how do you feel about polygamy?

Question

i've recently heard that the rapper akon who's 25 has 3 wives already, and his father has 4. he said because it's in the quran he chose to do it. what do you think about it as a whole?(bearing in mind the recent accusations of abuse and forced marriages against a polygamist group leader)

justordinary-i have to agree. and if people are really going to do it, why can't it work both ways? women should be allowed more husbands. i know several tribes allow it(i think african or aborginal), but in mainstream it's frowned upon.

Answer 1

While I generally agree that laws have no place in interpersonal relationships, I think polygamy is an archaic idea that ultimately leads to the denigration of women for the satisfaction and benefit of selfish men, to promote male superiority and dominance. I'm opposed to it.

Answer 2

I have a too each it's own belief system. However I've been watching HBO's "Big Love" which is the closest I've come to a polygamist lifestyle and I think it's crazy!

The show is fiction but I can't see how the women accept sleeping with the husband every third day. One of the wives works while the other two are stay at home and the wife who works sometimes has to put her entire paycheck in the "family funds".

What I think is totally wrong is minors pretty much being forced to marry older men. All in the name of religion. It's sick.

Answer 3

Well...there are individuals in the Bible that had multiple wives (Solomon, David, Abraham, etc.) But the Bible changed that in the New Testament.

In the old testament, it was necessary to have many wives for the man because it was time to build the human population. Each man can impregnate many females but females can only have around 1 child a year. So it made sense while the world was being populated, HOWEVER there are passages in the Bible that sound like God meant marriage to be between one man and one woman...Exodus 20:17 talks about coveting your neighbors WIFE...singular....Gen. 1 talks about the creation of Adam and Eve and how the TWO shall become ONE flesh...not the THREE or FOUR of FIVE.

New Testament has scriptures such as 1Tim 3:2- talking about one wife for each husband and one husband for each wife. Eph 5:22-23 talks about a marriage between man and woman should be like the marriage between Christ and the Church...monogamous.
Also, whenever polygamy is mentioned in the Bible it is mentioned as IF a man takes a second wife...not when etc...meaning it did not necessarily encourage it...but IF he did...he must fulfil all these requirment...and then lists many things a man must do for each wife. This in itself would have discouraged polygamy (2 houses...equal time at each house, etc) Ex. 28:10.

So...how do I feel about polygamy...i am against it...we do not need mult. spouses to create more children. It is not a time to build a populatin...but rather a time to control the population. I do not know the quran...but I do know that many people who are said to follow the quran twist it similar to the religious extremists who flew into our buildings on Sept. 11th. They say that it was condoned in the quran...but it's not. So take what he says aobut the quran with a grain of salt...

Answer 4

Yuck. While I can understand God allowing it at one time, the earth is plenty full now and I don't see why it would be necessary to have so many wives. God's purpose for marriage was for a family unity.
Women are a lot more independent now -a- days and can survive without a man. I've never heard that about Akon, but it's interesting.
I don't think forced marriage is the answer in any situation.
If a man can be a polygamist, then why do we never hear of a woman being that way? Have you ever heard of a woman having 3 husbands at the same time? Me neither. That makes it seem that these men are demeaning women and by allowing themselves to have more than one wife, but not the other way around makes me see it as hypocrisy.

Answer 5

Is it for me? Nope. I'm super possessive and not about sharing my husband with other "sister-wives". However I don't see anything wrong with it...when it's done in the proper spirit...

As far as I can tell its supposed to be this wonderful Utopian communal sharing of everything with your life partners...just like "traditional" marriage. Therefore, like traditional marriage, there SHOULD be no forced marriages, no underage girls being forced to marry much older men, no abuse of the family members. However just like "traditional" marriages a few people can screw it up for everybody...

If polygamy is practiced as a choice of lifestyle between mutually consenting adults than I find nothing wrong with it...I even think that the additional wives should be allowed the same legal and social privileges of the "first wife".

Answer 6

I'd be happy with just 1 wife (but then I've been single for over 4 years)....I personally don't have a problem with the idea...I think a persons shouldbe able to marry as many people as they can affrod to support, whether 1 or 100.

Jewish law used to accept ploygamy, some Christian sects (like Mormons) practicerd it as well. There are also some other groups that, at lest histrorically practiced polygamy even though in the modern world they have let that practice lapse.

As long as ALL the parties are in agreement there shouldn't be a problem and no one that isn't involved should have any say over who marries whom, when, where, why or how.

Answer 7

yeah, i've visited those heathenist countries where men have 4 wives. lets do the math, if approximately 50% of the population is men, then the other 49% is women, and 1% is freaks. anyway, so 1 man takes 4 women. assuming a near even split, there you have 3 men that live miserable lonely lives, because some guy with alot of money swoops in and takes more women than he needs. it's a lousy system, and went outdated with the camel trek to your annual hajj

Answer 8

Forced marriages=bad.

But if a group of consenting adults love each other and want to make a commitment to each other, how can that be a bad thing? I was in a polyamorous relationship a few years ago, and it was the happiest, sanest, and most stable relationship I've ever had.

edit: after reading some of these answers, I feel compelled to point out that women have multiple husbands as well--it's called polyandry. AND not all people get jealous and possesive of the people they love--they just want the people they love to be happy, regardless of with whom.

Answer 9

Bear in mind also that these forced marriages are usually to young teenage girls in a cult setting they've been raised in. Not normal circumstances.

That aside, when it comes to consenting adults (and since I know somebody will miss that part because they always do, I'll repeat, consenting adults), to each their own. If it's not hurting anyone, no problem with it.

ETA: And, wow, everyone, must it only go one way? I wouldn't mind having a few husbands around if they clean up after themselves and pay the cable bill.

Answer 10

I think it is wrong. It certainly is illegal. Thousands of years ago when it was allowed the world was still fairly new and God was permissive in many things most due to man's ignorance. Now, we have come a long way and know it is wrong. That is why the new testatment clearly states a man should be the husband of one wife. The two shall cleave together and become one. Remember even Jesus said to obey the laws of the land.

Answer 11

I have no situation wit polygamy if this is between consenting adults. If each and all the girls are chuffed to have one in all those life type then, why not? could the government be telling you who you could marry as long because it somewhat is consenting? i does not choose to be in a polygamous marriage, yet then it somewhat is me. could I be telling others what to choose and prefer?