Political Power and Polygamy



All of this is a section taken from "One Nation Under Gods, by Richard Abanes." It is a valuable reference book that gives factual history about Mormonism.
"It was painfully obvious to the Committee on Privileges and Elections that the Mormon hierarchy, which included Smoot, had for many years been practicing, encouraging, and solemnizing polygamy......The Senate committee ended up voting seven to five against accepting Smoot as a senator. But by the time the committee's report and recommendation finally was debated before the senate in 1907, Smoot already had been in Congress for several years. He had formed political alliances, no doubt made quid pro quo agreements with various congressmen, and most importantly, during a private meeting had convinced U.S. president Teddy Roosevelt of his innocence. So when the full Senate voted, Smoot came out on top and he retained his congressional seat......Smoot himself had lied under oath. He claimed, for instance, that he had never heard a discussion of plural marriage in meetings of the apostles and had never himself "promulgated or advised the promulgation of the practice of polygamy." But it is now known that Smoot, prior to 1904, had been present at sixteen meetings, where plural marriage was discussed by the apostles, including a January 1902 meeting, during which Smoot told fellow apostles that the plural order of Marriage "if universally practiced would save the world much sorrow and distress." He also said he "looked forward to its restoration." Then, in October 1903, Smoot was present when LDS leader Marriner W. Merrill advised three apostles to marry plural wives. Yet in 1904, Smoot testified before the U.S. Senate that he had never heard a discussion of plural marriage in the Temple. Also in 1904, Smoot advised the First Presidency to have post-Manifesto plural wives hide in order to avoid arrest.
Despite these less than honorable acts, Smoot held his position in Washington for thirty years, eventually becoming one of the Most powerful of all congressmen. Consider the following assessment of Smoot that was written in 1932 by syndicated columnist Raymond Clapper: 'Utah has Senator Smoot and he has built up a dynasty of appointees which penetrates into a dozen or so of the most important branches of the government...Ramifications of the Smoot dynasty are intricate enough to provide rich diggings for a political genealogist. Chairman of the mighty Senate Finance Committee, ranking member of the powerful committees on Appropriations, Public Lands, Public Buildings, and Rules, Smoott's influence extends in all directions. With it all, he is probably the hardest working man in Congress, tireless in dealing with a tariff or tax bill, a demon for efficiency, once described by President Harding as the most valuable public servant in Washington."......Thus began the powerful political presence of Mormons in the Nation's capital. Meanwhile, back in Utah, the LDS church was facing yet another problem-a significant number of Mormons were continuing to practice plural marriage. Drastic steps would need to be taken; steps that would fracture Mormonism into two main groups: 1) the progressives, who agreed to follow the new anti-polygamy path of the church; and 2) the Fundamentalist, who refused to abandon the old ways and teachings of Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, and John Taylor." (One Nations Under Gods, Richard Abanes, pgs, 337, 341, 342)
There it is. Mormonism wedged its way into politics through Smoot and polygamy. While Smoot was dancing through Washington, DC, the Mormon church split in two: One side stuck with the real teachings of the Mormon prophets, thus The Fundamentalists; and the other side went away from eternal commands from leaders that were deemed to be the most holy Mormon men on earth, thus The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

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About Me

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Michigan, United States
I spent a lot of time deciding if I should write this blog or not. I'm not a great writer and I'm not going to pretend to be. I need to share what I have learned and I might not make some people happy with what I am saying. This blog is a way for me to release the thoughts and feelings that come with knowing I grew up in the wrong religion. A healing process if you will.

How To Read This Blog

Please start with the month of February 2007 and read backwards. This is the most effective way to understand, in order, why I say what I do.

Handmaidens Creed

1.I believe in God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit as one God without beginning or end.
2.I believe the Bible to be the Holy Inspired word of God with full truth and righteousness. No other writing is.
3.I believe that the work of the Lord comes first. Before any temporal thing or person.
4.I believe that grace is a gift and Christ gives that gift freely to all who believe.
5.I believe that the beauty of a woman is contained inside of her and not by what she looks like on the outside.
6.I believe that marriage is sacred and represents the Godhead on earth; two are one just as three are one.
7.I believe that love is more powerful than any other power. Remember, God is love.
8.I believe that tithing is not a part of God's new covenant, free will offerings are. And that doesn't mean just money.
9.I believe that the Aaronic, Levitical, and Melchizedek priesthoods are abolished and Christs Holy Priesthood whom Christ is the "Great High Priest" is eternal.
10.I believe that every believer is a priest in the "Priesthood of Believers".
11.I believe that when two are one, nobody is to separate the one.
12.I believe that Christ is the only way to heaven.
13.I believe that our bodies are temples, not man made buildings.
14.I believe that liars make fools out of others and the liar hates the fool.
15.I believe that all believers are in authority to preach the gospel.
16.I believe that the word 'organization' to describe Christs body is evil and has no place with God.
17.I believe the Americas are not the land of Zion and Christ will return to His origonal land-Israel in the Middle East.
18.I believe that God has set out correct ways of worshiping Him, not man.
19.I believe in holding to the truths of the Bible and not mans understanding of it.
20.I believe that the world is full of evil and Satan can easily gain control over the minds of those who do not profess Christ of the Bible to be their only Messiah.
21.I believe that Saints are those who know the real Savior, Jesus Christ, of whom the Bible speaks of; not the jesus of a cult.