Deleted

[skmo]

When I saw someone had quoted my statement, I was hoping they would respond and add more information about whether or not Jesus practiced polygamy.

I don't believe there is any proof like that of which we're aware at this time. Personally I've no opinion or concern if He did or did not because it's immaterial to me, and I'd say it's likely the same for the 7B souls on this planet today. If we have a need to know, it will be revealed. I think that generally the reason it gets attention is to cause disputations. It's like every time a media swine asks why the LDS Church won't alter its position on gay marriage: They don't want to hear about God's love for all His children or the ultimate joy and exaltation which comes from obedience to the commandments, they want to create sound bites to demonstrate their hatred of God's church.

I never said anything about how my neighbor was living it.

Apologies if it seemed like I was accusing you of anything. the whole "neighbor" addition on my part was just an addendum to explain my belief in the senselessness of most discussions about polygamy. Whether it's an actual, legitimate attempt to learn something or a deliberately disagreeable land mine, there is a 0.000001005% chance enlightenment and positive growth will come of it and a 137.9999% chance someone will try to cause pain with it.

Again - I am not accusing you of causing or attempting to cause problems. I'm stating my belief that will be the result, but I am not saying you are doing that here.

In fact, if you look at the history of my likes in this thread and my commentary you will see I have no objection to polygamy being in place or not in place today.

Yeah, I'm pretty much neutral about it. I generally couldn't care less if it will be part of our futures or not. I have no desire for more spouses than the only one I've ever had. I am willing to say it really over-torques my head bolts that some men go out of their way to hurt women over this issue because they were being jerks or they were mad or whatever the cause.

[Arenera]

When I saw someone had quoted my statement, I was hoping they would respond and add more information about whether or not Jesus practiced polygamy. Instead, I got this^. I never said anything about how my neighbor was living it. In fact, if you look at the history of my likes in this thread and my commentary you will see I have no objection to polygamy being in place or not in place today.

Ether 14 shows polygamy with the Jaredites.
2 Wherefore every man did cleave unto that which was his own, with his hands, and would not borrow neither would he lend; and every man kept the hilt of his sword in his right hand, in the defence of his property and his own life and of his wives and children.

https://www.fairmormon.org/answers/Jesu ... us_married

Several early Latter-day Saint leaders believed Jesus was married and preached this from the pulpit

Several early LDS leaders believed Jesus was married, and said so from the pulpit on occasion. Here is one example from Apostle Orson Hyde:

Now there was actually a marriage [at Cana (John 2:1–11)]; and if Jesus was not the bridegroom on that occasion, please tell who was. If any man can show this, and prove that it was not the Savior of the world, then I will acknowledge I am in error. We say it was Jesus Christ who was married, to be brought into the relation whereby he could see his seed (Isaiah 53:10), before he was crucified. "Has he indeed passed by the nature of angels, and taken upon himself the seed of Abraham, to die without leaving a seed to bear his name on the earth?" No. But when the secret is fully out, the seed of the blessed shall be gathered in, in the last days; and he who has not the blood of Abraham flowing in his veins, who has not one particle of the Savior's in him, I am afraid is a stereotyped Gentile, who will be left out and not be gathered in the last days; for I tell you it is the chosen of God, the seed of the blessed, that shall be gathered. I do not despise to be called a son of Abraham, if he had a dozen wives; or to be called a brother, a son, a child of the Savior, if he had Mary, and Martha, and several others, as wives; and though he did cast seven devils out of one of them, it is all the same to me. [3]

Joseph Fielding Smith apparently believed that Jesus had been married

Joseph Fielding Smith apparently believed that Jesus had been married, and that He had children. In a 1963 letter to Elder Smith (then President of the Quorum of the Twelve), J. Ricks Smith asked for clarification on a question he had concerning the marital and paternal status of Jesus:

Burbank, California March 17, 1963

President Joseph Fielding Smith 47 East South Temple Street Salt Lake City 11, Utah

Dear President Smith:

In a discussion recently, the question arose, "Was Christ married?" The quote of Isaiah 53:10 was given, which reads,

Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put Him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul and offering for sin, he shall see His seed, he shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.

What is meant by "he shall see his seed"? Does this mean that Christ had children?

In the Temple ceremony we are told that only through Temple marriage can we receive the highest degree of exaltation and dwell in the presence of our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Christ came here to set us the example and, therefore, we believe that he must have been married. Are we right?

