Utah Law states that”The following ordinance shall be irrevocable without the consent of the United States and the people of this State: [Religious toleration -- Polygamy forbidden.] First: — Perfect toleration of religious sentiment is guaranteed. No inhabitant of this State shall ever be molested in person or property on account of his or her mode of religious worship; but polygamous or plural marriages are forever prohibited.” - Article 3 section -
So according to Article 3, you can believe whatever you want. And Utah will never prosecute you for your religious beliefs. However being a polygamist and acting upon your beliefs is completely out of the question. Is it just me or does it look like Utah is specifically targeting Polygamy?
It is perfectly useless to tell someone that they can believe however they want but cannot act upon their beliefs. But claiming to uphold any inhabitant of the states right to religious freedom and then in the same sentence stating that that polygamy is “forever prohibited” is just downright evil.
Penalty for Living Polygamy
(1) A person is guilty of bigamy when, knowing he has a husband or wife or knowing the other person has a husband or wife, the person purports to marry another person or cohabits with another person.
(2) Bigamy is a felony of the third degree.
(3) It shall be a defense to bigamy that the accused reasonably believed he and the other person were legally eligible to remarry. -76-7-101. Bigamy – Defense-
American Heritage Dictionary defines cohabitation as: To live together in a sexual relationship, especially when not legally married.
Therefore not only is bigamy illegal and a third degree felony but so is Polygamy, because obviously if you are living polygamy you are cohabiting with other women and therefore a third degree felon.
Polygamy should be legalOk so we’ve successfully proven that polygamy is in fact illegal. But will Utah and other states act upon this? I think they already are. Although Mark Shurtleff says that he will not prosecute people for practicing polygamy, I do believe that he is persecuting people for polygamy. And just because he says he won’t prosecute polygamy does not mean that other people wont. What happens when Utah gets a new attorney general? Or what if he just changes his mind?
Like a sword hanging from a thread over the heads of Polygamists the threat of imprisonment is ever present. Threatening to cut families apart if ever “the government” was to find out who is living plural marriage. And so naturally many polygamists withdraw themselves from mainstream society in order to protect the things they hold most dear.
Then all people hear about polygamy is when the media sensationalizes bad polygamist situations. And so a stigma is placed on polygamy in general, that all polygamists are bad people.
The laws targeting polygamy are out of date, unfair and unconstitutional. They are targeting not only a persons rights to practice their religion but also a persons right to life liberty and the pursuit of happiness which is guaranteed us by constitution of the United States of America. And they should be done away with.
July 10, 2008 at 3:55 am
Poligamy are you kidding me are people really using this excuse to cheat?? How can anyone think its ok to do this? When you love some one you’d do anything but share them.
December 15, 2008 at 3:59 pm
I’m not condemning. In fact I have a circle of friends that includes a few polygamists…which I adore.
Our church reinforces the scriptures that say to obey the laws of the land. Does the mormon church teach that as well? If so, how is the act of polygamy justified?
December 17, 2008 at 11:13 am
Hi Mandy
Lets re-phrase the question.
Since when was the Law of the Land the highest law in the universe?
Answr, It isnt. So when the Law of the land is out of sorts with what is best, with what God wants, then you do what God wants.
If you investigate the Mormons you’ll find that they adhere to a legal document which they published to get the law of the land off their backs.
A true church will never place the law of the land over the will of God will it?
The ultimate question then for you might be, Could plural marriage ever be the will of God?
For some it is, unfortunately, for many FLDS it has become cultural, and not necessarily of God.
What is of God also sheds abroad His light, love and spirit, and where these are not, neither is God.
January 30, 2009 at 11:08 pm
“Since when is the Law of the Land the highes law in the univers?” – so true.
April 24, 2009 at 4:54 pm
The law of universe (or god) did not saw the people had to marry into polygamy. It would be their choice and option to practice polygomy. It is not sin not to do polygamy. Therefore, not doing polygomy meets both laws – we need to obey both laws. And there is not conflict here.
November 1, 2009 at 11:40 pm
Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness are ideals in the declaration of independence, not spoken of in or guaranteed by The United States Constitution.