CPAC’s mission as a committee of volunteer citizens from the polygamous community of Centennial Park, Arizona, is to deliver to the public a correct view of the polygamous lifestyle as practiced in Centennial Park with the objectives of dispelling popular stereotypes commonly held by people at large, of defeating unjust laws which currently exist aimed at the polygamous minority, to overturn, eventually, the Supreme Court decision in Reynolds vs. The United States, and to promote more amicable relations with local agencies which have to deal with families.
In doing this, the Committee seeks to achieve a political and social environment within which both polygamous and non-polygamous cultures may comfortably fit into an integrated society.
Merrywives' Blog 
To Whom It May Concern:
I am an undergraduate student in the Department of Sociology at the University of California Berkeley. I would like to invite you to participate in my research study on polygamist families living in urban areas in the United States. You may participate only if you are currently in a polygynist (one man with more than one wife) marriage and living in an urban area of the United States. All religious beliefs are welcome.
As a participant, you will be asked to commit at the most five hours of time in interviews. The study involves answering questions about the choices that lead to polygamous marriage and how the family functions. Since this topic is sensitive and private I will be making sure that every element of security will be implemented to make sure that every participant and every piece of data will be protected. I am applying for a certificate of confidentiality, which is given out by the National Institute of Health that protects identifiable research information from “forced disclosure”. I am also making sure that all identifiable information will be coded and password protected on a private computer. There are no foreseen risks in participating in this study. The benefits of participating in this study would be helping the discussion on American polygamy become updated and more comprehensive.
If you would like to participate in this research study please email NIturriaga7@berkeley.edu or if you have any questions please contact me at NIturriaga7@berkeley.edu or you may also contact my adviser Dr. Kelsy at mkelsey@berkeley.edu.
Thank you for your consideration,
Nicole Iturriaga
I love your blog,I think you’re doing great job when it comes to showing people that you’re as normal as anyone else…..there are so many negative stereotypes about polygamous lifestyle……I’m happy to learn that it’s not all that bad:)First time I heard even a word polygamy was when I moved to Utah (from Europe) and I didn’t know much about it,then was told all kind of scary stories….. now I’m glad that I found reliable source to learn more.I’d be happy to find out more about family dynamics in poly families,reasons for this lifestyle and …well,just all this stuff that someone who never met anyone living polygamy would ask.
Hi.
I have recently self-published a book that I believe can help you in your mission to overturn Renolds vs U.S. as well as every other anti-bigamy law in the U.S. In it I make several arguments under the Tenth, Ninth, and Thirteenth Amendments as well as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that I am confident have never been considered in our religious or legal worlds. I also offer moral and practical justifications for the lifestyle that I have never read or heard elsewhere. Email me privately an address, and I will happily mail you a copy for your perusal.
I withhold the title from this comment out of respect. I will not attempt to use your site to advertise my book.
I am convinced that, after all any man or group of men can do, the plural family will never find legality and social acceptance unless women fight for it. I must say I am greatly encouraged by your mission statement. I hope you will accept what I would like to contribute.
Ben
Why is it that you have not published in a while? I have been looking forward to your posts for sometime. Is everything okay?
My husband and i have been researching plural marriages for a few years now, we are ready to take the next step and would appreciate any help frpm you’re organization. we live in the Dallas ,Tx area
Stephanie
I cannot get over how awesome I think you are. My husband and I are trying to embrace the Principle, but it’s very hard right now. We live in Indiana, and there aren’t any groups here who can help us figure things out. I see your page and it gives me hope that I will be able to come to terms with who he wants he second wife to be.
God bless you and your family!
Anjala
Hello,
I am a student at New York University and I am working on a research and human interest paper for my journalism class. The formal prompt is “Is the information the larger public receives about a particular community, group or subculture being improved or worsened by the arrival of new forms of media?”
I am focusing on polygamists and how unfairly the culture is portrayed in the media. I would greatly appreciate if someone could answer a few questions in an e-mail interview to help me gain insight to their perspective. I am in no way intending to be disrespectful; I am just trying to understand the polygamist point on view on how the coverage that appears about them has been changing with the arrival of new media.
1. Do you think new forms of media, like the Internet (for example blogging), are making it easier or harder for the public (in this case people who are not polygamists) to learn about polygamists?
2. Do you think new forms of media are changing society’s perception of polygamists?
3. Are the concerns of the polygamous community being communicated better or worse than in the past?
4. In your opinion, is there more or less bias or discrimination, subtle or unsubtle, in available reports and articles about polygamists now?
5. Do you think the affairs of the polygamous community are being more or less unfairly sensationalized or ignored?
6. Do you think polygamists themselves have more or less access to the news they need about their group?
7. In comparison to news media forms of the past, how has the Internet allowed for polygamists to educate others on their beliefs (“their side of the story”), if at all?
