Blaine Robison MA’s: “On Polygamy” Final Section and Citations

All segments of paper at:
http://www.blainerobison.com/concerns/polygamy.htm

THE LAST SECTION:

Answering Objections

Polygamy faces three types of criticism: its legality, its effect and its morality.
It’s Illegal. By legal definition polygamy exists when one marries or cohabits with more than one spouse at a time in purported exercise of plural marriage. The term implies more than two in contrast with bigamy which means a second marriage distinguished from a third or other.[28] All the states adopted antibigamy laws shortly after the founding of the country. The Edmunds Act of 1882 made bigamous cohabitation a misdemeanor, but the Edmunds-Tucker Anti-Polygamy Act of 1887 classified polygamy as a felony. The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the law in 1890.[29] Some states that joined the union after that date included bans against polygamy in their state constitutions.[30]
Christian opponents to polygamy often categorize polygamists as lawbreakers and appeal to the apostolic command to be “in subjection to the governing authorities” (Rom 13:1; cf. 1 Pet 2:13-17). Of course, adultery is also a crime and a much more serious problem in America than polygamy. Even Christians commit adultery. Yet, there is no clamor to jail all the adulterers. The truth is everyone breaks the law, if it’s only the speed law. Scripture says that anyone who breaks even one law has violated the law as a whole (James 2:10).
It is ironic that those who object to polygamy on the grounds of obeying Caesar also lionize colonial patriots who not only broke the law but overthrew a legitimate government by force of arms. The truth is that Christians around the world are quite ready to break the law to stop abortions, spread the Gospel or perform other acts of conscience in order to obey God’s Word. It was for this reason that Jews in the first century continued to practice plural marriage in spite of the Roman “standard” of monogamy. Jesus’ statement about “whom God joined together” (Matt 19:6) illustrates that marriage in Israel was always the province of God and the family, not the idolatrous civil government.
In my view those who practice polygamy, especially from a religious basis, have been unfairly treated. Christians should not tolerate infringements of religious liberty, just because it doesn’t fit one’s theology. One only needs to survey the case archives of Christian legal advocacy organizations to understand the insidious and pervasive nature of the problem. The U.S. is not a Christian nation and our right to practice our faith according to the Scriptures and our conscience is under attack every day.
Polygamists employ various strategies to avoid legal penalties. Some don’t register any marriage or call themselves married either publicly or on government forms. After all, bigamy and adultery are only crimes for married people and only a few states still criminalize “lewd and lascivious” cohabitation (Florida, Michigan, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, Virginia and West Virginia). Polygamists may call additional wives “concubines” since there are no laws against concubinage. Some polygamists divorce and marry each wife in turn in order to establish a lawful basis for the relationship. There is no law against living with your ex-wife and this procedure allows partaking of the legal benefits of marriage.
There is some good news for polygamists. The attorneys general of Utah and Arizona have said in recent interviews that they have no intention of prosecuting polygamists unless they commit other crimes such as incest or taking underage brides.[31] As a result polygamist communities and leaders have become more open with authorities to report offenses against minors. Actually the real threat to polygamists across the country is not prosecution but social opposition, whether expulsion from churches, discrimination by employers or child custody lawsuits instigated by disapproving relatives.
Perhaps it’s time for Christians to return to a biblical view of marriage. A covenant of lifetime companionship without a bureaucratic license was considered marriage for over five thousand years before the government got involved. Government sanctioned ceremonies, whether civil or religious, do not guarantee the durability of a relationship. Half of all legal marriages, including Christian, end in divorce, usually with much acrimony and at great expense. This is better than polygamy?
It’s Harmful
The second attack on polygamy criticizes the nature of the relationship. The Media has given sensational coverage to several cases of “marriage” to underage girls or close relatives, the most notorious of which are Warren Jeffs and Tom Green. Such stories suggest that all polygamists in America are either rapists or prurient religious fanatics. The rhetoric of conservative family activists criticizes polygamy as being just too improper, too unhealthy for the good of society. The practice surely demeans women and harms the children involved. And, the only reason it exists is to give men all the sex they want.
