Why did the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints practice Polygamy?

 [5 POINTS QUESTION - to simplify and organize the answers]

Why did the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints practice Polygamy?

1. God commanded it at that specific time; he has commanded it through a prophet in the past in the bible like Abraham, Solomon, David, Moses, Jacob, and more.

2. Not everyone practiced polygamy, only a few were challenged and authorized to do so (about 20-25%). Most members during the time of the commandment were in monogamous relationships. [B]

3. To help and protect the fatherless and widowed, and to raise up families (see Jacob 2:30[A]).  Create a righteous nation of people under the covenant. [C]

4. He commanded the end of the practice for reason known to Him in 1890[D], like also why we don’t sacrifice animals anymore and take the sacrament instead, and how we now obey the word of wisdom.  God can give a law, and revoke a law, as he is the lawgiver.  Polygamy is currently prohibited.  The Lord’s law is one man and one woman marriages (see Jacob 2:27[A]).

5. The churches and people in the news and media practicing polygamy have no affiliation with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  (There are people who leave the LDS church and start their own religion based loosely on LDS beliefs.  Some of them practice polygamy.  They are not members of the LDS church.)

[E][F]

Footnotes:

[A]Jacob 2:27-30

27 Wherefore, my brethren, hear me, and hearken to the word of the Lord: For there shall not any ^aman among you have save it be ^bone ^cwife; and concubines he shall have none;

 28 For I, the Lord God, delight in the ^achastity of women. And ^bwhoredoms are an abomination before me; thus saith the Lord of Hosts.

 29 Wherefore, this people shall keep my commandments, saith the Lord of Hosts, or ^acursed be the land for their sakes.

 30 For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up ^aseed unto me, I will command my people; otherwise they shall hearken unto these things.

[B]A lot of women were sealed to men after they have already died having not been married to him while he was alive, until the doctrine was clarified and prohibited these things [ex. Many women married themselves to Joseph Smith after he was martyred].

[C] One UNOFFICIAL point made was that there were more women in the early church than men and were therefore open targets for rape by the frontiersmen and other lawless conditions at the time.  God gave them the protection of marriage.  Many marriages were in name only and involved widows and provided a safe haven for them. 

[D]http://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/od/1?lang=eng

[E] We are not ashamed of our polygamy past, as it was a commandment.

[F] More straight facts here :
http://mormon.org/faq/plural-marriage
http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/commentary/polygamy-then-and-now