The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.
~ Psalm 18:2-3
Hebrews 10:5: Behold, I have come — In the volume of the book it is written of Me.
We are taught throughout Biblical Scripture that a Majestic Deliverer would come to save God’s people from the horrors of eternal death. All of Biblical Scripture, from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21 is about that One, who is Jesus.
Revelation 19:10 For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
Luke 24:44 ...all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me."
Yet Joseph Smith came along and re-wrote the Bible and wrote himself into the pages and prophecy of Scripture. Equally problematic, Mormonism has mis-identified several separate passages in the Old Testament they claim is a prophesy of the coming Joseph Smith and of the future “restored” Mormon church. Their custom is to lift up Joseph Smith to be equal with Jesus Christ and they apply Messianic prophecies to Smith. They also claim Joseph Smith must approve our entrance into heaven. But God tells us that Jesus alone is the Redeemer and the Judge and warns of His judgment at the end of the age.
Our purpose is to bring these biblical truths to polygamists who have never heard or understood the Biblical message of salvation by Grace through faith in our Only Savior, Jesus Christ.
We thank you for your support and prayers that enable us to bring God’s Good News to polygamists
Karen Bradshaw is an ex-plural wife from the AUB polygamy group. She has given her life to Jesus and explains that God has laid it upon her heart to become part of the Shield and Refuge team. We welcome Karen to the team as we seek God’s will in this and in everything. For the next several months, Karen will share her story of being born and raised and married in a Mormon Fundamentalist Polygamy Group.
“My mother’s best friend, Carol, had a 14 year old daughter named Heather. My father not only ran away with Heather, but he had a sexual relationship with his secretary. These two events completely devastated my mother and brought about a complete change in my life.
Shortly afterwards she announced that we were moving to join with the Pinesdale, Montana AUB polygamy group. We would be living on a big Ranch and start school in the fall. Little did I know Ray would become my future dad. He loaded the other children in the back; but he let my older brother and sister and myself ride in front with him. I sat next to him and he told me I could lay my head on his shoulder if I got sleepy. He had a twinkle in his eye, he smelt strange to me and at first, I was nervous, but with his big smile and his jolly disposition he quickly set my mind at ease. I had no idea he was positioning himself to take my mother as a plural wife.
When we got to Pinesdale, we were in the final stretch of the trip. Mom told us we were going to Zion, that it was like Heaven on earth. I had never before seen anything like what he had on his ranch: goats, horses, Clydesdales, cows, acres and acres of green pastureland. A huge brown barn. Our future home was nestled among Ponderosa Pines, and it was a lovely sight.
Ray’s wife Melba, welcomed us. She was a large women with black hair and a kind face. I immediately liked her. A few days latter mom told us that the polygamy group leaders had told her that she could choose a husband from two men. She asked the children, "who do you want to be your new father, Ray or Bill?" She took us to see Bill and his family soon after our arrival at the Ranch. He was tall, dark and handsome, he picked me up and put me on his lap and asked me my name. He was charming. I wanted my mom to marry him! But to my dismay she chose to marry Ray as his plural wife. I later realized that was the best choice she could have made. Years later, Bill was accused of sexually abusing his stepdaughters.
…continued next month!
“I heard the revelation on polygamy, and I believed it with all my heart, and I know it is from God—I know that he revealed it from heaven; I know that it is true and understand the bearings of it and why it is. ‘Do you think that we shall ever be admitted as a State into the Union without denying the principle of polygamy?’ If we are not admitted until then, we shall never be admitted” (Brigham Young, August 19, 1866, Journal of Discourses 11:269).
Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. --Romans 4:4
MORMON POLYGAMY HISTORY
~~It all began with Joseph Smith~~
"Exposé of polygamy in Utah: A lady's life among the Mormons. A record of personal experience as one of the wives of a Mormon elder during a period of more than twenty years". 1872
“As the time approached for me to [give my husband a 2nd wife], I felt like a condemned felon in his cell, waiting in agony the day of his execution. The dreaded day at length arrived... I felt very sick and nervous ... However, I nerved myself to the task, and silently made my preparations for going to the "Endowment House."... I was choking with suppressed emotion ... There was a darkness before my eyes, and, struggle as I might, I could see no ray of light, no glimmering of hope. I was utterly cast down and broken-hearted, and felt almost as if the Lord had forsaken me. I could not go to my husband for sympathy; for I felt that his thoughts were with his young bride... at the altar the first wife is expected to give proof of her faith in her religion by placing the hand of the new wife in that of her husband. She is asked the question by Brigham Young, "Are you willing to give this woman to your husband, to be his lawful and wedded wife, for time and for all eternity? If you are, you will manifest it by placing her right hand within the right hand of your husband." I did so. But what words can describe my feelings?
The anguish of a whole lifetime was crowded into that one single moment. When it was done, I felt that I had laid every thing upon the altar... I had given away my husband. What more could the Lord require of me that I could not do? Nothing! I had to hide my feelings; for to whom should I turn for sympathy? My husband was there, it is true; but he was now the husband of another woman, and a newly-made bridegroom. I stood alone, our union was severed. I had given away my husband, and he no longer belonged only to me! I could not think it possible that there ever could be any co-partnership between that other wife and myself From that day, I began to hide all my sorrows from my husband ...
I remember well that when I returned home — that home which was now to become hateful to me, for his young wife was to live there — my husband said to me, "You have been very brave; but it is not so hard to do, after all, is it?" He had seen me bear it so well, that he even supposed I was indifferent. So much for the [understanding] of men!” ~ pgs 117-120
Q. “If God is against polygamy, why did He promote it by requiring a brother of a woman’s dead husband to marry the widow?”
A. Deuteronomy 25:5 is the source for this question, but verse seven tells us the living brother has the option of not taking the widow to wife. And there’s nothing in the text to indicate the brother is already married. Actually there are specifications if a man should marry his brother’s widow, we find at the beginning of the verse: “If brothers are living together…” obviously they are sharing the same dwelling making it highly unlikely that the surviving brother is a married man. God will never require us to do something that he has prohibited.
“The more one learns of polygamy, the more it sounds like white slavery in the disguise of religion. It seems that Joseph Smith adopted certain beliefs and concepts from Islam. However, unlike Mohammad, Smith didn't want to be limited to a mere sixty virgins in his afterlife..” --L.L.
“Thank you for doing this work, exposing the lies & tactics these groups use. Some of this is nearly unbelievable. Bless you for exposing and leading people to Jesus.” -- P.S.
“Smith essentially made sex a religious practice. This has not been an unusual practice in many pagan religions. In ancient times sacred prostitutes were used to have sex with worshipers as a form of worship. The polygamous marriages or heavenly marriages in Mormonism appear a way to what could be construed by some people as simply ways to make certain practices seem "respectable." --L.L.
“I don’t really like Joseph Smith too much.” --M.H.
- Praises for a safe and informative trip to Lincoln Nebraska (see photos below) in response to an invitation from Ratio Christi to share with their group about early Mormon polygamy and contemporary Mormon fundamentalists.
- Pray for continued safety, productivity, and opportunity to share Biblical truths to Mormon polygamists.
- Continue to pray for those who leave polygamy but reject
everything and anything connected with finding Biblical truths.
Ratio Christi graciously invited us to Lincoln Nebraska to share our stories of being born and raised in polygamy and the history of Mormon polygamy. We want to thank Ben and Janai for their hospitality and their exuberant love for our Lord and for truth. Here are some pictures of our visit:
Just call Doris: 801-649-3103, or Email: doris@shieldandrefuge.org |
