Today the Deseret Morning News featured a story about the HBO miniseries Big Love. If you are not LDS - that is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints - or a member of one of it's many whacko polygamous practicing off shoots, you really have nothing to fear. I use the word whacko in reference to the whacko polygamous practicing off shoots, but I am most certain there are many who would easily apply that word to the LDS church as well. No surprise there. Recently Bill Maher commented that the Mormon Church was grateful for the creation of Scientology "because now there would be a religion more weird than Mormons."

But I digress.

The article in today's Deseret Morning News quoted LDS Church spokesperson Mike Otterson as saying, "Obviously, we don't like the program. There's nothing about the program to like if you're an active Latter-day Saint."

I would like to thank Brother Otterson for setting the record straight for me. Apparently tonight I learned I am not an active Latter-Day Saint.

I liked the program.

But it begs one to question why would an active Latter-Day Saint not like this program.  Yes, there is some sexual content and mature themes. But come on! It's not rated R! So that makes it OK to watch.

One would counter that with, what is there for an active Latter-Day Saint to like about the program? I could respond; but more than likely the person asking that question would be a Latter-Day Saint who doesn't like it, so no matter what I say, it's falling on deaf ears.  And I am not here to focus on that. I want to discuss why an active Latter-Days Saint would take issue with that show more so then they would with, say The Sopranos.  

The bigger picture in Big Love as to why an active Latter-Day Saint would not like to watch it is probably because in reality, the truth hurts. Which is why so many members of the LDS Church, including the LDS Church, are so worried about it. The very existence of that show is in direct result of practiced doctrine introduced by the LDS Church some 175 years ago.  Now granted the LDS Church denounced polygamy in 1890. And of course it took a few years for the members to catch on that the church's denouncement of it was for real and not done with a sly wink, wink, nod, nod. That's how they did it from 1831 to 1852.

The LDS Church stopped practicing polygamy for one reason and one reason only: the law of the land. The United States Government put the LDS Church and its leaders under intense pressure and it threatened to destroy all that the members of the LDS Church had worked so hard to build up since their settlement in the Great Salt Lake. Had the rest of the of the world not been so upset and wild eyed about the Mormon's polygamous practices, well, Big Love just might be about your typical Mormon family living in Utah today and not one of the many off shoot groups.

From a doctrinal stand point, Mormon dogma still asserts that the concept of polygamy is an eternal principle, practiced by the prophets of old; both Old Testament era and Doctrine and Covenants era.  It is believed that it will be practiced in the here after. In fact, this very author, being divorced from my first wife is still "sealed" to her in the eternities in addition to my current wife. Though I highly doubt my first wife would make it anywhere near heaven given the fact that she did such a good job of creating hell on earth for me. However, it has been speculated that since I have been sealed to two women, that if one of them doesn't make the cut, that slot could open up for another who might have had a husband that didn't make the cut either.  All I know is dealing with one wife is enough for me now. And that's in a 24 hour day. I can't imagine eternity.

One of the biggest issues concerning those individuals who practice polygamy today is the age factor. Often times girls as young as 14 and 15 are married off into polygamous marriages. That is appalling.  Not too mention expensive. I have a 14 year old niece who bugs her father everyday for new jeans, new shoes, money for the mall, money for the movies, money for jewelry, more money for clothes. I can't imagine having multiple 14 year olds do that. And then in another 14 years, you have to go through it again with your kids.

Regarding the age factor, a family member commented to me that the difference was in the early days of the Mormon Church they weren't marrying girls that young. Not true. They were marrying those young girls back then as well. The only difference was they didn't have malls and designer jeans, so it wasn't as costly. But the fact that my family member was not aware of similar details in early Mormon Church history is troubling. Unfortunately that is the case with many current Latter-Day Saints. They are misinformed, or simply naive. And often times when presented with the true facts refuse to believe. I can understand as such; it's not like the doctrine of Blood Atonement, being killed for committing certain sins to receive forgiveness, as taught by Brigham Young is going to show up in the Sunday school manuals anytime soon.  Though I think it should. And I think it should be a principle taught in connection with home teaching, the Mormon practice of making a monthly visit to assigned church families to stay apprised of their needs and daily welfare. The church's new motto could be "100 percent or you die!"

But I think we should be aware of our past, blemishes and all. Many wonder to what purpose. Good question. I imagine presenting anything unflattering to the current status of the LDS Church would make it hard to win converts and maintain the status quo among the current members. Ergo the numerous questions that will no doubt be raised as a result of Big Love.  

So what's the flip side of that coin? Is it to suppress the past? One can make a serious argument that has been the standard for some time now. See previous paragraph concerning the lack of lessons on Blood Atonement being taught in Young Men and Young Women. And that's where it should be taught the most. I mean how many parents already threaten their teen age child with bodily harm for any number of mischievous acts. So it's not like it hasn't come up already.

But if we suppress the past, where does that lead us into the future? Gay marriage is a hot bed topic of debate in this country. It's legal in many places around the world and many are pushing hard and fast to get it to be the case in the United States. And it stands to reason that if the law is going to permit gay marriage -- which to me sounds like an oxymoron -- but I digress.  If the law is going to permit gay marriage, then it stands to reason that polygamy will only follow suit. And many are pushing for exactly that to happen.  It's not far fetched to think that gay marriage could become legal in this country and polygamy as well.

Now let it be said I am not here to take a stand on gay marriage one way or another in this blog. That is not the focus here. I am simply saying that if gay marriage becomes legal, polygamy will most likely not be far behind.

If that indeed does happen, where does that leave the LDS Church? It was the law of the land that put a stop to Mormon polygamy, but if that law no longer stands in the way, will the Mormon Church resume the practice of marrying multiple wives? Now the steadfast Mormon will announce that only can be determined by God through revelation so it's pointless to speculate. However, I think the speculating has already been done because I have always been told that all things shall be restored, including polygamy.  And why not speculate? It's simply being prepared and perhaps knowing what one might do in any given set of circumstances. The LDS Church teaches its members to be prepared with a year's supply of food in case of an emergency. Why not be mentally prepared for something as well?

So in the course of speculation it's stands to reason that like gay marriage, polygamy would fall under intense protest and disdain by numerous groups of people. Practicing of such a principle would of course be a huge obstacle for anyone considering joining the LDS Church and even its very own steadfast members themselves.  Where does that leave the missionary work? And since it's hard enough to get 100 percent home teaching done now when it's one husband and one wife with one family, imagine how much harder it will be when you have to go see some guys multiple families.

There's many questions with many answers and I don't pretend to know what those answers are. Until then, I guess will continue to watch Big Love and see how the writers of that show handle things. At least now I know in LDS Church spokesperson Mike Otterson's eyes, watching that show and liking it makes me an inactive Latter-Day Saint. I guess I now get to stay home Sunday mornings.