When my Uncle Reed Benson (oldest child of Ezra Taft and Flora Benson) was president of the Louiville, Kentucky, mission, he reportedly made polygamy-oriented advances on certain female missionaries, telling them that he would like them to become part of his eternal multi-marriage family plan in the Mormon hereafter. (An acquaintance of mine who served as a missionary under Reed back in the 1970s told me that during Reed's tenure there a controversy was created over something he had
allegedly done. He said the incoming mission president replacement refused to go into any detail).

I would be surprised if any other information ever surfaces.

I think that kind of thing was more common than we would think with the generation before us.

I know it happened with Ernest Wilkinson and my aunt. In this case, it was probably because everyone realized she was going to be an "old maid" and he was saving her or something.

It would be interesting to know if it was a situation where he was hitting on babes JS style or helping out "sweet spirits" by telling them they had someone.

It was definitely a thing to get nookie in secret if the girl thought she was sealed for eternity later. Surely Uncle Reed knew how successful JS was using that line on girls seeking the powerful priesthood holder wife status.

My long, long time therapist was one of the missionaries in Australia when some MP was sent home for telling all the sister missionaries that they were supposed to be his future wives. All the sister missionaries bought into it except one pair and they wrote home to their mothers and fathers.

My therapist had only gone on a mission as it was the thing to do. Before he left, he attended a bunch of other churches. He was about ready to be sent home early by the MP was they didn't agree on many issues, but the MP got sent home instead. He left the church soon after getting home.

I have read about the story about the MP that my therapist had. With the 2 you guys just related, it makes you wonder just how many MPs were like this. I'm actually shocked.

A former bishop of mine left the LDS church, and moved somewhere near Manti to join a polygymous sect. Never saw it coming. He was the shiest person, and most devoted husband I have even known. That his wife would agree to it also floored me.

You can't tell me that there aren't mormon men who fantasize about having a harem of weirdly dressed and quaffed ladies who don't wear makeup and are physically repulsive.



HH =)

Happy_Heretic Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You can't tell me that there aren't mormon men who
> fantasize about having a harem of weirdly dressed
> and quaffed ladies who don't wear makeup and are
> physically repulsive.

I can understand the make-up thing.

It's hard to imagine men fantasizing about "weirdly dressed and quaffed ladies".

You definitely have to wonder about the men. Is quantity really that appealing? (Or is that another dumb question I just wrote?)

I do stop short of judging or condemning the women. As far as I know, they're basically trafficked.

Definition of trafficking:

Trafficking for forced labour.
Trafficking for forced criminal activities.
Trafficking in women for sexual exploitation.
Trafficking for the removal of organs.
People smuggling.

Yes. Mormon polygamy fits the definition under sexual exploitation.

Why North American governments continue to ignore this mystifies me.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/10/2023 12:49PM by Nightingale.

Coiffed. Quaffed means "drunk".

Just trying to keep you out of embarrassing situations. I'll go back to sleep now.

Fundies are allowed to drink. I have seen polygamous women in St. George at the convenience store buying beer; and at the liquor store purchasing the harder stuff.

But... I did use a homonym and meant to refer to those gawd-awful hairstyles those women wear.

So... thanks for the correction.

HH =)

Idunno -- "quaffed" kinda fits, and it would be a lot more interesting

Steve, as you know, I was Reed Benson's Assistant for 9 months during 1977-1978. During most of this time, I was his senior Assistant, who was also a confidant. As such, I had numerous discussions with him on a variety of matters. For example, I spent hours in the car with him alone traveling across the state of Kentucky to attend church conferences and missionary meetings, where he expressed his views freely. For example, we discussed Church history and doctrine, his father ETB, the Osmonds, Paul Dunn, the John Birch society, and various other topics.

I also had multiple opportunities to observe his behavior toward missionaries generally, including sister missionaries. To a lesser degree, I also came to know his wife May, whose views and attitudes were even more dogmatic than Reed's. In my opinion, she would not have tolerated Reed's straying toward sister missionaries under any pretext.

Although I cannot be sure of Reed's conduct when not in my presence, or what he may have done privately and secretly, I *can* say that for all the time I knew him no such inclination toward polygamy was indicated in any way, and I saw no hint of any untoward advances or suggestions aimed at sister missionaries.

I will add that I am a liberal Democrat, which views I had when on my mission at the ages of 24-26. Thus, Reed Benson's political and social views were as abhorrent to me then, as they are now. Yet, with all of his dogmatic political nonsense, I found him generally kind, considerate and even at times humble; and, of course, a hardliner with respect to Church policy. He was also ambitious with respect to Mormon hierarchy, and I doubt he would have done anything to jeopardize his standing with the brethren.

To be sure, I do not claim to have a personal knowledge of Reed Benson that exceeds yours as his nephew. Yet, since my perspective relates directly to the claims suggested in this post, I thought I would comment.

Finally, I admit to a negative reaction when someone subtly vilifies a person (particularly a deceased person) without any hard facts or evidence. There is a lot about Reed Benson that is known, and a matter of record, that one might rightfully attack and disparage, without adding additional negative speculations without the slightest evidence. (At least none that I am aware of, or that you have provided here.)

I don't know a thing about the man, his character, or the events under discussion. But I appreciate your effort to provide what evidence you have.

I’ve heard various Mormons of both sexes make comments about celestial polygamy “as a joke”. I assumed it was a form of flirting, and was just a joke unless someone appeared to be interested in taking the bait, at which point it would be something else.

On my mission one of our “Sister” missionaries was the daughter of a former MP who had been quite the colorful character, who had visions about corrupt missionary behavior, very fire and brimstone missionary conferences, etc. The sister missionary was something of a fox, along with her prominent family connection, so she tended to be remembered.

Twenty some years later I ran into somebody from my mission in a Utah pharmacy. We were discussing where’s everyone now, and he mentioned that she had married polygamously and was living down near Saint George. I believe he knew the family, and seemed pretty confident about the claim.

That was the first time that I had known someone personally that “went polyg”, and I seriously wondered how do women fall for that?

I still wonder every time I see a polyg family wandering around Costco.

I don't know how any Mormon who really understands Mormonism could not fall for polygamy. It is the single most important and enduring LDS doctrine.

Everyone else is deceiving him- or herself.

He told her she would be a servant in heaven because she wasn't married. She gathered up her documents and walked out without a word.