8. Do you think the public is getting a more or less fair, accurate and reasonable portrait of polygamists?
9. If less, how do you think the media can begin to portray polygamists more fairly and allow for polygamists to convey “their side.”
10. Any personal background information or additional comments you feel will help the paper.
Also, in keeping with the accuracy of the paper, my professor requires the contact information (name to be quoted and e-mail address will suffice) for any person I interview. Your privacy will not be compromised in any way, and the contact information will only be used by my professor to verify information if necessary.
Thank you very much,
Grace West
New York University
For some guys it is difficult to find a wife in todays world if he doesn’t already own a home, a car, and has an income has a really nice personality, never yells, frequently complements and has a face from modelers inc. If he rents, has a VW that isn’t paid off yet, and has a low paying job then he has less chances. Generally the polygamists use religion to promote their lifestyle or they wouldn’t be able to attract the second girl or to convince his wife. Wasn’t it about 700 lost boys from the Jeffs camp?. According to my estimate from the book ” mormons, oneidans, and shakers in … america” there were about 2000 lost boys in the year 1900 that couldn’t find wives because of polygamy in the lds church.
Wouldn’t it be fairer to practice swinging? Isn’t swinging fairer than polygamy? I have never heard of this concept anywhere that I have been in the media.
When I was a youngster I needed three girls every week to satisfy my sexual needs but I never had that help. Now that I am close to sixty I do not need sexual satisfaction, I only need someone to talk to.
Terry –
I’ve read your post several times and I’ve delayed responding because I just don’t know what to say. I can’t figure out if you are serious or not. In regards to what is fair or not, I say that the way to be THE MOST FAIR is to allow a woman to choose her spouse and live her life in whatever manner she sees fit without government dictating who she is and is not allowed to marry.
I’ve ended up looking all around for this stuff. The good news is my partner and i uncovered this in Google.
Hello All,
I am writting a paper for college about womens’ role in polygamy and the lack of for support for there maggiage choice. If any women could answer that would be great! Also if there are any books that could be reccomended I would greatly appreciate it.
Thanks Ellen
í believe in the Principle and that you should have the right to choose this life, especially if you feel called by God to do so-my prayers are with you!
My wife and I are very much interested in finding a meet group in our area. If you happen 2 kno names of places poly singles meet please send an email. Thanks and god bless
I’ve become really interested in your cause over the past few months. And I strongly support freedom of religion, sexual orientation, education, marriage, etc. And despite many past instances of negative plural family cases that are shown in the news, and the stereotype of sexual abuse, I understand that this is not always the case, and I really do want to support adult consensual polygamy and polyandry. AND polyandry. I think one of the things that really stymie your cause is that you wrap it up in religion. It doesn’t have to be. While I understand that for your community it is for religious purposes, polygamy and polyandry (plural families of all kinds) should be allowed for consenting adults because they are consenting adults, and because they are willing to provide a healthy lifestyle for their children, and for those reasons alone. But if you defend it on the basis of religion, your cause loses much support elsewhere. It should be defended on the basis of familial freedom, to live your life as you wish since you are consenting adults, as long as it doesn’t hurt others. So I support your cause, I suppose. I support that consenting adults should be allowed to live the lifestyle that works for them and their offspring. I do not support it on religious grounds. I believe in a firm separation of church and state. So to make a law or change a law based on a religion is absurd. I do, however, support that the definition of “family” needs to be revised. It should be inclusive of same-sex parent families, plural families, etc. I just hope that if I chose to have 3 husbands instead of 1, you would be supportive of that from a political standpoint, too, even if you thought i was religiously doomed. Thanks for reading this!
To Conflicted Potential Supporter:
I think the reason that trying to get polygamy decriminalized on basis of religion is because the First Amendment to the Constitution specifically address that Congress (and via the 14th amendment, the States) “shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof….” This is so cut and dried simple, that if a religious belief includes practice of plural marriage, the government has no Constitutional authority to “prohibit the free exercise thereof”. “Exercise” is an active verb, meaning the actual “doing” of something, in this case, something that has its basis in a religious belief. So on purely textual First Amendment analysis, plural marriage as a religious tenet is covered as a freedom that the government has no right to prohibit.
You mention consenting adults making family choices being your preferred basis for supporting decriminalization of polygamy. The 2004 Supreme Court decision in Lawrence v. Texas would seem to support your notion that this is a good way to approach the problem.
There were multiple legal theories advanced by African-American civil rights advocates, based on different Constitutional tests. They succeeded in their cause, and contrary to the “establishment” view at the time, the world has not unraveled since “separate but equal” and other bigoted legal doctrines were struck down. We are a better country for the success of the civil rights movement. We have strengthened the idea that *all* human beings have unalienable rights which neither government nor others have the right to violate. Now, we need to make sure this understanding extends both to religion and personal relationships.
