Fiannan Posted February 7, 2008 Report Share Posted February 7, 2008 Husbands with multiple wives have been given the go-ahead to claim extra welfare benefits following a year-long Government review, The Sunday Telegraph can reveal.Even though bigamy is a crime in Britain, the decision by ministers means that polygamous marriages can now be recognised formally by the state, so long as the weddings took place in countries where the arrangement is legal.The outcome will chiefly benefit Muslim men with more than one wife, as is permitted under Islamic law. Ministers estimate that up to a thousand polygamous partnerships exist in Britain, although they admit there is no exact record.The decision has been condemned by the Tories, who accused the Government of offering preferential treatment to a particular group, and of setting a precedent that would lead to demands for further changes in British law. Multiple wives will mean multiple benefits - TelegraphComments? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elgama Posted February 7, 2008 Report Share Posted February 7, 2008 well depends how many are on benefits but that could in theory allow the government to save money on their welfare bill - a married couple get less than two single people, also allows them to take a lot of people off benefits I should imagine as until the marriage is recognised the husband would not be seen as liable for his wife so she could claim benefits now his earnings can be taken into account All in all a very sensible move and allows for tolerance as well. -Charley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiannan Posted February 7, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2008 well depends how many are on benefits but that could in theory allow the government to save money on their welfare bill - a married couple get less than two single people, also allows them to take a lot of people off benefits I should imagine as until the marriage is recognised the husband would not be seen as liable for his wife so she could claim benefits now his earnings can be taken into accountAll in all a very sensible move and allows for tolerance as well.-Charley If Britianstan allows all people to EQUALLY participate in polygamy then that's okay. but the article says that polygamy can exist only if people are married in nations that allow it. In other words, that means only people married in MUSLIM countries -- that that is wrong, wrong, wrong. I suppose one could just travel to a Muslim nation and take a few women with you to marry but I am not sure how that works.My son's barber siad he has a friend in Turkey who is LDS and has two wives so I suppose some of the Christians who have multiple wives in the Middle East could benefit but to make this totally fair then everyone should be able to participate.In another respect though I know that polygamy will come back in the future so maybe this is the spark that will bring it to legal recognition throughout the western world. Then the Church will have to re-instate it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moksha Posted February 7, 2008 Report Share Posted February 7, 2008 So will this have implications for the Mormons in Britain? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the_jason Posted February 7, 2008 Report Share Posted February 7, 2008 That's government for ya. "You're breaking the law, but we'll go ahead and reward you anyway." Sounds like what's happening with illegal immigrants in the US. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the_jason Posted February 7, 2008 Report Share Posted February 7, 2008 My son's barber siad he has a friend in Turkey who is LDS and has two wives.Three possibilities here. Either the barber is misinformed, or the friend is part of a so-called "fundamentalist" Mormon group, or he is less active and it is not known to the church. There's no way this person is an active member, or he'd have been excommunicated by now. President Hinckley said on numerous occasions that anyone who practices polygamy in the church is excommunicated. He didn't give an exception to people of other cultures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WillowTheWhisp Posted February 7, 2008 Report Share Posted February 7, 2008 So will this have implications for the Mormons in Britain?Not unless there's a sudden revelation to President Monson on the subject and we can go and marry in a foreign country where it is permissible to do so.It's a barmy idea and should never have even been considered. You can't allow it for some people and not for others. How racist is that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaskagain Posted February 7, 2008 Report Share Posted February 7, 2008 In another respect though I know that polygamy will come back in the future so maybe this is the spark that will bring it to legal recognition throughout the western world. Then the Church will have to re-instate it. The Church won't have to reinstate it. If ever the practice were to be reinstated, it will be reinstated by revelation from the Lord. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorningStar Posted February 8, 2008 Report Share Posted February 8, 2008 I agree, Alaska. Legalization of polygamy will not automatically mean we will be practicing it again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the_jason Posted February 8, 2008 Report Share Posted February 8, 2008 In another respect though I know that polygamy will come back in the future so maybe this is the spark that will bring it to legal recognition throughout the western world. Then the Church will have to re-instate it.The Church has never bowed to pressure from society to change their doctrines or policies. Have you forgotten that this is the Lord's church? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiannan Posted February 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2008 Three possibilities here. Either the barber is misinformed, or the friend is part of a so-called "fundamentalist" Mormon group, or he is less active and it is not known to the church. There's no way this person is an active member, or he'd have been excommunicated by now. President Hinckley said on numerous occasions that anyone who practices polygamy in the church is excommunicated. He didn't give an exception to people of other cultures. Are you absolutely sure about that? Men practiced polygamy decades after the official proclaimation put polygamy on hold -- most, not all, who were already married or engaged to be married to more than one wife could keep the practice alive since divorce would be unacceptable.I know there are Protestant churches now that if a man with more than one wife converts to their church they can keep the wives they already have -- wouldn't we have the same policy if, let's say, a man from Africa or the Middle East with several wives converted to the Church?I have rad that at one time the LDS Church had a foothold in countries like Lebanon and Turkey but the organizations there eventually collapsed. Perhaps then this Turkish LDS man was a son or grandson who was maintaining the fiath and since Christians in the Middle East can, and do, on occasion take more than one wife maybe... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiannan Posted February 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2008 The Church has never bowed to pressure from society to change their doctrines or policies. Have you forgotten that this is the Lord's church? Depends on how you interpret the reasons behind the proclaimation in the first place. Also, even Jesus said that divorce was allowed in the Mosaic Law due to the hardness of the hearts of man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elgama Posted February 8, 2008 Report Share Posted February 8, 2008 If Britianstan allows all people to EQUALLY participate in polygamy then that's okay. but the article says that polygamy can exist only if people are married in nations that allow it. In other words, that means only people married in MUSLIM countries -- that that is wrong, wrong, wrong. I suppose one could just travel to a Muslim nation and take a few women with you to marry but I am not sure how that works.My son's barber siad he has a friend in Turkey who is LDS and has two wives so I suppose some of the Christians who have multiple wives in the Middle East could benefit but to make this totally fair then everyone should be able to participate.In another respect though I know that polygamy will come back in the future so maybe this is the spark that will bring it to legal recognition throughout the western world. Then the Church will have to re-instate it.i am sure if a Christian married more than one person in a Muslim country then the benefits agency would have no problem in cutting their benefits - given this is a recognisation to save tax money more than anything else I don't see the problem. -Charley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the_jason Posted February 8, 2008 Report Share Posted February 8, 2008 Are you absolutely sure about that?Positive. I was referring to today, since your story about your barber's friend is today. The prophet spoke very clearly that anyone in the church who is known to be practicing polygamy is excommunicated. I believe the prophet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiannan Posted February 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2008 Positive. I was referring to today, since your story about your barber's friend is today. The prophet spoke very clearly that anyone in the church who is known to be practicing polygamy is excommunicated. I believe the prophet. You are sort of right. If a polygamist joins the Church he has to "separate" from all wives but the first but still has to provide for the others. So no sex I suppose but not real divorce. Kinda complicated I suppose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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