Most people do not want to hear teaching or preaching about “Hell”. And admittedly, I rarely hear Biblical sermons or lessons on Hell. However Jesus often taught about Hell and always warned His listeners they had the choice of Heaven or Hell and passionately urged them to choose Heaven.
Generally, people who come out of polygamy groups do believe in Hell, and most are afraid they are destined for Hell simply BECAUSE they left the group. But, when people leave the mainline LDS church, they almost always reject the Biblical teaching about Hell. The LDS church has denied the existence of Hell as taught in the Bible and have concocted three degrees of eternal glory in its place. The highest degree they call exaltation, where men become gods and their wives become goddesses of their own planets. Their lowest degree of Heaven is a place that isn’t as great as the other two heavens, but still, is so great that people would “kill themselves” to go there because it’s so much better than life on earth. (We don’t have to wonder why Utah has such a high suicide rate.)
All this to say that there are many people that leave polygamy who join the LDS church. They have been brainwashed into Joseph Smith’s polygamy, now they are being brainwashed into LDS false doctrine too. The Hell the polygamists have taught them is denied, and they embrace the no-Hell doctrine of the LDS. Many ex-Mormons deny that God has a place called Hell, or eternal punishment, instead He’ll make sure everyone goes to Heaven. But Jesus taught only the truth. His teachings on Hell were not hyperbole. His death on the cross broke the power of sin and death so that those who believe in Him alone may be saved from Hell.
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“Even though I have no ties to Mormonism or fundamentalism, the concept of polygamy appalls me.
Your shows are very informative - watched many of them. As a Christian, things you point out are just as helpful to us. It also helps when we come in contact with missionaries which I have done as there is a Mormon church in my city.”
“I just wanted to say I love your show. I’m a Catholic & have learned so much about Christianity in your shows. Your show has got me reading the gospels daily & I thank God that I found your program. May God bless you. CB”
Comments on our program No. 11.35 “Answering a viewer’s critical letter”:
“This was a good program - the lady who wrote [the letter] must really think those of us who listen to you are dumb. Especially about the difference between LDS and FLDS - you are always very consistent with noting the differences, while also emphasizing that polygamy was part of LDS heritage although they don't practice it. You are not expressing any bias, but you are stating fact that anyone can see for themselves. That lady kinda insulted us - I have a Master's degree, so I am not uninformed, and hopefully she gets the point. Keep up the good work Doris, you are having an impact, and you are exposing truth.”
There are several very good books that have been written by escapees from Mormon polygamy. For those who have a deeper interest in this topic and want a better understanding of the difficulties they face in leaving and adjusting to society outside of the group, we recommend you read their stories. This month we recommend a book written by Susan Schmidt entitled, HIS FAVORITE WIFE. Susan was a plural wife of Verlan LeBaron, one of the LeBaron brothers whose family headed the LeBaron polygamy group in Mexico. Susan was barely 15 years old when she became Verlan’s sixth wife.
From the back cover we read: “Where was the excitement I had anticipated as the wife of a leader? Babies, hard work, and poverty were the lot of a polygamist’s wife. Our colonies consisted of run-down homes filled with lonely women and children, waiting for the scattered moments when our husbands could find time for a hurried visit home. Yet the times Verlan was home were the most frustrating of all.
Knowing he was close yet sleeping in another wife’s bed was pure torture. The irony of it was that when he was with me, I felt sorry for the others.”
Susan’s story gives great insight into the infamous LeBaron polygamy group which was well-known for its violence. Ervil LeBaron, brother of Susan’s husband Verlan, went about having people killed, claiming God told him to do it, and Verlan was one of his targets. Ervil had also proposed plural marriage to Susan, but she chose his brother Verlan instead.
Life in polygamy is difficult and often filled with poverty, misery and loneliness. Susan’s life was exactly that. There was never enough money for food, clothing, even homes to live in, yet Verlan kept taking more wives and fathering more and more children. Susan writes about the awful pain she felt each time Verlan courted and married a new wife, while at the same time, castigating herself for having those feelings since that’s what her religion demanded.
