Polygamy is for Primitive Uneducated Cultures

Introduction

Polygamy is illegal in America, and it is not the way the Bible intended marriage to be. Polygamy legitimizes the dead-beat father. World cultures with polygamous marriage are primitive, violent, poor and uneducated without exception.

In the state of Utah, multiple partnering is a widely accepted practice in the Mormon (LDS) religion. Joseph Smith, the founder of the Mormon religion said he received a revelation to practice polygamy, and he brought this practice to Utah. Utah had to ban polygamy to receive statehood in the union. This article is a revelation on the social and economic failures associated with this form of so-called marriage.

Polygamy hurts in the pocket

Attached are some excerpts and analysis from the following web-site:

http://www.rickross.com/reference/polygamy/polygamy298.html

“A husband with several wives and many children usually spends his money on quantity rather than quality, and therefore his children receive a mediocre or even poor education. This, in turn, lowers the education level of those societies in which polygamy is a common practice.

That is the conclusion of three Hebrew University professors in a report called "The Mystery of Monogamy". It is based on a study conducted in the African country of Ivory Coast. “

“Eric Gould is a Hebrew University economics professor and one of the authors of the report. He told RFE/RL that the purpose of the research was to look at the correlation between polygamy and economic development, since all of the societies in which polygamy is practiced are developing countries, while monogamy is common practice in all developed countries.”

“The study said polygamy used to be practiced in the West but died out as the societies developed and education became a key to prosperity. “

“Having more than one wife was a widespread practice in pre-Christian and pre-Islamic societies. Nowadays, it still exists mainly in Thailand, sub-Saharan Africa, and in some other Islamic countries. “

“Gould said the study on polygamy showed that the correlation between polygamy and Islam is not as strong as the linkage between polygamy and the level of economic development. “

“Gould said governments in poorer countries need to subsidize education. If there is a firmer link between a country's wealth and its human capital, governments will encourage men to devote themselves to finding a single, educated woman and fathering only a few children - rather than having several wives and many children.”

The Bible and Polygamy

On a Christian forum, a poster made the following notable quote regarding polygamy:

“The Bible blesses polygamous marriages the same way it blesses 1 man + 1 woman marriages.”
He was asked:

“So can you explain to us where God says polygamy is a good thing, and show where that's His plan for marriage. Can you also show us where Jesus approves of a plural marriage relationship instead of calling it adultery?”

His response was:

“First of all, let's look at some of the polygamists God blessed:
Jacob marries Leah and Rachel. (Genesis 29)
God causes his flocks to increase (Genesis 30) and is personally blessed by God (Genesis 32:22-32). Nowhere does God rebuke Jacob for taking two wives.

King David had many wives (2 Samuel 12:11-12). The context of this passage is the prophet Nathan cursing David for committing adultery with Bathsheba and killing her husband Uriah to cover up the affair; however, he doesn't reprimand David for polygamy.

King Solomon had many wives, as well (2 Kings 11). While the passage here is negative, it does not condemn his polygamy; instead it condemns the fact his wives followed other religions.

Biblical laws regarding polygamy:Exodus 21:7-11 states that if a man marries a woman who is a slave, and then marries another woman, he must still treat the first wife with all marital rights.

Deuteronomy 21:15-17 regards the situation of inheritance when a man is married to two women and has a son by each of them.

Deuteronomy 25:5-10 concerns the case of a childless widow. The law states that the dead man's brother should then wed her, and doesn't make allowances for if the surviving brother is already married or not.

To bring the New Testament in on this, Jesus was asked about the last law in Matthew 22:23-33. Did Jesus then condemn the polygamous practice? Nope.

The Bible addresses polygamy in many passages, yet nowhere does it condemn it. In fact, it sets up laws governing it.

If you want to deny homosexuals the right to marriage by saying "The Bible defines marriage as 1 man and 1 woman," be advised that the Bible also recognizes and blesses polygamy.”

As you can see from his response, the polygamous marriage issue is interwoven with gay marriage.

Big Love in the Rocky Mountains of the USA

Hildale the US Capital of Big Love

“HILDALE -- Government was once a sworn enemy of polygamy. Now, it is a benevolent uncle. Welfare is a way of life in the polygamous communities of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Ariz., where more than a third of the residents accept food stamps to support the huge families their old-style faith demands. "If it wasn't for government subsidies, these people couldn't survive," said Benjamin Bistline, who has renounced polygamy, but still lives in town. "There are people here with 15 wives on welfare."

Nearly every facet of life in this impoverished desert community on the Utah-Arizona border -- with a combined population of 5,274 -- is dominated by the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (FLDS), the largest polygamous assembly in North America. Most girls marry in their teen-age years.”


“Polygamists in the twin towns of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Ariz., have low incomes, calling into question whether they can support their large numbers of children without taxpayer assistance.”


Hildale and Colorado City at a Glance:

Polygamists in the twin towns of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Ariz., have low incomes, calling into question whether they can support their large numbers of children without taxpayer assistance.


Hildale, Utah

......................................Hildale.................................Utah...............
Median age.....................13.1 Youngest in state...26.8 Youngest in nation
Persons per household....8.55 Largest in state.......3.13 Largest in nation
Avg household income*...$21,822..........................$41,316
Per capita income..............$3,772.Lowest in state...$14,492
% of families in poverty.....32.4%..............................11.4%

*Average household adjusted gross income from federal tax returnsSource: Utah Tax Commission 1995, US Census, Utah and ArizonaDepartments of Education.


Colorado City, Arizona

.........................................Colorado City...............Arizona
Median age........................12.5 Youngest in state......32.2
Persons per household.......7.97 Largest in state.........2.62
Avg household income*.....$19,663............................$35,426
Per capita income..............$2,319..............................$13,461
% of families in poverty.......61%..................................11.4%

*Average household adjusted gross income from federal tax returns Source: Utah Tax Commission 1995, US Census, Utah and Arizona Departments of Education.

“Today there are more than 5,000 residents, nearly all of them believers in polygamy.

Polygamy and AIDS

In sub-Saharan Africa, polygamy is one of the root causes to the AIDS epidemic. :

http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_r...fm?DR_ID=44290

"The practice of having one sexual partner at a time "traps the virus in a relationship for months or years at a time" and "considerably slows" the progress of HIV through the population, while the "practice of formal or informal polygamy links sexually active people not only to one another but also to the partners of their partners ... creating a giant web that can extend across huge regions," Epstein writes. "

http://www.world-links.org/aidsweb/goal3.html

"Ghanaian participants raised the issue of whether polygamy promotes or hinders the spread of HIV. Zimbabweans agreed that polygamy spreads HIV, with the reasoning that one or more of the wives in a polygamous marriage may have outside partners."

In summary, polygamy spreads STDs (sexually transmitted diseases).


Conclusion

In conclusion the social statistics tell us that polygamy is nothing more than a welfare program. The result is poverty, low education, and teen pregnancy. It also has health risks. It does not belong in a civilized country like America.

Good day and God bless.