Look at the reality of polygamy, and how it's actually practiced. It's in societies in which women are brainwashed to be subservient to men, and normally in places where women have few opportunities, and are restricted from economic participation in the communities in which they reside. If a woman cannot earn a living for herself, certainly, polygamy may be preferable to starving to death. In the US, with the twisted version of the Mormon church, girls have been raised that they are subservient, and even to disagree with this system would risk the wrath of their G-d. It's not what they have chosen in life, living in polygamy is simply part of the degradation and discrimination against these women. If you men think polygamy is so wonderful, please put aside your fantasy for one moment of having a harem of women waiting on you hand and foot, and instead think of how you would like being one of your wives 10 husbands. Would any of you honestly have so little respect for yourself that you would be satisfied in this situation? Yes, I'm happy polygamy is illegal, it is a rejection of a system that has been historically oppressive to women, and yes, it is too cheating. I think love should be the ONLY reason.
Legislating against polygamy to reduce oppression of women is sort of like legislating against automobiles to stop bank robbery. Yes, some women in group marriages are oppressed, but some women in monogamous marriages are also oppressed . Right now, you are oppressing women and men who wish to be involved in group marriages. I don't feel qualified to tell people what they should want and why. I don't think anyone is qualified to do that.
Not to quote Gworld, but just because communism has failed in practically every place it has been implemented, doesn't mean that communism is flawed, does it?. Its just the failure to practice it properly(Polygamy, or communism). Well, to be fair to men, we generally don't think the same way as women. If being one of some rich woman's stable of cabana boys affords you the time to drink, party, live the good life at the price of getting laid by someone you'd probably do anyway after a few beers, I'm sure there are more than a few guys out there that would say that ain't so bad. I know, pigs. I'm so ashamed. And yet cheating isn't illegal... I have to disagree with you there, though my views have changed a bit over the years, and I'm sure they will evolve a bit more. I can't see any reason to get married if you aren't planning on having kids, love, or otherwise. Study after study have shown that what we call "love" between a couple fades within 7 years except in rare cases. After that, when she is sick of his stinky chonies littered about the floor and he is sick of the bathroom having only six square inches of a dual sink bathroom counter top that isn't littered with her personal grooming products, the kids are the primary thing that keep you from making the sensible decision to find someone new, strange, and interesting(and 10 years younger in the case of men). Marriage without kids is basically an expensive version of dating.
Some women require so much emotional maintenance that dividing the job between two or more guys could be a far more humane solution. And we shouldn't forget to factor in bisexuals. I've known a few couples who had girlfriends. More of a 2+1 arrangement than real group marriages there though. And if two gay men can legally marry -- why not three?
Now you are talkin!! The answer, of course, is because the vast majority of our thinks Rebecca is right. It won't be until the polygamists garner a significant enough minority (15%?) to march on Washington for their civil right to marry, at which point the High court will likely tell the voters what is and is not immoral. In the meantime, feel free to discriminate against those immoral bastards.
It just might mean that. But, unless you're proposing implementing communism in America as well, lets try to focus on the polygamy. I think the actual practice of polygamy around the world is pertinent to this discussion. Is it just a strange coincidence that countries that have legalized polygamy, are often the ones that treat women as second class citizens? I don't think so. Women who accept this, grow up this way. They are marginalized, have less options than their male counterparts and are taught to be subservient to men. It's a culture, and legalizing polygamy would be somewhat of an endorsement, or acceptance of this disregard for women. Be honest, you really don't see men wanting to become "one" of a woman's dozen husbands. It just doesn't happen, it's always the other way around. It has a lot to do with the inequalities of how men and women are raised. If a women wasn't raised to understand they have every bit as much value and rights as a man, it doesn't mean that it's ok to officially endorse this inequality. You don't appear to see polyandry in the same light as polygamy. Not wanting to assume what you are saying, but it does seem that polygamy may be more valid to you, as with your example, if a women was head of household, then we can assume the men must be toy boys, and only with her for the money and booze? Wasn't trying to suggest it was, probably should have inserted a period instead of a comma. I guess I should clarify to say, love would be the only reason I would get married. Not interested in having kids, they are too noisy, I like dogs better (I know, I'm a terrible person).
