...Jeannette Fontenot Professor Lowe English 102 July 1, 2013 Legalization of Polygamy In America today, 30,000-100,000 Americans live a life of polygamy (Luscombe 43). The word polygamy comes from the Greek term which is translated to mean “often married.” There are three different forms of polygamy. These three are polygyny, polyandry, and group marriage (Brooks 22). The largest form of polygamy is polygyny (Hassounen 736). This is from the Greek term meaning “many women or wives” (Brooks 22). The wives may live together or they may each have their own house (Hassounen 736). The second form, polyandry which is the same as polygyny except this time the women are the ones marrying multiple men. Third are group marriages. This is when there is a family unit that involves multiple husbands and multiple wives (Brooks 23). One of the largest and easiest forms of polygamy practiced today in America is polygyny. A huge controversial issue in the United States with polygamy is whether or not it should be legalized. This issue has been debated for many years and still to this day is being debated. Polygamy should not be legalized because America then cannot protect the “victims” of Polygamy. America is the “Land of the free.” Immigrants come to America every day to be free from the torture and governments of all the other countries. The law today says that Polygamy is illegal in the United States. Even though there is this law Polygamist still practice this every day. There are ways around...
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...Dallas Nelson Rebecca Settle ENL111-302 July 14, 2014 Polygamy Is Not A Party The newest sensation to watch on television these days are two shows on TLC called “Sister Wives” and “My Five Wives.” These shows deal with the topic of polygamy and how it is supposed to benefit everyone, especially women. These families want to show the rest of the world that their way of life is healthy. In the United States, when looking for the prospect of finding a husband most women aren’t looking to share, so it’s expected that polygamy would be frowned on by most communities. However, there are still a small amount of families that chose to live as polygamists in the United States, illegal or not. Some are forced into plural marriages and some choose this life. Either way, the mental health of the wives is likely to be negatively affected as this lifestyle causes mental issues such as low self-esteem, anxiety and depression because it is an illegal, morally ambiguous, cult-like life that offers a false sense of security and jealousy. Polygamy is a federal crime and a state level crime in most states. The United States was built on Christian morals making marrying several women not only a crime but also a moral issue therefore causing a great amount of controversy amongst most citizens. In fact, up until November of 2013 in Utah where polygamy is most common, not only ways it illegal to have more than one marriage license, it was also illegal to live in a house where a...
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...Isis Sneed Argument for Polygamy “Polygamy has been corrupted by outside views and should be accepted as freedom of expression instead of being condemned.” If I were to go up in front of a large audience and read this aloud, it would without a doubt cause an uproar. Polygamy is a very controversial issue that deals with religion, rights, and even safety and psychological issues. Polygamy is not considered normal, especially in the westernized countries, yet some cultures do practice it and seem to be fine. People may be quick say why polygamy is bad but has anyone ever thought of why the practicing of polygamy can be good? First let’s being with what polygamy is and what all it entails. Polygamy is the practice of having more than one spouse at one time and even more specifically it can be multiple marriages, not just one husband with many wives or one wife with many husbands. It is evident that even people in the bible practices polygamy. Abraham had more than one wife, as did Jacob and King Solomon. Here in the United States those that practice polygamy are mainly Mormons to which they believe God wants his people to be fruitful and multiply. At one point in time some Mormons decided to stop the practicing of polygamy and became known as “mainstream Mormons” or members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Those that practice polygamy often live together and also include their own communities. Each community or group has a prophet and the prophet is responsible...
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...to understand and accept the difference that people share are going to allow this behavior to continue and pass it down from generation to generation. America is the melting pot for all ethnic backgrounds, including religions. Being more open minded and having understanding will allow us to break the stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination that we all have towards one another. Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) and Black (African) Decent The United States, throughout history, has been a country of immigrants and a country of religion diversity. Discrimination, prejudice, and stereotyping in the Mormon and Black decent groups have been displayed throughout the changing times. The Mormons, who emerged after the discovery of The Book of Mormon in 1830, were run out of several states before settling in Utah. Blacks who were brought over here in the 1500’s by European mariners as slaves is all a part if how discrimination in the United States started for these two different groups of people. Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) The United States has more Mormons than any other continent. Mormons were formed by Joseph Smith, who was regarded to have restored the church. The center of the Mormon culture is based in Utah....