She questioned her husband one time, about the verses in the New Testament that said a man was supposed to have only one wife. He told her that the Bible was written 2,000 years ago and since then God sent Joseph Smith with a new revelation, one that included and commanded polygamy.
Quote from Chapter 32: “If not for my beautiful children… I would be wishing for a black hole to swallow me up and take me away from this dreary existence. How did a woman keep her faith while living like this? … We women…. were nothing but mindless cows in a pasture, waiting for our time of the month so our bull could pay us a visit and start another jewel for his heavenly crown.”
You’ll love this book, especially when you read how God got ahold of Susan’s heart and life, turning her ashes into beauty. She became a Christian whose light shines for Jesus every day. Susan also tells her story on our DVD, “Lifting the Veil of Polygamy.”
HORRORS OF A UTAH INSANE ASYLUM.
“Salt Lake City, Aug. 23. – This morning the Hon. G. A. Tucker, an English gentleman from New South Wales, with letters of introduction to the Governors of States and Territories asking permission to visit insane asylums and jails, publishes a letter in the Tribune giving a description of his visit to the Utah Insane Asylum, situated three miles east of Salt Lake City, yesterday. Accompanied by United States Marshal Ireland and Mr. Neal, of Louisville, Ky., the father-in-law of Gov. Murray, Mr. Tucker visited this asylum, which is under the charge of Dr. Seymour B. Young, a nephew of Brigham Young, and three Mormon Commissioners.
Mr. Tucker says he found 21 patients, 9 females and 12 males, in the most filthy condition imaginable. Some were in iron cages outside the main building, while others were in irons, bound hand and foot. Of these patients two were perfectly sane, and have no idea why they are confined. One of these sane persons is a man by the name of Sherman, who has been confined for 10 years. He was robbed of his wife by a Mormon polygamist, and has been confined in this place ever since. He appears to be a gentleman who has seen better days, and is from the East. This man is in one of the cages in the yard, which he has fixed in a tasty manner with crude tools of his own make. A daughter of John Taylor was formerly confined in this asylum, but she has been removed to a private house in the city. Her insanity was caused by her father endeavoring to force her into polygamy.
The inmates of the institution are punished with a club and strap – the club for men, the strap for women. Mr. Tucker closes by saying: “I have during the last four months visited 4 asylums in New South Wales, 3 in Victoria, 2 in Adelaide, 2 in Tasmania, 3 in New Zealand, 1 in Honolulu, 3 in California, one in Nevada, and the one in Utah, and in no instance have I seen sights so horrible as those of to-day.” - The New York Times, August 24, 1882
Please pray for a new Christian from the FLDS. He has no internet, email or media contact, just telephone. Pray he will accept Christian discipleship.
Pray also for an FLDS woman who was sent away by Warren Jeffs and warned not to talk to anyone that wasn’t authorized. She is very lonely and reached to a Christian who lives in the Midwest. She was referred to talk with us but is afraid to talk with any strangers . Pray God will give her the desire and courage to trust enough to contact us.
2 Thessalonians 3:1 … pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored...
Most who are born and raised in Mormon polygamy groups go to their graves believing that their loyalty to their polygamy group has indebted God to them. They look forward to waking up in heaven and rewarded with the promotion to godhood. They believe that since the beginning—God was a polygamist who begat millions of spirit babies each with the potential of becoming a god in their own right through righteous living and polygamy. They need the truth!!
Colossians 1:13-14 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
We are always interested in what our readers and supporters find interesting regarding the topic of polygamy. If you have a particular question, or would like more information on a news event or topic relating to the practice of plural marriage or have a concern, we invite you to send your request to us via email:
doris@shieldandrefuge.org
We also like to receive suggestions for topics to cover on our weekly internet and Roku broadcasts. Feel free to let us know what’s on your mind. If you know of anyone who is in polygamy and has questions or may want to escape, they can contact us at:
Toll free - 877-425-9993 |
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