Is polygamy a protected religious right?

[frankenbeemer]

Individuals have a recognized constitutional right to engage in any form of consensual sexual relationship with any number of partners. Thus, a person can live with multiple partners and even sire children from different partners so long as they do not marry. However, when that same person accepts a legal commitment for those partners "as a spouse," we jail them.

[ldsbeaker]

?? I think that's the real question. Polygamy is just ONE example.

Here's an excerpt from the following link. http://scriptures.lds.org/en/od/1


"Inasmuch as laws have been enacted by Congress forbidding plural marriages, which laws have been pronounced constitutional by the court of last resort, I hereby declare my intention to submit to those laws, and to use my influence with the members of the Church over which I preside to have them do likewise."
-Wilson Woodruff (President of the LDS Church at the time)

You can read between the lines and infer if you like.

This was BEFORE Utah became a state...

EDIT: I don't know what the other churches/cultures that ARE okay with polygamy think.

[Massive Lee]

Are religious rights above civil rights as established by a country's legal constitution? When a country's constitution was written, was it itself affected by the majority's or founders' religion in a way or another?

[ldsbeaker]

If you're a polygamist, you're not a part of the Church. Period. I don't care where you live.

They must be in the Re-formed Church or something.

One wife is plenty for me, thank you very much.

If that's how your church rolls, then by all means, have at it, but IIRC, polygamy is verboten in the States. (Officially)

[Philo]

The problem arises when the government gives special considerations to married couples, such as combined taxes. If there was no economical benefit to a marriage (which is a sanction of the church) people could marry whoever and however many people would agree to the union.

With respect to the percentages of cultures, more cultures prefer the practice of polygamy. This does not mean the majority of world population agrees, or practices it. Also, in most cultures which practice polygyny, it is required that the man can fully support their multiple wives - which is why in many practicing countries, men never have more than one wife.

[frankenbeemer]

Swaying, but still not convinced.

[mar1t1me]

See, the Mormons believe that in order to become a god, which is their goal, you must create people, like God. Since having only one woman means limited people production, (gestation period of 9 inconvenient months) more women are necessary so that creation can continue unabated.

They also do not believe in salvation through Jesus. Instead, ya gotta create. Of course, older women don't dig being treated like a useful device, so the Mormon guys like 'em young an impressionable.

Fun read.

"4) Mormons bang like a shit-house door. Thought they are staunchly anti-alcohol, anti-drug (except as noted above), anti-caffeine, and anti-porn, they are pro-sex. Many are addicted to sex, particularly the men because procreation is first and foremost in their minds. To become a God, one must first prove one’s “virility” by having as many kids as possible in this life. Polygamy is rife, and although officially outlawed by the Church, polygamy remains a part of Church doctrine for the next life. Polygamy is handed down from the Mormon’s greatest leader, Brigham Young, who had 27 legitimate wives, tons of illegitimate mistresses and more than 40 legitimate children that we know of. Following their leader, many Mormon men get a jump-start (so to speak) on future polygamy by taking mistresses in this life and practicing on young girls, sometimes even their daughters. Teen-age pregnancy is unusually high in Utah. Child sexual abuse is unbelievably high. Large families, usually averaging seven or eight children, are the norm.

5) An estimated 100,000 polygamists live in Utah. The Church says plural marriage is unaccept-able, however it will accept all of their votes, their money, and secretly give them the nod like it’s the cool thing to do. Plural marriage is every good Mormon man’s dream life, and their guaranteed lifestyle if they make it into the highest level of heaven."

You decide.

[frankenbeemer]

I'm not convinced yet.

[Massive Lee]

Winston Blackmore and Jamer Oler, rival Mormon community leaders in British Columbia, claim it is.