Half of members would like to return to polygamy?

[_Fiannan]

http://communities.canada.com/vancouver ... trial.aspx

Not sure if it is half but I bet there are a lot of people who would love to see a return to polygamy for a variety of reasons. I will say, however, that the comments from readers at the bottom of the page certainly demonstrate a lack of knowledge about polygamy and church history.

[_truth dancer]

Even though the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints officially renounced polygamy in 1890, a religious studies expert says that mainstream Mormons are nearly evenly split over whether it should continue to be practised. W. John Walsh said Wednesday in B.C. Supreme Court that the LDS church's official position remains that polygamy is banned, but that it's possible that somewhere between 50 and 60 per cent of the church's members "would like a return of polygamy, which they see as a holy practice."

Would like to see the research on this. I think it is his made up wish and hope.

But, yes there are those folk who would like to return to polygamy. Men and women who do not love their spouses, do not care for intimacy, do not like marriage. Women who do not like men or sex are fine with polygamy. Men with big egos who think they are one of the few who would get all the women and would rather have a harem then a soul mate.

So, yeah, I do not doubt there are LDS members who are wishing for the day.

If Walsh is right, that suggests that if Canada's law is struck down, it could cause a major schism in the LDS church and would likely mean a large contingent of disaffected Mormons wanting to immigrate to Canada. Membership in the LDS church is estimated at about 13 million worldwide with 6.7 million living in the United States.

This of course makes no sense whatsoever. Mainstream Mormons are refraining from polygamy due to religious restrictions not government restrictions. They all know that if they want to have numerous partners they will be excommunicated.


~td~

[_Fiannan]

But, yes there are those folk who would like to return to polygamy. Men and women who do not love their spouses, do not care for intimacy, do not like marriage.

Actually, the opposite might just be the case. Few people decide to have a additional child if the one they have is not enjoyable -- chances are, having a wonderful child would cause someone to desire two, three or more kids to maintain and expand the blessings. I would think this would be the case with polygamy as well. Women confident in themselves and their worth (and the love of their husband) would not feel threatened by expanding the marriage relationship. And men who seriously enjoy the company of women on levels transcending mere sex would also welcome the opportunity to engage in polygamy.

Women who do not like men or sex are fine with polygamy. Men with big egos who think they are one of the few who would get all the women and would rather have a harem then a soul mate.

So women who do not like sex should do what...never marry and have the opportunity to have children? Or should they marry and only have sex out of obligation, checking their husband's computer history files to make sure he isn't looking at porn when she is in a two week headache marathon? Maybe such women would make good mothers as well as enjoy the friendship of their husband and other wives if polygamy were permitted.

[_LDS truthseeker]

Let me guess - the half that want the return of polygamy are the men!

[_cafe crema]

Actually, the opposite might just be the case. Few people decide to have a additional child if the one they have is not enjoyable -- chances are, having a wonderful child would cause someone to desire two, three or more kids to maintain and expand the blessings. I would think this would be the case with polygamy as well. Women confident in themselves and their worth (and the love of their husband) would not feel threatened by expanding the marriage relationship. And men who seriously enjoy the company of women on levels transcending mere sex would also welcome the opportunity to engage in polygamy.

A mother having another child is not comparable to a man having another wife. A wife who's husband has gets another wife is more like a child who gets a sibling, whats that phrase used so often to describe the relationship between siblings.

And I'm just curious if "And men who seriously enjoy the company of women on levels transcending mere sex would also welcome the opportunity to engage in polygamy" is the case is are you good if the wording is changed to "And women who seriously enjoy the company of men on levels transcending mere sex would also welcome the opportunity to engage in polygamy"?

[_Hades]

Joe Smith is the only one who did polygamy right. He had a harem of mistresses and he left it up to their real husbands or fathers to support them. Harems are cool until you have to come up with the time, patience and money to support all the women and children. Joe was able to hook up with the wives for sexual escapades and then leave them to someone else to deal with the aftermath.

[_Buffalo]

What about wife swapping? Are they bringing that back too?

[_harmony]

If Walsh is right, that suggests that if Canada's law is struck down, it could cause a major schism in the LDS church and would likely mean a large contingent of disaffected Mormons wanting to immigrate to Canada. Membership in the LDS church is estimated at about 13 million worldwide with 6.7 million living in the United States.

Walsh is not right. There would be no schism at all in the LDS church.

Where do they get this crap?

[_truth dancer]

Actually, the opposite might just be the case. Few people decide to have a additional child if the one they have is not enjoyable -- chances are, having a wonderful child would cause someone to desire two, three or more kids to maintain and expand the blessings.

What utter CRAP.

I find it so odd when people compare a marriage relationship to being parents. Wow... really creepy in my opinion.

I would think this would be the case with polygamy as well. Women confident in themselves and their worth (and the love of their husband) would not feel threatened by expanding the marriage relationship.

Why do you think it is about being threatened? That sounds weird to me.

It has to do with having an intimate, loving, caring, close, exclusive relationship. What woman who loves her husband, wants to have, say one fifth of the relationship? One fifth of the intimacy, care, sex, love, friendship, fun, connection, etc. etc.?

And what man who loves his wife wants to have only one fifth of her love, time, care, attention, friendship, etc.?

Further, what decent man thinks it is great for him to have a harem but his wife is allowed mere crumbs of a relationship? I cannot think of one man who truly loves his wife who thinks this arrangement is even remotely caring, let alone loving.

The whole speaks to a primitive, animalistic arrangement, where men are sperm donars and women are good for nothing but producing.

And men who seriously enjoy the company of women on levels transcending mere sex would also welcome the opportunity to engage in polygamy.

Men and women who do not want only one sex partner may be happy to engage with lots of partners. Enjohying the company of the other sex has nothing to do with it. So?

[_Fiannan]

Truth Dancer, so you would deny women the right to enter into a polygamist marriage? On what grounds...that you know what is best for them?

You take issue with my comparison of kids and multiple wives but I have heard people actually say that they limited their family size because they did not want to divide their attention. What these people fail to consider is that in a large family a dynamic exists that merely involves more people -- and those connections between siblings are generally as valuable as any connection to parents ultimately. In the case of polygamy you again have a communal situation and I would bet that needs of emotional intimacy are met as much, if not more, between wives as between husbands. I mean really, the person who might lose out is the man. I was listening to a comedy routine from Robbin Williams the other night when he was joking about Mormons. To paraphrase he said that with polygamy you would have two women calling you a loser instead of one. And how much time does the polygamist man have to interact with other males outside of work or church? Very little I would bet.

So again, even if only 5% of women desired polygamy what right does the government have to tell them they cannot live this way?