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...Christianity makes up about 30 percent (Goodstein, 2011). A study published in 2009 by the Pew Research Center to get global concept of the Muslim population found, “Of the 232 countries and territories included in this study, 50 are Muslim-majority” (p. 5). The Center also found “While 80% of the world’s Muslims live in countries where Muslims are in the majority, significant numbers – about one-fifth of the world’s Muslim population – live as religious minorities in their home countries” (p. 7). With so many countries adhering to Islam and the growth of the Muslim population here in America and worldwide; how will this affect how non-Islamic countries communicate and interact with Islamic countries and how we communicate right here in the United States? If Muslim fundamentalists were not at the forefront of controversy in the war on terrorism, would Islam be a religion that sparks so much debate? Even before September 11th, there had been much controversy related to Islam. However most of it occurred on foreign soil. With significant bombings and terrorist attacks in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, many Americans were more fearful of travelling abroad, not realizing that such an attack could occur right here at home. Unfortunately it happened; and when it did, due to human nature, we have a propensity to over-generalize and draw conclusions based on the limitations of our ethnocentrism. Terrorists are Muslim. Muslims practice Islam. Therefore anyone who...
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...Name________________________________________Date_________________ In Defense of Polygamy By: B. Aisha Lemu B. Aisha Lemu was born in England and became a Muslim while in college. She is Director General of the Islamic Education Trust in Niger State, Nigeria. Reprinted here is part of a talk she gave (and part of the discussion that followed) at the International Islamic Conference held in London. Perhaps the aspect of Islam in respect of women which is most prominent in the Western mind is that of polygamy. Firstly let me clarify that Islam does not impose polygamy as a universal practice. The Prophet himself was a monogamist for the greater part of his married life, from the age of twenty-five when he married Khadija until he was fifty when she died. One should therefore regard monogamy as the norm and polygamy as the exception. One may observe that, although it has been abused in some times and some places, polygamy has under certain circumstances a valuable function. In some situations it may be considered as the lesser of two evils, and in other situations it may even be a positive beneficial arrangement. The most obvious example of this occurs in times of war when there are inevitably large numbers of windows and girls whose fiancés and husbands have been killed in the fighting. One has only to recall the figures of the dead in the first and second world wars to be aware that literally millions of women and girls lost their husbands and fiancés and were...
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...controversial cults in the United States. The main two reasons for this controversy. This group is constantly breaking the sacred canopy that our modern society has created. A major example of breaking through this canopy is through their practice of polygamous marriages. Polygamous marriage is outlawed in the United States. Ironically, this is not where the Mormon sect has run into legal issues. Their leader, Warren Jeffs, was placed on trial for aiding and abetting rape, along with accusations of child sexual abuse (2011). The government should have the right to intervene in a religious organization if the risk of endangerment presents itself. The controversy of polygamous...
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...The Differences in Mormon Religion Daniela Delgadillo Com/170 November 04, 2013 Rakel Sampson The Differences in Mormon Religion Though they both share the Mormon name, Mormons and Fundamentalist Mormons have differences on several points, including views of Joseph Smith, The Priesthood, and Polygamy. Joseph Smith is a prophet of the Mormon Religion that founded The Church of Jesus Christ. The church was founded in Fayette, New York, on April 6, 1830. According to Packham (2011), when Joseph Smith began looking what religion to join he prayed and asked for guidance from God. God, the Father and God, the Son appeared to him in a vision known as “The First Vision”, who told him that all other religions were wrong, and he, Joseph, would create the true church. LDS Mormons respect but not worship Joseph Smith as the prophet and instrument God used to restore the ancient truth and divine gospel (Gordon B. Hinckley, “Joseph Smith Jr.—Prophet of God, Mighty Servant,” Ensign, Dec 2005, 2–6). While FLDS Mormons also see Joseph Smith as the prophet God chose to bring forth the true Church, they worship and praise him and his 19th century doctrines. In conclusion, Joseph Smith is seen as the prophet of God to restore the true church; though LDS Mormons respect him like any other prophet they do not worship him like FLDS Mormons. In Mormon Religion, “The Priesthood is the authority to act in God’s name. The same priesthood authority that existed in the original Church established...