In response polygamous wives are openly defending their choice in Media interviews, insisting they have not been coerced, don’t feel demeaned and are not sex slaves.[32] Some have even offered compelling glimpses into their lifestyle through books and websites. (See the Polygamy References and the Polygamy Websites sections at the end of this article.) They’re quick to remind the public that every polygamous marriage has more women in it than men. From their point of view polygamy is primarily for women.
Polygamy has even become a new arena for feminists to assert their cause. In monogamy the wife often struggles with the expectation to be all things to her husband and children. Feminists regard polygamy as liberating. The noted libertarian John Tierney defended polygamy in a March 11, 2006, New York Times editorial, in which he declared that polygamy “isn’t necessarily worse than the current American alternative: serial monogamy.” He goes on to quote a woman in Utah who shared her hubby with seven others but enjoyed the shared day care arrangement.
“If I’m dog-tired and stressed out, I can be alone and guilt-free,” she explained in a speech to the National Organization for Women. “It’s a rare day when all eight of my husband’s wives are tired and stressed at the same time.” She said polygamy “offers an independent woman a real chance to have it all” and represented “the ultimate feminist lifestyle.”[33]
Family therapist Audrey Chapman wrote about non-Mormon American women that voluntarily chose a polygamous lifestyle. The women she interviewed told of safety, security and stability in their households. One woman remarked that she “knows at all times where her husband is.” She also said, “I’m not worrying all the time that he’s going to leave and break up my family.”[34] Another polygamous wife told Chapman that her relationship with a co-wife works because they don’t see their husband as a possession. The wives in these households avoid rivalry by scheduling personal time with their husband and the husband including them in decision-making. A surprising revelation came from one wife when asked about their sex lives. While sexual contact is kept private and each wife respects that intimacy, she reported, “Actually not much sex occurs, because the relationship is not based on their physical union, but upon a spiritual basis instead.”[35]
The reality is that 500 years of enforced monogamy has not prevented uncommitted cohabitation, underage or forced marriage, dishonest bigamy, adultery, wife swapping, prostitution, seduction, rape, incest, child and spouse abuse, desertion, the child-welfare state, and other social ills. Social history since the Council of Trent suggests that the monogamy-only policy has actually contributed to these problems due to the libidinous propensity of men and the surplus of women in the world.[36] Indeed, Islam asserts that its allowance of polygamy makes men responsible for their sexuality and serves as an effective deterrent against prostitution, divorce, sexually-transmitted diseases, and financial instability of single women.[37]
The evidence indicates that the great majority of American polygamists have not contributed to the cultural decay. By all accounts they are decent, hard-working and law-abiding citizens with strong moral, ethical and family values. One can only wonder how a man making a vow of lifetime fidelity, being responsible for the welfare of his wives and their children and teaching them to live by God’s Word can possibly be unhealthy or harm the women and children. Indeed, Christian and Fundamentalist Mormon polygamists seek to honor the principles of marriage found in the Bible just as committed Christian monogamists.
It’s Immoral
The third form of criticism addresses the biblical material and classifies polygamy as either a form of immorality at worst or a dispensational condition that ended with the New Covenant. Biblical characters that engaged in polygamy are typically cast in a bad light and we must not be like them. The main problem for these critics is that nowhere in Scripture, including the New Testament, is the practice of polygamy classified as sinful, prohibited or even criticized (cf. Rom 4:15; 5:13). It is never included in the definition of adultery, prostitution or incest.
Moreover, there is not the slightest hint of disapproval in Scripture from God or any biblical character toward a man because of having multiple wives. The spiritual and salvation implications for Abraham, Jacob and their blood descendants, as John Milton aptly observed, would be very grave if polygamy were to be defined as wicked (cf. Deut 23:2; John 8:41). [38] In reality, all of the biblical marriage values and ideals can apply to plural marriage as well as to monogamy. The biblical record of polygamists proves it. To call polygamists immoral is calumny of the worst degree.
The names of polygamists in Scripture include many good and righteous men faithful to God, including Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Caleb, Abdon, Elkanah, King Abijah, King David and King Joash. Many other names are listed without any character evaluation and only a few had a bad reputation (Lamech, Esau, King Rehoboam, and King Ahab). King Solomon, who had the most wives, is difficult to classify, since he began well and ended badly.
