Why is polygamy illegal?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Polygamy can't be respected by society. If widespread, it would sow chaos as large numbers of young men could not find anyone to be with because the woman are doubled and tripled up with other men.

It is widespread internationally. As I said before, who cares about the loser men who can't find a wife?
BTW, in the US, it would only be a few men who would do it anyway. Right now, some men know that they plan serial monogamy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1. Because polygamy is often - though not always - connected to coercion/abuse of the women and marriage of underage women.

2. To protect the children that would be raised in polygamous households.

3. Common property right and the benefits related to marriage would be murky with multiple spouses all having equal claims. Wife #1 has the same rights as Wives #2 and #3 in the eyes of the law.

+1! It's repressive against women and kids who are generally treated as little more than property in such situations.

Who here has had to sit through setting a "bridal price" (a monetary "price" the husband pays the father for the daughter/wife)?

[Anonymous]

^^
Ironically, 7:54 pointed out a big fallacy in the polygamy argument: it's not polyandry. It's polygyny.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^
Ironically, 7:54 pointed out a big fallacy in the polygamy argument: it's not polyandry. It's polygyny.

And I'm sure the "polygamy" advocates would freak out royally if the "polygamy" deal were to include a gay wedding of four men.

Yes, Mr. Mormon Baker, I'd like to order a wedding cake with four grooms on it please! Heads would explode!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here, but how is it prosecuted? Only one woman is legally married.

OP, I have said this before: In the USA it is ILLEGAL to SAY that you have more than one wife. If you ever say that, you can be prosecuted.

You can have affairs and so on, even a concubine, but you can't call that other woman your wife. So, in a way, they prosecute the ones who are in love and want to legitimize their relationship in some way. So especially for the religious ones, it is illegal.

I'm not sure what will happen if someone wants a husband and a wife though.

PP was talking about prosecution. Polygamy may be illegal to talk (?) about, but it is certainly not prosecuted. If it was, all those TV show people would be in jail now

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1. Because polygamy is often - though not always - connected to coercion/abuse of the women and marriage of underage women.

2. To protect the children that would be raised in polygamous households.

3. Common property right and the benefits related to marriage would be murky with multiple spouses all having equal claims. Wife #1 has the same rights as Wives #2 and #3 in the eyes of the law.

+1! It's repressive against women and kids who are generally treated as little more than property in such situations.

Who here has had to sit through setting a "bridal price" (a monetary "price" the husband pays the father for the daughter/wife)?

It doesn't have to be. Monogamous marriages are treated this way in some countries, but we all know that monogamous marriage doesn't have to be that way. I think it should be legal. Also, marriages of 3 men. Marriages of 3 women. I think

* that there should be universal health care, so no company has to deal with the insurance implications
* hospital visitation, etc for all in the "marriage" contract
* all names go onto birth certificates, and all are responsible for child care in case of divorce
* in case of death without a will, money is divided equally amoung all in the contract and all children
* of course no entering into the contract for a cash fee to parents (which is also illegal for monogamous marriages?)

I think with these rules there is no reason it shouldn't be a civilized interaction.

[Anonymous]

The concept of a bride as merchandise is old and not unique to polygamy. This has been the way of the world for centuries. It took many forms in different societies. Why do you think American brides' parents are still expected to pay for their daughters' white weddings?

Repression and illegal activities are separate from decisions made by capable adults, so this argument doesn't hold water.

[Anonymous]

As the Chief Justice suggested, the constitutional and other legal arguments for gay marriage apply as much to polygamy. The notion that anti-polygamy laws are needed to protect women under the age of consent is no more valid than suggesting that legalizing sodomy and gay relationships would encourage homosexual pedophilia. There might be public policy benefits to legalizing polygamy, particularly in areas or social groups where there are fewer suitable male partners.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Marijuana is illegal in DC, Colorado, and Washington - under federal law.

Banned. Illegal. Prosecutable.

That doesn't stop pot shops from operating in the open in Colorado or people smoking dope in their homes without fear of prosecution.