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...Monogamy and Polygamy / Advantages - Disadvantages Monogamy and polygamy are typical marriage arrangements we are familiar with today . I think almost everyone needs that special connection, bonding or joining union with another person. I think it is human nature to want companionship, but is it human nature to have more than one companion? Monogamy is having only one spouse and is the most common form of relationship. According to the web site, Benefitof.net , Monogamy is believed to promote happiness and contentment. Sex is about body and mind, between two people in an intimate trusting relationship that grows stronger over time. Marriage provides you with a best friend and mate, someone that you can grow old with, raise children together and share stories of the old days. Marriage or monogamy will teach you to be tolerant, unselfish, and caring. Polygamy is the practice of multiple marriages . Polygamy is illegal in the United States ,but did not become a federal crime until the passing of the Morrill Act in 1862. According to an article, The Ethics of Polygamy , by Melody Marchant, parts of west Africa more than 20 % of marriages are polygamous , and Muslim men are allowed to have four wives. Since polygamy is illegal many polygamist families choose to have unofficial commitment ceremonies, that bind and tie them to one another. To maintain harmony in some families, one wife will have seniority over the household, and...
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...Running head: POLYGAMY Polygamy: The impact on Arab families in Israel Laura Kline Pennsylvania State University-York Dr. Darling HDFS 315Y Abstract Polygamy is a common form of marriage for Bedouin-Arabs in Israel. The unique structure of this form of marriage can create problems for wives and children. It can benefit the family members as well. There are multiple factors that can influence whether being in a polygamous family is advantageous or detrimental to those family members. The reasons behind polygamous marriage are examined as well. The marriage practice known as polygamy is viewed many different ways in different societies. In societies such as our own, polygamy is seen as a taboo that is not widely understood or accepted. In fact, in the United States polygamy is not legal and polygamous marriages are not recognized. Polygamy is a general term that refers to the two types of polygamous marriages. Polygyny refers to the marriage of one man to two or more women, which is the type of polygamous marriage this paper will cover. Polyandry refers to a rare type of marriage in which one woman marries two or more men. Some other societies view polygamy as an acceptable and sometimes necessary form of marriage. One of these societies is the Bedouin-Arabs in Israel, where polygamous marriages are common. These polygamous families are Muslim. The Islamic faith encourages men to have two or more wives if they can sufficiently support them (Al-Krenawi...
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...Multi-Bonding: Polygamy, Polygyny, Polyamory Defining and Identifying Multi-bonding Non-monogamous relationships can take any number of forms, including, but not limited to, serial pair-bonding (known most frequently as serial monogamy), polygamy, polyandry, communal living, and “open” pair-bondings, where sexual or sexual-emotional relationships outside of the primary one are tolerated to a greater or lesser degree (cf. Robinson, 1997). Polygyny has been defined as “the marriage of a man to two or more women at the same time” (Moorehead, 1991: 311), or the “practice of plural marriage” (Altman and Ginat, 1996: 3). The term polygamy has also been used synonymously with polygyny, although it could also be used to encompass polyandry (Welch and Glick, 1981). Polyandry refers to the marriage of one woman to two or more husbands, while polygynandry contemplates a situation in which two or more women are simultaneously married to two or more men (Al-Krenawi, Graham, and Slonim-Nevo, 2002). Polygynandry has also been used to refer to group marriage (Anon., 2004). The term informal polygamy has been used to describe relationships characterized by the simultaneous existence of a legal marriage of one man to one woman and an affair with a second woman that has become a stable feature of the family structure (Rivett and Street, 1993). In contrast, polyamory refers to “group marriage” or the existence of one or more sexual 27 28 • Multi-Bonding: Polygamy, Polygyny,...
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...2 Multi-Bonding: Polygamy, Polygyny, Polyamory Defining and Identifying Multi-bonding Non-monogamous relationships can take any number of forms, including, but not limited to, serial pair-bonding (known most frequently as serial monogamy), polygamy, polyandry, communal living, and “open” pair-bondings, where sexual or sexual-emotional relationships outside of the primary one are tolerated to a greater or lesser degree (cf. Robinson, 1997). Polygyny has been defined as “the marriage of a man to two or more women at the same time” (Moorehead, 1991: 311), or the “practice of plural marriage” (Altman and Ginat, 1996: 3). The term polygamy has also been used synonymously with polygyny, although it could also be used to encompass polyandry (Welch and Glick, 1981). Polyandry refers to the marriage of one woman to two or more husbands, while polygynandry contemplates a situation in which two or more women are simultaneously married to two or more men (Al-Krenawi, Graham, and Slonim-Nevo, 2002). Polygynandry has also been used to refer to group marriage (Anon., 2004). The term informal polygamy has been used to describe relationships characterized by the simultaneous existence of a legal marriage of one man to one woman and an affair with a second woman that has become a stable feature of the family structure (Rivett and Street, 1993). In contrast, polyamory refers to “group marriage” or the existence of one or more sexual 27 28 • Multi-Bonding: Polygamy, Polygyny, Polyamory ...