Sincerely,

J. Ricks Smith 1736 N. Ontario Street Burbank, California

In a written response (on the same letter), Elder Smith indicated his feelings on the matter—both in the positive. Placing an asterisk next to the words "His seed" in the letter, at the bottom of the letter Elder Smith wrote:

*Mosiah 15:10-12 Please Read Your Book of Mormon!

Placing two asterisks next to the words "he must have been married," at the bottom of the letter Elder Smith wrote:

**Yes! But do not preach it! The Lord advised us not to cast pearls before swine!

Apparently Elder Smith believed that the married state of Jesus was true, but that it should not be preached to others.

Mosiah 15
10 And now I say unto you, who shall declare his generation? Behold, I say unto you, that when his soul has been made an offering for sin he shall see his seed. And now what say ye? And who shall be his seed?

11 Behold I say unto you, that whosoever has heard the words of the prophets, yea, all the holy prophets who have prophesied concerning the coming of the Lord—I say unto you, that all those who have hearkened unto their words, and believed that the Lord would redeem his people, and have looked forward to that day for a remission of their sins, I say unto you, that these are his seed, or they are the heirs of the kingdom of God.

12 For these are they whose sins he has borne; these are they for whom he has died, to redeem them from their transgressions. And now, are they not his seed?

Also: https://www.deseretnews.com/article/865 ... -wife.html

[Arenera]

Also see http://www.mrm.org/jesus-married

[Mindfields]

I found the following statements online attributed to Joseph Smith. The way I see it; Joseph was either a liar who taught and practiced polygamy in secret or he was telling the truth. You can't have it both ways. I personally believe he was telling the truth.

It's easy to fool a man, but nearly impossible to convince him he's been fooled. --Mark Twain


• "MARRIAGE. v. 4 "Inasmuch as this church of Christ has been reproached with the crime of fornication, and polygamy; we declare that we believe that one man should have one wife; and one woman, but one husband, except in the case of death, when either is at liberty to marry again." 1835 Doctrine and Covenants, C1, p. 251 (1835)
"...What a thing it is for a man to be accused of committing adultery, and having seven wives, when I can only find one." (Joseph Smith - who at the time had supposedly and secretly taken at least 25 plural wives)
• Joseph Smith refers people to extract from Doctrine and Covenants on Marriage which disavows polygamy, stating that this is "the only rule allowed by the church." Times and Seasons, vol. 3, p. 909 (1842).
• Joseph Smith repeats again statement from Doctrine and Covenants on Marriage to deny all allegations of polygamy being practice. Times and Seasons, vol. 3, p. 939 (1842)
• Joseph and Hyrum Smith announce the excommunication of Hiram Brown, a member of the Church, for "preaching Polygamy, and other false and corrupt doctrines, in the county of Lapeer, state of Michigan." Times and Seasons, vol. 5, p. 423 (1844)
• Hyrum Smith, with full knowledge and consent of his brother Joseph, publishes statement categorically denying any teaching of plural wives or polygamy, and that all such teaching is false doctrine.
• “… some of your elders say, that a man having a certain priesthood, may has as many wives as he pleases, and that doctrine is taught here: I say unto you that that man teaches false doctrine, for there is no such doctrine taught here; neither is there any such thing practiced here.” Times and Seasons, vol. 5, p. 474 (March, 1844)
• "...What a thing it is for a man to be accused of committing adultery, and having seven wives, when I can only find one. I am the same man, and as innocent as I was fourteen years ago; and I can prove them all perjurers." (History of the Church, vol 6, p. 411) Joseph Smith made this statement preaching from the stand to the Latter-day Saints in Nauvoo on Sunday May 26, 1844.

The dishonesty regarding polygamy is exemplified in the following statement regarding these denials by historian D. Michael Quinn:
Some elements of these Nauvoo denials obviously did not square with the historically verifiable practice of plural marriage during Joseph Smith’s lifetime. In an effort to counter the Reorganized Church’s use of these Nauvoo denials, Joseph Fielding Smith, an assistant in the Church Historian’s Office since 1901, asserted in 1905:
"I have copied the following from the Prophet’s manuscript record of Oct.5, 1843, and know it is genuine" and then quoted Joseph Smith’s diary that he alleged concluded, ". . . and I have constantly said no man shall have but one wife at a time unless the Lord directs otherwise." The handwritten Nauvoo diary of Joseph Smith for 5, October 1843 actually ends: "No men shall have but one wife."