Some of these stories clearly reveal God’s attitude. Not many Bible expositors consider that when Hagar ran away from Sarah, God told her to go back to her marriage (Gen 16:9). After the death of Sarah Abraham had at least two wives at the same time without any adverse comment from God (Gen 25:1-6). When Aaron and Miriam opposed Moses’ decision to take a second wife (Num 12:1-9), God defended his action by extolling his faithfulness (Num 12:7) and punished Miriam in particular for her opposition.
After David committed adultery God’s rebuke reminded him that in addition to the multiple wives and concubines David had, God had given him the widows of King Saul into “his bosom” (KJV), which means conjugal relations (cf. Gen 16:5). Moreover, God would have given him more wives if he had asked (2 Sam 12:8). So, God not only permitted polygamy and directed marriage in situations of Levirate marriage that would result in polygamy, but was willing to act as a matchmaker for polygamy.
Another factor often ignored is that plural marriage was highly valued in Israelite culture by the women. Sarah, Rachel and Leah were all eager for their husbands to take a concubine-wife in order to have children (Gen 16:2; 30:3-4, 9). Deborah, the godly judge of Israel, in her song of praise to the Lord after the defeat of Sisera included in the list of the blessed spoils of war “a maiden, two maidens for every warrior” (Judg 5:30). When Ruth the Moabitess married Boaz the women of the village said, “May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah” (Ruth 4:11). Abigail joined David’s polygamous household without reservation (1 Sam 25:39-43). Indeed, Scripture records the joyful anticipation of joining the king’s polygamous household (Ps 45:9-11; SS 6:8-9).
Often overlooked is that God even portrayed Himself as a polygamist to teach a spiritual lesson (Jer 3; Ezek 23). In short, God has never permitted something He deemed immoral. If God had wanted only monogamy just one “thou shalt not” would have taken care of the matter. When God permits something or allows something He is still making a choice. When God is morally outraged He does not keep it to Himself. There are things God hates clearly identified in Scripture, but polygamy is not one of them.
Conclusion
Researching the subject of polygamy has been an enlightening and thought-provoking venture. Polygamists offer cogent arguments for their lifestyle and deserve to be heard. Polygamy is not going away and polygamists will continue to press for equal rights. It’s long past time in my view to de-criminalize polygamy between consenting and competent adults. I encourage all Christians to study for themselves what God’s Word has to say on this important issue and let Scripture be the final arbiter. I think our churches could benefit from increased dialog on this subject and greater charity toward those who choose to live differently than the majority.
Works Cited
1. Walter Scheidel, Sex and Empire: A Darwinian Perspective (Stanford University, 2006), 21. http://www.princeton.edu/~pswpc/pdfs/scheidel/050603.pdf.
2. Hunt and Edgar, Select Papyri (Harvard Univ. Press, 1970), I, 5-7, cited in Jay Adams, Marriage, Divorce & Remarriage in the Bible, (Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company, 1980), 81.
3. Pseudo-Demosthenes, Speeches: Against Neaera, 59:122, http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?lookup=Dem.+59+122.
4. Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, XVII, 1, § 2.
5. Justin Martyr (110-165), Dialogue with Trypho the Jew, §134.
6. Sanhedrin 21, Soncino Babylonian Talmud.
7. Eugene Hillman, Polygamy Reconsidered (Orbis Books, 1975), 20f.
8. The Code of Maimonides, Book Four: The Book of Women. Trans. Isaac Klein. (Yale University Press, 1972), xxiv.
9. Marriage, Jewish Virtual Library, http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/marriage.html.
See also Christopher Smith, “Polygamy’s Practice Stirs Debate in Israel,” St. Lake Tribune, Dec. 7, 2001. http://www.come-and-hear.com/editor/polygamy-israel/index.html
10. Ibid.
11. Irenaeus, Against Heresies, Book I, Chap. 28.
12. “Concubinage,” Encyclopedia Britannica (1911), http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Concubinage.
13. Council of Trent, Session 24 (1563), Doctrine on the Sacrament of Matrimony, http://history.hanover.edu/texts/trent/ct24.html.
14. Franciscan Sisters, Frequently Asked Questions, http://www.torsisters.com/faq.htm.
15. “Ethnographic Atlas Codebook,” Atlas of World Cultures, Patrick Gray, ed., http://eclectic.ss.uci.edu/~drwhite/worldcul/Codebook4EthnoAtlas.pdf.
