There have been many attacks on Christianity through the years. One of the many ways Brigham Young attacked Christianity was through monogamy, the one-wife system. He said, "Monogamy, or restrictions by law to one wife, is no part of the economy of heaven among men. Such a system was commenced by the founders of the Roman empire...."Rome became the mistress of the world, and introduced this order of monogamy wherever her sway was acknowledged. Thus this monogamic order of marriage, so esteemed by modern Christians as a holy sacrament and divine institution, is nothing but a system established by a set of robbers.... Why do we believe in and practice polygamy? Because the Lord introduced it to his servants in a revelation given to Joseph Smith, and the Lord's servants have always practiced it. 'And is that religion popular in heaven?' It is the only popular religion there,..." (The Deseret News, A, ugust 6, 1862)
Brigham Young stated that monogamy leads to prostitution. "Since the founding of the Roman empire monogamy has prevailed more extensively than in times previous to that. The founders of that ancient empire were robbers and women stealers, and made laws favoring monogamy in consequence of the scarcity of women among them, and hence this monogamic system which now prevails throughout Christendom, and which had been so fruitful a source of prostitution and whoredom throughout all the Christian monogamic cities of the Old and New World, until rottenness and decay are at the root of their institutions both national and religious." (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 11, Page 128)
First Counselor, Heber C. Kimball said it is unhealthy to only have one wife. "I have noticed that a man who has but one wife, and is inclined to that doctrine, soon begins to wither and dry up, while a man who goes into plurality looks fresh, young and sprightly. Why is this? Because God loves that man, and because he honors his word. Some of you may not believe this, but I not only believe it but I also know it. For a man of God to be confined to one woman is small business,... I do not know what we should do if we had only one wife apiece." (Deseret News, April 22, 1857)
George A Smith said that polygamists are better looking people. "We breathe the free air, we have the best looking men and handsomest women, and if they envy us our position, well they may, for they are a poor, narrow minded, pinch-backed race of men, who chain themselves down to the law of monogamy and live all their days under the dominion of one wife. They ought to be ashamed of such conduct, and the still fouler channel which flows from their practices; and it is not to be wondered at that they should envy those who so much better understand the social relations." (Deseret News, April 16th, 1856)
The Millennial Star stated that monogamy was a curse. "The one-wife system not only degenerates the human family, both physically and intellectually, but it is entirely incompatible with philosophical notions of immortality; it is a lure to temptation, and has always proved a curse to a people." (Millennial Star, Vol. 15, page 227)
Mormon Apostle Orson Pratt believed that monogamy had corrupted European nations. Some of the nations of Europe who believe in the one wife system have actually forbidden a plurality of wives by their laws; and the consequences are that the whole country among them is overrun with the most abominable practices: adulteries and unlawful connections prevail through all their villages, towns cities, and country places to a most fearful extent." (The Seer, page 12)
Pratt associated monogamy with apostate Christianity. "What an immense amount of immorality, and consequent suffering would have been prevented, had the state governments not been influenced by the corrupt traditions of Apostate Christianity in prohibiting plurality and denouncing it criminal!...Plurality would also diminish greatly the temptations which beset the paths of married men, as well as those who are young; They would no longer be under the temptation to keep a mistress secretly, and to break the marriage covenant, and thus sin against their wives and against God. How many thousands there are who practice this great abomination. And why do they do it? Because they are compelled by our bigoted State laws to confine themselves to one wife....Plurality, therefore, instead of injuring the morals of society, would have an effect directly the reverse; it would greatly purify society from the immoralities which now exist... If plurality should be prohibited on account of jealousies which may arise, monogamy or the one-wife system should be prohibited on account of the still greater jealousies which may arise for fear the husband may keep his secret mistresses, as many thousands do....If the great object be to put a stop by law to the evils arising from jealousies, let laws be enacted, requiring man to have a plurality of wives, or else none at all; prohibit the one wife practice, and you will accomplish much more than you do by prohibiting plurality." (The Seer Page124-125)
Pratt seemed to believe that monogamy originated in Rome. "At length, through priestcraft and tradition the Church was made to believe that the Monogamy, established by the Roman civil law, was actually a part of Christianity.... and relinquished the Polygamic system. The one wife system did not originate in the Christian Church, but was adopted from the practice of the Roman nation by the Romish Priesthood, and by them palmed upon the nations as originating in Christianity." (The Seer page 178)
George Q. Cannon believe that monogamy would shorten the history of a nation. "It is a fact worthy of note that the shortest lived nations of which we have record have been monogamic. Rome...was a monogamic nation and the numerous evils attending that system early laid the foundation for the ruin which eventually overtook her." (Journal of discourses, Vol. 13, page 202)
Brigham Young stated that polygamy was a superior philosophy. "Talk about polygamy! There is no true philosopher on the face of the earth but what will admit that such a system, properly carried out according to the order of heaven, is far superior to monogamy for the raising of healthy, robust children!" (Journal of Discourses, Vol 13, page 317)
Apostle Orson Pratt also claimed that monogamy brought disease. "This law of monogamy, or the monogamic system, laid the foundation for prostitution and the evils and diseases of the most revolting nature and character under which modern Christendom groans,..." (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 13, page 195)
Brigham Young, along with his counselors and apostles strongly attacked Christianity. They hated monogamy and blamed it on Rome and "Romish" priests. They said monogamy was a curse established by robbers. They said that while monogamy leads to prostitution, polygamy leads to health and finer looking people. They associated monogamy with Apostate Christianity which originated in Rome and was corrupting nations. They claimed that while monogamy would lead to disease, polygamy was a superior philosophy which would lengthen the history of a nation.
This attack on Christianity is twisted in so many ways. It is a twisted view of history, a twisted view of Christianity and a twisted view of scripture. Deuteronomy 17:17 warns against multiplying wives. "Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away:..." Genesis 2:24 only speaks of one wife. "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh." This verse uses the words "one flesh" rather than forty or fifty. Even the Book of Mormon condemns polygamy. Jacob 1:15 condemns polygamy as a wicked practice. "...the people of Nephi, under the reign of the second king, began to grow hard in their hearts, and indulge themselves somewhat in wicked practices, such as like unto David of old desiring many wives and concubines, and also Solomon, his son." Jacob 3:5 says, "Behold, the Lamanites....have not forgotten the commandment of the Lord, which was given unto our father - that they should have save it were one wife, and concubines they should have none,..." Jacob 2:27 states, "...For there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife; and concubines he shall have none;" Jacob 2:24 states, "Behold, David and Solomon truly had many wives and concubines, which thing was abonminable before me, saith the Lord." While Brigham Young was a Mormon President, he completely ignored the words of the Book of Mormon on polygamy and monogamy and he twisted the Bible to say what he wanted.
