So the major changes were about social policy:polygamy and racism. With the break down in traditional marriage, do you think that might edge back toward Brigham Young’s views? It is my understanding that the other Mormon body never did accept it, out of loyalty to Smith’s wife.
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Right, the RLDS (now Community of Christ) never practiced polygamy, that is the group that Emma Smith (Joseph’s legal wife) went with. On the other hand, the FLDS still practice polygamy and follow Brigham Young. In effect they are the true Mormons.
I do expect to see changes back to polygamy. The LDS have kept the revelation on polygamy, still practice it in some ways (men can be married for eternity to more than one woman in this life just not legally married to more than one at a time - women cannot), and teach that polygamy will be reinstated during the Millennium (when Christ rules from Missiouri).
I fully expect to see revelations on homosexuality being acceptable (they are already moving a little in that direction with allowing openly gay people to have mid level church jobs) in the next 10-15 years and if polygamy is legalized then they will have another ‘revelation’ very quickly bringing it back. I know many LDS who are working for that and praying for it as well.