16. David Seamans, “A Marriage Counterculture,” Christianity Today, August 31, 2000; http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2000/augustweb-only/44.0c.html.
Elizabeth Isichei, “African Family Values,” Christianity Today, July 1, 2003; http://www.ctlibrary.com/ch/2003/issue79/5.25.html.
17. 1900 Indian Census – By Townships & Towns, http://www.rootsweb.com/~okmurray/Resources/1900xxxindiancensus.htm
18. Audrey B. Chapman, Man Sharing: Dilemma or Choice (William Morrow & Co, 1986), 38f.
19. Steve E. Ozment. “Luther on Family Life,” Case Study: The Impact of the Reformation on Women in Germany, Warwick University, 2000. http://www.warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/History/teaching/protref/women/WR0912.htm
20. Don Milton, Thelyphthora, http://www.christianmarriage.com/home/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=114.
21. Don Milton, John and Charles Wesley’s Sister Married a Polygamist, http://www.christianmarriage.com/home/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=115.
22. Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (Moody Bible Institute, 1980), Vol. II, 724.
23. Emil G. Hirsch & Schulim Ochser, “Pilegesh,” Jewish Encyclopedia, http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com.
24. According to the Jerusalem Talmud, Kethuboth 29d, a concubine also received a ketubah, but without the “aliment” guaranteed (financial support in the event of divorce or death of the husband). Emil G. Hirsch and Schulim Ochser, “Pilegesh” JewishEnclypedia.com.
25. The Code of Maimonides, op. cit., 87.
26. Reflections on Covenant and Mission, Consultation of The National Council of Synagogues and The Bishops Committee for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, August 12, 2002, http://www.bc.edu/research/cjl/meta-elements/texts/cjrelations/resources/documents/interreligious/ncs_usccb120802.htm.
A Sacred Obligation: Rethinking Christian Faith in Relation to Judaism and the Jewish People, The Christian Scholars Group on Christian-Jewish Relations, September 1, 2002; http://www.jcrelations.net/en/displayItem.php?id=986.
27. Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, XVII, 1, § 3.
28. Black’s Law Dictionary, Fifth Edition, West Publishing Co., 1979.
29. See Ray Jay Davis, Anti-Polygamy Legislation, http://www.lightplanet.com/mormons/daily/history/plural_marriage/Legislation_EOM.htm.
30. Arizona, Idaho, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Utah.
31. Jason Szep, “Fundamental Mormons Seek Recognition for Polygamy,” Reuters, June 12, 2007; http://www.polygamy.com/articles/templates/?a=314&z=1.
32. Mary Batchelor, Marianne Watson, and Anne Wilde, I Would Never…Go Back to Being a Monogamous Wife, beliefnet, http://www.beliefnet.com/story/66/story_6652_1.html.;
Elise Soukup, Polygamists, Unite!: They used to Live Quietly, But Now They’re Making Noise. Newsweek, May 20, 2006, http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11786790/site/newsweek/;
Batsheva bat David, From A Woman’s Perspective: The Case For Polygamy, http://pilegesh.blogspot.com/2007/01/from-womans-perspective-case-for.html.;
Hannah Wolfson, Christian Polygamists on the Move, Associated Press, July 19, 1999, http://www.rickross.com/reference/polygamy/polygamy24.html.
33. “John Tierney Backs Polygamy as HBO Series Debuts,” Editor and Publisher, March 11, 2006, http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002157335.
34. Chapman, 46.
35. Ibid., 47.
36. See Thelyphthora, or A Treatise on Female Ruin by Martin Madan (1780); The History & Philosophy of Marriage: Or, Polygamy and Monogamy Compared by James Campbell (1869)
37. Reasons Why Islam Permits Polygamy, http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/328/.
38. John Milton, De Doctrina Christiana, 1825, http://www.btinternet.com/~familyman/milton.htm.
Polygamy References
Mary Batchelor, Marianne Watson, and Anne Wilde, Voices in Harmony: Contemporary Women Celebrate Plural Marriage. Cedar Fort Publishers, 2000.
