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This topic has been archived - replies are not allowed.
Why has the tradition of marriage never been challenged?
Why can't people have more than one spouse?
Is the concept of marriage different in other cultures?
There is supposedly separation of church and state so why does the government get to choose what constitutes a marriage?
As long as all parties are consenting adults, I don't see anything wrong with Polygamy.
How do others feel?
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1
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8/22/09
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(10 of 10)
Re: Religious Influences - ?
Aug 22, 2009 9:25 PM
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Of course polygamy is quite common in many cultures and religions. But interesting is that quite some orthodox christian communities and also some jewish communities are familiar with polygamy, nowadays or in their past. Even if they dont practice it (anymore), they dont condemn it. Their biblical argument is that in Genesis there is first written that God created man and woman, and later that Eve was created. Their conclusion is that Adam had more than one wife, so polygamy did occur before and after the fall, because marriage was created before the fall.
However, most christians say that Adam had only one wife, and polygamy took place only after the fall. They claim marriage is instituted between a man and a woman. But a fact is: while the Old Testament doesn?t condemn polygamy, neither does it explicitly condone it. For example Martin Luther stated in a letter that he could not "forbid a person to marry several wives, for it does not contradict Scripture".
Mormon polygamy has its origin in a revelation from God to Joseph Smith that Mormon men would be allowed to practice plural marriage.
In many countries it is legal to marry more than 1 woman. Also in some western countries polygamy is tolerated, even if it is forbidden by law.
In the Netherlands for example, it is possible to officially register your partnership with more than one person, it is called a registered partnership or cohabitation agreement. It has been compared to marriage, but merely governs the so-called property relationships between two or more people who are cohabiting. The contract can include agreements about any children within the cohabitation arrangement.
Altough this is not a ´real´ marriage, it is providing the same rights and responsibilities to the persons involved in the partnership. Some people celebrate their registered partnership with a ceremony a the town hall, dressed as brides and groom.
So, yes, the concept of marriage IS different in other cultures and religons... but also in similar cultures and religions!
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Re: Religious Influences - ?
Aug 20, 2009 11:31 PM
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Genesis
Adam and Eve. One plus one. It's really very simple.
Everything else happened after the fall in the garden and just shows man against God. First God tried destroying all but the righteous with the Flood. That didn't work. Then he gave Moses commandments. Weren't followed properly we learn through Jesus. And then there are the apostles giving guidance on how we are supposed to live.
But go back to when everything was fine and dandy it was Adam and Eve. You'd think if he wanted polygamy he'd have done it then?
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Re: Religious Influences - ?
Aug 20, 2009 10:06 PM
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Oh, I was hoping someone would mention 1 Timothy 3:2 and 1 Timothy 3:12. So....do traditional Christians "deep down" beleive that Polygamy is ok then for anyone else in the church? You know those who are not bishops or deacons? Where specifically in the KJV of the Bible does it prohibit polygamy? Without taking any other books or texts into consideration, I think one could argue quite well that Polygamy is NOT prohibited except for certain persons.
By the way, I am not wanting to upset anyone....but rather open up dialog on this issue.
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Re: Religious Influences - ?
Aug 20, 2009 12:34 AM
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1 Timothy 3:12 talks about a Deacon being a man with only one wife.
In my church a deacon can be married to a woman; but a priest, bishop, etc.. is married to the church, not to a woman. The deacon can't remarry if his wife dies after ordination. She is also called to serve as spouse. If my husband wanted to do this I'd have to agree and much would be expected from me. Further there are requirements about previous marriages. A man wanting to be ordained a priest can't if he's divorced but can if it was annulled (never valid) and also he may if she's dead.
St. Paul goes on and on about how it's better to be free of marriage. Only marry if it will cause you to sin if you would remain single, widowed cause you can be concerned more with the church than with family matters if you are bound in marriage.
I just found it bizarre that the passage quoted a line later clearly says one and only one spouse.
For all I know the BOM has it in there and perhaps quoting the old testament which showed the practice of polygamy but not necessarily the condoning of polygamy. If Abraham and Sarah had just trusted God that he'd be multiplied instead of taking on Haggar, having a son only to throw them into the desert...we may not have a middle east crisis right now arguing who has rights to the land, Ishmail's or Issaic's decendants. Sarah did provide an heir. And he married after she died and had more children with other women. And poor Jacob. Wasn't his idea. His FIL made him, then his wives as they weren't having children, or stopped having children. What a complicated mess that was! Were Leah, Rachel or Jacob or the others really happy?
