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Because we need someone for the far right to demonize now that gays are becoming mainstream. Joel Send a noteboard - 07/10/2010 01:22:24 PM
Apart from that, no idea. Since I know all the stock responses about child brides and other forms of abuse are going to be trotted out I'll just say up front that I hope we can all agree marrying an 8 year old to a 50 year old who beats and rapes her nightly is wrong even if you only do it once, so it's not really relevant to this discussion.

Perhaps an argument could be made against polyandry, at least historically, because until recently there was no way to know with certainty who fathered the child of a woman with multiple partners. Polygyny, obviously, has never faced this problem, and so it doesn't really surprise me that the latter is common and the former rather uncommon even in ancient times. In the 21st Century, however, a DNA test can quickly resolve the issue in either case, to the extent it matters (if finding out your ten year old son isn't your biological son changes how you feel about him, well, I hope his "other" father is better than you. ) And in the final analysis (we're not supposed to say "at the end of the day" any more, but I tire of just saying "ultimately" all the time) this is still America and I still believe my right to swing my arm ends where it intersects your nose--and not until. So if consenting adults want to have multiple spouses, that's their problem (though from a strictly literal perspective it's only legitimate for members of the Abrahamic religions to have multiple WIVES; multiple HUSBANDS is still adultery, probably for the reason I first stated. )

In my mind it's EXACTLY like the gay marriage debate: Why is the government interfering with peoples personal lives in America? Makes it a really fun grenade to toss in the middle of that debate, too; you'd be amazed how many people can make rational objective arguments for gay marriage and government non-involvement, then immediately recoil at the "ick factor" when it comes to polygamy. Heck, I have a good friend who's argued at length that just because Abraham had two wives (and two concubines, ) and Jacob had two (and a couple concubines, if you pay attention) and David had four, and Solomon had SEVEN HUNDRED, doesn't mean it's not adultery if a Christian marries two women. Apparently what's good for the Patriarchs is NOT good for the gander. :P

Further Edit: I'm really glad that the system for the family you mention works out so well, at least for now, but I expect that's the exception rather than the rule. The rule is probably more like Rachel and Leah, who didn't let a little thing like being full blood sisters stop them hating each others guts till the day they died, because they were constantly competing for Jacobs affection. If I had that waiting at home I'd probably go to Egypt, too. It's hard enough to find ONE person you get along with well enough, understand well enough, LOVE enough to spend your life with them. Every time you bring in one more you have to do that again AND ensure they can get along with each other. I don't think the chances any marriage worthy of the name can do that more than a few times are vanishingly small.

