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Wed 4 May, 2005 10:02 am
Did anyone else watch Dr. Phil yesterday? His show focused on two young women who ran away from a radical sect of Latter Day Saints who practice polygamy in a tiny town in, either NM or AZ.
How does anyone rationalize polygamy?
This seems the worst of beliefs that can be rationalized by use of the Bible.
I can't imagine anythng worse than being married to more than one woman at a time.
at least with two men yu know what they want without much thought. Twice as much sex, twice as much attention when sick, twice as much quiet, teice as much sports.
With two women it's be more swings than the Pirate ride at the fair.
It is Colorado City, Arizona where the sect lives.
I think it was rationalized as a quick way to populate the globe with Mormons.
"Under the Banner of Heaven" is a wonderful book about these Momon sects. More weird stuff than you can shake a stick at.
OK I'll bite...
What do you mean "rationalize"? It is clearly inappropriate in our culture, but in some societies it made a lot of sense. It is always an error to judge the cultural practices of others based on our own cultural beliefs.
A couple of places where multiple wives would make a lot of sense.
- In cultures where many men die due to warfare multiple wives are necessary.
In a small society reproduction is an important social need. One man can easily reproduce with multiple women and this is the most efficient way to produce many offspring.
- In cultures where marriage ties is a part of inter-clan relationships (i.e. relationships between families), polygamy is a very good way to ensure peace and social stability.
- Males evolved with the drive to have multiple partners because this is the best way for our species to propagate. Even today, many males have the desire (and quite often act on it) to have multiple partners even when they are in a commited marriage relationship. In some ways, polygamy makes sense as a more honest alternative to the infidelity of today.
There are many reasons why having multiple wives is common in many cultures... and why the reverse (multiple husbands) almost never happens.
Instead of outlawing nature, and continually failing (divorce, violence, artificial struggles),
why not let each person live according to what works well for them?
I think biologically speaking, most men are fundamentally polygamous while most women are fundamentally monogamous. It makes sense (biologically).
"? It is clearly inappropriate in our culture, but in some societies it made a lot of sense. It is always an error to judge the cultural practices of others based on our own cultural beliefs.
They live within our culture.
A couple of places where multiple wives would make a lot of sense.
- In cultures where many men die due to warfare multiple wives are necessary.
Wouldn't the answer for this sort of situation be multiple husbands?
In cultures where marriage ties is a part of inter-clan relationships (i.e. relationships between families), polygamy is a very good way to ensure peace and social stability.
Ah, yes, the Scandinavian women of the early Middle Ages and their peace-weaving.
It didn't really work.
The Scandinavians were not alone in creating marital alliances to solve political problems.
What ended up happening during the Middle Ages was a form of serial monogamy.
. In some ways, polygamy makes sense as a more honest alternative to the infidelity of today.
Infidelity is nothing new. Actually, fidelity is almost revolutionary and really has only been a virtue since early modern times.
While your use of the word honest is noted, how would you account for the fact that women are increasingly stepping into the world of cheating on their spouses?
why not let each person live according to what works well for them?
The problem with this sect is that the women are forced to marry men much older than they are.
Raheel -- Excellent examination of polygyny. However, the reasons why polygyny was a solution a 1,500 years ago no longer hold today, even in traditionally Muslim lands.
Boomerang -- Thanks for the recommendation.
Phoenix --While all human societies face(d) the problem of a too small gene pool at some time, it does seem that polygyny changes the biological balance.
Quote:why not let each person live according to what works well for them?
Killing you is what works best for me... that's just to prove a point.
These citadels of Mormon fundamentalism are indeed scary places.
Most of the girls there have been so cut off from modern culture that they don't understand that their way of life is so very different from most. When they are underground-railroaded away they experience intense culture shock.
I'm not Mormon but I do respect their faith as I do all religions and I think it is important to note that these groups operate well outside the tenets of Mormonism.
boomerang -- I order to keep their system going, the people in this sect remove the kids from the public school. Girls are educated only to the 5th grade and then are taught how to cook, sew and care for babies. The girls reported being told dinosaurs never existed and men did not walk on the moon; Black people are inferior and if one were to shake hands with a Black person, one would turn black. This is truly a subversion of the dominant paradigm!