Mormon Church Now Teaching Polygamy to Children: Is it Grooming? | Ep. 1974
Dec 16, 2024
auto_awesome
Natasha Helfer, a marriage and family therapist excommunicated for her advocacy, joins Alyssa Witbeck, a writer and mother, to discuss the Mormon Church's new curriculum teaching polygamy to children. They raise concerns about its psychological impact and the normalization of harmful beliefs. The duo critiques the historical context of polygamy, revealing power dynamics and issues of consent. Their discussion delves into the emotional turmoil faced by women, particularly within coercive relationships, and emphasizes the need for critical examination of teachings surrounding authority and love.
The Mormon Church's new teachings on polygamy for children risk normalizing a historically controversial practice without addressing its complexities and harms.
Experts express deep concern over how the portrayal of obedience in these teachings may hinder children's ability to trust their instincts and establish boundaries.
Critiques emphasize that simplifying the historical context of Joseph Smith's polygamy could lead to confusion for children when they encounter its troubling realities later in life.
The podcast highlights worrying connections between teachings of polygamy and systemic issues of abuse within the Church, necessitating urgent reform and protective measures.
Deep dives
Announcement of Polygamy Education
The Mormon Church has decided to include teachings on polygamy in its curriculum for both children and adults, presenting it positively as an admirable practice rooted in the faith. A new cartoon-style narrative depicting Joseph Smith’s polygamy has been released to facilitate this educational objective, potentially shaping the perspectives of young members. This move is alarming for many, as it signals an intention to normalize a historically controversial and harmful practice. Critics argue that presenting polygamy through such means may obscure the complexities and traumas associated with it, particularly for those affected by polygamous relationships.
Concerns from Experts and Parents
Experts and parents express significant concerns about the implications of teaching polygamy to children, particularly regarding the messaging surrounding obedience and authority. The narrative appears to undermine the critical importance of autonomy and intuition, suggesting that adherence to authority figures, including church leaders, supersedes personal feelings and comfort. As parenting philosophies increasingly emphasize teaching children to trust their instincts and set boundaries, reinforcing messages of absolute obedience creates cognitive dissonance. The conflict between fostering healthy decision-making and promoting unquestioning loyalty to church doctrines presents a troubling predicament for parents.
Historical Context and Transparency Issues
The podcast guests point out the historical opacity of Joseph Smith's practice of polygamy and how this new educational approach may be an attempt to address past grievances about transparency. While the Church claims to promote honesty by teaching children about polygamy, the simplified and almost romanticized portrayal does not convey the complexities and ethical questions raised by such practices. Many believe this approach may lead to confusion and further disappointment later in life when children encounter a more nuanced and troubling historical reality. The discussion emphasizes the importance of supplying context and acknowledging the darker ramifications of polygamous relationships rather than glossing over them.
Critique of the Teaching Approach
Critics argue that the current teaching methods regarding polygamy diminish the very real suffering experienced by those involved in polygamous arrangements and fails to legitimize their historical accounts. The portrayal of Joseph Smith as a reluctant participant in polygamy trivializes the coercion faced by women and children in these situations. Additionally, framing their experiences positively and focusing on obedience to God without acknowledging the ethical dilemmas surrounding such doctrines raises concerns about the moral lessons being imparted to children. This approach may inadvertently validate harmful narratives that equate suffering and compliance as virtuous traits.
Connection to Modern-Day Abuse
Discussions in the podcast also highlight troubling connections between the teachings of polygamy and ongoing issues of sexual abuse within the Church. Recent reports of sexual misconduct involving church leaders and minors have intensified scrutiny on how church teachings and authority structures may foster environments conducive to exploitation. The narrative being taught to children about obedience and trust places them at risk for manipulation by individuals in positions of power. The podcast emphasizes the need for urgent reform and increased awareness of protective measures in the face of these systemic issues.
Implications for Relationships
The teaching of polygamy raises broader implications for the relational health of members, particularly in marriages and family dynamics. The normalization of such practices could condition individuals to accept unhealthy relationship dynamics and diminish their ability to assert boundaries. An environment that encourages submission to authority detracts from the necessity of consent and mutual respect in relationships, yielding potential long-term impacts on emotional and sexual well-being. The podcast guests stress the importance of developing critical thinking about power dynamics within religious settings to foster healthier relational patterns.
Resistance to Revisionist History
The podcast discusses the likelihood that the motivations for these teachings are influenced by needs to insulate church doctrine against external criticisms. As the internet has enabled greater access to historical critiques of polygamy, the Church’s efforts to present a more sanitized version of polygamy history may serve to protect its reputation and manage member perceptions. The panelists express concerns that framing the past in this way may ultimately harm members who wish to engage with their faith honestly and critically. This ongoing tension between historical accuracy and church narratives underscores the complexities of religious belief in a modern context.
Recently the Mormon Church released a new set of storybooks for children. For the storybook entitled "Doctrine and Covenants Stories" it has released a polygamy section that many feel is extremely harmful to children.
Please join us as a Mormon Mom (Alyssa Witbeck) and a Mormon Therapist (Natasha Helfer) discuss their feelings about the likely harm that this section will cause to children.
