Polygamy

[sierra21]

Interesting topic.

I guess I could never understand polygamy because it is so foreign to me. Personally I would not want to partake because for one- it's illegal. Secondly, my husband can barely handle me, I have no idea what he'd do with even more estrogen around the house!

But in all seriousness, if one needs the conviction to stay away from polygamy we should remember that God commanded us to follow the laws of our land. Therefore, here in canada polygamy is illegal and thus, I would never do it. I have no desire to be a part of it anyway, but if we can't come to an agreement about anything else, there is at least this.

[ted]

I cannot, for the life of me, figure out why any man would want more than one wife.

t.

[None]

I cannot, for the life of me, figure out why any man would want more than one wife.

Simple:

1)They see the laws of God they want to see.

2)Some men fail to see the many bad things that can and

must happen when they live for today, ignoring the pains of tomorrow.

3)They enjoy the pains of tomorrow.

4)Men who never marry live longer. Men who want more than one wife are trying to

keep the long life ratio in women's favor.

[Smalcald]

I think with polygamy you usually have one main or first wife, and then several others. The main wife runs the household and is the more equal partner with the man, and the additional wives actually have a little more freedom. In a way it is a corporate model with delegation.

I don't know I can see the benefits, it certainly is better than the adultery-divorce-remarriage scenario which seems to be becoming the model today in our churches and culture in the US.

However you can make a pretty good case that Christ spoke in the singular when speaking about marriage, you don't become "many" fleshes, you become one flesh utilizing two people. Also I believe it was forbidden for leaders of the church to have more than one wife, it would seem that given the Christian style of leadership that would apply to all Christians who wish to model Christian behavior. So there is pretty strong scriptural evidence that this is not something believers should do. Followers of Christ both gentile and Jew did MANY things not in accordance with Rabbinical thought of that time and for good reason, Christ didn't follow some of it either. So I think that is a weak argument, we should probably stick with the words of Christ.

But I would agree in cultures where this is already practiced I don

[Johni]

Sherman said

"Anyhow, since the fall of mankind, various cultures have found polygamy to be helpful, even necessary, particularly when war killed off many of the men. Not only that, but men naturally do not loose the biological drive/desire to procreate until very late in life, if ever. Whereas women loose the biological drive/desire to procreate mid-life. (Of course I'm speaking in broad generalities.) "

You can bet a man wrote that

In fact, sexual relations are not just for procreation. You cannot support that thought with scripture! Man and wife are meant to support and complement each other physically but also spiritually and mentally. There is much more to the marriage relationship (and the marriage bed) than procreation.

Women cannot become mothers as late into their life cycle as men can become fathers (thank God for that!) but that has nothing to do with desires, drives etc...

[Smalcald]

Sherman said

Women cannot become mothers as late into their life cycle as men can become fathers (thank God for that!) but that has nothing to do with desires, drives etc...

I hope not.

[None]

Sherman said...

You can bet a man wrote that

In fact, sexual relations are not just for procreation. You cannot support that thought with scripture! Man and wife are meant to support and complement each other physically but also spiritually and mentally. There is much more to the marriage relationship (and the marriage bed) than procreation.

Women cannot become mothers as late into their life cycle as men can become fathers (thank God for that!) but that has nothing to do with desires, drives etc...

[Smalcald]

Actually with all of the divorce and remarriages and so forth we already practice a form of polygamy, just one wife at a time, but several wives during our life who are all still alive and all have may have kids from one man.

I think Polygamy is better than multiple divorce and remarriage, I will say that.

[minnow]

Actually with all of the divorce and remarriages and so forth we already practice a form of polygamy, just one wife at a time, but several wives during our life who are all still alive and all have may have kids from one man.

I think Polygamy is better than multiple divorce and remarriage, I will say that.

I am not very keen on terms such as "better" being used, if it is done in a relativistic manner that waters down the seriousness of sin, by making comparisons over perceptions of severity.

The questions should be:

Is multiple divorce and remarriage sinful?

Is polygamy sinful?

The first is clear cut.

For the second, and building on patterns established in the NT, I would be interested in some feedback on the following verses from Romans.

For the married woman is bound by law to her husband while he is living; but if her husband dies, she is released from the law concerning the husband. So then, if while her husband is living she is joined to another man, she shall be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is not an adulteress though she is joined to another man. [Romans 7:2-3 NASB]

[Smalcald]

We don't always get clear cut answers to difficult questions.

However in the case you presented, number one would be directly sinful and number two would not be directly sinful from scripture, although it would be sinful as it is illegal in the US, and we are to follow the Law.