Thank goodness it's not factual, both because it'd be horrible for those women who were supposedly tortured, and as a Mormon, I'm glad there isn't more fuel for anti-Mormons.

I do find it interesting that the owner of the book was dissapointed that it wasn't factual. Why? Because she wanted the women to be tortured? Because she wanted some fuel for anti-Mormons? Or because this devalues her antique book? I don't know, but it's an odd thing for her to say, I think.

I think it's safe to assume the book owner was more dissapointed by the lack of authenticity because it devalues the book. All things Mormon are of high value and interest right now. I think we are again showing our persectution complex if we immediately assume she wanted it to be true in order to add fuel to the anti-Mormon fire. Some of us appear on par with Tom Cruise this past year when it comes to being defensive of (often legitimate) criticism.

Sort of like 'friends' who tell you all about Mormon religious beliefs.
When corrected, they come back and tell you their pastor says he is correct; that Mormons all lie about what they believe.
Then you find out these evangelicals actually have classes at their church where they are taught the evils of Mormonism.
I explain we only teach about OUR beliefs; that once I compared Mormon beliefs to the beliefs of Baptists. I was reprimanded by the Gospel Doctrine teacher to not dwell on what these people believe. I needed to only be concerned with what I believe.
Wise advice. I wish all could believe this way.
I have a friend who plays bluegrass with me on a band.
He does not pass up an opportunity to slam my beliefs in public.
Like the time I was offered coffee. I declined. It was offered again. I said I do not consume coffee.
This 'friend' said: just as long as you don't say it is an eleventh commandment or something.
I replied: but, it is!
I am solid in mmy beief, but sure get tired of the rude comments from 'friends'

I think the woman was sad mostly because she found out she had been emotionally manipulated by a story in such a way that it brought out discriminatory, hateful feelings in her toward Mormons. When the truthfulness of the claims upon which she justified her hatred was removed, the woman was confronted with her own bigotry. Horrified, she wished the story was true if only to resolve her own resultant internal ethical conflict. Selfish? yes. Surprising? not really. Humans are constantly justifying their thoughts and actions to themselves in light of perceived contradictions that arise from merely living. We all do this. Her's is just a terrible example of it. Let's be wary of supposing we're above this sort of behavior.

Many anti-Mormons don't care about the truth. I've seldom read an anti-Mormon letter, article or book without finding multiple examples of deceptive propaganda -- taking quotes out of context, building up and tearing down straw men, etc. We have modern propaganda just as bad as this old book, including at least two recent movies. The odd thing is that the more critics complain, the more converts the church gains as investigators look into the outlandish claims and come to find out for themselves the truth of the matter. For example, recently critics have begun trying to confuse the public or the difference between the main-stream Mormon Church and radical offshoot groups. And where does such deceptive practices lead -- to the truth, naturally. The further critics stray from the truth the more they destroy their credibility.

Anti-Mormons need to get a life. Anti-Mormons go through life with a chip on their shoulder looking to throw their anger and vile abusive filth at any Mormon that passes their way. If you do not like the Mormons, stay away from the freaking Mormons. Just stop your one sided hatred and discrimination toward the Mormons. I can not believe how much hatred the Mormons put up with, if the Anti-Mormons treated the Jews, Blacks or Gays like they treat the Mormons, they would be in jail.

No Mormon Man will ever say there was any abuse in the pioneer days of the Mormon church. Most anything women said back in the 1800's about LDS church polygamy will be dusted off as hearsay. I believe those women were mistreated and were miserable living a polygamy life style. They were lonely women who would have given anything to have one good man to themselves. I'm sure that Mormon Men will tell you differently and some of the brain washed woman as well. However, I had an ancestor who hated polygamy. Her heart always remained true to her first husband who was not a polygamist. She remained in a polygamist life style because in those days there was no place to escape to if you had a bunch of kids.... You put up and shut up, and did as you were told.
I think this book is factual and not fiction.

Anonymous, I seriously hope that if you have a job, you aren't allowed to make any serious decisions...

Let's be realistic, of course there were abusive husbands in pioneer Utah, just as there are now, but public floggings, give me a break. My great grandfather had five wives, (actually six, but one divorced him and went to San Francisco with her mother) and 47 children. He learned a lot from the loss of that first wife. My grandmother told me repeatedly how harmoniously the five wives lived together. All the children referred to the other wives as their aunts. I once referred to two of the children as half brothers and was severely rebuked. They were all brothers and sisters. Maybe we shouldn't generalize about life under "the principle" either one way or the other.

Easier said then done when all 50+ members of your family and extended family are Mormon and won't leave you alone about Mormonism.