If you want to be a polygamist, just move to rural Utah or rural Idaho. You won't have many problems if you lay low.

So why wasn't this argument successful with gay marriage? If you want to marry another homosexual, move to a liberal permissive place like CA or DC, not a more conservative state where the majority is offended by the concept. In other words, leave the matter to the states, where local values and preferences can be taken into account.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As the Chief Justice suggested, the constitutional and other legal arguments for gay marriage apply as much to polygamy. The notion that anti-polygamy laws are needed to protect women under the age of consent is no more valid than suggesting that legalizing sodomy and gay relationships would encourage homosexual pedophilia. There might be public policy benefits to legalizing polygamy, particularly in areas or social groups where there are fewer suitable male partners.

Who are the ones, historically and currently, in this country, who practice polygamy? It's not liberal polyamorous families, it's FLDS. And there's coercion and problems with underage girls, as well as fraud. Sister Wives and Big Love are the least controversial examples of these families, where the women seem to be intelligent consenting adults, as long as you ignore their finances.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
It doesn't have to be. Monogamous marriages are treated this way in some countries, but we all know that monogamous marriage doesn't have to be that way. I think it should be legal. Also, marriages of 3 men. Marriages of 3 women. I think

* that there should be universal health care, so no company has to deal with the insurance implications
* hospital visitation, etc for all in the "marriage" contract
* all names go onto birth certificates, and all are responsible for child care in case of divorce
* in case of death without a will, money is divided equally amoung all in the contract and all children
* of course no entering into the contract for a cash fee to parents (which is also illegal for monogamous marriages?)

I think with these rules there is no reason it shouldn't be a civilized interaction.

I agree with you completely, though I have no desire to have another wife or husband join our team.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Marijuana is illegal in DC, Colorado, and Washington - under federal law.

Banned. Illegal. Prosecutable.

That doesn't stop pot shops from operating in the open in Colorado or people smoking dope in their homes without fear of prosecution.

If you want to be a polygamist, just move to rural Utah or rural Idaho. You won't have many problems if you lay low.

So why wasn't this argument successful with gay marriage? If you want to marry another homosexual, move to a liberal permissive place like CA or DC, not a more conservative state where the majority is offended by the concept. In other words, leave the matter to the states, where local values and preferences can be taken into account.

Hey! Can you gay haters please get off my polygamy thread?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As the Chief Justice suggested, the constitutional and other legal arguments for gay marriage apply as much to polygamy. The notion that anti-polygamy laws are needed to protect women under the age of consent is no more valid than suggesting that legalizing sodomy and gay relationships would encourage homosexual pedophilia. There might be public policy benefits to legalizing polygamy, particularly in areas or social groups where there are fewer suitable male partners.

Who are the ones, historically and currently, in this country, who practice polygamy? It's not liberal polyamorous families, it's FLDS. And there's coercion and problems with underage girls, as well as fraud. Sister Wives and Big Love are the least controversial examples of these families, where the women seem to be intelligent consenting adults, as long as you ignore their finances.

Many, many immigrant Muslims are practicing polygamy here as well. It's just not talked about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Polygamy can't be respected by society. If widespread, it would sow chaos as large numbers of young men could not find anyone to be with because the woman are doubled and tripled up with other men.

Polygamy is not widespread; even in countries where permitted, it is practiced by a minority of men.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1. Because polygamy is often - though not always - connected to coercion/abuse of the women and marriage of underage women.

2. To protect the children that would be raised in polygamous households.

3. Common property right and the benefits related to marriage would be murky with multiple spouses all having equal claims. Wife #1 has the same rights as Wives #2 and #3 in the eyes of the law.

+1! It's repressive against women and kids who are generally treated as little more than property in such situations.

Who here has had to sit through setting a "bridal price" (a monetary "price" the husband pays the father for the daughter/wife)?

None of this is specific to polygamy.

My sisters-in-law, actually, have collected very nice dowries from the men who wanted to marry them.