Centennial Park

      Here we are in the twenty first century and still talking about polygamy.  On Tuesday, February 13, 2007, ABC aired a program called “The Outsiders”.  The focus was of course the polygamous community of Centennial Park, AZ that lies just two miles south of Colorado City, home to the infamous group of the Fundamental Latter-day Saints.

This particular group of polygamists wanted to make it clear that they are not part of the group in Colorado City.  They claim they don’t have the problems of child sexual abuse and forced marriages that seem to plague Warren Jeffs group; although they did admit to having bouts of jealousy towards each other.

     The main subjects of the interview focused on one young family within the clan.  ABC was invited into the 1,400 sq. ft. home of a husband with two wives and their nine children.  The polygamists wanted the world to see how they take care of their own and they portrayed this community effort of building an addition onto the home of the young family.

The husband, Ariel Hammon met both of his wives at school.  He was the math teacher for both when they were in school.  His first wife is now 30 years old and mother to seven of the children with another one on the way.  His second wife is 20 and mother to the remaining two children.  Mr. Hammon is roughly 35 years old.

     At one point during the interview the reporter, John Quinonez gathered a group of about 15 teenagers to ask them some questions.  He asked the girls what their dreams were for their lives.  One girl answered that she is praying to be just one of her future husband’s wives, yet she had no idea who it was that she’d want to marry.  She said that it was “up to the priesthood”.  When asked how she’d feel if he had a lot of wives, she answered by saying; “If he has six or seven wives, I’d accept that. The man is not ours. We are given to the man but we can’t claim him. So as many wives as he would want, he can have. As long as it’s what God wants.”  The young men in the group all claimed they had no problem with obeying the elders by having two to fifteen wives.  If that is what God wanted, then so be it.

     As I was watching the show it was so hard for me to sit still and keep my mouth shut as I listened to the lies they told and witnessed the obvious brain washing that has taken control of these beautiful people.  However, out of all the lies they told and keep telling to the next generation, I was also very grateful for the invention of television.  I’m not a big advocate for television, but there are times when God will use it for His purpose and I truly believe this is one of those times!  The news reporter gave a short blip about Joseph Smith’s teachings of polygamy, godhood and salvation.

     I would imagine that it’s incredibly difficult for the modern-day member of the LDS Church to reconcile the truth about Joseph Smith and the persona they are trying to portray in this, the twenty-first century.  Their latest push of wanting to be included into the “mainstream” body of Christ has to be a hard sale when the truth of their doctrine is a glaring reminder of why they don’t belong.  In contrast, the polygamist groups don’t feel the added pressure of wanting to fit in – they have purposefully kept themselves separated from the “secular world”.

     The husband that the show focused on, Ariel Hammon, admitted they do believe Jesus was a polygamist and that black people are the curse of Cain.

Moses 7:22; “And Enoch also beheld the residue of the people which were the sons of Adam; and they were a mixture of all the seed of Adam save it was the seed of Cain, for the seed of Cain were black, and had not place among them.”

  I don’t know if it’s true or not, but it was reported on this show that Mr. Hammon is the first person to admit to the teachings of Jesus being a polygamist and the curse of Cain.

     So for all those who write in to Life After Ministries and tell us we’re being sensationalistic, or that we’ve lied, you’ve now heard it from the “horse’s mouth” so to speak.  We haven’t pulled some obscure teaching out of the annals of the LDS Church’s history to twist things around; these are the basic tenets of Mormonism.

     The truth is Joseph Smith did teach that Jesus was a polygamist and Joseph Smith did in fact teach that black people are cursed.  Let us pray for these people!  Of course they also claimed that sex has absolutely nothing to do with polygamy, but we already know the truth to that story.  We’ll have more on these topics in the near future on our website so stay tuned.

     Mr. Hammon claimed the Bible commands polygamy to be practiced, but nowhere in the Bible have I ever seen such a commandment.  I’m certain that if he truly believes in the teachings of Joseph Smith he’d also claim the Bible isn’t translated correctly either.  How is it they can claim the Bible commands something if they don’t actually believe the Bible to be correct?

     While trying to portray the wonderful attributes of polygamy, the women of this particular group have gathered together to fight what they call the “injustices” they face because of their religion. They said that by living in America they should be able to worship the way they see fit without being persecuted.

They’ve dubbed themselves the Centennial Park Action Committee and have begun pushing their agenda for “religious tolerance”.  Following in their mother’s footsteps are the children of not only these multiple wives, but others as well who are speaking out, publicly demanding respect and tolerance from mainstream society in both Arizona and Utah.

     Funny, the term “tolerance” sounds eerily familiar when you listen to the groups that want same-sex marriages to be legalized.  Isn’t this also what the ACLU tries to impose upon the citizens of America today when they want the Ten Commandments ripped from all public buildings and when they fight to have Christmas trees taken down from airports like they did here in Seattle this past Christmas season?

     The mainstream LDS Church can claim they don’t believe these doctrines any longer, but in reality they still do.  The Doctrine and Covenants still contains section 132 which warns members they cannot be saved without having multiple wives and women will be damned if they reject it.

D&C 132:4; “For behold, I reveal unto you a new and an everlasting covenant; and if ye abide not that covenant, then are ye damned; for no one can reject this covenant and be permitted to enter into my glory.”  Also see D&C 132:51-56.

