AddamS Posted June 21, 2011 Posted June 21, 2011 I was just curious how members would react if their state had a proposition on the ballot that would legally recognize and decriminalize polygamous marriage.I'm not implying this would/could happen because of, or in spite of the LDS Church. I'm simply asking a hypothetical question based on the idea of polygamy alone, not church policy or history.Would you vote to legalize it or keep it illegal?Do you have any thoughts as to how the LDS Church would react, if at all?
ELF1024 Posted June 21, 2011 Posted June 21, 2011 (edited) I was just curious how members would react if their state had a proposition on the ballot that would legally recognize and decriminalize polygamous marriage.I'm not implying this would/could happen because of, or in spite of the LDS Church. I'm simply asking a hypothetical question based on the idea of polygamy alone, not church policy or history.Would you vote to legalize it or keep it illegal?Do you have any thoughts as to how the LDS Church would react, if at all?I would vote against it becoming legal.I believe the Church would come out against it being legal.As far as I'm concerned, polygamy is having multiple wives, and multiple mother-in-law's too many; there are days monogamy is the same thing. Edited June 21, 2011 by ELF1024
Nathair/|\ Posted June 21, 2011 Posted June 21, 2011 I'd vote to decriminalize it, because I believe that the state shouldn't have that much power over individual lives, but I wouldn't support the state being involved in those marriages. I am neutral on the Church resuming the practice. I am opposed to myself taking additional wives because I don't feel I am a good enough husband to the one I have.
changed Posted June 21, 2011 Posted June 21, 2011 I agree with both Elf and Nathair - personally, I am very glad that I did not live during the days of the early church, even though I think I understand why it was asked... I also agree that marriage is not really something that the gov needs to get involve with anyways... I think people would abuse the practice, misrepresent it etc. etc. so the practice if not done within the bounds of the church, and not directed by God, would be a very ugly thing...
cinepro Posted June 21, 2011 Posted June 21, 2011 Being a libertarian (little "L"), I would vote to decriminalize it. But I've heard it's outlawed in the Utah state constitution, so it wouldn't change anything for the Church either way.
bluebell Posted June 21, 2011 Posted June 21, 2011 I would vote to make it decriminalize it as well. I think it's idiotic that it's illegal.I have no desire to ever be in a polygamous marriage and i agree with the church's doctrine on it that it's immoral unless God has commanded it (and i believe that He hasn't), but i see no benefit from prosecuting people who are living together as husband and wives when they are capable of supporting their children and being contributing members of society. 1
KevinG Posted June 21, 2011 Posted June 21, 2011 The federal government had no business making it illegal, so I'd vote to decriminalize. Then I'd follow Church policy on what form of marriage to practice and how.
Daniel2 Posted June 21, 2011 Posted June 21, 2011 (edited) I'd decriminalize it and work to find the equitable protections of the legal rights, priviledges, and responsibilities of spouses and children of polygamist marriages.Daniel2 Edited June 21, 2011 by Daniel2
ELF1024 Posted June 21, 2011 Posted June 21, 2011 I'd vote to decriminalize it, because I believe that the state shouldn't have that much power over individual lives, but I wouldn't support the state being involved in those marriages. I am neutral on the Church resuming the practice. I am opposed to myself taking additional wives because I don't feel I am a good enough husband to the one I have. IMHO we have enough idiot men (and women) who muck up marriage badly enough when there is only one set of people involved. I don't see any reason to allow them to screw marriage up worse than it already is.I can just imagine the Jerry Springer-esque divorces where twelve women are divorcing the same man at once.
AddamS Posted June 21, 2011 Author Posted June 21, 2011 I'm not LDS, but I don't think the Fed (or for that matter, the State) belong in the marriage business.If civil unions need to be tracked to make sure Social Programs aren't being taken advantage of and to make sure the participants are consenting adults I don't have a problem with civil unions being registered.