[Sirius]

Regardless anyone's feelings or current position on polygamy, the very being we're all striving to become like, namely our Heavenly Father is a polygamist in every sense of the word. If He is literally the Father of our spirits, which I believe He is, and also the literal Father of our Savior Jesus Christ in the flesh, which I believe he is, plurality of wives as a celestial law becomes very difficult to deny.

[gardener4life]

I've never really liked either and or arguments like above. They don't show personal witness and personal revelation. They instead point to our side or theirs.

I like instead people sharing their personal testimony of truth.

[Crackers]

Also see http://www.mrm.org/jesus-married

That smells like an anti site. Is that where you like to do your research?

[abijah]

I've never really liked either and or arguments like above. They don't show personal witness and personal revelation. They instead point to our side or theirs.

I like instead people sharing their personal testimony of truth.

Agreed, - It's something I'm often guilty of and am making a personal effort to improve on. I think personal revelations are first and foremost personal. What God has told me are things I've needed to hear and know, and have greatly blessed my life. One subject I've come to comprehend through study, and ultimately through the Spirit of God is the celestial social order, the familial order of heaven. Being a very broad subject I won't go into it too heavily here, but through this I've also come to understand the truthfulness of plural marriage, and how it is allowed and functional through this higher family order. These are things which have I've learned by means of God's spirit, and I have greatly cherished the blessings which have flowed as a result, helping me to understand the scriptures better and comprehend the God I worship. I thank my Father in heaven with every breath for the revelations and blessings which He has deigned to give me.

Plural marriage is just one facet of the heavenly family order, there is a great deal more yet for those with vessels to bear it.

[JohnnyL]

A man's wife passes away that he was sealed to, several months later he gets sealed to another wife - when did the first wife give permission for the second sealing? I guarantee you 99.9% of wives (at least those who really and truly loved their spouse) would never agree to allow their husbands to get sealed to another woman.

And CyclOps... what do you think would happen if the rules and roles of polygamy were reversed and women could take multiple husbands for themselves while the men were forbidden from taking multiple wives? Hint: the uproar of the century would ensue.

Here is the answer for you,

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/ ... e?lang=eng

Some years ago an associate of mine lost his beloved wife. She died after a lingering illness, and he watched in helpless agony as the doctors withdrew all hope.

One day near the end she told him that when she was gone she wanted him to marry again and he was not to wait too long a time. He protested! The children were nearly grown and he would go the rest of the way alone.

She turned away and wept and said, “Have I been such a failure that after all our years together you would rather go unmarried? Have I been such a failure?”

In due time there came another, and their life together has reaffirmed his faith in marriage. And I have the feeling that his first beloved wife is deeply grateful to the second one, who filled the place that she could not keep.

There is your .01%.

So, the Jaredites also practiced polygamy.

2 Wherefore every man did cleave unto that which was his own, with his hands, and would not borrow neither would he lend; and every man kept the hilt of his sword in his right hand, in the defence of his property and his own life and of his wives and children.

In the "retranslation" project, this was a mistake--it was written "wife".

[JohnnyL]

Brigham actually agreed that the wives should not be dictating to their husbands who their other wives should be. I know that doesn't help you win the case for monogamy, but I thought I would throw that out there anyway. And I agree that a wife or husband shouldn't try to dictate what the other does after he or she dies. The Law of Sarah isn't about the woman getting to pick out the wife for the husband, as most assume.
Just like there is a right/law/commandment for a wife to give herself to her husband, the Law of Sarah (in my opinion) is the right/law/commandment a wife has to give another wife to the husband. But as Bruce explained, if you really loved your spouse you would put his or her preferences above your own and allow him or her to choose a spouse and not dictate it. Marriage gives each rights within that relationship, but those rights are only exercised without compulsion.
When the Lord tells Joseph he is exempt from the Law of Sarah if Emma doesn't go along with it, what is he exempt from? Most would say he's exempt from getting her permission, or in other words waiting for her to give him a wife, but if that's all it is, what is the point of even having such a law, if he can take another wife to himself anyway. (And he has a right to because ultimately the Lord is who gives us our spouses, and the Lord gave Joseph this right.) I suspect that there is more to the Law of Sarah than what has been revealed, in that by obeying this Law she is entitled to some particular blessing (and not the right to choose the woman). This blessing is what Joseph was exempt in offering her as it says in sec. 132.

