Mormons and Polygamy

Here’s an article in the Salt Lake Tribune, saying in a recent poll, that most people are still confused as to whether Mormons still practice polygamy:
Most unsure about Mormons and polygamy

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints stopped practicing polygamy in 1890.

The confusion surrounding the topic of Mormons and polygamy is caused by several factors:
1) There are groups out there that call themselves Mormons (different from the LDS church), that say they believe in the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, and polygamy. There’s not just one group of Mormons. The term Mormon can refer to either the LDS church or these splinter groups (that still practice polygamy).
2) Members of the LDS church are often confused about the LDS church official stance on polygamy. When I was growing up in Utah, we were routinely taught that polygamy had been temporarily suspended, but would be reinstated after the 2nd coming of Christ, or polgyamy was practiced in heaven.
3) D&C 132, which is Joseph Smith’s revelation on polygamy, is still LDS canon.
4) Male LDS members are currently allowed to be sealed and married to multilple women (in the event the current wife dies or is divorced). This leads many male LDS members to state that they will have multiple wives in heaven, thus implying that Mormons believe polygamy will exist in heaven.
5) Many past LDS prophets have stated that polygamy is essential for getting into the highest degree of heaven.

So you can see why there is so much confusion on the topic of Mormons and polygamy. Even LDS church members are confused.

The LDS church can fix this by:
1) Admit that Joseph Smith made a mistake regarding polygamy, and that other LDS prophets that followed him also weren’t receiving direction from God regarding polygamy. Polygamy was a huge debacle for Mormons. Sometimes prophets think with their other head, just like all other guys. They’re human, people will understand that.
2) Completely denounce the practice of plural marriage. Take D&C 132 out of LDS canon.
3) Stop allowing males to be sealed to multiple women in the temple (providing that the current wife is dead or divorced). Just stop that, it doesn’t look good when you say the LDS church doesn’t practice polygamy, yet you still allow this to happen.
4) Utah needs to hire some Texas-like prosecuters who will actually put people in jail for practicing polygamy.
5) If the LDS church is still telling members that polygamy will be reinstated after Christ comes again, stop that. It confuses the LDS members as to whether polygamy is good or bad or whether it is an everlasting teaching.