I stayed up until 4:30am friday night, reading until my husband woke up and asked if I was sick. I told him yes, but because of what I was reading.
I remember growing up and hearing 'yes, mormons practiced polygamy, but only to take care of the women and children that were left without husbands.' Then you just didn't question it after that.
I also remember as a child being taught to be proud that we descended from John Taylor (which is obviously the case for many, many people on account of the polygamy, so we're hardly special, but whatever) Reading this book and seeing him named specifically so many times made me so sick, thinking of how many families were ruined or injured by what my ancestor did.
It makes me want to go shake all the women in my family and ask how they can just ignore this? And if they say they don't care because it's not longer practiced, how do they explain 70 yr old grandpa doing everything he can to find yet another woman to take to the temple?
sisterexmo Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I noted that when Ann Eliza Young (19th wife) > filed for divorce against Brigham Young he denied > she was his wife and labled her a whore.
I found it amazing (and horrible and depressing) that the women would label THEMSELVES as whores and concubines to skirt the law.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/08/2010 01:24PM by foggy.
And I have also read a couple of books about the FLDS too, and am appalled at the similarities between modern and 19th Century religious-based polygamy..
And how quickly both men and women lose most of their humanity.
In the 19th Century version, according to women who experienced it, men who were good, loving husbands became absolute bastards once they started collecting "wives". They quickly degenerated into cold hearted tyrants except with the newest "wife" - who was his current pet.
With the FLDS - the males pretty much start off that way, and the women are conditioned from birth to feel like mistreated dogs. And lick the hand that kicks them. As for children, the natural bonds are broken between parents and children - and often these deluded fathers abuse children as well.
While I was reading it I recognized male/female/family behavior in the LDS group too. It feels as if the mainstream mormons are just the FLDS with the polygamy sucked out - temporarily - but core attitudes can be seen in every other way.
Why do women have to find a male that will be so kind as to let her into heaven? Sound like Heavenly Mother is equally downtrodden.