Posted on 03/28/2006 12:42:20 PM PST by mathprof
"Big Love," HBO's new take on a fictional polygamous family in the suburbs of this city, was on the television. The Viagra-popping Bill Henrickson (Bill Paxton) was thrashing in bed with Margene (Ginnifer Goodwin), the youngest of his three wives. The five women watching the show — covering their eyes during the sex scenes, chiding the competitive wives, urging Bill to take control — were critics with special credentials: a current or past polygamous marriage.
And despite the show's flaws, these women called "Big Love" a cultural benchmark, one with the potential to cast a warmer light on their lives.
"It's a more realistic view of a polygamous family that lives out in society than people have known," said Anne Wilde, a widow who was part of a multiple family for 33 years. "It can be seen as a viable alternative lifestyle between consenting adults."
[snip]
For the women gathered in a hotel room here at the request of The New York Times to talk about the intersection of their lives and popular culture, more is at stake than good ratings. "This is a glimpse of a family that is mainstream," Mary Batchelor, a 37-year-old mother of seven and director of "Principle Voices," a leading polygamy advocacy group, said of the Henricksons. "There are hundreds of these families. It shows an aspect of polygamy nobody ever sees....[snip]
"This is making all of America say 'Why is there a law against polygamy?' " said a 55-year-old woman who wanted to be known only as Doris, because she feared repercussions at her new job after years of staying at home with her 14 children in suburban West Jordan. "This guy is just trying to support his family, and the family is just trying to make it."
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
LOL!!! Know your cuts of meat, and know your English Lit!
Had the same conversation with my wife. 'Cept I brought it up, not her.
I was just...agog at the notion of living with 3 women. One makes me want to throw myself off a tall building sometimes.
How do you know?
Inversely, you could say only lesbian females would consider a polygamus situation.
Yes sir.
One of my grandfathers was married to my grandmother, my aunt and my great-grandmother (my grandmother's sister and her mother). YIKES!
I think I like your version better.
Either way, the modern day practitioners of polygamy are in no way related to the agricultural societies of ancient times.
I do agree it does seem to be a power play game more than an actual "family" issue.
You might have a different opinion if you were to see these polygamist here in Utah....they aren't exactly agricultural or ancient societies.
I watched part of it once. It was very depressing to me. Jealous and fighting wives, a man acting like a stump. Pretty much chaotic lives. I won't watch again, just not an uplifting show.
In my youth, we called it a "mercy f***" aka, date with a fat chick.
Now that seems interesting. I could spend enough to keep four husbands busy paying the VISA.
Depends what your goal is. If you'd like to ensure a large supply of disaffected young men who can be used as soldiers in wars of conquest, polygamy seems an ideal feature for social organization. A certain evil false prophet, depicted here with a bomb for a turban--
`O(:-{>
--understood this centuries ago.
BTW: emoticons are held to violate the Islamic prohibition on images, so I guess I've got a fatwa against me now.
One for the list.
Santorum was right.
Please No more Clint Eastwood "singing to the Trees"
Ugh!
Yup, the tv version has some fairly cute wives. But that's fantasy, like the idea of a man that gets along with all 3 wives.
Like you could get all the wives to get along!!! I don't think so !!!!
anyone who wants more than one wife.....must be stupid.
I cancelled when they ended "Carnivale".
Your tag line is perfect.
If the Lord wanted man to have more than one wife, he would have made him with more than one..............{;>)
Maybe that's the idea?
If you have a constant choice they still have to compete.
ML/NJ
Multiple wives!
All exercising a woman's right to shoes?
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