Winston Blackmore condemns polygamy charges as religious persecution

Refers to the protection of religious rights under the Charter of Rights

The leader of a fundamentalist Mormon community in Creston condemned polygamy charges laid against him this week, saying they amount to religious persecution tied to politics.

It was the first comment from Winston Blackmore since charges of practising polygamy were laid against him and another spiritual leader at Bountiful on Wednesday.

Polygamy and the Birth of Mormon Fundamentalism

Joseph Smith, founder of the Mormon Church, described plural marriage as part of “the most holy and important doctrine ever revealed to man on earth” and taught that a man needed at least three wives to attain the “fullness of exaltation” in the afterlife. He warned that God had explicitly commanded that “all those who have this law revealed unto them must obey the same … and if ye abide not that covenenant, then are ye damned; for no one can reject this covenant and be permitted to enter into my glory.
John Krakauer, Under The Banner of Heaven, Doubleday (July 15, 2003), pages 5, 6.

However, the god of Mormonism — a religion that, theologically, is a cult of Christianity — constantly changes his mind; reason why the doctrines of the Mormon Church often change (interestingly, whenever doing so is convenient to the Mormon Church).

The Mormon Church’s rejection (sort of…) of polygamy directly led to the formatation of various sects of Mormonism. Though the the LDS/Mormon Church disavows them, collectively these sects are referred to as Mormon Fundamentalists.

As a matter of fact, the doctrines and practices of Mormon Fundamentalists are closer to those of the original Mormon Church than are the doctrines and practices of today’s Mormon Church.

Research resources on Mormonism, Mormon Fundamentalism, and Polygamy.

Comments & resources by ReligionNewsBlog.com

Blackmore’s statement, made at a news conference where he did not take reporters’ questions, point to the legal arguments expected to unfold in the coming court case — the protection of religious rights under the Charter of Rights versus a section of the Criminal Code prohibiting polygamy.

“To us, this is about religious persecution,” said Blackmore, who lives in the community a few miles south of Creston.

“Persecution has always been about politics. Whatever else is involved with it, it is still about politics. It is therefore no surprise to us that this spectacular grandstanding event has happened in the face of an up-and-coming provincial election.

“I hope this government has calculated all the risks. Time will tell.”
[…]

Blackmore, a member of a breakaway sect of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was arrested Wednesday and charged with polygamy under Section 293 of the Criminal Code. He is to appear in Creston court on Jan. 21.

Also arrested was James Oler, the leader of a second sect of fundamentalist Mormons that follows Warren Jeffs, the leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Church of Latter-day Saints from 2002 until his imprisonment two counts of rape as an accomplice in 2007 in Utah.

The charges against Blackmore are the culmination of a seven-month assessment review by special prosecutor Terrence Robertson at the request of Attorney-General Wally Oppal.

“Canada has a law against polygamy,” said Blackmore. “It was made in or around 1892 and was made specifically against the Mormons.

“Canada also has a Charter of Rights and Freedoms that guarantees every person the right to live their religion, and I guess now, every person except those of us who are fundamentalist-believing-and-practising Mormons.”

Blackmore, who has had 26 wives and has more than 108 children, devoted a large portion of his statement to his family’s reaction to his arrest.
[…]

See Also

• Statement on Bountiful special prosecution, Vancouver Sun
• Winston Blackmore’s Statement, Vancouver Sun
• Ten people who can help make the case against polygamy, The Province
• Key players in the Bountiful case, Vancouver Sun