogmas, and errors of organized religion.

The grand, overarching, operating principle of the universe is love, not religion.

Fixation on "religion" -- or any "system" of religious observance that is "fixed" -- ossifies error and practice and thus  "sows" damnation -- as religion, by definition, thwarts the very innovation and growth (revelation) required by heaven for advancement -- unless receiving further revelation is a featured component of that religion.

Unfortunately, "believers" --  even in religions that embrace the principle of revelation -- "naturally" assert and impose orthodoxy (in their efforts to understand and practice all things revealed, in association with like-minded individuals) and thus stifle the very revelation -- even killing and persecuting the prophets among them! -- they allegedly embrace.