Who do you consider Anti-Mormon? Anyone who is not Pro-Mormon. As a former member, I feel like I have learned more "truth" about the LDS Church since I decided to leave, than I ever did while I was active.

It just seems ironic that after attending Seminary and Institute, gospel doctrine and other Church classes, and even attending the temple, that I am just beginning to learn the real history.

It's possible that some of the "facts" may be skewed by someone's personal opinion, but at least those items are mentioned, and not completely eliminated as they seem to have been from my Church lesson books.

It's really embarrassing when you're a life-long member of the Church and realize that many non-members know more about our history than we do.

Thank goodness for the internet. At least here, we can FIND information.

What's a Mormon?

To second Anonymous: "Anonymous, I seriously hope that if you have a job, you aren't allowed to make any serious decisions..."

Oh, let's not be too hard on the first anonymous. Sounds like she's just viewing the whole thing through her ancestor's atypical experience. And atypical it was.

People tend to gravitate to the drama and pathos of those tragic stories, but like the other poster said: the truth is readily available for those that want to search it out.

"Mormon" is a nicname for a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The name is taken from a book of scriptures called "The Book of Mormon"

People still try to impress everyone in the Lds church how harmoniously Mormon families are. However, once church is over each Sunday, most members turn back into their true demonic selves.
You are right Mormon men are in force on this post protecting all their phony baloney lies.

Wow!!! Renae,
I'm from another planet and I have never heard that stuff before. Thank you for the information on LDS & FLDS.

My grandmother was the daughter of a polygamist. She always hated it. But then, she was the daughter of the #2 wife. Apparently the children of the #1 wife were treated much, much better.

I agree with Rien, and anonymous 10;35pm, I also had some LDS ancestors with many wives, and most were quite miserable to be quite truthful with the practice of polygamy.

Growing up, my best friend was the daughter of a polygamist, so I would occasionally imagine what that might be like. I thought of myself and my friend as "sister-wives" doing everything together for all eternity, sleeping on opposite sides of our husband. And I actually was intrigued with the idea, as long as there were only us two wives.

But what happens when you add in even more? How much time does any one family actually receive? Talk about a lack of "quality" time. Talk about a lack of "any" time.

Even the Muslims are wise enough to limit the number to four. IMO, most early Church leaders just got way, way, way too carried away.

I remember, when I was younger, hearing a few crime stories from friends that I later found out were just urban legends. It wasn't like I wanted them to be true, but I still felt a sort of disappointment. I mean, I'd believed them. For that matter, I suppose the friends had believed whoever they had heard the stories from, too. That's how urban legends keep going.

So, maybe the lady was disappointed in the same way. The story was written in the first person. She felt like she "knew" the author from reading it. Then, unlike friends who tell urban legends thinking they're the truth, she found out the author had been lying to her all the way through.

The title of this was misleading. I didn't read anything about yewt fans.

So I guess we now know what polygamy was really like. Mormon men tied their wives to trees and whipped them - end of story ! Never mind all the other books and journals about women who loved their husbands as well as their fellow polygamist sisters. No sireeee, let's find the bad apple and exploit it to the max - never mind if it is fact or fiction.

you must have had some bad experiences eh? Sorry about that, but I'm not demonic.

It will be interesting in the hereafter to hear all these polygamy critiques scolding Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, etc. etc. etc.

Dude, that was awesome. Really, that made my day.

These women had little choice at the time. Their alternative, because of so many men dying, was to live alone and somehow support their families alone. Today, that's not an impossible task, but then, it pretty much was. People lived off the land then. Everything had to be done by hand, or with the aid of an animal. They'd been driven from their homes, lost their husbands, or prospects of husbands. I'm sure it wasn't ideal. But it was better than the alternative, at that day and age. As for treatment of the children of wife #2 verses #1 etc... Cut these men some slack. They fell in love with wife #1. She wasn't an assignment. #2 was. They were fulfilling their duty, while still trying to maintain their love they so valued with the first. They weren't perfect, who of us is? If there was any abuse among them, they will dearly pay for any crimes against the Lords innocent ones.

One of my pioneer ansecstors was married to a real gem of a guy that abused her, and tried to take her farm which she somehow owned (a little foggy on that). She appealed to Brigham Young himself for a divorce (after all, he was govenor of the territory), and the divorce and farm were duly granted her. This is from an actualy pioneer diary - not a propaganda book.

