why is polygamy wrong or unethical?

Question

I need some cons about polygamy for my debate in philosophy class that are strong and logical. anybody have any opinions, comments, suggestions on how i should try to prove polygamy wrong?

Answer 1

Biological view:
Nature has designed humans to breed in an approx 1:1 female:male ratio (except forcefully in Punjab and Rajasthan in India; terrible!). Hence, by natural selection and mating, there should be 1 male - 1 female in a conjugal relationship, which will be the most efficient and healthy way of species propagation.
Some mammall species like baboons, cows, deer, bison, lions are polygamous as their female:male ratio is high; nature has designed them like that

Psychological: Women don't want to share their lover boys and hubbies. Possessiveness. Polygamy leads to jealousy and tension in the house. Monogamy ensures happiness :)

Feminist view: polygamy leads to commodification of women..they have no value in the house - eg. harems in Africa, Arabia and Afghanistan

Male-centric: It's too hard on the guy to manage so many wives. Too much financial and emotional strain. (anyways guys can't handle one wife .. ha ha:))

common sense - related to1st one: If a few strong rich men take away a lot of women..some men will have no partners..they will be sexually frustrated..lead to tension and fighting.

Hope this helps!!

Answer 2

you'd have to go with a women's rights argument, i think. If polygamy was mirrored by polyandry (women having multiple husbands) then it might be different. However, polygamy exists in societies where women are a commodity.. it exists in societies where women need to marry for economic reasons, and often have few rights. You can look at historical societies, then compare it to modern societies after the "woman's movement". here you will see that an increase in women's income led to more choices, which led to less monogamous marriages, never mind polygamous ones.

but really, so long as polygamy is between two contentious adults, i don't really see a problem, except for the men that won't have women, because all the women are trying to get with bill gates and denzil washington (the rich guys and the cute guys).

Answer 3

Let's first set aside the fact that God has said marriage should be between a man and woman. We'll have to also set aside the fact that marriage is ordained of God and sealed through the divine authority of the Priesthood. (We must also assume you or whomever believe the gospel to be true.) OK. According to the gospel, exaltation is the highest degree or blessing one can attain. I would think that *should* be everyone's ultimate goal. Exaltation. Now, in order to obtain that highest degree, a man and woman (women) must enter into the new and everlasting covenant of marriage AND keep their covenants. The covenant is entered into by the couple and God and bound by the Holy Priesthood. There is God, the Preisthood holder and the woman. To me, the Priesthood holder is esentiall the "covenant maker", for the covenant is not valid without the Priesthood holder. OK, so my own thoughts here, let's say same-sex marriage was legal... BUT, two Priesthood holders could not enter into one covenant. I think there is something about the "one" covenant maker, and he is the "one" Priesthood holder. Then if you thik about two women, there is no covenant able to be made, so of course that is also out of line with God's eternal plan. I don't think it's a matter of "what's right or wrong"... I really think it has to do with two men cannot covenant together nor can two women. I really think it has a lot to do with the Priesthood, who holds it and who doesn't. Even if both men are Priesthood holders... The main reason I believe same-sex marriage is wrong, other than the obvious, is because it cannot lead to an eternal marriage. For that matter, any civil unions don't either, so technically they are "wrong" too I guess. Wrong according to the gospel. Not wrong morally. If that makes sense... I think it is actually a great blessing for those in the circumstance who have had a spouse die and remarry and are able to be sealed for eternity. I mean, that shows to me that our Father in Heaven loves us very much. We can only see the carnal side of plural wives, which that carnality will not exist in the next life, so I don't see what the big deal is. So, long answer, I think there is nothing wrong with polygamy *when* appropirately abided by. I DO oppose gay marriage.

Answer 4

For me its about making these women feel they cannot do any better. Women naturally search for magonamy. I was watching a documentary about a man who had 3 "wives". The first wife was tolerant of the second and then the "husband" brought home the third and the first two were very jealous obviously. these men are selfish and they look for weak minded women with very low self-esteem for their own perverted pleasures.

Answer 5

The only way you could possibly "prove" it wrong would be to take a Judeo-Christian moral stance against it. Then you would be relying on religious texts to enforce your main cons which are straw positions to begin with. I think it will be hard to find anything against it..Good Luck

Answer 6

How about equality among the sexes.

Answer 7

Sorry I can't help you there, because I don't see what's wrong with it.

Answer 8

BIble commnads one wife and says no adultery

Answer 9

you watch too much "Big Love"

Answer 10

KETCHUP