The Tanners argue that the church's 1890 reversal of its policy on polygamy was done for political reasons, citing the fact that the change was made during the church's lengthy conflict with the federal government over property seizures and statehood [REF].
Critics such as Richard Abanes[REF] and the Institute for Religious Research[REF] criticize the church[REF][REF] for changing the principle asserting that God was once a man.