The world will not unravel if polygamists and homosexuals are permitted to call themselves “married”. Whatever one may think about the value of a polygynous, polyandrous, gay, or lesbian marriage, should have nothing to do with how one sees the matter legally, which is to say, all of these ought to be legal non-issues: who you or I or anyone else seeks to make a part of our lives is simply not a matter for the government to concern itself with, outside certain obvious exceptions (e.g. legal age of consent, degrees of consanguinity). One may find polyandrous or polygynous relationships personally distasteful, yet at the same time support all persons’ unalienable right to make personal relationship decisions based upon the values to which they subscribe (be those religious or whatever).
I do not see this plural marriage matter being an “either/or” proposition, as you allude. Those seeking to have their religious, consensual, adult relationships decriminalized have several Constitutional authorities they can appeal to for support, and a solid advocacy of this position should include both issues, because as you state, we in this country do have a separation of church and state. That separation goes both ways: neither the state nor the church has the right to dictate to the other.
Best,
Ronald Schoedel
Mr. Schoedel,
The problem is that others feel that the state of polygamy/polyandry is indeed an obvious exception to the freedom of religion (similar to legal age of consent, etc), and don’t view it as you and I clearly do: a legal non-issue. Given that others feel it is an exception to the freedom of religion, freedom of religion is a weaker argument than the mere fact that all are consenting adults. Also, if you argue based on religion, you exclude all non-religious plural families and deny them their right to a plural existence because they are not specifically part of a religion that believes in this.
You pretty much reiterated what I said, minus the discrepancy of defending it on religious reasons, that is. So you’re preaching to the choir 😉 The affirmation was very nice, however. I’m glad others have these thoughts/feelings as well.
Regards,
S
Thank you kindly for your response. I realized there was some preaching to the choir, yet felt it was worthwhile to show why I think the religion argument is important.
I understand completely, and I realize that some people have so little disregard for freedom of religion that they would see it the way you mention it. But I do feel it is important that religious rights be protected, for all. The same religious right that allows some to practice polygamy is the religious right that affords a church to not have to perform polygamous marriages or gay marriages (if such things violate their beliefs), or conversely, which affords a church to not have to perform monogamous straight marriages, if they so choose (if such violates their conscience or beliefs). The right of religious belief and practice is also the right to refrain from any belief or practice. And those rights need to be protected for all persons, believers and nonbelievers of every sort.
And really, when you get right down to it, whether we are supporting something based on consenting adults making decisions for themselves, or consenting adults making decisions based on religion, what are both of these if not the same thing?: freedom of conscience to make decisions based on our own values, for our own lives. Some may call their values “religion”, some may call them “philosophy”, others may not give any terminology to their value set, yet in a governmental context, religion, philosophy, conscience, etc., really are all the same thing.
Take care.
Best,
Ronald
Hey 2ndwif, I’ll just bet you ARE chomping at the bit for yet another wife. All men like you want is an excuse to sleep with whomever you want. I think people like you are pigs. I think you all need to face that fact and quit using God to sanction your own selfish needs.
Hello,
Is there an email where I could reach you at?
Thank you,
Brian
I was taught as a small lad to live and let live. This still holds true to me today. There are many people and their practices I do not agree with but if they do not infringe upon the rights of others it is their right to do it. Period!!
As I am writing this, I feel overwhelmed with a deep belief in the “Principle” I need to preface this with I am practicing member of the LDS church.
Doing my genealogy I have know for most of my life that I have come from plural marriage. It has begun to take on a deeper and spiritual meaning. I have many aquantainances that belong to the two populous groups in the SL Valley and I tend to lean towards the AUB because of their wonderful familial upbringing.
In doing my research about why the Principle was “taken away” for a season it was more political than spiritual and I found that in the “Manifesto” in the D&C is very vague in the statement. I know my next statement is going to sound a little chauvinistic but I have always felt like it is my duty and calling in life to provide for more than just my current wife and family and I can love more than one woman.
To those that read this, this is not about sex! It is so much more than that and the Principle is not for everyone as it should be looked upon as a responsibility and calling from the Lord!
I support, albeit behind the scenes those that live the true calling of the Principle. My hope is that one day this will not be considered to be against the laws of the land and that those called to this calling will be respectful and live it according to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and not the dictates of a false prophet!
Can you imagine a child being brought up in a loving home, a child that doesnt have to come home to emptiness because one or more parents is not there due to divorce or death etc. The ills of the world could be for the most part done away with, less welfare, less crime, etc all because a child was brought up with parents to guide them.
