Polygamy Then and Now

Here are some excerpts from the response of Elder Marlin K. Jensen, Church Historian of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to a blog entry by Timothy Egan of the New York Times comparing the FLDS practice of polygamy to the 19th century LDS church.

Timothy Egan wrote a post on the Outposts blog claiming that the way polygamy is practiced today by members of the FLDS sect in Eldorado, Texas is the same as it was practiced by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) in the 19th century.

While most people know that Mormons abandoned the practice of polygamy at the end of the 19th century, it’s also important to understand that the conditions surrounding the practice of polygamy in Texas today bear little resemblance to the plural marriage practiced by Mormons more than a century ago. In fact, a closer look at history contradicts the simple reductive characterizations of “Mormon polygamy” offered by Egan. As thoughtful historians know, a serious study of history does not impose contemporary understandings and sensibilities onto an interpretation of earlier time periods.

Much of the argument Egan makes for similarities between FLDS polygamy and early Mormon marriage practices relates to the claim of “sexual manipulation” of children as evidenced by the age of marriage. In fact, men and women often married at a much younger age in the 19th century than we find acceptable today. Historian Kathryn Daynes, who has studied the subject in depth, says that although the female average age at marriage in the United States during the nineteenth century was twenty or older, a girl marrying at age 15 was not uncommon and certainly was not considered abused. The common-law marriage age for women was 12. Historically, outside of northwestern Europe, women at 14 to 16 were assumed to be ready for marriage.

…Marriage in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is sacred and ordained of God. The family is the basic social unit in this life and in the next. The social, emotional, and spiritual health of all family members was (in the 19th century) and is today the primary concern of every Latter-day Saint mother and father. Mr. Egan’s cavalier comparison of FLDS polygamous practices with those of 19th century Latter-day Saints is historically unsupported and simply wrong. By implication, he also unfairly impugns the integrity of all Latter-day Saint marriages and families, the very institutions they hold most dear.

Overall, I have been very pleased with how carefully the media has differentiating between the LDS and FLDS churches as they have reported on the situation down in Texas.  My heart truly goes out to those women and children.

The entire response can be found here.

The Power of Worthy Music

A few days ago I watched a PBS documentary on the history of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Angela Lansberry described their music as having a “staggering” quality that just fills your heart. Sting said that while the choir members are outstanding musically, what makes the music truly special is the belief they each possess. Their music has had a wonderful effect on people throughout the world for many decades. And I, too, felt a closeness to Heavenly Father as I heard them raise their voices in song.

My uncle has been a member of the choir for several years. Every General Conference I am thrilled to see his face and feel an additional connection to the choir and their music.

On Sunday, Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the LDS Church spoke on the power of worthy music.

He exhorted us to “delete the rubbish from your minds and your iPods.”

“Do not degrade yourself with the numbing shabbiness and irreverence of music that is not worthy of you.”

“Some of you would not knowingly tolerate pornography in your homes, and yet you would allow music into your lives that can be just as devastating.”

He counseled, “some of the greatest sermons are preached by the singing of hymns. Hymns move us to repentance and good works, build testimony and faith, comfort the weary, console the mourning, and inspire us to endure to the end.”

While I certainly enjoy many kinds of music, nothing touches my heart like the beautiful hymns of Zion.

For anyone interested in watching that documentary, you can find it at byu.tv. Select April 28, 2008 from the Choose-a-date drop-down menu. It aired at 9:00pm.