I know you're probably sick to death of discussing it but I'm curious about about polygamy from a LDS perspective.

How often do you encounter people who cannot, do not or will not differentiate between bigamy and polygamy?  I heard someone say the other day the bigamy was two spouses polygamy was more than two spouces. You could have knoccked me over with a feather.

I seems to me, and I am by no estimation an LDS expert but I can follow and accept the LDS Scriptural basis for polygamy. That is not to say that I accept the Book of Mormon, Pearl of Great Price, D & C to authoritative but LDS do; and under those circumstances the practice of polygamy is scriptural. At least in my estimation.

Why did the LDS Church back-peddle on this point?

The Church ended Polygamy because of two reasons, it had become a hardship upon the Church and it had out grown its necessity. 
The purposes of Polygamy in our perspective is to provide worthy women with worthy husbands to be sealed in a Temple.  This includes taking elderly women under your wing for protection if they had not wed.  By the late 1800s, the church had grown in such a way, that there was really no need for Polygamy.  This was compounded with the fact the federal government was set to seize all the Temples and Church properties that we owned.  We had already seen two of our beloved Temples defiled and did not want to see more houses of God turned into pig stys (literally). 

Eternal marriage is an essential doctrine and in many way we still believe in Polygamy.  If I were to die, even though my husband and I are sealed in the Temple.  He could marry in the temple again.  However, I could only remarry for this life only.  I could not be in a temple marriage again.

Bigamy for me is when the two wives/husbands are not aware and have not entered the arrangement willingly.  Polandry (which is the only form of Polygamy we practiced) is where all participants are willing.

Polandry was also a calling.  Not every man could be polygamist.  In the days where we practiced this doctrine, the husband must be able to maintain the multiple wives financially, also the first wife and any other wives had to agree to the match and they actually chose the wife of their new husband.  Thus there was far more consensus.

However, members are forbidden to practice polygamy now in keeping with the Articles of Faith and the demands to adhere to the law of the land.

Angela wrote: The Church ended Polygamy because of two reasons, it had become a hardship upon the Church and it had out grown its necessity.  The purposes of Polygamy in our perspective is to provide worthy women with worthy husbands to be sealed in a Temple.  This includes taking elderly women under your wing for protection if they had not wed.  By the late 1800s, the church had grown in such a way, that there was really no need for Polygamy.  This was compounded with the fact the federal government was set to seize all the Temples and Church properties that we owned.  We had already seen two of our beloved Temples defiled and did not want to see more houses of God turned into pig stys (literally).  Eternal marriage is an essential doctrine and in many way we still believe in Polygamy.  If I were to die, even though my husband and I are sealed in the Temple.  He could marry in the temple again.  However, I could only remarry for this life only.  I could not be in a temple marriage again. Bigamy for me is when the two wives/husbands are not aware and have not entered the arrangement willingly.  Polandry (which is the only form of Polygamy we practiced) is where all participants are willing. Polandry was also a calling.  Not every man could be polygamist.  In the days where we practiced this doctrine, the husband must be able to maintain the multiple wives financially, also the first wife and any other wives had to agree to the match and they actually chose the wife of their new husband.  Thus there was far more consensus. However, members are forbidden to practice polygamy now in keeping with the Articles of Faith and the demands to adhere to the law of the land.

I suppose now the young haven't known any other way, but I wonder if any of the older members resent the Government intrustion on what ought to be a Church issue.

What about LDS in countries with less, shall we say baggage in terms of defining civil marriage? Would one be permitted to practice by the Church?

That has been a bit of a debate, but the Church is a church of order and uniformity.  So, the commandment to cease Polygamy is for all Saints, regardless of their countries laws on Polygamy.  But, until about 50 years ago, all Saints were encouraged to move to Zion (Utah), President McKay (I think) was the first Prophet to encourage people to stay in their native lands.

Many splinter groups declared Wilford Woodruff a fallen Prophet, thus the rise of the FLDS Church who's Leader is one the FBI's most wanted list for arranging force marriages between underaged girls and older men. 

I honestly feel this behavior is why the Church has not reinstated or fought for plural marriage to be recognized as a religious institution not able to be prosecuted under the Constitution. 

There is a quote that is often given that "It is a sad fact that when men are given any amount of power that they begin to practice unrighteous dominion."  Perhaps the reason the practice of Polygamy was ended and pushed aside was the foreseen problems associated with the practice as being done in the FLDS Church.  Forced marriages, young marriages, young men being cast out because there are not enough brides. 

I think it will be a long time before the world can practice Polygamy without these unfortunate events.

thank you

Abednego

No problem.