LDS Church Now Teaching Polygamy to Children: Is it Grooming? | Ep. 1974

The LDS Church has begun teaching polygamy to children as young as three. In a new cartoon-style curriculum released December 2024, the Church presents Joseph Smith's plural marriages not as historical controversy, but as a lesson in obedience. The material appears in the online "Scripture Stories" series, aimed directly at Primary-aged children, with a stated moral takeaway: "Faith to obey a law from the Lord even when it's hard."

This development marks a shift from the Church's previous strategy of relegating polygamy to adult-facing essays and footnotes. By embedding the practice into children's scripture curriculum, leaders are betting on transparency. Critics, including researchers interviewed on the Mormon Stories Podcast, argue the presentation amounts to something else entirely: early indoctrination into authority structures that bypass consent.

Background: From Footnotes to Primary

For decades, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints treated polygamy as a skeleton in the historical closet. Adult members often discovered Smith's dozens of wives, including teenagers, through outside sources like the CES Letter or historical scholarship, not Sunday School. The new curriculum, titled "Plural Marriage 1831 to 1890," changes the delivery mechanism while tightening the narrative frame.

The story is written in simple language for children ages three to eleven. It depicts Smith receiving a commandment from God to practice plural marriage. The text acknowledges Emma Smith's resistance but frames it as a "hard commandment" for both husband and wife, suggesting spiritual growth through compliance.

Key Claims and Historical Gaps