Posted on 07/01/2009 7:56:53 AM PDT by Bushwacker777
"...cultural anthropologists know that most societies not only accept polygamy, but idealise it, while evolutionary geneticists report super-male lineages such as that of Genghis Khan which are incredibly fertile. No one suggests that the conqueror was super-human in size, rather, he illustrates how societies can be converted into a winner-takes-all game. It is not true that Genghis Khan said the best thing in life was "To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women." But there is a reason why many find this myth plausible. Civilisation has borne witness to the rise of radical inequality (pdf), cultures where the accumulation of wealth and women are the pinnacles of achievement. Abraham, Jacob and Solomon were the fathers of nations by their many wives...Because of the adoption of Greco-Roman monogamous norms by western Christianity, Europeans are among the cultures which have rejected polygamy."
(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...
TWO wives??? One’s hard enough.
Another attempt to cast stones at Western civilization.
They bring up Genghis Khan (a man compared by John Kerry to American war criminals in Vietnam) to defend the practice. Did they bring up Mohammed and his 6 year old bride as well?
TWO mother-in-laws?!!!
I think the majority of people would agree. However, there are segments of the male and female population that would accept living in these arrangements. Why not let them without the fear of Big Brother interfering?
And notice, nowadays, in every country that has gay marriage and legal abortion polygamy is technically illegal while most countries that outlaw abortion and homosexuality allow polygamy. Something to be learned there.
My theory is that during a economic decline, there will be fewer divorces as couples are more willing to ‘stick it out’, even in a terrible marriage, to reap the financial security.
The ancient foundations of monogamy go back to the Roman peoples prior to their development of civilization. They were generally pirates and raided other tribes for women. When fights took place between rivals over women the system of monogamy was adopted to keep social order. Eventually it evolved to a Roman man being able to have one official wife (whose children inherited his welath and title) but he was expected to be able to have mistresses and slave women for sex as well. The Catholic Church adopted the idea of monogamy but also seems to have taken a light stand on adultery (mistresses) even though the Bible strongly condemns it. This may be one reason men having a wife but at least one other lover is common in southern Europe and Latin America even today.
There are two men in my household...my husband and my dog.
That’s quite enough, thankyouverymuch.
Okay, quote to me where David was chastized by God for having 6 wives prior to his stealing the Hitite’s woman and causing his demise in battle. Please, I am waiting.
They bring up Ghenghis Khan - and where is he now? His progeny?
They are scattered in Mongolia, Russia, China and Korea, and his country has not been its own master since the 14th century....
Ah, but in Darwinistic terms he seems to have done quite well.
What will “double income no kids” have as their crowning acheivement?
As I tell my wife: You are touble enough. Why would I want more?
“This was blessed by the Bible that many in our nation revere.”
I’ll take issue with that. Jesus said one man, one woman make a marriage. Elders are required to be the husband of one wife by direction in the epistles. All directions to marriage, even in OT law, concern one husband and one wife.
The fact that Abraham had concubines and Jacob had concubines and two wives, David had several wives, and Solomon had goodness knows how many doesn’t mean God was pleased with it. Solomon’s many wives were blamed for his idolatry, as a matter of fact. Many sinful behaviors are described in Scripture. Lot slept with his daughters. That doesn’t mean it’s ok.
I’m pretty sure the quote attributed to Gengis Khan was from Conan
Where did Jesus condemn the “fundamentalist” Jews of his day who practiced polygamy? And the Parble of the Virgins certainly hints at polygamy, now doesn’t it?
Also, elders in the church were directed to have a wife (as were bishops) and the “one” issue has also been interpreted to mean that he never had been divorced.
Also, if Nathan specifically said that God “blessed” David with 6 wives that kind of says God had a hand in giving them to him, does it not? Or was Nathan not being honest?
“...What will “double income no kids” have as their crowning acheivement?...”
A great question! They will certainly have loneliness, and very likely, poverty, in their old age. Children are wealth, and that doesn’t mean just spiritually.
Families are simply about raising the next generation. How is that best done - monogamy or polygamy? I would argue we have widespread polygamy already. One need only look at our cities - how many stories do you know of men fathering children with multiple women? What is the result for the next generation? How is the effect on the children any different from, say, polygamous practices in Arab societies? In ancient China? Do the children (or society) come out any better if it is sanctioned? (I ask that sincerely)
“One’s hard enough.”
Would you care to rephrase that?
Or even mothers-in-law!!??
A Lexus and a summer home in La Jolla?
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