Polygamy In Christianity And It's Taboo In The Western World

Loki

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I've got no opinion considering examples of polygamy in religious texts, but I personally don't have any issue with it so long as every participant is willing and can bow out if they so choose. What adults do in their private love lives is their business so long as everyone is willing and not being hurt. I also think it should be able to go both ways, rather than just a dude having multiple wives. If a woman wants to have multiple husbands and everyone is on board with that and happy, then more power to them. Further, if people want to have like some sort of weird 6-way 3 men and 3 women marriage/relationship and it works for them, then good for them. Who cares? I would only care if they were being forced against their will or abused in some way.

That said, I don't think our current culture is very conducive to such relationships, which would make them very hard to carry out in a way where nobody gets hurt. It takes a certain kind of person and mentality. I also don't think we are necessarily meant to be monogamous, but society has shifted in favor of monogamy so we do our best.
 

Scimitar

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Abraham did it. Verses, reasons, whatever. I'm not for or against it but recognize that it isn't for everyone.
Jesus didn't marry - so is this what is recommended for Christians?

To stay single? All your life?

Obviously this is a bait question and i don't expect you to entertain it.

I wanted to make you think, is the personal choice to marry or not marry - determined by the Prophets and Messengers of God whom you admire and love? or is it determined by your "self" ???

Scimi
 

manama

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Only religion that puts a limit on marriage is islam, that maximum 4

and don't marry a second wife if you can't balance both wives, financially, give equal time and love.
And if you can't give that at all don't marry at all because marriage comes with responsibility.

people are in polygamy relationships in west all the time. when it comes to making it legal suddenly its a taboo smh
 
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DisenfranchisedDespot

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Genesis 2:24 KJV
Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

I believe this was God's original intent which I don't disagree with as multiple relationships can cause problems and factoring in the time period women couldn't provide for themselves.

But here

1 Kings 11:3-4 KJV
And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart. [4] For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father.

There were bound to be problems. I can definitely see the reason why it was allowed much like the various stipulations for laws to Israel but it wasn't the original plan.
 

SheWatches

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That's a good question. If Muslim men are allowed 4 wives, is it religiously sanctioned or just culturally sanctioned or both depending on where they live?
 

SheWatches

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That works too, thanks grateful servant. But lets be honest here, usually polygamy is assumed to be one man with more than one wife & polyandry is generally understood to be one woman with more than one husband.
 

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That's a good question. If Muslim men are allowed 4 wives, is it religiously sanctioned or just culturally sanctioned or both depending on where they live?
A very keen question SW :)

Here is the ayah (verse) of the Qur'an regarding the four wives:

And if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly with the orphan-girls, then marry (other) women of your choice, two or three, or four but if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then only one or that your right hands possess (meaning that which is lawful). That is nearer to prevent you from doing injustice. (Surah an Nisa: Chapter title: The Women)

I love this verse, because there are subtle teachings here which often get overlooked by linear minds which have evil intentions.

Look at the start of this verse: And if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly with the orphan-girls,

6th century Arabia was a harsh place to live. Female infanticide was common because the climate made it tough for the husband to provide food for the whole family, and it was the males role to bring home the bread so to speak. So, in Pre-Islamic Arabian society, the less fortunate Arabs would bury their new born daughters alive... or sell them as slaves, or leave them on a rock to survive or die...

...the new born female baby girl was a liability to the Arabs of pre-islamic Arabia.

Islam did away with that. And gave women honour.

Look at the start of the verse - And if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly with the orphan girls, - suggesting to the men to marry them and not use them for their sexual gratification - but if they cannot deal justly with the orphan girls who reach maturity - then and only then, to marry 2, 3 or 4 women of their own choice but only if they are able to deal justly between them - ie: treat them all fairly, equitably, not favouring one over the other - which is a very difficult thing to do(the women have the choice to refuse a proposal in Islam btw) and failing that - it is always better to marry one.

The proponents against Islam have often used this verse to justify polygamy. But Polygamy is only warranted in Islam so that society can be safer. And not open to the social ills we find prevalent in our very own modern societies.

Marrying an orphan girl who grows to maturity and has no tribal affiliation, nor family - is a great mercy and blessing of God to her life and the life of the husband, because they do not conform to societal expectations of marrying from such and such a family of honour and reputation etc. Instead, they build from something which society expects nothing to fruit from, yet by their fruits (children) they are known :)

This verse is beautiful, and understanding the reason for it's revelation is to know that God is Merciful.

God bless,

Scimi
 
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JoChris

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Scimitar

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The New Testament shows that Christian marriages are between one man and one woman. http://ibtministries.org/pagevw.php?pgid=morethanonewife.htm
Jesus didn't marry - so Christianty teaches no marriage? :D

I can't think of one polygamous marriage in the Old Testament without severe problems.
I can think of many with severe problems:

The first polygamist, Lamech, calls a family conference so he can boast about his inordinate vengeful violence. He’s clearly not a nice man (Gen 4:19-24)

Jacob has two wives and two concubines, a situation which creates family heartbreak, envy and, ultimately, attempted murder (Gen 29-37).

Gideon has many wives and many sons (Judges 8:30). This results in civil war and wholesale slaughter in Israel (Judges 9).

David has a seemingly insatiable appetite for women. He has many wives (2 Sam 5:13), and in the end steals another man’s wife and murders him (2 Sam 11-12). The resulting, big family was not a happy one: they ended up committing incestuous r*pe (2 Sam 13) and rebellion which almost destroyed David’s kingdom (2 Sam 14ff).

Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines. They led his heart away from the Lord, and led to the break-up of his kingdom (1 Kings 11:3-4).

want me to keep going?

Scimi
 

JoChris

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Jesus didn't marry - so Christianty teaches no marriage? :D



I can think of many with severe problems:

The first polygamist, Lamech, calls a family conference so he can boast about his inordinate vengeful violence. He’s clearly not a nice man (Gen 4:19-24)

Jacob has two wives and two concubines, a situation which creates family heartbreak, envy and, ultimately, attempted murder (Gen 29-37).

Gideon has many wives and many sons (Judges 8:30). This results in civil war and wholesale slaughter in Israel (Judges 9).

David has a seemingly insatiable appetite for women. He has many wives (2 Sam 5:13), and in the end steals another man’s wife and murders him (2 Sam 11-12). The resulting, big family was not a happy one: they ended up committing incestuous r*pe (2 Sam 13) and rebellion which almost destroyed David’s kingdom (2 Sam 14ff).

Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines. They led his heart away from the Lord, and led to the break-up of his kingdom (1 Kings 11:3-4).

want me to keep going?

Scimi
Que? You just proved my point. Double negative = positive.
Can't think of one happy polygamous marriage in the Old Testament.

Please find a polygamous marriage that WAS happy in the OT.
 
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