Nice. DC 132 agrees with BY--the law of Sarah is not about dictating who the wife will be.

[Arenera]

Here is the answer for you,

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/ ... e?lang=eng

There is your .01%.

So, the Jaredites also practiced polygamy.

2 Wherefore every man did cleave unto that which was his own, with his hands, and would not borrow neither would he lend; and every man kept the hilt of his sword in his right hand, in the defence of his property and his own life and of his wives and children.

In the "retranslation" project, this was a mistake--it was written "wife".

Well, I don’t use those scriptures...

[Sirius]

What "retranslation" project?

[JohnnyL]

I found the following statements online attributed to Joseph Smith. The way I see it; Joseph was either a liar who taught and practiced polygamy in secret or he was telling the truth. You can't have it both ways. I personally believe he was telling the truth.

It's easy to fool a man, but nearly impossible to convince him he's been fooled. --Mark Twain


• "MARRIAGE. v. 4 "Inasmuch as this church of Christ has been reproached with the crime of fornication, and polygamy; we declare that we believe that one man should have one wife; and one woman, but one husband, except in the case of death, when either is at liberty to marry again." 1835 Doctrine and Covenants, C1, p. 251 (1835)
"...What a thing it is for a man to be accused of committing adultery, and having seven wives, when I can only find one." (Joseph Smith - who at the time had supposedly and secretly taken at least 25 plural wives)
• Joseph Smith refers people to extract from Doctrine and Covenants on Marriage which disavows polygamy, stating that this is "the only rule allowed by the church." Times and Seasons, vol. 3, p. 909 (1842).
• Joseph Smith repeats again statement from Doctrine and Covenants on Marriage to deny all allegations of polygamy being practice. Times and Seasons, vol. 3, p. 939 (1842)
• Joseph and Hyrum Smith announce the excommunication of Hiram Brown, a member of the Church, for "preaching Polygamy, and other false and corrupt doctrines, in the county of Lapeer, state of Michigan." Times and Seasons, vol. 5, p. 423 (1844)
• Hyrum Smith, with full knowledge and consent of his brother Joseph, publishes statement categorically denying any teaching of plural wives or polygamy, and that all such teaching is false doctrine.
• “… some of your elders say, that a man having a certain priesthood, may has as many wives as he pleases, and that doctrine is taught here: I say unto you that that man teaches false doctrine, for there is no such doctrine taught here; neither is there any such thing practiced here.” Times and Seasons, vol. 5, p. 474 (March, 1844)
• "...What a thing it is for a man to be accused of committing adultery, and having seven wives, when I can only find one. I am the same man, and as innocent as I was fourteen years ago; and I can prove them all perjurers." (History of the Church, vol 6, p. 411) Joseph Smith made this statement preaching from the stand to the Latter-day Saints in Nauvoo on Sunday May 26, 1844.

The dishonesty regarding polygamy is exemplified in the following statement regarding these denials by historian D. Michael Quinn:
Some elements of these Nauvoo denials obviously did not square with the historically verifiable practice of plural marriage during Joseph Smith’s lifetime. In an effort to counter the Reorganized Church’s use of these Nauvoo denials, Joseph Fielding Smith, an assistant in the Church Historian’s Office since 1901, asserted in 1905:
"I have copied the following from the Prophet’s manuscript record of Oct.5, 1843, and know it is genuine" and then quoted Joseph Smith’s diary that he alleged concluded, ". . . and I have constantly said no man shall have but one wife at a time unless the Lord directs otherwise." The handwritten Nauvoo diary of Joseph Smith for 5, October 1843 actually ends: "No men shall have but one wife."

That last quote should be easy for any historian to verify--has it been done?

[JohnnyL]

What "retranslation" project?

Fuzzy memory... Anyway, a few years ago, the church let a bigwig and others look at the original manuscript and compared it to what we have, and this was found to be a mistake. They made books of the project. I can't remember, and searched don't bring anything up.

Anyone?

[JohnnyL]

Forgetting Lilith and her posterity? Anyway, things were probably way more complicated in the Garden of Eden than most people dare to suppose.

How can I forget someone who never existed?

[Sirius]

What "retranslation" project?

