. Not everyone was allowed to practice polygamy. They had to prove themselves capable of maintaining more than one family. The publicity given to this controversial practice is said to have been blown out of proportion. "There were never at any time more than 3 percent of the families of the church who practiced polygamy." (Howlles p. 140) In their practice of polygamy, the Mormons, at the time, were living according to the religious liberties granted to all Americans by the Constitution of the United States. However, Congress enacted a law prohibiting polygamy, the Mormons accepted it, and (supposedly) since October 6, 1890, have neither sanctioned nor practiced polygamy. Members of the Mormon Church are very respectable people. They take care of their homes, their bodies, their families, and their government. They believe that the Constitution of the United States is an inspired document. They are committed to upholding the law of the country to which they live. When Congress passed the law abolishing polygamy, they complied with that law because they were "released from their obligation" to comply with the commandment to practice polygamy. Women also play a vital role in the Mormon religion. From the very beginning of the organization of the Mormon Church, women have voted on church matters. In the first provisional government set up by the pioneers after their arrival in the Great Salt Lake valley (1847-1850) women were also given the franchise to vote on political issues. "Thus the Mormons as a group were among the very first in America to grant women the franchise to vote in both religious and political affairs." (Howlles p.146) During my interview, I spoke with an "assistant" of the bishop of the local ward and he was telling me things that really showed the differences between what I believe, and what the Mormons profess to believe. He (and the Mormons) do not believe in one heaven. They believe there are different levels of the...
