Polygamy is the practice of a man being married to one or more wives at the same time. Currently, polygamy is illegal in all 50 states, but not in all countries. The United States is the only country that constitutionally prohibits polygamy and yet still has families living in secret polygamous marriages. These families had to lie and hide to avoid being arrested and separated from their families. Without the patriarch, most of these women don't know how to survive financially on their own. This affects both women and their children. Most children are raised in a polygamous lifestyle and do not recognize any other way of life. Polygamy shelters and shelters families from society, forcing polygamists to create cult-like lifestyles. Why should polygamy still be practiced in the United States? Polygamy was introduced to the United States in 1852 by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and was an accepted practice of marriage. The Church began practicing this form of marriage earlier in 1843, but most marriages spread to many countries but remained silent. Joseph Smith was the founder and pushed the “coming out” of polygamy. He “testified that an angel armed with a sword came to him several times and commanded him to practice polygamy or he would lose his life” (Church History). Joseph Smith had 33 wives and taught Mormons that Jesus Christ himself had been a polygamist. However, in 1890, the United States urged the Church to abandon the practice of polygamy, giving rise to the Manifesto. The Manifesto prohibited the practice of polygamy and those who practiced it would be excommunicated. Many polygamists who are still practicing have decided to forge their own path and practice in secret...... middle of paper ...... women. Even today, families like the Browns practice faith in the hope that other polygamous families will help America understand their choices. We will never know if it is right or wrong, but polygamy allows families to share a bond, people can judge whether it is negative or positive, but in the end all that matters is the love and friendliness. Works Cited Sister Wives (nd). Retrieved March 11, 2011 from TLC: http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/tv/sister-wivesJessop, C (2007). Escape. New York: Broadway Books. Ndabaykhe, V (January 1, 2008). Polygamy in African fiction. Little, P (September 29, 2006). A UCLA law expert is available to discuss the Pennsylvania Supreme Court's decision allowing a father to teach his child about polygamy. Business Wire. Newswire, P (October 4, 1998). The President of the Church declares that polygamy today is “contrary to the law of God”. Utah, United States.