I don't think it's a good idea. That's neither here nor there to whether that (and a lot of other things I consider ill advised) should be illegal.
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This message last edited by Joel on 07/10/2010 at 01:37:22 PM
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Polygamy, why is it illegal? - 07/10/2010 03:36:18 AM 1043 Views
THIS IS MINE! *NM* - 07/10/2010 04:10:39 AM 208 Views
Because moralistic idiots - 07/10/2010 05:30:34 AM 433 Views
When potential welfare issues are removed, it's all just a matter of tradition and false morality. - 07/10/2010 05:34:21 AM 451 Views
This explains Friday nights at Gilleys. - 07/10/2010 01:26:37 PM 502 Views
Think of the implications of China's one-child policy in that light - 07/10/2010 01:37:11 PM 424 Views
Joyful and triumphant. - 07/10/2010 01:38:57 PM 500 Views
There's actually a good reason for that. - 07/10/2010 01:37:25 PM 515 Views
*nods* Good point, just like levirate marriage. - 07/10/2010 01:41:11 PM 547 Views
have you ever been to Gilley's on a friday night? - 07/10/2010 05:12:11 PM 431 Views
No. Country music hasn't been produced since the mid-fifties. - 08/10/2010 11:17:27 AM 528 Views
really? I guess that is when they stopped making real rock and roll as well - 08/10/2010 02:33:15 PM 462 Views
Nah, that was the '70s. - 08/10/2010 02:43:09 PM 486 Views
I would assume due to practicality issues and such. - 07/10/2010 07:49:16 AM 523 Views
I have a feeling the ACTUAL reasons are closer to moralistic reasons... - 07/10/2010 12:30:33 PM 469 Views
Yeah, I agree. - 08/10/2010 02:49:16 AM 429 Views
This. - 07/10/2010 05:35:40 PM 442 Views
There's a name I've not seen in a while. - 08/10/2010 11:22:01 AM 516 Views
I think it depends how popular it would become. - 08/10/2010 07:04:03 PM 475 Views
The whole thing seems to get complicated in a hurry. - 08/10/2010 07:58:43 PM 490 Views
I don't think single wife mutiple husband can work - 07/10/2010 05:55:33 PM 434 Views
Oh, it can - 07/10/2010 06:51:59 PM 473 Views
yes but do both of the guys know? - 07/10/2010 07:07:17 PM 483 Views
Oh yes, always have - 08/10/2010 02:53:13 PM 480 Views
Didn't you see Paint Your Wagon? - 07/10/2010 07:21:54 PM 400 Views
Paint Your Wagon was about the California gold rush - 07/10/2010 08:24:24 PM 464 Views
Lol. - 07/10/2010 08:27:14 PM 483 Views
LOVE that movie - 08/10/2010 02:54:30 PM 504 Views
Smart - 08/10/2010 03:28:28 PM 440 Views
Maybe - 08/10/2010 04:41:27 PM 468 Views
I think it can, in certain situations - 07/10/2010 08:29:47 PM 519 Views
the brother thing does make a certain sort of sense - 07/10/2010 08:43:30 PM 477 Views
*shrugs* Mine's working just fine. *NM* - 08/10/2010 02:47:06 AM 188 Views
It does. - 08/10/2010 05:57:46 PM 434 Views
but in most of those cases - 08/10/2010 06:11:15 PM 462 Views
Because we need someone for the far right to demonize now that gays are becoming mainstream. - 07/10/2010 01:22:24 PM 586 Views
Tradition. - 07/10/2010 01:28:47 PM 376 Views
I don't think it should be illegal - 07/10/2010 02:02:05 PM 483 Views
that would be so sad - 08/10/2010 05:43:32 PM 498 Views
I only see a problem when it is run by a cult and girls are married off at 14 - 07/10/2010 05:18:13 PM 473 Views
You saw an ad. I've seen all the episodes. - 07/10/2010 05:54:33 PM 581 Views
Is it next door? - 08/10/2010 06:05:35 AM 443 Views
Maybe not. - 08/10/2010 06:01:37 PM 417 Views
For the same reasons Americans don't eat horse meat. - 08/10/2010 02:58:24 AM 448 Views
I'm an American and I eat horse meat. *NM* - 08/10/2010 05:19:51 AM 197 Views
Re: I'm an American - 08/10/2010 01:02:23 PM 437 Views
In what society is/was eating horse prevalent? - 08/10/2010 03:10:21 PM 376 Views
it's common in europe now. - 08/10/2010 03:51:07 PM 372 Views
Central Asian cultures. - 08/10/2010 04:43:07 PM 385 Views
Huh? - 08/10/2010 04:41:37 PM 315 Views
so you are saying you are a polygamist - 08/10/2010 05:09:37 PM 374 Views
Dunno. - 08/10/2010 06:06:26 AM 401 Views
At this rate, we'll soon be asking why kids can't have sex with adults. *NM* - 08/10/2010 02:23:16 PM 211 Views
What the heck does that have to do with polygamy? - 08/10/2010 02:57:37 PM 516 Views
and those are only the first steps!!! - 08/10/2010 03:52:14 PM 366 Views
Oh, we should start a bill - 08/10/2010 04:43:05 PM 441 Views
Re: What the heck does that have to do with polygamy? - 13/10/2010 04:22:24 PM 515 Views
Are you calling the age of consent laws illogical? - 13/10/2010 05:36:52 PM 461 Views
Re: Are you calling the age of consent laws illogical? - 13/10/2010 08:16:55 PM 506 Views
I've thought it was because it objectifies women. - 08/10/2010 05:39:54 PM 415 Views

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