Strangely, while the Mormon religion publically disavowes the practice of polygamy, polygamy continues to constitute "official doctrine", and "celestial polygamy" is still even practiced in Mormon temples today. This public disavowance of polygamy appears to simply be part of the Mormon religion's sophisticated media campaign designed to enhance the appearance that Mormons are really "mainstream Christians". Did you ever wonder why a religion would strive to become the nation's 12th largest media company (not-for-profit too, so they don't have to pay taxes)?

So, I guess it also shouldn't come as much of a surprise that the Mormons of Utah publically disavow any connection to the FLDS religion (which they spawned), but they and the FLDS religion both share the same Salt Lake City law firm, Snow, Christensen and Martineau. And, in 2007 and 2008, there were serious dicsussions at the highest levels of the Utah legislature regarding eliminating the ban on polygamy altogether, which was written into the Utah Constitution as a condition of statehood in 1896.

Most Americans don't realize that Mormons still practice polygamy in Utah, Arizona, British Columbia and Sonora (and other secret locations). Specific locations include Phoenix, Mesa, Young, Lee's Ferry & Colorado City in Arizona, Salt Lake City, Hildale, St. George and Cedar City in Utah, Bountiful and Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada and Colonia Morelos, Colonia Dublan and Colonia Juarez in Sonora, Mexico. And, not all of these polygamists are FLDS either. I wouldn't be suprised if polygamy was much more pervasive than that, which is why polygamy is such a "touchy subject" with the Mormon religion today.

And, all of this is in complete accordance with Mormon prophecy as well. In 1884, Mormon President John Taylor received a vision from God, who spoke to him personally and explained to him that polygamy, "was to be kept alive in places that would be hidden and protected by God". And, so prior to the "1890 Manifesto", which banned polygamy outright in the Utah Territory, President Taylor began sending out polygamists left and right out of Utah to colonize and populate secret locations all over the Western United States, Canada and Mexico. Thank-you very much President Taylor. And, that was how the polygamous towns of Lee's Ferry and Colorado City in Arizona were founded by polygamous Mormons, from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons). Finally, in 1991, the Mormons encouraged the FLDS Mormons to "officially" create their own religious status, in order to more easily disavow them. These Mormons, they are so clever, no?

Throughout the 1990s, Rulon Jeffs (Warren Jeffs father) maintained his residency in Salt Lake City on a large estate at the mouth of Little Cottonwood Canyon.  His home contained a massive living room capable of accommodating several hundred people for Sunday meetings, a baptismal font and “a restaurant style kitchen that served the mealtime needs for his family. Jeff’s sect of Mormons also maintained a youth education facility called the “Alta Academy.” And, Jeffs would often fly by small plane directly to Colorado City landing near the city on a modern airstrip constructed with government funding.

Strangely, the State of Utah and its political leadership lead by multigenerational descendants of polygamous Mormons never saw fit to raise an issue with the Jeff’s polygamous compound in their own Mormon bastion of Salt Lake City. And, it was only in Arizona that authorities took action against "polygamous Mormons". I can’t think of a better way to make it appear as though there has never been a “polygamy issue” inside the state of Utah.

As has already been mentioned, having more than one wife in the “terrestrial world” is grounds for being excommunicated from the Mormon religion. However, having more than one wife in the “celestial world” is still very much a part of Mormon culture. And the Salt Lake Tribune wrote in April of 2008:

“Though the LDS Church had disavowed polygamy, it is still enshrined in Mormon scripture (Doctrine & Covenants 132) and some believe it will one day be re-established, if not on Earth, at least in heaven. In his quasi-official 1966 book Mormon Doctrine, which remains in print, the late LDS Apostle Bruce R. McConkie wrote that ‘the holy practice will commence again after the Second Coming and the ushering in of the millennium.’ And by policy, men can be ‘sealed’ for eternity in LDS temple rites to more than one wife, though women are permitted only a single sealing. Three of the church's current apostles, for example, were widowed and remarried. Each will have two wives in the eternities”

Official Church "canon" regarding polygamy - Mormon Doctrine & Convenants - Section 132