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...Research suggests that many same-sex couples face obstacles in society because, they are often denied the ability to foster or adopt children, and do not receive equal rights when compared with heterosexual married couples. Annotated Bibliography (1)Alexander, L. J. (2013). Arkansas Department of Human Services v. Cole: Another step toward same sex marriage in Arkansas? Arkansas Law Review. Vol. 66 (Issue 2), p527-547.The article focuses on the judgment of Arkansas Supreme Court case in Arkansas Department of Human Services v. Cole; the Arkansas Supreme Court ruled that the Arkansas Adoption and Foster Care Act of 2008, known as “Act1”, was an unconstitutional violation of the fundamental privacy rights granted by the Arkansas Constitution. The source is relevant to my thesis statement because it provides the legality of the law. The author pointed out that the election of November 2008, 58 % of Arkansas voters cast ballots that prohibit a person who cohabited “with a sexual partner outside of a marriage that is valid under the Arkansas Constitution and the laws of Arkansas” from adopting or fostering children. The source of the article was from the Arkansas Law Review 2013, vol. 66. The author, LaToya Alexander, is a teaching assistant at the University of Arkansas. She received her Juris Doctor at University of Arkansas School of Law. According to the case the Arkansas Supreme Court decisions suggest that the Arkansas judiciary is taking a more liberal approach to...
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...Polygamy in the South West Hawaii Pacific University PSCI 1400 June 13, 2008 MCP Term 4-08 Article #4 Polygamy in the South West Polygamy has been a problem in our country for over one hundred and fifty years. In 1862 the first Anti-Bigamy law in the United States, The Morrill Bill, was signed by Abraham Lincoln. Our government has since passed several laws to discourage polygamy, and yet they still battle polygamist sects to this day. I believe that our government’s main concern is not the multiple marriages, but the children affected by them. Young girls are being forced in to marriages with much older men, to have sex and bare children. Young boys are excommunicated, and thrown out of their communities to make more young girls available to older men. Women and girls are being forced to marry first cousins, half-brothers, and uncles. There have been several cases of incest and in-breeding, which has led to children being born with severe abnormalities, from physical deformities to mental retardation, and genetic diseases. They continue to bare these children regardless of warnings from physicians. Despite all the laws against polygamy and to protect children, our efforts to enforce these laws have made very little impact. These polygamist sects continue these practices in spite of arrests and heavy fines by the government. Former Fundamentalist LDS Church leader Warren Jeffs sect is recently the most notorious group in the news today. For the past several years...
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...PA 499 Unit 5 assignment Case Briefs Debbie McQueen August 30th, 2015 State v. Holm Supreme Court of Utah 137P.3d 726 (2006) Facts: Rodney Holm an active member of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, legally married Suzie Stubbs in 1986. He later entered into marriages with Wendy Holm and Ruth Stubbs, Suzie’s 16-year old sister. The marriages to Wendy and Ruth were solemnized in religious ceremonies only and not otherwise registered with the state. Before reaching age 18, Ruth Stubbs conceived two children with Holm. The state of Utah charged him with violating the state’s bigamy law and with having unlawful sexual conduct with a minor. After being convicted, he appealed on the grounds that his conduct was not bigamy and that, in any event, the bigamy law was unconstitutional under state and federal law. Issue: Whether Rodney Holms was appropriately convicted for bigamy and unlawful sexual conduct with a minor? Whether Holm’s behavior violated Utah’s bigamy statute and whether the statute is constitutional? Rule: A person is guilty of bigamy when he knowingly has a husband or wife or the other person has a husband or wife and that person intends to marry another person or cohabits with another person. Utah code section 76-7-101 Analysis: Holms was guilty of bigamy because he purported to marry Ruth Stubbs, after he was already married. The “purports to marry” language under the bigamy statute is broad enough to include...
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