FAIR is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing well-documented answers to criticisms of the doctrine, practice, and history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Plural marriage as a requirement for exaltation
Important introductory material on plural marriage available here
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Criticism
Critics claim that some Church leaders taught that plural marriage was a requirement for those wishing to enter the highest degree of the celestial kingdom. Because the Church does not currently practice plural marriage, critics claim this means that either the leaders were wrong, or that current members are not destined for exaltation.
Source(s) of the Criticism
Response
Critics ignore that the purpose of modern prophets it to give the Saints the will of God in their particular circumstances. Wrote Joseph Smith specifically of the issue of plural marriage:
- This is the principle on which the government of heaven is conducted—by revelation adapted to the circumstances in which the children of the kingdom are placed...in obedience there is joy and peace unspotted, unalloyed; and as God has designed our happiness—and the happiness of all His creatures, he never has—He never will institute an ordinance or give a commandment to His people that is not calculated in its nature to promote that happiness which He has designed, and which will not end in the greatest amount of good and glory to those who become the recipients of his law and ordinances.[1]
LDS doctrine also holds that the prophet, when speaking in an official capacity, speaks on behalf of the Lord:
- whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same. (DC 1꞉38
Critics of the Church often come out of an inerrantist background, or draw on arguments first formulated by religious inerrantists or fundamentalists. In an inerrantist religion, God's instructions cannot change with circumstances—if they did, then the Biblical record would not be sufficient, on its own, to guide us. Since inerrantists require, above all, that the Bible be the sole authority, they must assume that God's requirements are always the same.
However, even the Bible gives many examples of God giving new instructions because of new circumstances, or contravening previous instructions:
- Noah (but no other prophet) was to build an Ark (Genesis 6꞉14)
- Moses implemented the Passover, which was hitherto unknown (Exodus 3꞉12-28)
- Jesus revoked the celebration of Passover, and modified the ordinance and its performance at the Last Supper (Matthew 26꞉26, Mark 14꞉22, Luke 22꞉19)
- Hosea was commanded to marry a prostitute as a sign to Israel Hosea 1꞉1-3
- Jesus told his disciples only to preach to Israelites (Matthew 10꞉5-6, Matthew 15꞉24)
- The Lord later told the prophet (Peter) to preach to all people (Acts 10꞉14-28)
In each case, failure to obey carried significant penalties. Yet, when proper authority altered or rescinded a command, spiritual disaster followed those who did not obey the new instructions.
Conclusion
To obey the Lord's commands in all things is necessary for exaltation. (Our inevitable failure to live perfectly requires the grace of Christ's atonement.) Members of the Church in, say, 1860 who refused to follow the counsel of prophets and apostles put their spiritual standing in jeopardy. Likewise, members who refuse to obey present counsel are at risk.
Endnotes
- [note] Joseph Smith, History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 7 volumes, edited by Brigham H. Roberts, (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1957), {{{vol}}}:135.