Fuzzy memory... Anyway, a few years ago, the church let a bigwig and others look at the original manuscript and compared it to what we have, and this was found to be a mistake. They made books of the project. I can't remember, and searched don't bring anything up.

Anyone?

A bigwig and others looked at it? That sounds legit.

[Crackers]

I found the following statements online attributed to Joseph Smith. The way I see it; Joseph was either a liar who taught and practiced polygamy in secret or he was telling the truth. You can't have it both ways. I personally believe he was telling the truth.

It's easy to fool a man, but nearly impossible to convince him he's been fooled. --Mark Twain


• "MARRIAGE. v. 4 "Inasmuch as this church of Christ has been reproached with the crime of fornication, and polygamy; we declare that we believe that one man should have one wife; and one woman, but one husband, except in the case of death, when either is at liberty to marry again." 1835 Doctrine and Covenants, C1, p. 251 (1835)
"...What a thing it is for a man to be accused of committing adultery, and having seven wives, when I can only find one." (Joseph Smith - who at the time had supposedly and secretly taken at least 25 plural wives)
• Joseph Smith refers people to extract from Doctrine and Covenants on Marriage which disavows polygamy, stating that this is "the only rule allowed by the church." Times and Seasons, vol. 3, p. 909 (1842).
• Joseph Smith repeats again statement from Doctrine and Covenants on Marriage to deny all allegations of polygamy being practice. Times and Seasons, vol. 3, p. 939 (1842)
• Joseph and Hyrum Smith announce the excommunication of Hiram Brown, a member of the Church, for "preaching Polygamy, and other false and corrupt doctrines, in the county of Lapeer, state of Michigan." Times and Seasons, vol. 5, p. 423 (1844)
• Hyrum Smith, with full knowledge and consent of his brother Joseph, publishes statement categorically denying any teaching of plural wives or polygamy, and that all such teaching is false doctrine.
• “… some of your elders say, that a man having a certain priesthood, may has as many wives as he pleases, and that doctrine is taught here: I say unto you that that man teaches false doctrine, for there is no such doctrine taught here; neither is there any such thing practiced here.” Times and Seasons, vol. 5, p. 474 (March, 1844)
• "...What a thing it is for a man to be accused of committing adultery, and having seven wives, when I can only find one. I am the same man, and as innocent as I was fourteen years ago; and I can prove them all perjurers." (History of the Church, vol 6, p. 411) Joseph Smith made this statement preaching from the stand to the Latter-day Saints in Nauvoo on Sunday May 26, 1844.

The dishonesty regarding polygamy is exemplified in the following statement regarding these denials by historian D. Michael Quinn:
Some elements of these Nauvoo denials obviously did not square with the historically verifiable practice of plural marriage during Joseph Smith’s lifetime. In an effort to counter the Reorganized Church’s use of these Nauvoo denials, Joseph Fielding Smith, an assistant in the Church Historian’s Office since 1901, asserted in 1905:
"I have copied the following from the Prophet’s manuscript record of Oct.5, 1843, and know it is genuine" and then quoted Joseph Smith’s diary that he alleged concluded, ". . . and I have constantly said no man shall have but one wife at a time unless the Lord directs otherwise." The handwritten Nauvoo diary of Joseph Smith for 5, October 1843 actually ends: "No men shall have but one wife."

That last quote should be easy for any historian to verify--has it been done?

I am not very familiar with the Joseph Smith Papers, but I think this is confirmed in the vol. 3 journal. ?

[Lizzy60]

If the Joseph Smith Papers "prove" Joseph Smith was not a polygamist, why is this still available on LDS.org?

https://www.lds.org/topics/plural-marri ... o?lang=eng

[Arenera]

I think there is some fuzzy sourcing in this thread.