They still teach that you must be married in order to gain exaltation and they still teach they will become gods and goddesses someday with their own earths.  (D&C 132:19-20.)

     When you witness to a Mormon whether it be a missionary or a close friend or relative, they may try and tell you that they don’t personally believe in the section of D&C that commands polygamy.  If this is the case ask them if they’ve denounced Joseph Smith for their as well.  After all, the teachings mentioned here originated with none other than Smith himself.

Deut. 18:20-22 says that we are to disregard any prophet who gives a false prophecy.

  Because the “everlasting covenant” of having multiple wives was outlawed by the US government and subsequently abandoned by the mainstream LDS Church, it can’t possibly be qualified as everlasting, but qualifies as a false prophecy.

     I have always maintained that Mormonism is based upon two principles.  Sex and godhood; you can’t get one without the other.  You can’t be truly saved (godhood status) if you’re not married; i.e. polygamy.  You can’t be married without taking oaths in the temple to pledge loyalty to the Mormon god who is a polygamist.  (In reality yes, you can be married outside of the temple.  However if you’re a TBM (true blue Mormon) and truly love your Heavenly Father you’ll be needing that temple marriage.)

     When the younger sister wife of the host family being interviewed was asked how she would get to heaven, her response made me cringe.  She answered by stating that being married and following Jesus’ example to bring children here to earth, obeying the commandments (D&C 132) and having a happy family is the way she can go to heaven.

     Where is the gospel in this?  Where is there any hope provided by a Savior?  Now whether or not she articulated the proper tenets of that particular sect is irrelevant.  Her understanding of the gospel of Jesus Christ is totally warped!  This is the “fruit” of true Mormonism.  While I know she’s only twenty years old and still very young, this is what she will be passing on to her children.

 Think about it, she’s twenty and has two kids.

      As an example I was born and raised in mainstream Mormonism and lived with the average thought process of any average Mormon for thirty years.  The young woman’s thought process mentioned here isn’t any different than mine was before I got saved and I wasn’t a polygamist.  The last polygamist in my family was alive three generations ago.  My parents were 16 and 18 when they got married and I was born a day before their first anniversary.  My mother hadn’t finished 9^th grade when she dropped out of school to be married.  The similarities are striking and sadly enough my experience is typical of Mormon behavior patterns.

     My parents weren’t married in the temple and while my mother did become active in her twenties, my father only on rare occasions would go to church.  They did however pass down the “heritage and culture” of being active in the Church as a youngster, thus my brothers and I were summarily dropped off at the ward building when the schedule demanded we be there.

     The residual effects of polygamy are far reaching and when the members of the LDS Church went into their temple one hundred years ago they took oaths upon themselves and the heads of the next third and fourth generations.  Don’t think those oaths are just some silly rituals they go through that don’t carry a spiritual price to pay.  Temple-worthy members of today are still taking those oaths.  Although they have changed the ceremonies drastically since the days of the early church, the oaths and effects are the same.

     The residual effects of polygamy can also be seen in the vital statistics of life in Utah today.  Every 18 months or so I write an article on the statistics of various subjects for the state of Utah – you can read the latest one here.

     The findings are remarkable to say the least.  Suicide, rape, and incest are higher there than the national average and they can’t figure out why.  The studies for trying to understand these phenomena have been ongoing since the mid-fifties.  They have been quoted as saying they are positive that religion has absolutely nothing to do with it.  One “expert” even said he felt the rates are that high because the Intermountain west has easy access to guns.  Yeah, okay…

     Here is what part of my article says about Utah stats: “Another comparison that I found to be very telling is from the Utah Department of Health.  It says that in Utah 1 out of 3 girls and 1 out of 5 boys will be sexually assaulted by the age of 18.  Nationally the rates are 1 out of 6 women (17%) and 1 out of 33 men (3%) will be sexually assaulted at some point in their lives.”

     In other words you’re twice as likely to be raped in Utah if you’re a female and if you’re a male it’s six times higher than the national average.  Pretty scary if you ask me.  Let’s face it; this is the residual effect of polygamy.

This is the legacy the early pioneers have left for the “Land of Zion”.  Now I’m not stating that the rest of the nation or the world for that matter is any better.  Goodness this world is filled with evil people who commit evil sins.  However, when the “prophets of God” proclaim something to be a direct revelation from the Almighty you’d think that the fruit of such an act would produce godly legacies, not bad ones.  Yet here is this “holy land” that is continually suffering a worse record of sexual crimes than the rest of the nation and I’m sure I’m not the only person who can figure this out.

     The biggest impression I was left with after watching that show was the sadness I felt for those women and girls.  I’m not a feminist mind you, but I cannot imagine living another day like that.  I love my husband and I know how blessed I am that God gave me two daughters, but without Jesus and His spilled blood I am nothing and have nothing.  It’s been almost 14 years since I accepted Jesus into my heart and working in this ministry reminds me of what He saved me from.  This show is a great reminder of just how desperate the situation is for those caught in the trap of the evil one.  Help us won’t you to reach out to them through prayer and witness?  May God bless you for your willingness and love!

 With Love in Christ;

Michelle Grim

1 Cor. 1:18