I feel the AUB and the Centennial Group has done a great job with their structure and proper leadership and by their great examples we can see a change on Capitol Hill!
Best Regards,
Supporting the Principle in the LDS Faith,
Hey my name is Alex and I am a college student. I am having to write a paper on polygamy that is based on an interview. I was wondering if you would participate in my interview. If you would please email at alexdoss@uab.edu . Thank you so much and I would greatly appreciate this interview.
Hello,
Heard about your community from TV of all places. I am not an avid watcher but do watch “Our America,’ once in a while and your community was the topic tonight. I was very impressed with the frank courage of all those who were interviewed and touched with the genuine caring each person seemed to have for the community at large.
Although I do not think I would want to engage in polygamy any more than I would any other alternative lifestyle I cannot see why it is condemned. I ask myself again and again, ‘who is harmed?’ Why must we all fit into neat social boxes when we claim we are a free country? It smacks of discrimination and repression to me, defining ‘marriage’ as being solely between one man and one woman and dragging the bible, which some Americans do NOT believe is the word of God, is not what a separation of church and state – unless I am ignorant and fail to understand the difference between the two. Could be I guess I’m not as bright as I think, but I believe meddling in how people choose to marry, and whom they choose to marry should be left up to them as long as the individuals involved are competent to make such a commitment.
I think that those who shriek against polygamy do so out of ignorance, pathology, fear and perhaps jealously. I hope that more people saw the program and were educated or moved as I was. Thank you for allowing me to visit your community.
I am interested in being in a pleural marriage but am older (51). Are there any options for me?
I am a member of the mainstream lds church, who has been researching the teachings of the early church leaders and am interested in learning more about fundamental teachings. Is there a way to contact someone in your group for more information? I am beginning to believe that the church was wrong to discontinue polygamy and would like to research it further, but can’t seem to get anyone to help me with information.
I think it is very brave of your community to put yourself and beliefs out into the public arena. I have been impressed with what I have seen by watching Polygamy USA on NatGeo. I am a non-Christian, married for 21 years. I believe polygamy as practiced by your community should absolutely be legal! I fully support your religious freedom to engage in plural marriage. Keep fighting for your rights! Good luck.
To the 51-year-old interested in living the principle: Truthfully, I don’t think your prospects are very good. For one: The purpose of women in living the principle is to be “vessels to be worn out in childbirth.” At your age, it’s unlikely that you could add children to a husband’s domain. Even if you were still fertile, the polygamous men have a STRONG preference for wives that are either girls or very young women. There is however, one chance I can think of. A man needs to have 3 wives to ascend to his kingdom in heaven. If you can find a member of the priesthood that doesn’t have 3 wives, he might take you on to ensure he will be glorified later in heaven. Occasionally, a man already with enough wives might take on another one just to ‘get his numbers up.’ But again, those are usually much younger females. Good luck and keep us posted.
I have a graduate student that works for me and is writing a paper on the subject of Polygamy. She has a series of questions that can be answered via email or phone. The interview should not take more than 20 minutes. Please contact me at cynthia.parra@lamar.edu if you are interested in participating. I will pass on the your contact information to my graduate student. Thanks and God Bless.
Hello there!
I feel rather ashamed to say that I am just now finding this blog. I think it must be fate though, because I have been looking for some way to contact Centennial Park, been praying, and had just prayed that God lead me to the right link and here you are! (Sorry, I am a bit over excited, could be the hormones as I am due any time this month to have my third son, lol).
Hopefully this will be a successful reach out to those living in Centennial Park, as my family has been looking into trying to find how we could possibly move there and join the community. We are especially interested after having watched all of Polygamy USA, both my husband and I agreeing that we are absolutely in love with the way you live the teachings of God and his Prophet. I would love to learn more about your community rules, regulations, and home life.
Please feel free to contact me at Sipeswife1@gmail.com 🙂
God bless you all!
This blog is very informative!
I am a 31 year-old woman and have been studying Mormon fundamentalism for over a year. My husband would never consider living the Principal. Mostly hypothetically, I wonder how possible it would be for someone like me to join the CP community as a single, divorced woman without children. Would I be welcome? Would there be a stigma of sorts attached, given a previous marriage?
Sometimes I simply wonder what life would be like if I were as courageous as you all are and lived the life I felt called to.
Thanks and God bless.
Hello! I am very interested in joining the Work. I’ve had a huge tug on my heart for a while to do this….please email me
Hi,
I am working on a new docu-series for a major cable network and I came across your blog. We are interested in speaking with families that are willing to share their stories of living and practicing polygamy. If interested, please get in touch via email at inlovecouplescasting@gmail.com and I am happy to follow up with more details and schedule some time to chat. You may also check out our website http://www.inlovecouplescasting.com.
Thank you!