The church has introduced a new series of scripture stories aimed at children. There are plenty of illustrations and the simplified stories pull from the scriptures and church history. They don’t shy from one of the most troubling chapters of Mormon history, polygamy.
The simplified story portrays the origin of Mormon polygamy as beginning with Joseph Smith studying biblical examples of plural marriage, prompting him to ask God for guidance. God allegedly revealed that plural marriage was a commandment in specific circumstances and soon commended Joseph to do it. Despite initial reluctance, Joseph began practicing polygamy, teaching others to do the same, and encouraging women to seek divine confirmation. While this practice was difficult for Joseph, his wife Emma, and others, they believed it was commanded by God. Over time, legal and societal opposition to polygamy led to persecution, but the church taught that God blessed those who obeyed. In 1890, the practice officially ended following a revelation to church president Wilford Woodruff. Today, monogamy is upheld as the standard.
They share an innocent version of the history of polygamy, sure to relate that Joseph didn’t want to marry other women, and that the commandment was from God and Joseph found it very hard to live. Even though the commandment was allegedly against their desires, they obeyed and the Lord blessed them for it. This teaches to ignore our own intuition and morality and to simply obey. That commandments can be hard as in against your morals but you should still obey. As in, Nephi slaying Laban against your morals, or marrying 14-year-old girls against morals.
The Whitewashing of History
This narrative presents a heavily sanitized and misleading version of Mormon polygamy that omits or distorts key historical facts:
The Coercive Nature of Early Polygamy
The story frames polygamy as reluctant obedience to God’s will, but historical records suggest Joseph Smith often pressured young women, some as young as 14, and already-married women to enter into plural marriages. Many accounts describe manipulation, threats of spiritual consequences, and secrecy, far removed from the consensual, prayerful process described here.
Emma Smith’s Involvement Misrepresented
While the story acknowledges Emma’s struggles, it falsely implies she supported Joseph’s plural marriages at times. Historical evidence shows she was often vehemently opposed, and the relationships caused significant tension in their marriage. Joseph frequently kept his plural marriages secret from her.
Dismissal of Broader Context
The simplified version ignores the extensive societal, legal, and moral controversies surrounding polygamy. The church’s efforts to deny or conceal the practice, including public denials by Joseph Smith, are omitted. This whitewashing glosses over the immense harm caused to women, children, and families involved in these unions.
Glossing Over Harmful Practices
The narrative implies that God “blessed” polygamous families, while minimizing the suffering endured by many women who had little to no choice in these arrangements. It ignores the broader consequences, such as abandonment, exploitation, and inequity.
The 1890 Manifesto Mischaracterization
The story simplifies the cessation of polygamy, omitting that the practice continued unofficially for decades after 1890. Some church leaders encouraged members to ignore the public declaration, creating confusion and further harm.
The following article appeared in the Salt Lake Tribune on Jan 11, 2025.
Commentary: New LDS curriculum flops in teaching eternal polygamy to children
This one took me by surprise. There it was — on the official website of my church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — a short lesson to be taught in 2025 in Primary, the organization that serves the children, a cartoon storybook about plural marriage in our church’s history.
The children are assured that, even though Joseph Smith was reluctant to take more wives, God himself ordered our founding prophet, already a husband to Emma, to “marry” up to 40 women and girls. Some were even in their teens, and some were already married to other men. Historical research has demonstrated that some of Joseph’s “marriages” were sexual in nature. Stories suggest that many of these women did not want to become his wives but did so because they believed in Joseph’s divine authority.
What does this Primary lesson communicate to our kids?
Children will be indoctrinated with the understanding that if a “man of authority” tells us God wants us to do something we believe is wrong, we are to do it anyway. Child molesters will be pleased.
Nothing in church history continues to be as much of a painful mess as polygamy. In 2016, I wrote and published a book titled “The Ghost of Eternal Polygamy: Haunting the Hearts and Heaven of Mormon Women and Men.” It was the result of a snowball survey that was taken by more than 8,000 members and former members of the church. Among those, 15% thought our history of polygamy was just fine, while 85% said it was hurtful and wrong. In write-in comments, many said the history of polygamy damaged their sense of self, their relationships with the church, with God and often with family members, particularly spouses.
Despite the claim to have given up polygamy, our church is still devoted to it. A man can be married in the temple for eternity to several women sequentially with the promise that they will all be his in the next life.