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Re: Religious Influences - ?
Aug 19, 2009 10:29 PM
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> Ah... read a little before...
>
> 1 Timothy 3:2
> A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one
> wife, vigiliant, sober, of good behavious, given to
> hopitality, apt to teach...
Just to make sure we all make sure not to leave any of the words or their possible meaning out...1 Timothy 3:2 refers to the qualifications for a Bishop.
My BIL's church used this passage to deny him a position as a Deacon because my sister had been married previous to marrying him. Even though her ex had left her for someone else. I think it is another case of being able to find a biblical passage to justify whatever you want justified. If you believe in plural marriage, you can find justification and if you do not, you can also find passages against it.
I'm still on the fence...while I cannot see myself in a plural marriage, I can see people and situations where it could work.
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Edited by withay at 08/19/2009 7:30 PM PDT
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Re: Religious Influences - ?
Aug 19, 2009 1:42 PM
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Ah... read a little before...
1 Timothy 3:2
A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigiliant, sober, of good behavious, given to hopitality, apt to teach...
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Re: Religious Influences - ?
Aug 15, 2009 1:25 AM
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Marriage is an ordination of our Heavenly father....regardless of what any government has to say on the matter.
"Legal" Marriage is a contract and taxable revenue for the State.
If all parties are adults and the man is financially able to take care of his family then he should be able to marry as many as he can afford.
Remember....1 Timothy 5:8 "But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel".
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I know that which the Lord hath commanded me, and I glorify in it. I do not glory of myself, but I glory in that which the lord hath commanded me; yea, and this is my glory, that perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul in repentance; and this is my joy. Alma 29:9
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Re: Religious Influences - ?
Aug 15, 2009 12:34 AM
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Marriage isn't a religious practice it's a legal contract. The separation of church and state would be violated if say the state required everyone marry in a specific church such as the Church of England, in order for it to be recognized by the government. The state can't require a church to perform marriage either. As it is now a church must make sure the people getting married are okayed by the state: that there are no other marriages, that everyone is old enough, that no one is related too closely before they can even perform the ceremony and do so by getting a marriage license. A person doesn't need a church wedding. A person does need a state wedding at minimum. A person can also have both assuming they meet both the requirements of the government and the faith they wish to marry in.
Most of the people involved in these relationships aren't of age or can't prove age so they flirt the law that they are all 18 when they begin. There is a reason they are born at home and don't have birth certificates or celebrate birthdays.
Do you want your company's health plan to cover all wives and children? Think about that, financially. What if 3 of the 4 spouses are employed and pay into insurance plan at work. Which spouses plan pays for which kid? Which spouse?
There is no law saying you can't have relationships with as many people as you want. It's not illegal to have a mistress or be in a threesome. It's not illegal to father children from different women.
Polygamy can't sustain itself. We don't have 3 times the number of women being born for every man. It's not in the public good for the few to have wives and many frustrated men not have any. It is not in the public good for families to be reassigned from one man to another.
Do you want social security to go to each spouse? Do you want social security to go to each child? One man earns SS and dies leaving 17 children and 3 wives. Does each wife get $1,900 total for caring for the children and for the children in each wife family? That would equal $5,700! Do all 3 wives and 17 kids split the $1,900? Would they split equally or a statistic on the number of kids. The way it is now only the legal wife would get spousal SS for caring for. The children from other women might be able to collect on the kids?? but not the "nonlegal spouse".
There is nothing saying anyone has to marry anyone.
A religion can't sacrifice humans. A religion can't abuse children. A religion can't support suicide. A religion can't go outside the laws of it's country in it's practice. There are countries which allow a man to marry up to 4 women if they can be supported. It's allowed in many places in the middle east and I think others in N Africa. If a person feels compelled to live this way, why don't they move a place it's legal?
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Re: Religious Influences - ?
Aug 13, 2009 4:08 PM
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ONE!!!!!
HA!!!! got one!
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BOYCOTT OCTO MOM!!!
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Aug 13, 2009 4:07 PM
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Why has the tradition of marriage never been challenged?
Why can't people have more than one spouse?
Is the concept of marriage different in other cultures?
There is supposedly separation of church and state so why does the government get to choose what constitutes a marriage?
As long as all parties are consenting adults, I don't see anything wrong with Polygamy.
How do others feel?
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