Pew survey of Mormons shows mixed support for polygamy

study by the Pew Research Center, conducted in 2011 (Oct. 25-Nov. 16) surveyed the opinions of over 1000 self-identified Mormons, the first such survey by a group outside the LDS Church.  Nearly all of the Mormons surveyed (99%) identified themselves as members of the LDS Church.

In the survey, there was a section covering questions of traditional morality, where one of the five questions was about polygamy.  Responses...

Morally wrong      86%
Not a moral issue  11%
Depends                   2%
Morally acceptable  2%

Not surprisingly, the number saying it was morally wrong depended on gender.  Of Mormon women, 89% disapproved, compared to 83% of Mormon men.

How does that two percent translate into numbers of LDS Mormons believing that polygamy is acceptable?  The 2010 census counted 234.5 million people in the USA over age 17.  Of these, about 1.9% are Mormon, or 4.5 million.  The two percent who accept polygamy would then number about 89,000.

Polygamist Sects based on the Book of Mormon

There are a dizzying number of fundamentalist sects that are not affiliated in any way with mainstream Mormon Church.  Some split off from the mainstream in the early days as they wrangled for succession after the death of the Prophet Joseph Smith.  Others kept to the straight and narrow of polygamy, when mainstream Mormons abandoned the practice in 1890.  Later, others split off after internal squabbles and warfare.  We've listed below some of the sects that practice polygamy.  There are even some polygamists not based on the Book of  Mormon.  Isn't it strange that Islamic polygamy arose 1400 years ago in the deserts of the middle east, and then again flourished in the deserts of Utah?  

Sects practicing polygamy today
The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS)
The residents of centennial Park, AZ
The Bountiful Group (Canada)
The True and Living Church of Jesus Christ of Saints of the Last Days  Link
The Latter Day Church of Christ
The Apostolic United Brethren
The Righteous Branch of the Christ's Church
The Original Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints  Link