Children are, in general, terrible people. They tend to be ignorant and ill-mannered little people, like gworld but with more energy. The modern nuclear family puts a lot of child-raising responsibility on two people, and experience seems to be showing that people two-person marriages fail in that responsibility quite frequently. Group marriage might provide a better alternative. Right now, when a marriage breaks up a child loses 50% of their parents. If the child had four mommies and four daddies, divorce would be a far less traumatic experience.
There is a difference between what you think and what is a reality. Love-marriage is a new phenomena which started at the close of middle-ages and still is probably a minority case when you consider all the arranged marriages in Asia. If you are interested in these questions, you can read this. You will be surprised how our societies are formed. The Origin of the Family, Private Property and the State
I would guess that you would be happy in making the burqa/Hijab illegal as it is the rejection of a system that has been historically oppressive to women? Oh wait.. It's absolutely ridiculous to believe a government should regulate whether women can marry two men or not. I think regulating who can marry who all is just another sign of an oppressive government. And yeah..I agree with Obamanation
I really am not siding here, I'm neither for nor against, I think it should be anyone's right to be polygamous but as I say, im not involved in it! HOWEVER - I have to say; WHAT A POST. xD I enjoyed that one. +REP (Apparently I've given you rep before now, recently? Don't remember where but it means that +rep was bogus
sorry guys if i offline,but i just want to know what is polygamy? sorry i m noob to this thing,and i felt like asking about it,so anyone can help in this regard?
So diluting the mother child bond by lying to the child and pretending that they actually have four mommies is far less traumatic? Marxists.org? LOL.
Is there really a difference with raising a child and who it was that conceived it? Perhaps what has become the norm is the stumbling block for true wholesomeness where self reliance with a broader perspective would be better for both, parent and child, as well as society in general.
Let's change the terms of the discussion a bit. Let's assume that polygamy, polyamory, polyandy, group marriage, etc... are bad. That doesn't change the underlying truth that we don't have a moral right to make these decisions for other people. Quoting Thomas Jefferson once again: “The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as they are injurious to others.†“No man has a natural right to commit aggression on the equal rights of another, and this is all from which the laws ought to restrain him. …the idea is quite unfounded that on entering into society we give up any natural rights.†“I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than to those attending too small a degree of it.†“The policy of the American government is to leave its citizens free, neither restraining them nor aiding them in their pursuits.†“A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine.†“Rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others. I do not add ‘within the limits of the law’, because law is often but the tyrant’s will, and always so when it violates the rights of the individual.†We don't have the moral right to steal individual rights from our fellow citizens, even if we do have the power of law and arms which enable us to do so. If we ban certain types of relationships, we might as well ban cheeseburgers, beer, SUV's, skydiving, motorcycles, body piercing, tattoos, soft drinks, and the millions of other things that make people happy while not being good for them.
Thomas Jefferson believed in freedom and liberty, but I think mainly for white men. I read that Jefferson raped a 15 yr. old slave girl, and would most likely be rolling around in his grave right now to know that women can vote. Here is another quote that has been attributed to Jefferson, "The happiness of (a woman’s) life depends on continuing to please a single (male) person. To this all other objects must be secondary.†So, as a woman, Jefferson quotes ring a bit hollow, at least in the context of this thread, since I feel that I would be excluded from this freedom and liberty he so happily refers to. On topic, I don't feel that it's "stealing individual rights" if the State refuses to officially endorse (by providing a marriage license) to support the institution of polygamy, which is inherently discriminatory towards women.
Rebecca.. Baring in mind that I've explained my position here, I'm not polygamous, I just believe in true human rights; You are so bent on 'the poor women', that you are actually discriminating against THEM by saying polygamy is wrong. You think it's only men who are polygamists? I know plenty of polygamist women, and only one polygamous man.. Plenty of women love the idea. You think all men who want several wives (OR HUSBANDS!) must be disgusting inhumane people... But it's not the case.. All polygamists I know are truly respectful and honoring of their wives/husbands... That's what you need to realise..