Positions on Current Issues
Position on Polygamy Legislation
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Abuse
• We abhor abuse wherever it happens. We do not believe abuse is inherent in polygamy. Abuse crosses all socio-economic lines and does exist anywhere human beings gather.
Arranged Marriages
• We strongly support free choice in matters of marriage and personal relationships.
• We object to coercion in marriage whether in the home, church or state. However, arranged marriages exist in many cultures and do not necessarily constitute force or crime.
DCFS
• We are working to facilitate a social safety net for the preservation of families by (1) minimizing frivolous or unwarranted DCFS intervention, and (2) generating awareness of family rights and responsibilities if interventions do occur.
Decriminalization
• We do not seek legal licensing for “spiritual” marriages. Decriminalization is not the same as legalization.
• We do seek decriminalization of polygamy by: (1) the removal or appropriate alteration of laws specifically targeting polygamists (i.e. bigamy, child bigamy, cohabitation, etc.); and (2) the ultimate removal of Utah’s constitutional prohibition against polygamy.
Education
• Education is invaluable. We encourage excellence in academic achievements.
Federal Marriage Amendment
• We oppose legislation or Constitutional amendments (especially defining marriage) which restrict rather than protect individual freedoms and rights. We believe that marriage, ideally, is a private contract which should not be regulated by the state.
Homosexuality
• Religious convictions aside, we believe that individual freedom should be protected; we are not threatened by choices different from our own.
• We believe individuals can work together in peace and harmony regardless of race, religion, sexual preference or lifestyle.
Note: Fundamentalist Mormonism, like mainstream Mormonism, accepts Biblical denunciations of homosexuality.
Incest
• We oppose incest.
• Polygamy is distinct from incest.
• Definitions of incest vary among states and cultures. For example, 26 U.S. states allow first cousins to marry, and many cultures allow Uncle/niece marriages. Note: A simple dictionary definition of incest is “sexual intercourse between people regarded as too closely related to marry each other.” Obeying the Law We believe in being law-abiding citizens and assets to the communities in which we live. For any law that we may consider unjust, we assert our Constitutional right to work to legally change or overturn it. This includes laws prohibiting plural marriage, which we are working to decriminalize.
Underage Marriages/Teen Marriages
• We strongly encourage consenting adult marriages. We believe it is generally wise to marry at or beyond the age of 18, whether in monogamy or polygamy.
• Ultimately, polygamous parents should have the same rights as monogamous/single parents to consent to the marriage, legal or otherwise, of their 16- or 17-year-old children, regardless of whether or not that relationship is monogamous or polygamous.
• We oppose coercion or force in marital decisions.
Welfare
• Allegations of widespread welfare abuse in polygamous families are exaggerated.
• For those families suffering economic setbacks, welfare use should not be considered welfare abuse.
• Confusion over the legal status of a plural wife must be resolved in order to eliminate double standards and to end discrimination. Current laws and policies legally define a plural wife as a “single mother”.
Women
Ideally, polygamy frees and empowers women, generally creates a better support system, and may even provide a better opportunity for personal pursuits and individual fulfillment.
