Months ago I wrote an op-ed addressed to the writers of the LDS Gospel Topics essay on Joseph Smith's polygamy, asking them to consider rephrasing that Joseph's marriage to a 14-year-old — among other troubling aspects — was a mistake. I mentioned my concerns as a psychologist, which originated from hearing the essay would soon be incorporated into youth and LDS seminary curriculum.
And so it has. This upcoming week, 14- to 18-year-old youth will learn in seminary a revised lesson on D&C Section 132 (the section outlining the modern practice of polygamy) incorporating the essay's justifications.
Since I published the op-ed, I realized I made a mistake addressing the church. That's just not how change happens from the top. It was counter-productive, and nothing has changed. Since then Elder Dallin H. Oaks said the church doesn't give apologies, so me asking (however sincerely) for essayists to revise was naïve and will likely never happen.
Here's my revised ask. I'm asking for every parent and seminary teacher who reads this op-ed to carefully read through the seminary lesson and decide if they want youth to learn that God commanded Joseph to institute polygamy and marry teenagers and married women without Emma's knowledge. As you read, ask yourselves: Would a loving God do that to his children? Seminary teachers are instructed to walk students through the reasons God would command Joseph Smith and Abraham to practice polygamy (even though there's actually no mention in the Old Testament of God commanding Abraham. He just did it because polygamy was common practice among ancient nomadic tribes). The lesson's answer is, to raise righteous seed. It doesn't mention polygamy decreased the overall Mormon birthrate in early Utah. Sure, prominent polygamist men like Brigham Young had his posterity increased more than monogamous Mormon men — but his wives, along with other polygamous women, bore less children than they would have were they married monogamously.
The teacher then is to explain how polygamy was necessary because all ancient practices needed to be restored to complete the Church's Restoration. Joseph was just righteously doing what he was told, and he and those who practiced it with him were blessed for their obedience even though members first recoiled at idea.
Look, parents and teachers, sexual predators have been using these rationalizations to seduce girls long before the church recently published them. Study of this "deep doctrine" led many men, even a Utah teacher, to seduce teenagers under the premise that they were just following Joseph's example and had been similarly commanded of the Lord as righteous priesthood holders. Given that the current curriculum justifies the secrecy Joseph demanded of early followers of the practice, it's not hard to convince such victims that God is commanding them to keep their sexual behavior a secret until "the right time." This is Grooming 101.
When seminary instructors teach polygamy as God-commanded, justify Joseph's actions, read scripture verses as a class that treat women as property and bear testimony (as instructed) of these to Mormon youth worldwide, I cannot understate the psychological problems.
I've talked to a few parents and teachers about the curriculum's problematic aspects. Most are appalled. A few, however, surprisingly said to me that it's more important to follow the lesson manual as-is, do what they are told and pass responsibility for any consequences to those above them. I understand the perspective, but I strongly disagree on moral grounds and encourage everyone reading this to take a stand by following their conscience. You can teach the facts in the lesson without the spin. Instead of teaching "God commanded Joseph to institute polygamy," simply teach that Joseph Smith began practicing polygamy in the early 1830s. Play the clip of President Gordon B. Hinckley saying that he condemns polygamy because it's not doctrinal.
I guarantee you there are girls in your seminary class who are very uncomfortable reading in D&C 132 that if a man simply "desires a virgin," he has a God-given right to take her as a plural wife, and if he asks his first wife and she doesn't consent, he's free to take the virgin anyway. Better yet, ignore this lesson altogether and teach your students about Jesus Christ this Easter season.
Kristy Money is a psychologist and member of the board of Ordain Women.
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