New TLC program: "Sister Wives"

[MarginOfError]

Would someone please answer this question..

What was the primary purpose for polygamy? To have more children under one righteous household? Or was it for widowed women that had children they could not support alone and thus become a multiple wife?

Yes

[seeking_peace]

I didn't see the show, but I do have a comment about the sealed/married debate. "sealed" and "married" are not interchangable. I am sealed, but not married, to my ex-husband. He is married, but not sealed, to his current wife.

[HiJolly]

Wait, you mean that they are actually legally married? Well, performing wedding ceremonies with marriage licenses, etc?

I'm confused, I thought they were just standing in a church building of theirs and exchanging vows, etc. not actually claiming to be legally married.? Do the women have the same last name?

1st wife is a civil & religious marriage, the next 3 are sealings only, no civil marriage at all.

HiJolly

[HiJolly]

Do you have a source for this? That'd be an awesome source to have available.

Todd Compton's In Sacred lonliness.

HiJolly

[HiJolly]

Would someone please answer this question..

What was the primary purpose for polygamy?

To raise up a righteous posterity to the Lord.

To have more children under one righteous household?

right.

Or was it for widowed women that had children they could not support alone and thus become a multiple wife?

This is not the reason. Even when Joseph was sealed to a few women over the age of 40, (or was it just Sis. Morgan?) He still didn't financially provide for them like a civilly married husband would have.

I understand the Lord felt it necessary but why?

Some have suggested that it was an "Abrahamic sacrifice" for the purification and refinement of those involved. I don't know, myself.

HiJolly

[Just_A_Guy]

FWIW, someone has done statistical studies of the Church in the pioneer era, and there were not large numbers of unattached women who needed to be married off.

People Magazine has an item on the attempt to prosecute Brown, here. Frankly, the Utah AG has a long-standing policy of not prosecuting polygamy per se; so I suspect the sheriff here is just wasting his time.

[Soulsearcher]

Hate to be the cynic here but it could also be part of the plot for the show. Sheriff makes the statement and it stirs some interest. It comes up on the show now and then to make it of interest and possibly help if there is an election coming up for the position. Might not be a legal maneuver as much as a publicity thing.

[confuzzled]

I watched the show simply out of curiosity. One thing I personally appreciated was that the husband (I think his name is Kody Brown) said that he was not a member of the LDS or Mormon faith.

I personally thought the show was interesting as it gave me a different insight into that life style.

[Therauh]

Was just reading this and the comments on yahoo - Utah police investigate plural family for bigamy

Personally I think it would cause alot of jealousy but these people seem to be making it work so in their case it seems like it might be kinda evolutionary....Here are those 4 other hands some woman wished they had.

possible???

Housework....Done!

Kids...Happy and not neglected!

Dang...what we gonna do now???

Lets watch "Days of Our Lives" or them crazy people on that one show "Desperate Housewives"

Sister Wives all cracking up laughing...

Edited September 29, 2010 by Therauh

[pam]

FWIW, someone has done statistical studies of the Church in the pioneer era, and there were not large numbers of unattached women who needed to be married off.

People Magazine has an item on the attempt to prosecute Brown, here. Frankly, the Utah AG has a long-standing policy of not prosecuting polygamy per se; so I suspect the sheriff here is just wasting his time.

Mark Shurtleff has said numerous times that the state doesn't pursue cases unless there is suspicion of fraud, abuse etc.

[john doe]

Going back to the issue of marriage vs. sealing. Today we are sealed for time AND eternity. For Smith, he married some women for eternity but not for time, as they were married to someone else for time. So you can technically be married for time OR eternity if the situation warrants it.

I believe you may be mistaken on this. I believe that some women, and men as well, were sealed to Joseph. This does not mean he was married to them for eternity, and once people understood the sealing ordinance, it was discontinued. I don't have a source for that, but that sits in my memory banks and rings true to me.

[bytebear]

I believe you may be mistaken on this. I believe that some women, and men as well, were sealed to Joseph. This does not mean he was married to them for eternity, and once people understood the sealing ordinance, it was discontinued. I don't have a source for that, but that sits in my memory banks and rings true to me.

Yes, in the early years of sealings, the rules for who was sealed to whom were pretty lax, and everyone wanted to be sealed to the prophet, whehter as wife, sister or brother, so I suspect there may have been some women who we now consider "wives" who may have been sealed as sisters just as some men were sealed as brothers. Helen Mar Kimball (often cited as a child bride of Joseph) was sealed to him at the request of her father, apostle Heber C. Kimball so that the two families would be connected in the afterlife. There is no evidence that it was anything more than a spiritual contract.