I think you are missing the whole point of the article and the other comments.
What you are doing is taking things found on the internet as facts. Now, even if SOME of it were factual, does this change the truthfulness of the Gospel? My answer is absolutely not! For example,
There were many comments when Pres. Monson was ordained as President of the Church. Some were saying how they had witnessed him doing something a man of God would not do. If these folks were alive during the time of Christ, they would continue questioning the truthfulness of the Gospel . They would say, "Hey Peter, you were the one that denied Jesus Christ the night he was arrested! Why should I believe you?" Or how about. "Paul, why should I believe you. Aren't you the one that placed my parents in jail for being Christian? I also saw you at the stoning of Stephen. How come you didn't put an end to it if is Christianity is the true Gospel."
I would suggest you read "Bridging the Divide" to understand what is and isn't doctrine and then decide what you "believe".

I am not anti-mormon, it is only that you are anti-non-mormon.

My grandmother hated that my grandfather was sealed to three other women. She had to "approve" it, but felt she had no choice. If she said "no" she would have been going against the visions and counsel of her husband and church leaders. I think it unlikely she was the only woman to feel this way.

Spencer Kimball approved the sealings. They took place in the Salt Lake temple the summer of 1977. Yes, nineteen seventy-seven.

You men who live and breath polygamy live in a total selfish, self centered, indulging, day dream of a world. I'm blessed and lucky too have a good husband, and he has said many, many, many times that I'm his soul-mate and that he would never ever want to have another wife. We have been married 36 years and nothing has changed. Thank God!... that I was blessed with the best of men!!! There are many "PIGS" in this world that are worth nothing as men. So perhaps you men who desire a bunch of wives need to check out the whore houses, because that is exactly what you are!

I also believe the book is authentic in this article because like others on here have said, my ancestors as well were quite miserable with the practice of polygamy. It was sad and sickning!

What was pioneer woman to do if she came west and was stuck in the middle of the desert with a bunch of polygamist men? I doubt that she had much choice without money and an alternative way to get out. You had all those pushy arrogant Mormon men governing over these women. I think that this is why they came to Utah so that they could have at it with these helpless women . A lot of brain washing, bigotry and what not going on back then. Anyone with an ounce of intelligence or commonsense could pretty well figure out what these pioneer women circumstances were.

I believe the book here is fact, even if this woman did make a few mistakes writing it. Go to Gospel doctrine classes in the LDS church and see for yourself how much false doctrine one can consume in one Sunday afternoon.

To "Unlikely"...

That's a real cute story. I'll be looking forward to your next book of fiction.

Not cute. True. Not fiction. Fact.
Verifiable on the LDS church's genealogy site.
Give me your email and I'll send you the link.

RE: Calif
WHAT DOES THE TRUTH HURT YOU?

RL,
Wouldn't it have been wonderful if those women could have been taken care of by the church at that time instead of being married off as wife number 3 or 4 to someone she doesn't want or love? That way they wouldn't have had to become an "assignment" for someone. I would think the Christian thing to do would have been to care for them as one would an older widowed sister.

LDS with a good husband,
I, too, am disgusted with the history of polygamy in the church. I have a relative who left behind a journal saying how awful it was. She had to support herself and her children by running a boarding house because her husband could not afford to take care of all his wives and kids. Wouldn't it be nice to be a member of a church where you don't have to ask your husband if he wants more wives than only you? You have to live in fear that if you die, he may take another wife, and then you'll be in a polygamous marriage in the afterlife. How much fun is that??

Mormonism - golden tablets, protective underwear, living on other planets, revelations from a so-called "prophet", all other religious faiths will burn in Hades, will become Gods after death with multiple wifes.

Duh!

What the plural marriage proponet men never stop to think about is that birthrate statistics show more males than females are born. If men take plural wives for eternity, there are going to be a lot of church men who have no wife let alone several. Not sure what all those spare guys will be doing with their time.

RE: LDS w/good husband

I totally agree with you. I wonder why FLDS and LDS men think they are so Godly and should have a bunch of wives. Not Godly if you ask me.

I am very happy with the one wife that I have been married to for 25 years. She's also will always be the only one the only one.

I have never understood the polygamy deal in the church, and it is the very thing that keeps me from believing. If Joseph Smith hadn't gone off to the dark side, and started polygamy, I probably would have easily believed his BeeS. However, polygamy is wrong! And nothing can convince me any differently.

OR you one those so-called tolerant liberals?

It's pretty easy to mock what don't understand.

Culturally polygamy has been around since the beginning of time. And many still practice it, including some enclaves here.

monogamy is relatively new.

And yet society, hollywood, etc. celebtates having many sexual partners, adultry, having mistresses, prostitution, wifeswapping, teeenage sex, gay marriage, etc.

but polygamy is bad?

quite a dichotomy!