LeSellers Posted June 21, 2011 Posted June 21, 2011 IMHO we have enough idiot men (and women) who muck up marriage badly enough when there is only one set of people involved. I don't see any reason to allow them to screw marriage up worse than it already is.I can just imagine the Jerry Springer-esque divorces where twelve women are divorcing the same man at once.I think you're over imagining.If there were polygyny, none of those women would have had to marry the jerk—they'd have been able to find a good man. A fraction of a good man is better than a whole bad one. Ask any mistress. Lehi
LeSellers Posted June 21, 2011 Posted June 21, 2011 (edited) I'm not LDS, but I don't think the Fed (or for that matter, the State) belong in the marriage business.Hear! Hear!!If civil unions need to be tracked to make sure Social Programs aren't being taken advantage of and to make sure the participants are consenting adults I don't have a problem with civil unions being registered.It would be much better to do away with the social programs, rather than create new levels of bureaucracy and whole new bureaucracies. They cause nothing but trouble any way.Lehi Edited June 21, 2011 by LeSellers
KevinG Posted June 21, 2011 Posted June 21, 2011 The legal protections for a legal multiple spouse would be far better than the lot that most divorcees and mistresses get stuck with.From a practical standpoint LDS society would have to get much better at monogomy before polygyny was remotely practical. It grates on me that current LDS denegrate those in our history who were required and called to practice those laws. Even the LDS as a whole are very ignorant about the practice and underlying doctrines of the principle. 1
ELF1024 Posted June 21, 2011 Posted June 21, 2011 (edited) I think you're over imagining.If there were polygyny, none of those women would have had to marry the jerk—they'd have been able to find a good man. A fraction of a good man is better than a whole bad one. Ask any mistress. LehiI believe women marry bad men because they have never known anything better. They don't choose the abuse on purpose, they just don't know any other way to live; and they accept it as "normal".I don't see this changing... most "good men" know how much work a marriage to one woman is. I can't fathom trying to keep two women happy in a marriage.A bad man wouldn't see the inherent challenge to keep the women happy, it's just another woman to beat down and abuse.What good man would have a mistress? Edited June 21, 2011 by ELF1024
zerinus Posted June 21, 2011 Posted June 21, 2011 I was just curious how members would react if their state had a proposition on the ballot that would legally recognize and decriminalize polygamous marriage.I'm not implying this would/could happen because of, or in spite of the LDS Church. I'm simply asking a hypothetical question based on the idea of polygamy alone, not church policy or history.Would you vote to legalize it or keep it illegal?Do you have any thoughts as to how the LDS Church would react, if at all?I would not be in favor of it, and I am guessing that the LDS Church would not be either. Polygamy is a principle that could easily abused (as indeed monogamy can be), if the necessary safeguards did not exist to prevent it. If polygamy was legalized, it would have to be legalized for everybody, not just for LDS; which would increase the potential for its abuse.
AddamS Posted June 21, 2011 Author Posted June 21, 2011 It would be much better to do away with the social programs, rather than create new levels of bureaucracy and whole new bureaucracies. They cause nothing but trouble any way.While I agree in principle with what you're saying, Americans as a whole don't have the stomach for this. Once a program is in place, it's really hard to get rid of it.
TAO Posted June 21, 2011 Posted June 21, 2011 I would vote against it. Zenirus provides the reasoning.
MorningStar Posted June 21, 2011 Posted June 21, 2011 I am against polygamy, but I don't see why anyone should be thrown in jail for it when people aren't jailed for adultery or having multiple sex partners without being married. Polygamous marriages aren't legitimate, so it's really a case of a married man having several mistresses. I knew a guy in high school who got five different girls pregnant. No one put him in jail. 1
bluebell Posted June 21, 2011 Posted June 21, 2011 I am against polygamy, but I don't see why anyone should be thrown in jail for it when people aren't jailed for adultery or having multiple sex partners without being married. Polygamous marriages aren't legitimate, so it's really a case of a married man having several mistresses. I knew a guy in high school who got five different girls pregnant. No one put him in jail.This is my issue as well.As long as the law is going to support people having children without any desire to care for them, and as long as it's going to support adultery, then i don't see why they should take a moral stand against polygamy. 1
Luigi Posted June 21, 2011 Posted June 21, 2011 I would vote to decriminalize it. The Church would never implement it again and would perhaps fight it being descriminalized.
Avatar4321 Posted June 22, 2011 Posted June 22, 2011 The Lord's position is that it's not legal unless He says so. Absent a revelation directing otherwise, Id have to support keeping it illegal.
Anijen Posted June 22, 2011 Posted June 22, 2011 I would rather it be legal than not just for freedom of religion sake. I do not think that I could live it unless I was commanded too and my wife agreed.
Kenngo1969 Posted June 22, 2011 Posted June 22, 2011 I'd have to monog before I could polyg, anyway! 1
krose Posted June 22, 2011 Posted June 22, 2011 It's already essentially de-criminalized, in that nobody is prosecuted for this 'crime' anymore, much like the unenforced laws against fornication and co-habitation that are still on the books in some states.The only people who are prosecuted are those who can be proved to have taken underage wives.And no, it should also not be illegal, even if only technically. We (in the form of our governments and laws) have no right to control how consenting adults choose to conduct their personal relationships.
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