Ether 10:5 [Riplakish] Did Have Many Wives and Concubines:

Daniel Ludlow raises the question, Did the Jaredites practice polygamy? The early Nephite records indicate quite clearly that the Nephites were not to practice polygamy. The prophet Jacob was commanded by the Lord to say to his people: "there shall not any man among you have save it shall be one wife" (Jacob 2:27). However, Jacob later makes it clear that if the Lord wants His people to "raise up seed" unto Him, then He might command them to practice polygamy (Jacob 2:30).
It is not clear, however, whether or not the Jaredites were commanded by the Lord to practice polygamy. The following evidences have been cited which might indicate that they did practice polygamy:
(1) Many of the men had large numbers of sons and daughters. For example, the brother of Jared had 22 sons and daughters (Ether 6:20) and Orihah had 31 sons and daughters (Ether 7:2).
(2) Riplakish had "many wives and concubines" (Ether 10:5). He was condemned by the Lord for his wickedness, but it is not clear whether or not this condemnation was because of his "many wives."
(3) In Ether 14:2 it states that "every man kept the hilt of his sword in his right hand, in the defence of his property and his own life and of his wives and children." This verse seems to indicate that the people practiced polygamy, but whether or not it was sanctioned by the Lord is not made clear in the record.
[Daniel H. Ludlow, A Companion to Your Study of the Book of Mormon, p. 327]] [See the commentary on Jacob 2:24; Jacob 2:27]

http://stepbystep.alancminer.com/ether_10

[Crackers]

If the Joseph Smith Papers "prove" Joseph Smith was not a polygamist, why is this still available on LDS.org?

https://www.lds.org/topics/plural-marri ... o?lang=eng

That's not at all what I was saying.

[bbsion]

Isn't it fascinating how, as a church, we practiced polygamy during Joseph's day and then especially after Brigham Young assumed the reigns, Joseph publicly denied ever having anything to do with the practice, it was doctrinal and then not doctrinal, most biblical and LDS scriptures condemn the practice as an abomination, then there was the manifesto which ended it all while a faction breaks off from the church which continues to practice polygamy as the mainstream church denounces it, several Prophets and Apostles since then are sealed to more than one woman as we continue to allow men to be sealed to multiple women in the temple (although not simultaneously), President Hinckley goes on national TV in 1998 and says polygamy is not doctrinal and now our current and next church President have more than one wife. For something that is an 'eternal principle', the practice has sure had wild swings in conviction while being convoluted with ups and downs as well as a ton of uncertainty. Interesting.

The vacillation is due to the conflict between righteous men who were attempting to do as God commanded them, and a society with a very low tolerance for the practice. You have talked a lot about "the church". It might help to bear in mind what the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is and what it is not. It is the restoration of Christ's original Church in it's most fundamental form, bringing with it the renewal of ecclesiastical priesthood authority and revelation. It is not however a fullness of truth, or of priesthood authority. It is not eternal, but a stepping stone to Zion, the Celestial Kingdom and the Church of the Firstborn. There are many higher, celestial laws not currently practiced in the LDS faith.

Given your distaste for plural marriage, I'm interested in how you reconcile that with the long list of spiritual giants who have practiced it, from ancient times up till this present dispensation.

I agree.

I think understanding what the Church is and what it is not is probably one of the fundamental problems with an individuals opinion of polygamy. Not the only problem of course... but one of the big ones.

[sushi_chef]

".... in the defence of his property & his own life & they of his wives & children" (ether 14:2)

http://realbookofmormon.org/comparison/ ... hapter-14/

[Col. Flagg]

Let's go back to the beginning of the creation (since we are in a new year and have gone back to the first chapters in the manuals) - did God take a rib from Adam and make two or more wives for him?

I've always wondered too why God had to take one of Adam's ribs to make a woman... why couldn't he just create Eve like he did Adam?

And here's one more... when the Lord allegedly states 'it is not good for man to be alone'... why would he in fact state this? If what we are going through is what the Lord went through before becoming a God, then surely the plan all along would have been for a man and woman to create families, so why would the Lord have to stop and think 'hey, you know what, it is not good for man to be alone, we need to create a help meet for him'.

Thoughts?

[Sirius]

I don't think one rib was literally taken from Adam's side to create Eve, or that God was actually wondering if it was good for man to be alone.

[Crackers]

Surely Adam and Eve were both created in the same manner. Yes, the rib is a metaphor, and a powerful one. To me, it symbolizes the idea of “one flesh.” Nibley says that the rib metaphor “expresses the ultimate in proximity, intimacy, and identity” and “means bosom friends, inseparable companions.” I imagine that the question of whether man should be alone was actually more of a statement of truth, and not a question at all. Beverly Campbell has written a thoughtful book called Eve and the Choice Made in Eden that discusses these topics. It's a great and quick read, and I would consider it essential for LDSs. However, it doesn't get into the question of polygamy, so maybe I have digressed too much for this thread.