KrazyGlue
Smash Champion
Ok, so we all know what people here think about homosexuality. But what of polygamy? This issue provides several interesting facets to consider, so stay tuned.
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The Issue
Definitions
Points to Consider
With all that said, happy debating to all! Let's keep this clean and fun.
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Polygamy / Group Marriages
The Issue
Should polygamy be legal? Should group marriages be legal? How many people should a person or group be able to marry if they should be legal?
Definitions
Polygamy: when one person marries multiple spouses. When a man has multiple wives, it is known as polygyny. When a woman has multiple husbands, it is known as polyandry.
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Group Marriage: when a marriage includes multiple husbands and wives.
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Group Marriage: when a marriage includes multiple husbands and wives.
Points to Consider
1. Polygamy is yet another challenge to the traditional definition of marriage. First, interracial marriage challenged this, but is now widely accepted. Now, gay marriage is also bucking tradition, and is the current hot conversation. Polygamy could very well be the next "new" expansion of the definition of marriage. I think all of us here support interracial marriage, and probably over half support gay marriage. If you support gay marriage but not polygamy, how would you argue that gays should be accommodated but not polygamists?
2. If you support polygamy, how many spouses should a person be able to have (or should this be capped at all)? It sounds ridiculously arbitrary to just say "ok, you have your 3 wives now; you're done." However, some people have deliberately had many wives as a money-making scheme. Rick Ross reports: "Welfare is often how polygamist communities like Hildale in Utah and Colorado City in Arizona substantially support themselves. Polygamists often use food stamps to feed their families. Former polygamist Benjamin Bisline said, 'If it wasn't for government subsidies, these people couldn't survive. There are people here with 15 wives on welfare.' Bisline still lives in a polygamist town." More can be found here.
3. These same arguments can be extended towards group marriages. Would you ban this practice if you support gay marriage or even polygamy? If so, how would you rationalize this? Would you cap the amount of spouses? If so, how could you find a way to make it slightly less arbitrary? If not, you're essentially saying everyone can marry everyone, which defeats the purpose of marriage.
4. Many people think of polygamists as crazy fringe groups. This is sometimes true, but many polygamist families are composed of completely kind and reasonable people. Let's try to avoid generalized personal attacks against polygamists, especially the question of why polyandry is so much less common than polygyny. That's not the aspect of the issue I'd like to discuss. This is a debate on the legality of polygamy and group marriages, not the demographics and personal beliefs of polygamist families.
2. If you support polygamy, how many spouses should a person be able to have (or should this be capped at all)? It sounds ridiculously arbitrary to just say "ok, you have your 3 wives now; you're done." However, some people have deliberately had many wives as a money-making scheme. Rick Ross reports: "Welfare is often how polygamist communities like Hildale in Utah and Colorado City in Arizona substantially support themselves. Polygamists often use food stamps to feed their families. Former polygamist Benjamin Bisline said, 'If it wasn't for government subsidies, these people couldn't survive. There are people here with 15 wives on welfare.' Bisline still lives in a polygamist town." More can be found here.
3. These same arguments can be extended towards group marriages. Would you ban this practice if you support gay marriage or even polygamy? If so, how would you rationalize this? Would you cap the amount of spouses? If so, how could you find a way to make it slightly less arbitrary? If not, you're essentially saying everyone can marry everyone, which defeats the purpose of marriage.
4. Many people think of polygamists as crazy fringe groups. This is sometimes true, but many polygamist families are composed of completely kind and reasonable people. Let's try to avoid generalized personal attacks against polygamists, especially the question of why polyandry is so much less common than polygyny. That's not the aspect of the issue I'd like to discuss. This is a debate on the legality of polygamy and group marriages, not the demographics and personal beliefs of polygamist families.
With all that said, happy debating to all! Let's keep this clean and fun.