Theodore C. Bergstrom, On the Economics of Polygyny, (private paper) University of Michigan, 1994; http://www.econ.ucsb.edu/~tedb/Evolution/polygyny3.pdf.
Audrey B. Chapman, Man Sharing: Dilemma or Choice. William Morrow & Co, 1986.
Rick Cross, Polygamist Groups, http://www.rickross.com/groups/polygamy.html.
Tim Harford, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do: The Economic Case for Polygamy. Slate Magazine, Feb 18, 2006, http://www.slate.com/id/2136453/.
Eugene Hillman, Polygamy Reconsidered. Orbis Books, 1975.
The History & Philosophy of Marriage: A Christian Polygamy Sourcebook. 4th ed. edited by Nathan Braun. Imperial University Press, 2005.
Philip L. Kilbride, Plural Marriage for Our Times: A Reinvented Option? Bergin & Garvey Paperback, 1994.
Martin Madan (1711-1776), Thelyphthora, Or, A Treatise on Female Ruin, in its Causes, Effects, Consequences, Prevention, and Remedy; Considered on the Basis of Divine Law. J. Dodsley Publisher, 1780.
John Milton (1608-1674), De Doctrina Christiana (published in 1825).
Richard Mouw, A Modest Defense of Polygamy, beliefnet, http://www.beliefnet.com/story/78/story_7881_1.html.
Jonathan Turley, Polygamy Laws Expose Our Own Hypocrisy, USA Today, October 3, 2004, http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/columnist/2004-10-03-turley_x.htm.
Polygamy Websites
Bible Polygamy, http://www.biblepolygamy.com/, created in 2003.
Biblical Polygamy, http://www.biblicalpolygamy.com/, created in 2001.
Broken Shackles Ministry, http://www.bfree.org/, created in 1996.
Christian Marriage, http://www.christianmarriage.com/, created in 1998.
Christian Patriarchy, http://christianpatriarchy.com/, created in 1998.
Christian Polygamy INFO, http://www.christianpolygamy.info/, created in 2001.
Christian Polygyny, http://polygyny.dukeofmarshall.com/, created in 2005.
Family Values Polygamy Chat and Community, http://www.4thefamily.us/, created in 2004.
Introspection of a Plural Wife, http://www.pluralwife.blogspot.com/, created in 2005.
Love Not Force, http://www.lovenotforce.com/, created in 2000.
The Orthodox Jewish Pro-Polygamy Page, http://www.come-and-hear.com/editor/polygamy-orthodox/index.html.
Patriarchy Website: Israel C.S. Lim, http://www.patriarchywebsite.com, created in 1997.
Pilegesh: http://www.pilegesh.blogspot.com/, created in 2006.
Polygamy Now Blog, http://polygamynow.blogspot.com/, created in 2006.
Principal Voices, http://www.principalvoices.org/, created in 2006.
Pro-Polygamy, http://www.pro-polygamy.com/, created in 2001.
Righteous Warriors, http://www.righteouswarriors.com/, created in 1998.
Steadfast Love of SisterWives, http://steadfastlovesgod.blogspot.com/, created in 2006.
Sisterwives @ http://www.ezboard.com, http://p221.ezboard.com/bsisterwives, created in 1999.
TruthBearer, http://www.truthbearer.org/, created in 1998.
Other Research Sources
Alfred Edersheim, Sketches of Jewish Social Life, Updated Edition (Hendrickson Publishers, 1994).
Atlas of World Cultures, Patrick Gray, ed., University of Pittsburgh Press, 1998.
Julius H. Greenstone, “Polygamy,” Jewish Encyclopedia, http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/.
Stanley Kurtz, Here Come the Brides: Plural Marriage is Waiting in the Wings. The Weekly Standard, Dec 26, 2005, Volume 011, Issue 15.
Solomon Schechter & Joseph Jacobs, “Levirate Marriage,” Jewish Encyclopedia, http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/.
Soncino Babylonian Talmud, London: The Soncino Press, 1961.
Sudan Pushes Polygamy, BBC News, 15 August 2001, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/1493309.stm.
Walter Scheidel, Sex and Empire: A Darwinian Perspective, Stanford University, 2006, http://www.princeton.edu/~pswpc/pdfs/scheidel/050603.pdf.