[bytebear]

One thing I do find interesting is that even if this guy adds the fourth wife and her three kids, he will still have fewer kids than the fundamentalist Christian father who has 19 kids (and counting) all from one woman. I feel for that woman!

[Moksha]

I don't care if he provides shelter, food, clothing and kindness but intimacy is a super tough one for me.

There is also the danger that the polygamous husband could have favorites within the bunch that does not include the first wife. For instance, he may run across an erudite wife who is a delightful conversationalist and presents herself well to visiting dignitaries. He might even build a mansion just for her in which she can help him entertain such dignitaries and potential business partners. Then he might also find a very nubile teenager that rekindles earthy thoughts and desires and she becomes in favorite in that manner. If this were to happen, it could even lend itself to the feeling of Déjà vu. So there are a few ups and downs with The Principle.

[Just_A_Guy]

Of course, there are "dangers" with marriage per se--and parenthood--as well.

[Maureen]

There is also the danger that the polygamous husband could have favorites within the bunch that does not include the first wife. For instance, he may run across an erudite wife who is a delightful conversationalist and presents herself well to visiting dignitaries. He might even build a mansion just for her in which she can help him entertain such dignitaries and potential business partners. Then he might also find a very nubile teenager that rekindles earthy thoughts and desires and she becomes in favorite in that manner. If this were to happen, it could even lend itself to the feeling of Déjà vu. So there are a few ups and downs with The Principle.

Are you a Big Love fan, Moksha? :)

M.

[Moksha]

Are you a Big Love fan, Moksha? :)

M.

I could be if I was willing to subscribe to HBO. I like to hold my TV consumption down to 10 or less hours per week whenever possible. I know from several LDS discussion sites, that a number of the readers are Big Love fans.

I did enjoy listening to their Christmas music.

[JThimm88]

I could be if I was willing to subscribe to HBO. I like to hold my TV consumption down to 10 or less hours per week whenever possible. I know from several LDS discussion sites, that a number of the readers are Big Love fans.

I did enjoy listening to their Christmas music.

Oh my... I remember the Christmas music!

[Intrigued]

I mean really, if he truly believes that multiple marriages are ok, then how come his wives can't have multiple husbands? I'll tell you why-- Its because he thinks he is more worthy of being content than women are.

And any man who believes that, is not decent. Nor is he worthy of a good woman's love.

I don't mean to come off as flaming (because I'm honestly not) but you should check with LDS theology before you.. erhm.. call God indecent.

I don't want to derail this thread.. apologies for the driveby comment.

[jayanna]

Well, if they are not claiming to be legally married, then what law could they be breaking? Technically one is married and the others are living together. So, while they might say 'wives' it really means wife and girlfriends.

This would be a hard thing to make stick, legally.

[Just_A_Guy]

Not that hard, Jayanna.

Utah Code Annotated 76-7-101: (1) A person is guilty of bigamy when, knowing he has a husband or wife or knowing the other person has a husband or wife, the person purports to marry another person or cohabits with another person.

[MarginOfError]

Not that hard, Jayanna.

Utah Code Annotated 76-7-101: (1) A person is guilty of bigamy when, knowing he has a husband or wife or knowing the other person has a husband or wife, the person purports to marry another person or cohabits with another person.

Just out of curiousity, JAG, do you think any charges would hold? Would this statute hold up in court? To me, it seems on the fringe of constitutionality. (by that I mean, can we really tell two consenting adults they can't live together if they both know at least one party is married to another person?)

[pam]

Just seems to me that would be picking and choosing when they will uphold the law.

[hordak]

Just out of curiousity, JAG, do you think any charges would hold? Would this statute hold up in court? To me, it seems on the fringe of constitutionality. (by that I mean, can we really tell two consenting adults they can't live together if they both know at least one party is married to another person?)

A person is guilty of bigamy when, knowing he has a husband or wife or knowing the other person has a husband or wife, the person purports to marry another person or cohabits with another person.

Is that a nod to SSM?:p.

Must be a lot of nursing homes in Utah cause taking in Grandma could make you a bigamist:eek:

[MarginOfError]

Is that a nod to SSM?:p.

That's a great point! Does Utah also prosecute men who leave their wives and cohabitate with a romantic male partner?

Does Utah prosecute people who cohabitate with a lover while they wait for their divorce proceedings to finalize?

Must be a lot of nursing homes in Utah cause taking in Grandma could make you a bigamist:eek:

That could almost (almost--but not quite) be an argument for living in Utah. "Sorry, mother-in-law, it's against the law for you to live with us."