Okay, even though I'm a Mormon, we don't practice polygamy, and I'm not considering entering into such, but a lot of people out there supporting gay marriage aren't making any plans to enter into such a relationship.

I'm just wondering, if gay marriage is okay, what's wrong with polygamy?

Well, obviously all individuals involved would have to be consenting for it to work.

My aunt's husband was planning to take another wife for a while. Then she knocked him down and stood on his neck.
My aunt is a very large woman... The end.

I don't really have a problem with other people doing it, but if my husband ever told me he wanted to marry someone else I'd probably leave him. And feel very inadequate. It's like saying, you're not enough of a wife for me. Bleh

Why does polygamy give so many of you this knee jerk reaction of disgust?

Our species practices vertical polygamy: a series of single partner relationships. This is the norm, but it is not a rule, and may just seem to be the norm due to social regulations.

A lot of humans seem to be comfortable having multiple sex partners and just raising children with one. That's pretty common in a lot of other species. Marriage is just a social contract sealing a relationship, though exactly what that relationship is and how its sealed depends on culture.

Finally, Mormons are a bad example of polygamy. Yes, their religion is creepy and illogical. Most religions are. Also, organized religion tends to bring with it a sexist, dominating attitude. This makes a Mormon polygamous relationship seem like a harem.

However, it is possible to engage in a healthy, mutually respectful relationship with multiple partners. How it works out depends on the individuals involved.

I just wanted to respond because this topic was on Dateline tonight. I usually try to keep an open mind about things, but I couldn't help the feelings of disgust. There are a couple of Mormon communities in the middlish part of the US that condone this behavior. One man and multiple wives??

First of all, they had no, I mean NO explanation for why they do it besides the regurgitated "It is was our religion wants. It's what God wants". As a Christian, I know that this is a weak responce and it won't help anyone understand.

Secondly, these people seem very content in their delusional little world, but this structure just sets up for nothing but strife in my opinion. It's so unbalanced. One woman goes to bed with him, the other has to sleep somewhere else (they alternate)

Thirdly, they are fighting to make it not illegal to have multiple wives. And just so you know, it only goes ONE way: meaning one man and as many woman as want him (the woman choose the man, he can refuse, but who would?). And this is because the wife serves the man, she is his subordinate. Does anyone think that this could possibly happen?

Finally, these are the same people who said that they believe black people are cursed, that they are descendants of Cain and are wearing the dark mark.

Y'all are right that there is moral element here but really guys I ask you in all seriousness do you want more than one wife? I mean really think about all the women in your life that you don't have to see after school gets out or you get off work how much of a nightmare do you need?

In all seriousness though guys one is enough whatever your personal choice of significant other may be and if for your religon or just cause you think it would be cool you want more than one significant other remeber the 11th Commandment: If She ain't happy you ain't happy and if she ain't happy long enough you'll be unhappy with half your stuff! Now Imagine selttlement for divorce lawsuits from both your wives you'd be living in a box bros.

just a bonus question how do you become a priest in the LSD cause theres a guy on my football team who says he is one and his dad is apparently a High Priest so how does that work?

I think the only significant reason that people are so hostile to polygamy is nothing but pure cultural bias, and the fact that it's so incredibly taboo in most of western society is what enables people to distort it to hell. The idea that all "one husband with multiple wives" are necessarily harmful or bad is not only a sweeping generalization, but what's far more important is that polygamy can take many forms; it is not merely "one man with multiple wives" but it can be one woman with multiple men, or multiple men with multiple women... this'll sound extremely bizarre to people with the anti-polygamy bias, but imagine 4 wives sharing the same 3 husbands...

It's pretty sad how these things are such big issues in our society, though. If marriage is truly about "love," I don't think think anyone outside of participants and immediate family should be concerned, and government should not have any part in marriage or "civil unions" as that to me is a throwback to much older times when marriages were usually arranged for reasons unrelated to love.

quote:

Originally posted by bella123:
One would hope you aren't comparing pizza and your marital partner, misty.

Not really but when you put it that way it kind of sound funny. I was just saying that there are two types of love. Thats it... I was just making examples.

One would hope you aren't comparing pizza and your marital partner, misty.

quote:

Originally posted by WorthWaitingFor:
Hubb---do Mormons have to marry other Mormons?

No. We're encouraged to marry within the faith, as then we can be sealed, but you can marry non-Mormon, but not for eternity, only time. Death do they part.

quote:

Originally posted by clpo13:
I think the main question to be asking is, can you love more than one person? And if not, why not?

You can love more than one person but it depends on how you are referencing the word love. Like I love my sister and brother. I love pizza. That doesn't mean I love them on a physical basis. Love is something special... were two people love unconditionally on a physical and non-physical basis. Like I love my boyfriend or I love my husband. There is a connection between those two people that no one can break. Its like they are in there own world. Its deep!

I don't agree with multiply marriages, but if you can love more than one person and they are okay with it and love you and the other person, go for it. Love is love. How can any true form of love be wrong?

I think the main question to be asking is, can you love more than one person? And if not, why not?

Whats love got to do with polygamy? If you love someone then you wouldn't want to be with someone else.

quote:

Originally posted by mandaNk:
marriage isnt just about "love" I believe God designed marriage between a man and a woman to be sacred and to do beautiful things in the eyes of God just because two people love each other doesnt mean they will get married...my bilogcal father and my mom loved each other but they didnt get married just because two people of the same sex love each other doesnt mean they should get married

Don't bring gay marriage into this topic. And you've been brought up in a really warped life if you think love doesn't need to be involved in marriage.

Hubb---do Mormons have to marry other Mormons?

marriage isnt just about "love" I believe God designed marriage between a man and a woman to be sacred and to do beautiful things in the eyes of God just because two people love each other doesnt mean they will get married...my bilogcal father and my mom loved each other but they didnt get married just because two people of the same sex love each other doesnt mean they should get married

quote:

Originally posted by hubbabaloo:
Actually, Joseph Smith's wife nearly had a hissy fit when the idea first came up, before she had time to think it over rationally.

That aside, Ian has a point. Nearly everyone in modern America views the idea of marriages being based on love as social progress, and I agree. Just as women in Saudi Arabia don't take offense to being asked not to show their faces, women in societies where polygamous marriages were the norm wouldn't take offense to polygamous marriages. That's just common sense.

It was the exceptions, like Joseph Smith's wife, that allowed the precedent for those societies to be set in the first place. It still doesn't change the logic.

quote:

And marriage has just become something about love within the past 75 years.

That's because way back then and even before that, marriages based on love were inconvenient and not very beneficial to the families of the bride and groom.

quote:

Originally posted by iankinzel:

quote:

Originally posted by hubbabaloo:
I have read the diaries of my female ancestors involved in polygamous marriages, and they never felt that their husbands didn't love them. All of them were in loving marriages, and they had nothing against them. This is their diaries. Not letters.

That's because, in their society, those women were trained not to mind that. Believe me, many women put up with many customs that our society now finds intolerable.

Actually, Joseph Smith's wife nearly had a hissy fit when the idea first came up, before she had time to think it over rationally.

quote:

Originally posted by hubbabaloo:
I have read the diaries of my female ancestors involved in polygamous marriages, and they never felt that their husbands didn't love them. All of them were in loving marriages, and they had nothing against them. This is their diaries. Not letters.

That's because, in their society, those women were trained not to mind that. Believe me, many women put up with many customs that our society now finds intolerable.

Anyway, concerning polygamy in general:

If we allow polygamy, then there won't be any women left for dorks like me to marry! = (

On a more serious (and relevant) note, the nature of romantic love is very exclusive. That's why we have the concept of "cheating."