page_title: Current state of polygamy in the Latter Day Saint movement
section_title: Effects of current polygamy practice
hierarchical_section_title: Current state of polygamy in the Latter Day Saint movement / Effects of current polygamy practice
caption_attribution_description: English: Polygamous marriages by country Legend according to [1]: &#160; Polygamous marriages allowed under the law1,2 &#160; Recognized under customary law &#160; Polygamous marriages performed elsewhere recognized &#160; Unknown/ambiguous &#160; Polygamous marriage illegal &#160; State constitution fully criminalizes polygamous marriage 1Illegal in all forms; exempt Muslims in the countries of India, Singapore, and Sri Lanka 2Federal Eritrea law bans polygamous marriage but is allowed in certain countries and regions with Sharia, Muslims only may legally contract polygamous marriages *Polygamous unions are not legally recognized in Mauritius, however law allows for Muslim men to take up to four wives but they aren't recognized as wives under the law
context_page_description: Joseph Smith, the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, privately taught and practiced polygamy. After Smith's death in 1844, the church he established splintered into several competing groups. Disagreement over Smith's doctrine of "plural marriage" has been among the primary reasons for multiple church schisms.
  The members of the largest faction, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, do not continue to teach and practice polygamy today. In the late-19th century and early-20th century, the practice was formally abandoned as various laws banned polygamy in the United States and led to the confiscation of LDS Church properties. The LDS Church no longer sanctions open polygamy. However, many LDS men are sealed in LDS temples to more than one woman "for eternity", following the divorce or death of the first wife, the latter example being the case with two current LDS leaders, church president Russell M. Nelson and apostle Dallin H. Oaks.
  The second-largest Latter Day Saint church, the Community of Christ, has a history of opposing the LDS Church's practice of polygamy.
context_section_description: A societal view on the purpose marriage and its variants determine the regulations and policies made. If marriage is viewed as means of reproduction only polygamy is accepted. If marriage is viewed as a means of compassion and individual fulfillment and satisfaction polygamy is rejected.
  Under U.S. law any person who wishes to immigrate to the U.S. but practices, or intends to practice, polygamy is denied entrance. Regardless of the legality of the plural marriage in the country of origin, the U.S. government will only recognize one marriage thus, a man with multiple wives can only sponsor one wife who wishes to immigrate to the U.S. If a man who practiced polygamy in his maternal country wishes to sponsor more than one wife he must divorce the wife in the U.S first. Any women who succeeds in avoiding the bar on polygamy is denied basic legal rights regarding marriage, divorce,  and financial support. The denial of these rights "perpetuates the cycle of 'abuse and exploitation' that is sometimes synonymous with modern-day polygamy". Polygamy often puts extra, strenuous responsibilities on women. Many argue that polygamous relationships deny certain rights to women and degrade their value
caption: Polygamous marriages by country
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