Monogamy

[Lightkeeper]

How do we explain the high divorce rate, multiple partners, marital affairs, premarital affairs. This does not seem like monogamy to me.

 

[Sunstone]

I think that in biological terms, humans have more than one mating strategy, Lightkeeper. We are not like some birds that seem to have only monogamy as a mating strategy. So, we have some flexibility in our behavior.

 

[painted wolf]

Monogomy is a cultural mating stratagy. Many cultures did not have monogomy and got along quite well. Polygamy, Polyandry and literally dozens of vatiation on those themes have been used by various cultures though time.

It has been shown that eaven 'monogomus' animals (birds in particular) are not really monogamus. In most 'monogomus' bird relationships the eggs do not all belong to the same father at a rate of up to 70%. It is more a matter of choosing who you feel will be the best provider for the children rather than who has the best genes to make the children.

Monogomy is nice on paper and for the most part in practice, but it isn't the only or eaven nessisarily the best option.

wa:do

 

[jewscout]

This seems like a false dichotomy. Most humans are monogamous in monogamous societies.

Agreed Deut. I think, like druid said earlier, biologically we aren't monogamous but i think religion and society institutionalizes what sort of relationships are "acceptable". I personally only want to mate with one woman http://www.religiousforums.com/forum/showthread.php?p=59393#post59393
:flirt:

 

[cardero]

I do not believe we were meant to BE monogamous. I think it is a forced society belief and not something dictated to by a free-willing GOD. Man and women both enjoy variety in their experiences in life and with some people monogamous relationships do not encourage that spice of variety. A co-worker and I were also talking about the fact that it takes more than two working adults to make ends meet when it comes to the financial responsibilities in a family household. I am not saying that polygamy will ever be legalized but I think that in the future you may see a more accepted view of many adults living together whether they are committed by marriage or not.

 

[Melody]

Some animals are monogamous and mate for life? Are humans monogamous or is monogamy a forced religious state?

I don't know but my husband and I agree that we really need a wife.

 

[Sunstone]

Monogamy is not just a cultural construct, but also seems to have biological roots. That is, there seem to be specific neurochemicals associated with it, such as oxytocin in both men and women, and vassopresin in men.