Why was Mormon polygamy practiced?
The practice of Mormon polygamy came about because God commanded it. The exact reasons for this commandment are unknown, but we will address a few possibilities. First, God restored His Church through Joseph Smith. All things were to be restored – all principles, all knowledge, all parts of the Lord’s gospel. Ancient prophets, such as Abraham and Isaac, practiced polygamy. The practice of polygamy would therefore be part of “all things,” all parts of the Lord’s gospel, and could be restored. In fact, the Lord gave the law to Joseph Smith, when Joseph inquired about the ancients. When the Lord reinstituted polygamy as part of the resoration of all things, all of the Church elders, including Joseph Smith, found it difficult to accept and follow. Second, in the Book of Mormon, polygamy is prohibited unless the Lord needs to “raise up seed unto me” (Jacob 2:30). Polygamy, or plural marriage, would increase the descendents of faithful Mormon families. And, in fact, the descendents of polyga
