Originally Posted by Poppy Fields;4090409;
Actually, it's marriage, not necessarily plural marriage, that is required by Mormon doctrine to reach the "celestial," or highest level of the 3 levels of heaven. So, being single wouldn't be an option for those who want to attain that level. This is still true today.
The teachings regarding plural marriage were abandoned by the Church of LDS before the turn of the last century. Fundamentalists, or the FLDS, correctly cite political coercion as the reason for the abandonment of this teaching. For Utah to attain statehood, the Church of Latter Day Saints had to formally abandon and eschew the practice of plural marriage, along with its teachings that plural marriage sealed a man and his many wives (and dozens of children) together as a family in the highest level of heaven. FLDS still hold with the old doctrine, abandoned by their former church (in their opinions/testimony) solely for political reasons.
At least, this is my understanding of their teachings, and the history of this church. If you are married (even to only one spouse), you can attain celestial marriage in the 3rd level of heaven where men can be gods. Women however, cannot. They can be eternally married to one, though.