Item Detail
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24587
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1
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0
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English
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LDS Plural Marriage and the Beliefs of Contemporary Mormons : History and Myth
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Mankato, MN
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Mankato State University
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Master's thesis
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"In the course of its brief history, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been known for its controversial practices. Among these, plural marriage, or polygamy, has been the most publicized. Practiced mainly during the mid to late nineteenth century, polygamy has been misunderstood by both members and non-members of the LDS Church. The first purpose of this study was to outline in neutral fashion the history of plural marriage doctrine and its practice, making apparent the confusion which surrounded it. Second, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 25 contemporary Mormons to determine whether mythical explanations for LDS polygamy continue to be accepted. Of those interviewed, 68% cited myths as motivations for participating in polygamous families. [Authors abstract]