Current state of polygamy in the Latter Day Saint movement
Church apostle Joseph F. Smith explained, "The doctrine is not repealed, the truth is not annulled, the law is right and just now as ever, but the observance of it is stopped".
[8] Polygamy was gradually discontinued after the 1904 Second Manifesto as no new plural marriages were allowed and older polygamists eventually died, with polygamous LDS families cohabitating into the 1940s and 1950s.
"[12] Theological issues persist as the LDS Church states marriage relationships continue into an afterlife, yet people may only have one living spouse.
[citation needed] The LDS Church began to practice polygamy in secret under the leadership of prophet Joseph Smith.
In 1858 president James Buchanan sent federal troops to Salt Lake City and Brigham Young gave up his position as governor without a fight.
[14] The bill instituted punitive sentencing on those convicted of polygamy and enacted financial restrictions on the LDS church.
He was convicted on polygamy charges for having two wives and his defense claimed that his First Amendment right to freedom of religion had been violated.
It was decided that Congress maintained the ability to prohibit polygamy and the court concluded that a person is not excused from the law on religious grounds.
The Edmunds Act sent a clear message to the LDS Church that Congress was determined to put an end to the practice of polygamy.
Many polygamist communities across the state of Utah have been suspected of or exposed for committing a number of crimes such as domestic violence and child abuse.
[24] The bill aimed to implement harsher punishment towards polygamists who are also engaged in additional criminal activities such as domestic violence and child abuse.
[27] A short time before, polygamists and others who opposed the bill rallied at the Utah state capitol to protest the legislation on February 10, 2017.
The Community of Christ (formerly the RLDS Church) has rejected the practice of polygamy since its inception and continues to affirm monogamy "as the basic principle of Christian marriage".
[31] Many Community of Christ adherents believed Joseph Smith never taught or practiced polygamy and that the doctrine began with the teachings of Brigham Young in the LDS Church.
[31] Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite) have historically taught and, in limited numbers, have practiced plural marriage.
[34] Over time, many who rejected the LDS Church's discontinuation of plural marriage formed small, close-knit communities in areas of the Rocky Mountains.
These groups continue to practice what they refer to as "the principle", despite its illegality, and consider polygamy a requirement for entry into the highest heaven.
[37] While not all members practice plural marriage, it is considered a crucial step to achieve the highest glory of heaven.
[37] Polygamist Tom Green was initially a member of the mainstream LDS church but was excommunicated when he adopted the practice of plural marriage.
He resided in a makeshift trailer park in southern Utah with his large family who lived off the welfare system and a small income provided by selling magazine subscriptions.
Warren Jeffs is the incarcerated leader of the Fundamentalist Latter-day Saints who was arrested in 2006 by a highway patrolman during a traffic stop in Nevada.
Jeffs, the self-proclaimed prophet has a long history of arranging marriages among his followers in a suspicious manner, often creating unions between relatives and under-aged girls.
The Supreme Court case Lawrence v. Texas has given polygamists grounds to raise claims of unconstitutional policies regarding polygamy and bigamy.
Lawrence v. Texas was not specifically fighting for marriage rights but as a result of the case the unconstitutionality of laws restricting sexual relationships were brought into question.
[50] In the case of Bronson v. Swensen the plaintiffs followed suit as they claimed violation of privacy, religious freedom, and restriction of sexual relationships.
[54] Any woman who succeeds in avoiding the bar on polygamy is denied basic legal rights regarding marriage, divorce, and financial support.
