My husband and I are watching an episode of CSI, and it has an underlying theme of polygamy. We were wondering, just for curiosoty sake, why is this practice illigall? We're not interested in the religious answers, just the legal view please.
2007-05-09 16:17:33 · 8 answers · asked by dragondancer 1 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
I think it is because we are manipulated into marriage as a means of minimizing the cost of raising children. We are told that we should marry for romantic reasons and on moral and religious grounds. However many of us are either not religious or have a religion which allows polygamy. Morals are decided differently in each culture and even within our own they are a matter of personal opinion.
Marriage has no point as long as people are in love or wishing to stay together. If being together is from choice then having signed some is not necessary to keep 2 people together.
Marriage actually only has any point when people do not want to stay together any longer because then it comes into full force making sure that the person who contributed most money to the marriage, willingly bearing the heaviest burden, then has to continue the contribution after the marriage has ended.
The whole point of marriage is not union of one man and one woman for life, the way it is sold to us. The point is actually that after the marriage ends the wife and kids will not be a financial burden on the state.
The laws against polygamy are, I think, to make sure that marriages entered into will be financially viable and that the process of divorce and financial support arrangements is necessary in order for both parties to be in a position to marry again, otherwise people would simply separate and not bother with divorce so there would be much less legal force which could be applied on breadwinners.
2007-05-09 16:43:23 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you remove the religious aspects, you are left with much of a discussion. Many of our laws are motivated by religious concerns. Strip away religion and the the main "legal" reason that polygamy is illegal is very simple: our elected official voted on the law and approved it.
2007-05-09 17:02:33 · answer #2 · answered by Carl 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is illegal for a very simple reason- we elect legislators to pass laws, and that is what they do. They are elected by majority vote, and laws that are passed are voted upon. Unless a law is challenged (ie in conflict with the Constitution or other existing law), it remains.
I don't know that legislators have to give a legal basis to pass a new law, although obviously there is clearly consensus of opinion, as to need. And yes, I would guess that this is consistent in general with religious thinking, but many of our laws do come from that perspective.
Didn't mean to come across as oversimplification or hostile. It just seems obvious to me.
2007-05-09 19:40:29 · answer #3 · answered by wendy c 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You have to remember that the constitution wasn't based on legalities. Alot of the amendments and such are just opinion (religiously) based. There is no real legal issue with polygamy.
2007-05-09 16:29:01 · answer #4 · answered by dremcomtru2001 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Polygamy is illegal because under the US laws, a person is only allowed to have one spouse because having more is considered against morals.
2007-05-10 16:59:08 · answer #5 · answered by FRAGINAL, JTM 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It was legal in Utah until they were denied entrance into the Union until they outlawed it..it's still practiced..but under cover(no pun intended).
2007-05-09 16:26:22 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's illegal because it's too confusing for lawyers to make any money on it.
2007-05-09 17:18:07 · answer #7 · answered by Yesugi 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
liberals
2007-05-09 16:24:48 · answer #8 · answered by Steven C 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