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Polygamy...your thoughts?

Thanda

Well-Known Member
That doesn't make sense. A man is to leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife and together they become one flesh. He can't be one flesh with more than one woman, that would be two unions, not one.

Genesis 2:24 makes it clear. If you don't think so it is because you are trying to read something in that isn't there because you want it to be there.

The Bible makes it clear that when a man marries a woman he should be one with her. What is not said is that he should only do this once in his life. It does not say that he cannot repeat this process. Furthermore in John 17 Jesus prays and speaks extensively about the doctrine of oneness. He says that he is one with his father and he prays that his disciples may be one with each other and that they and Him and his Father can all be one together. Therefore there is clearly no limit to the number of people who can come together to achieve oneness.
 

First Baseman

Retired athlete
The Bible makes it clear that when a man marries a woman he should be one with her. What is not said is that he should only do this once in his life. It does not say that he cannot repeat this process. Furthermore in John 17 Jesus prays and speaks extensively about the doctrine of oneness. He says that he is one with his father and he prays that his disciples may be one with each other and that they and Him and his Father can all be one together. Therefore there is clearly no limit to the number of people who can come together to achieve oneness.

Two different things entirely. Marriage is defined in the Bible as between a man and a woman. Marriage is physical and spiritual. It is clearly implied that when the man leaves his father and mother and joins with his wife this is to be a relationship that is supposed to last until one of them dies. Again, you are just reading in what you will.

Oneness with Jesus is a purely spiritual union with no physical significance at all. Jesus' spiritual doctrines are not physical and He even says that His words are spiritual.

Of course He didn't want his disciples to eat his actual flesh and drink His actual blood, else He would have had them do this at the Last Supper. Jesus taught spiritual things and the union between the follower and the Holy Spirit is such a spiritual union.
 

SSDSSDSSD3

The Great Sea Under!
Considering the U.S. bans polygamy and other creepy, (socially unacceptable) stuff, I'd say no to polygamy. (Or at least don't give marriages any benefits).
 

Thanda

Well-Known Member
Two different things entirely. Marriage is defined in the Bible as between a man and a woman. Marriage is physical and spiritual. It is clearly implied that when the man leaves his father and mother and joins with his wife this is to be a relationship that is supposed to last until one of them dies. Again, you are just reading in what you will.

Oneness with Jesus is a purely spiritual union with no physical significance at all. Jesus' spiritual doctrines are not physical and He even says that His words are spiritual.

Of course He didn't want his disciples to eat his actual flesh and drink His actual blood, else He would have had them do this at the Last Supper. Jesus taught spiritual things and the union between the follower and the Holy Spirit is such a spiritual union.

How does a man and his wife become one physically?
 

Neo Deist

Th.D. & D.Div. h.c.
Jesus Christ in Matthew 4:19:4-6

4 “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’? 6 So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

Genesis 2:24 makes it clear that a man is only supposed to have one wife:

That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.

Not everyone is a Christian or Jew. Many people could care less what ancient, primitive people wrote down on some scrolls thousands of years ago. But the OT also talks about how to treat your slaves, to rape women that you conquer, and to bash children's heads on the rocks. You don't get to pick only what you like and discard the rest. Do you follow the Bible 100%, or just cherry pick the good stuff?
 

Aupmanyav

Be your own guru
Polygamy, is it not a physical requirement for a man around middle-age? Rama and Krishna both had loving step-mothers.
 
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Tomorrows_Child

Active Member
I support polygamy if it's done for the correct reasons, i.e. many of them mentioned in the Quran and throughout Islamic example. These marriages may be done for the protection of a particular woman, for the benefit of society where women far outnumber the men etc etc. However, the best form of a marital relationship, between a man and a woman, as encouraged by Allah is the relationship between one man and one woman.

Polygamy as an option is fine but it should not be the norm.
 

Brian Schuh

Well-Known Member
Polygamy causes jealousy and competition between wives, so should be discouraged. However, at one point in European history, the Jewish people fell into extreme poverty and one extremely wealthy Jew alleviated much of the poverty by marrying several hundred women. In this rare example, one man used the Torah's leniency with polygamy for a good purpose.
 

AgnosticGuy

Open-minded skeptic
So the Old Testament has plenty of instances of polygamy from as early as Genesis 4:19.

Do you believe that polygamy is good or bad, and why do you think it is that?

I think that polygamy is good...more women have a life partner when there is polygamy.
There are different ways that polygamy can be practiced. I'm only okay with the polygamy that involves consenting adults. When consent between all partners is involved, then that decreases some of the common pitfalls, like jealousy, competition, etc. I say this because the adult consensual polygamists that I've watched actually had one wife helping the husband choose another wife. When all wives work together or actually like each other then jealousy and competition is minimal. In fact the extra love and support that comes from having an extra hand in the marriage makes the jealousy seem like nothing.
 

AgnosticGuy

Open-minded skeptic
Polygamy causes jealousy and competition between wives, so should be discouraged. However, at one point in European history, the Jewish people fell into extreme poverty and one extremely wealthy Jew alleviated much of the poverty by marrying several hundred women. In this rare example, one man used the Torah's leniency with polygamy for a good purpose.
Some guys get jealous when their wife has guy friends. That doesn't mean we should ban opposite sex friendships. When there's jealousy I would say that people need to work on overcoming it instead of trying to ban whatever makes us jealous.
 

Brian Schuh

Well-Known Member
Some guys get jealous when their wife has guy friends. That doesn't mean we should ban opposite sex friendships. When there's jealousy I would say that people need to work on overcoming it instead of trying to ban whatever makes us jealous.
Good point.
 

Jayhawker Soule

-- untitled --
Premium Member
So the Old Testament has plenty of instances of polygamy from as early as Genesis 4:19.

Do you believe that polygamy is good or bad, and why do you think it is that?
When? In early nomadic and pastoralist societies or in the 21st century world? Compared to what? Concubinage? Isolation and desolation?
 

Subhankar Zac

Hare Krishna,Hare Krishna,
That's kinda hot though. ;)
Krishna had 16108 wives (though 16100 were simply to protect them from social shame) still he had 8 wives.
I don't see why it shouldn't be accepted.
 

The_Fisher_King

Trying to bring myself ever closer to Allah
Premium Member
So the Old Testament has plenty of instances of polygamy from as early as Genesis 4:19.

Do you believe that polygamy is good or bad, and why do you think it is that?

I think that polygamy is good...more women have a life partner when there is polygamy.

How are you defining polygamy?
 
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