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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 917 Views
THIS IS MINE! *NM* - 07/10/2010 04:10:39 AM 168 Views
Because moralistic idiots - 07/10/2010 05:30:34 AM 346 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 367 Views
This explains Friday nights at Gilleys. - 07/10/2010 01:26:37 PM 415 Views
Think of the implications of China's one-child policy in that light - 07/10/2010 01:37:11 PM 330 Views
Joyful and triumphant. - 07/10/2010 01:38:57 PM 423 Views
There's actually a good reason for that. - 07/10/2010 01:37:25 PM 421 Views
*nods* Good point, just like levirate marriage. - 07/10/2010 01:41:11 PM 452 Views
have you ever been to Gilley's on a friday night? - 07/10/2010 05:12:11 PM 341 Views
No. Country music hasn't been produced since the mid-fifties. - 08/10/2010 11:17:27 AM 438 Views
really? I guess that is when they stopped making real rock and roll as well - 08/10/2010 02:33:15 PM 376 Views
Nah, that was the '70s. - 08/10/2010 02:43:09 PM 401 Views
I would assume due to practicality issues and such. - 07/10/2010 07:49:16 AM 435 Views
I have a feeling the ACTUAL reasons are closer to moralistic reasons... - 07/10/2010 12:30:33 PM 385 Views
Yeah, I agree. - 08/10/2010 02:49:16 AM 344 Views
This. - 07/10/2010 05:35:40 PM 370 Views
There's a name I've not seen in a while. - 08/10/2010 11:22:01 AM 434 Views
I think it depends how popular it would become. - 08/10/2010 07:04:03 PM 390 Views
The whole thing seems to get complicated in a hurry. - 08/10/2010 07:58:43 PM 404 Views
I don't think single wife mutiple husband can work - 07/10/2010 05:55:33 PM 346 Views
Oh, it can - 07/10/2010 06:51:59 PM 390 Views
yes but do both of the guys know? - 07/10/2010 07:07:17 PM 408 Views
Oh yes, always have - 08/10/2010 02:53:13 PM 388 Views
Didn't you see Paint Your Wagon? - 07/10/2010 07:21:54 PM 319 Views
Paint Your Wagon was about the California gold rush - 07/10/2010 08:24:24 PM 368 Views
Lol. - 07/10/2010 08:27:14 PM 392 Views
LOVE that movie - 08/10/2010 02:54:30 PM 416 Views
Smart - 08/10/2010 03:28:28 PM 349 Views
Maybe - 08/10/2010 04:41:27 PM 372 Views
I think it can, in certain situations - 07/10/2010 08:29:47 PM 434 Views
the brother thing does make a certain sort of sense - 07/10/2010 08:43:30 PM 392 Views
*shrugs* Mine's working just fine. *NM* - 08/10/2010 02:47:06 AM 148 Views
It does. - 08/10/2010 05:57:46 PM 358 Views
but in most of those cases - 08/10/2010 06:11:15 PM 373 Views
Because we need someone for the far right to demonize now that gays are becoming mainstream. - 07/10/2010 01:22:24 PM 497 Views
Tradition. - 07/10/2010 01:28:47 PM 285 Views
I don't think it should be illegal - 07/10/2010 02:02:05 PM 389 Views
that would be so sad - 08/10/2010 05:43:32 PM 406 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 387 Views
You saw an ad. I've seen all the episodes. - 07/10/2010 05:54:33 PM 503 Views
Is it next door? - 08/10/2010 06:05:35 AM 357 Views
Maybe not. - 08/10/2010 06:01:37 PM 330 Views
For the same reasons Americans don't eat horse meat. - 08/10/2010 02:58:24 AM 364 Views
I'm an American and I eat horse meat. *NM* - 08/10/2010 05:19:51 AM 160 Views
Re: I'm an American - 08/10/2010 01:02:23 PM 346 Views
In what society is/was eating horse prevalent? - 08/10/2010 03:10:21 PM 293 Views
it's common in europe now. - 08/10/2010 03:51:07 PM 287 Views
Central Asian cultures. - 08/10/2010 04:43:07 PM 297 Views
Huh? - 08/10/2010 04:41:37 PM 233 Views
so you are saying you are a polygamist - 08/10/2010 05:09:37 PM 283 Views
Dunno. - 08/10/2010 06:06:26 AM 318 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 174 Views
What the heck does that have to do with polygamy? - 08/10/2010 02:57:37 PM 418 Views
and those are only the first steps!!! - 08/10/2010 03:52:14 PM 284 Views
Oh, we should start a bill - 08/10/2010 04:43:05 PM 352 Views
Re: What the heck does that have to do with polygamy? - 13/10/2010 04:22:24 PM 423 Views
Are you calling the age of consent laws illogical? - 13/10/2010 05:36:52 PM 380 Views
Re: Are you calling the age of consent laws illogical? - 13/10/2010 08:16:55 PM 422 Views
I've thought it was because it objectifies women. - 08/10/2010 05:39:54 PM 327 Views

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