Rick Bennett asks the hard questions about gender and race within independent fundamentalism. Do women bless the sick? The Erickson family—Joshua, Melissa, and Charlotte—discuss the reality of “patriarchal” polygamy, refuting the stereotype of oppressed, silent wives. Melissa Erickson opens up about her personal experience performing healing blessings by the laying on of hands. The group also tackles the controversial topic of Black priesthood holders in fundamentalism, their support for the inclusive “Missouri Temple” group, and Melissa’s unique scriptural interpretation of the “One Man” rule in D&C 132.
Don’t miss our other conversations on Mormon fundamentalism: https://gospeltangents.com/denominations/fundamentalim/
Here are 5 engaging titles and detailed show notes for Episode 1125, based on the provided transcript.
• Debunking the “Silent Wife” Stereotype
Melissa and Charlotte push back against the idea that plural wives are “brainwashed, stupid, or oppressed.” Instead, they describe their marriage as a single “unit” that shifts and adapts. For example, when Melissa is in midwifery training or Joshua is editing scriptures, the other spouses pick up the slack. They emphasize that plural marriage should be cooperative, not competitive.
• Women Bless the Sick
Rick asks if women can perform ordinances if the husband is incapacitated. Melissa reveals that she has blessed the sick by the laying on of hands, noting there is historical precedent for it. She distinguishes this from the sacrament; she views healing as an emergency act of faith, whereas the sacrament is administrative and can wait for a priesthood holder. Interestingly, they would be more comfortable receiving the sacrament from a married woman than a 12-year-old deacon.
• Race and the Priesthood
The Ericksons discuss their openness to Black polygamists, a stance that separates them from many other fundamentalist groups. They praise the independent temple in Missouri for allowing mixed-race individuals to enter, even though other groups claim this “desecrates” the temple. Joshua argues that while he believes priesthood is for Israelites, anyone can become an Israelite.
• Racism: Thoughts vs. Actions
The group discusses the nature of sin and racism. Melissa argues that how you act matters more than what you feel or think. She shares a story from a mainstream LDS ward where members gossiped about a South American sister making tamales with lard, using it as an example of cultural offense that bordered on racism. She concludes that “gossip is less kosher” than lard.
• Reinterpreting the “One Man” Rule (D&C 132)
Melissa provides a unique exegesis of D&C 132:7, which states the keys are conferred on “never but one on the earth at a time.” She interprets this not as a dictatorship where only one man holds authority, but as a procedural instruction that ordination happens one person at a time—similar to how Jacob blessed his sons individually rather than as a group.
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00:00 – The “Patriarchal” Stereotype Rick asks if the man does all the talking while women sit quietly. Melissa explains how their family operates as a fluid “unit” rather than a hierarchy.
04:00 – Co-Parenting and the “Cookie System” The benefits of three parents: the children can seek out the parent whose personality matches their current need, though they also try to game the system to get extra treats.
07:30 – Women Healing the Sick Melissa confirms she has administered to the sick by the laying on of hands. A discussion ensues on the difference between emergency blessings (faith) and the sacrament (authority).
12:00 – Centennial Park’s Yearly Sacrament Rick shares a story about the Centennial Park group instituting a yearly public sacrament meeting specifically for women who do not have a priesthood holder in their home.
16:00 – Black Polygamists & The Missouri Temple The Ericksons affirm they would welcome Black polygamists. They discuss the controversy surrounding the independent temple in Missouri allowing Black people to participate.
21:00 – The Tamale Incident: Acting Above Your Instincts A discussion on whether feeling racist is a sin. Melissa argues that maturity is treating neighbors with love regardless of internal biases, sharing a story about a ward dispute over tamales.
31:00 – The “One Man” Myth in D&C 132 Melissa reads the famous “one man” scripture and reinterprets it as a description of individual ordination (like Patriarchal blessings) rather than exclusive authority.
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