polygamy/polyandry is 2 2 many?

Haven't seen the comments you refer to dyslexia, but would like the link if possible. At the risk of being politically incorrect, when it comes to wives, isn't none too many? P.S. Cav indeed loves his wife, but couldn't handle two. Man those Mormons are brave...

Hmmm - I quite like the notion of a few husbands - as long as they are not in the same house as me! (Too messy, en masse, and even singularly, men are.)

Nothing wrong with juggling women...

But marrying them? That...that is just stupid.

Was having a discussion abt this sometime ago with a very married friend abt polygamy and he goes

"Marry again ??? Gautam, I am a man who *always* learns from his mistakes"

Hmm, is juggling women anything like tossing dwarves?

Polyandry is relatively rare and generally occures in cultures where women have high status and a great deal of economic independence. (not always, Nepal is an exception). Polygyny is the ideal married state in over half the worlds societies but is generally limited to older males and elites as it is expensive. Polygamy means multiple spouses and can be either polyandry or polygyny.

whatever you want to call it, its illegal. the question is why?

When he was on a experimental drug trip, Aldous Huxley thought he had discovered the gist of knowledge. He scribbled it in a piece of paper. Much to his delusion, the paper said: "Igamus ogamus, woman is monogamous; ogamus igamus, man is polygamous".

I have to disagree. Nature makes all human polygamous. Society -which also defines humanity- with a few exceptions, makes us monogamous.

In fact, if there is a union of more than two people based on voluntary consent of sides, it should be considered being their private issue. The only problem polygamy/polyandry may pose refers to legal status of half-siblings born from different mothers/fathers, especially when their successors' rights are being related to. Well, lawyers and legislators may find soluntion to this problem by means of both legislating appropriate laws or making precedential verdicts.

I think its illigal in the US because of the overly christian atmosphere and the legal complications. . . . I mean can you imagine a divorce with 3 or 4 or more plaintiffs. . . . not fun! Personally I don't care how many partners someone wants and they can still have marriage ceremonies it just won't be state sanctioned. . . . . I could never be polyamorous(sp?) . . . I have trouble enough keeping up with one partners emotions muchless more than one. . . . now poly strictly in the sexual since. . . . that could be interesting I guess. . . .

in the few mormon familes i know that are polygamous. the man has one house and the wives have different ones.

Or tries to, Fbaezer!

It is interesting to look at the research that is coming out from animal studies re mating habits and paternity.

A number of the harem and mating pair animals that have been studied are showing that it is a wise animal that knows its own father, too.

It seems that harem females in the natural world find ways of choosing different males from the one that has taken them into his group (on ya, girls!) and even in our much-lauded monogamous pair creatures, mamma is not averse to a little on the side!

What's all the fuss? In my single days I routinely dated several men (or boys - as the age would be), and had fun. Then I met someone who was as much fun and as much trouble as all the rest, and that's where I landed.

And here I be, and I prefer it. When other men have come along, a careful look has always told me - 'nope, not enough." I don't know how my husband feels about this, because I'll kill him if he opens his mouth on this.

On the other hand, I have a friend who has always preferred variety, and seems to have been quite happy practising it. The things we talk about............

Polygamy is not NOT the same as sleeping around.

Wouldn't work for me. I'm quite happy w/ Mrs. SealPoet, and she with me.

But we have polygamous friends. Not swingers, but thoughtful people who were not content to allow another beloved to ruin their household. So they invited him in. I don't know that I could do it, but I doubt I'll ever be asked to, or do the asking. But I'm perfectly content to let others do as they will.

Interesting! If you are in Love with the entire universe, are you polygamous?

But the universe is everything. Uni. One. If you are at one with what you love, then there are not two parties involved, nor three, five, or 6 billion. The Oneness seems to reject polygamy, no matter how many people are involved.

Words confuse me sometimes. Ah, ... gametes! It's the gametes and the business of child-rearing that create our definitions here. Dictionary.com keeps saying wives, husbands, spouses. And only one husband/wife couple is needed to have a kid. Better to keep it simple. Better to keep it straight.

Just one couple? But I thought "it takes a whole village to raise a child"? Plus, how many children follow role models, or have an emotional/spiritual parent who is not their bio-producer? What about the millions of kids who are self-parenting because their own parents are dys, distant, or dissing? What about parents who are already married to career, religion, or cause? Who's going to be the parent when TV goes away?!? And hey, didn't they used to have extended families -- where grandma or uncle or ninth cousin was actually a parent a good deal of the time? Who created this idea of husband/wife/couple like it's the only thing in the world?

Strange concept, polygamy and monogamy. Marriage is only a contract, so doesn't everyone get to compose it with their own goals, desires and terms? However they want to arrange it? Have someone you respect and admire witness it, and you're done.

A friend of mine has six lovers: a primary, secondary and tertiary male and female. She loves, cares and appreciates them all. She talks to them on the phone every day, even if just for five minutes to say hi. She irons out issues, communicates like the bejeezus, and keeps everything clear, close, and comfortable. People are so mobile and busy these days, if one person's unavailable she still gets the support and closeness she wants. She's in charge of her part of it, and it works really well for her.

Hah, that'd drive ME crazy! I'd go insane with all the work involved! But for her it's not work. How many straight monogams do you know put real work into a relationship at all? How many people communicate for even five real minutes? How many have the emotional clarity, literacy and adeptness to live large, deep and wide? To really breath?

There are five kids involved in her "family", so in reality it's very much like your average American family. Someone could easily have two kids with one spouse, divorce and have one more with another. Then date someone with a few kids from three previous spouses, have an affair on the side, all the while still pursuing The One they really want.

My friend is just more honest, that's all. She tells everyone whats going on, so nobody gets hurt. She includes people instead of excluding them. And she doesn't have the isolation of divorce blasting everyone apart. Instead of the black and white marriage-divorce-marriage-divorce, she understands that relationships evolve, every one of them unique, special and unclassifiable.

So, to discuss polygamy is like asking: Is blue the best color, or is red? Well, my color is different, it contains many colors, the colors change all the time, and nobody even has words for half of them. So, I guess, umm, yeah, red. With subjects like this I tend to see red.

I love talking with my friend about relationships. She's a sharp one. And I am so glad I am not her! Because I gave up on people a while ago, and I'm in love with the universe.

My children are everywhere.

Wow, CodeBorg, your post is interesting and complex. I would love to meet your friend and try to understand how she handles all those relationships.
I think most posters have indicated that they wouldn't have a real problem with polyandry or polygamy, but would find it too demanding both physically and emotionally (and financially).
My concern would be someone getting hurt. If one person decided to go that route and her/his partner wasn't comfortable with the idea, only touble would follow. How many people go into something like that right away, with a good understanding of the ramigications?
Dys, do you know the Mormon wives well enough to be able to tell if they are really happy or are they brain washed by their religion?
How would your Mormon male friends feel if it went the other way?
Interesting topic.