To Loser, truth or fiction.
Many of us don't believe in polygamy, so if you need another wife be my guest, and by all means, go find one. You gluttons are few, but truly unbelievable. Since when do Mormons go by anything written in the bible? What you assume is polygamy in the bible is just another deviates illness to have a new bed partner. God never said go practice polygamy. Man said it for his own gratification and to have sex slaves.

In the latter part of the 20th century and I have read lots of books and agree that the factuality of this book is in doubt. However, psycholigical abuse is there to this day.

The subject was brought up by a believer...so...I ask...Why is it that Thomas Monson acts the way he does? I'm talking about those usually unseen moments when he's really being a bear of a guy. What is his excuse? How does he justify it? Seems a little hypocritical to me that the Number-one Mormon in the world is such a meany. I wonder if he's that way with his wife. I wonder what Mormons in general would think if they saw how he sometimes acts in private, especially to those who work with him...or for him...or whatever it is that people in the Church Office Building do for the Church

Just wondering.

Being a church leader man means being able to travel on church money and have fun playing with a lot of people minds, all in the name of money. Kind of like polygamy and playing with the minds of dumb women. I too, have known one vile church leader who is a hypocrite. I do not have a testimony whatsoever of the LDS church and I am 100% pioneer stalk, polygamy and all that gibberish vile evils.

The important real fact that seems to be mostly ignored by this exchange is that the book in question is proven FICTIONAL (caps added for emphasis only). It isn't real.

Were some abuses occuring during the time that the fictional book was set? - Sure. Are some people abused today? - Duh...

People are not perfect, never were. We can learn from history and fictional portayals and act better in our lives, or whine about fiction and the 'perfect' time that never was. Your choice.

to all of you who are so bitter. The more you focus on the negative, the more things you will find to criticize. Every person who has ever lived on this earth except One is imperfect and prone to selfishness and sin. Distortion and misunderstanding of God's commandments occurs in every religion and even among agnostics and aetheists. Abuse happens! But that doesn't mean God didn't give those commandments. He still expects us to do our best to follow Him. Some do a better job than others. Some botch it up royally. It's just sad that so many folks let themselves be distracted and shaken by the ones who botched it up. The ones who botched it didn't make the Gospel of Jesus Christ untrue. They just made mistakes.

The fact is there are good and bad across all religions, families, and groups. Yes, the church spins and down plays negative topics and does a lot of PR control. However how is that any different than every corporation, government, family, club, etc? Everyone enhances our own histories. All companies promote wholesome white-washed versions of it’s history. Just as our history books in school and those in every country. Everyone spins propaganda and down plays mistakes, alters for agendas, and embarrassments. It is illogical and overly critical to assume otherwise.

When was the last time anyone when meeting a new person outlines mistakes, bad choices, or mean things they ever did? No one introduces themselves as “Hi I'm So-and-so and I stole candy in the second grade, lied to a friend, etc. Want to hire me or be mine friend!” Get real stop making mountains out of minor things, everyone wants to be seen and remembered in the most positive light.

Please spare me on polygamy being commanded by god routine. Do you guys ever quit or give it a rest on here? Polygamy was created only by a mans God not a womans. You poliggy boys need to either quit all the polygamy perversions, or end up being put in prison for your sick corruptions. Why don't you fellows learn to respect the lady folks as human beings, and not just the sex partners. There is a bit more to life then just going to bed with a harem. Get a life!

There's no question that the facts are skewed in this old tome, but the real facts aren't any less problematic for a church which is sinking into a self-created quagmire. In a recent AP article the Mormom church puts polygamy in its "distant past." First of all, the church was founded in 1830... they don't have a distant past. Secondly, polygamy is still an accepted doctrine although not currently practiced. Read section 132 of the "Doctrine & Covenants," one of the four "standard works" of the the Mormon church. This is the beginning of the end for a cult that never really had enough steam to reach the status of mainstream religion.

"So sorry" was written by a woman! My own great grandfather was a polygamist. His first two wives were the best of friends and loved each other like sisters. The third wife never fit in very well but they all loved their husband dearly. Some of their children felt neglected by their father and left the church (my grandfather included) but luckily my own father saw the error of my grandfather's ways and stayed in the church. He was blessed beyond belief for that as have his children and grandchildren. Dad's siblings who renounced the church? Different story!

To Mike (I assume you are a man) Why couldn't polygamy be a commandment from God? It's not always all about sex like you seem to indicate. God takes care of His people in the way He sees fit and at the time, that included polygamy. I don't know all the answers but I do know that God gives us commandments for our good. I am not a polygamist. God commanded that to end. But I sure could use a sister wife at times. ;)

To Jeff- status is not what we're after. You ain't seen nothin' yet!