A Scenario for our Male Apologists to Consider...

[_zeezrom]

This is a super cool OP.

I have thought about this. While it would be more pleasant to have multiple women than men in the house, I think I might still be willing to give it a shot. The following items need to be in place:

1. This man must be a great conversationalist
2. This man must appreciate beautiful things
3. This man must not be lazy
4. This man must be able to sing and dance
5. This man must appreciate my cooking
6. This man must have a steady career that pays well
7. This man must make at least half of all my dear wife's dreams come true

We would have a ball.

[_bcspace]

Does this at least give you a glimpse as to why accepting plural marriage as an eternal law would be difficult for faithful LDS women to understand or deal with?

Not at all. Either one ultimately believes or one doesn't. We already have just as great a difficulty the way things are. Men are built mentally and physically to mate with multiple women. Yet we must put all that aside and mate only with one for life. On top of that, we must suffer through a 3-hour Sunday block. Believe me, men have it just as bad if not worse.

Bottom line: You don't understand men.

[_zeezrom]

Oh and wait! Is there such a thing as a female Mormon apologist?

[_ludwigm]

And your response?

Oh, I was more than happy to go along with it. I don't expect polygamy to ever come back to the LDS Church anyhow, so that was an easy condition to go along with.

The New and Eternal Marriage Covenant: A Proclamation to the World - decreed by The First Female Prophet.

Don't be afraid, it is not nigh...

[_Dr. Shades]

So the alternative is monogamy for the lucky, and celibacy for the unlucky. I ask you again, are you okay with the alternative?

I can't speak for Liz, but I know I certainly am.

[_beastie]

Not at all. Either one ultimately believes or one doesn't. We already have just as great a difficulty the way things are. Men are built mentally and physically to mate with multiple women. Yet we must put all that aside and mate only with one for life. On top of that, we must suffer through a 3-hour Sunday block. Believe me, men have it just as bad if not worse.

Bottom line: You don't understand men.

And you really don't understand women, nor do you understand evolution and biology, all of which point to the fact that women are also "built" to mate with more than one man. In fact, that's why the male sex organ is shaped the way it is - to plunge out the competitor's semen.

You also clearly don't understand the female capacity for orgasms. More's the pity for your wife.

Evolutionary biology demonstrates that human beings are prone to have one primary mate, and do some dabbling on the side. Which is, of course, a summary of the history of this planet. Of course, this, like all generalizations, only predicts trends and not individual behavior.

[_beastie]

For Latter-day Saints, just as it is for Protestants of all denominations, there are three actively attending women for every two actively attending men. That leaves a surplus of women. Now some of the women aren't going to have a great desire to marry, and some of them are going to be okay with marrying men that can't take them to the temple, either inside or outside the LDS Church. But I think even if you subtract those women out, you're still going to have a surplus.

So the alternative is monogamy for the lucky, and celibacy for the unlucky. I ask you again, are you okay with the alternative?

Anyone who has been in a bad marriage can tell you that celibacy of FAR preferable.

[_Doctor CamNC4Me]

As to the OP, when I was a faithful member this very topic was brought up in Sunday school to help the men understand Emma's "faithfulness". I remember thinking to myself, "Nope. Not a chance in Hell I'd do that."

It's clear to me that women who have historically participated in polygamy have generally been disadvantaged & to leave the polygamous union would cause them certain poverty at best, and death at worst. Additionally, once they have kids they understand very well that their fate is generally shared with their offspring.

Are there women who have enjoyed polygamous and polyandrous relationships? Sure. Same with men. I'd venture that the vast majority of women involved in polygamous unions would either prefer a monogamous relationship, no relationship, or the ability to be "married" but have something on the side.

- VRDRC

[_KevinSim]

The New and Eternal Marriage Covenant: A Proclamation to the World - decreed by The First Female Prophet.

Don't be afraid, it is not nigh...

Probably not in my lifetime! So once again I don't have to worry about it.

[_KevinSim]

I can't speak for Liz, but I know I certainly am.

Got to ask you a question, Dr. Shades; are you male or female? It makes a difference here. If you're male you'd obviously be okay with the alternative, because no matter what happens you can have monogamy. You're among the lucky. All you have to do is refrain from being a jerk, and your life ends up pretty good.

But if you're female, then you stand a 33% chance of being among the unlucky.