Soon after the publication of “The Ghost of Eternal Polygamy,” I sent a copy of the book to each member of the church’s governing First Presidency, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and other top leaders. I signed the books to each by name, “with appreciation and with the hope that you will lead us into a truly post-polygamy future.”
I knew I would not hear back from any of them, but soon I received the following email from my friend Curt Bench, who died in 2021 and was the owner of a major Latter-day Saint bookstore:
I learned from [Brigham Young University professor M.] that [BYU professor of religion and history H.] was asked by the Twelve Apostles to report about your book and … basically told them that it was their fault that the problem with “eternal polygamy” and the way people feel about it (as shown in your book) exists today. Nothing about their response.
I began to hope. Surely these good men would find a way, quickly or gradually, to rid our people of this harmful doctrine.
I was wrong. This new Primary lesson demonstrates that leaders of our church are determined that polygamy retain its place in history as a commandment of God. They are teaching that our place as members will always be to follow what the brethren tell us God says, no matter the dictates of our minds and hearts.
I still receive letters and emails from women (and men) who thank me for “The Ghost of Eternal Polygamy,” telling me it has brought them great peace of mind, even saved their marriage.
Hundreds of messages tell a story similar to this one:
Joseph Smith ruined everything when he brought in plural marriage for eternity. This is hell, not heaven. I’m 69 and still worry this may become my hellish future that no, I will NEVER agree to. So heartbreaking. My brother says I could live polygamy and grin and bear if I had to. But I never will. I am distraught. Thank you for all you do.
I wrote back:
Please don’t be distraught over eternal polygamy! I’m convinced it is a fiction. A paper dragon. A nothing burger. It is the wind waking you at night making you think it is robbers. It is the dark monster under your bed that was never there!
Joseph’s polygamy came from his own creative mind, never from God. Eternal polygamy never was and never will be a reality. Please have peace of mind. Please sleep well. Please give this awful Ghost not one more ounce of your energy.
That is the message I wish I could give to every one of my sisters and brothers in this church of ours, this splendid church that yet carries in its doctrine an error. It’s an error that is not just bothersome, but — for believers — potentially poisonous.
The brethren have shown that they can correct errors in our history. They have given significant attention to righting the wrongs done to our Black brothers and sisters, who were denied temple access and priesthood ordination for decades. Comparatively little has been done to right the wrongs done to women, who likely constitute a majority of the church’s active members.
It is my hope that the Primary teachers who are tasked with teaching that polygamy came from God will listen to their own personal guidance and teach accordingly.
(Carol Lynn Pearson is an author of more than 40 books and stage plays. She is an active Latter-day Saint and lives in Walnut Creek, California. One of her most famous books is “Goodbye, I Love You,” a powerful account of her marriage to a gay man, their struggle, divorce, ongoing friendship and her caring for him as he died of AIDS. The views expressed in this opinion piece do not necessarily reflect those of Religion News Service.)
Commentary: New LDS curriculum flops in teaching eternal polygamy to children
Carol Lynn Pearson writes, “Children will be indoctrinated with the understanding that if a ‘man of authority’ tells us God wants us to do something we believe is wrong, we are to do it anyway.”
https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2025/01/13/new-lds-curriculum-flops-teaching/
This version of history perpetuates the idea that polygamy was an inspired commandment, detracting from the real experiences of those who were coerced, marginalized, or harmed. It also shields the church from accountability for practices that have left lasting scars on individuals and families. By whitewashing such a complex and often disturbing chapter of Mormon history, the narrative prevents honest reflection and meaningful reconciliation with the past.
For members grappling with these realities, it’s vital to approach this history with honesty, compassion, and a willingness to engage with the broader truths beyond the church’s official narrative. Sharing personal journeys of faith at platforms like wasmormon.org can foster understanding and healing for those seeking clarity.
More reading:
- Goodbye, I Love You by Carol Lynn Pearson
- https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/doctrine-and-covenants-stories-2025/44-plural-marriage
- https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics-essays/plural-marriage-in-kirtland-and-nauvoo
- https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2025/01/13/new-lds-curriculum-flops-teaching/
- https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/23292762.pdf
- https://religionnews.com/2016/07/20/mormon-women-fear-eternal-polygamy-study-shows/
- https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/polygamy-latter-day-saints-and-the-practice-of-plural-marriage
- The Drawn Flaming Sword of Polygamy – Spiritual Abuse and Manipulation
- A Fig For Polygamy?
- Mormon Polygamy: Taking Wives Akin to Buying Cows
- Props to Doug for contributing to this post.