Polygamy

2007-08-09T15:26:04Z

Gideon70:

'''Polygamy''' is an inclusive term for several variant forms of [[marriage]]. It encompasses [[polygyny]], the practice of having multiple wives, [[polyandry]], the practice of having multiple husbands, and [[group marriage]], the practice of having multiple husbands and wives. Any marriage of 3 or more people is polygamous.

Polygamy, in ancient times, was widespread, but has become less common over time. The most common form of polygamy is polygyny. Polygynous marriages are found in the [[Old Testament]], especially among the early Hebrew kings. The book of [[Deuteronomy]] gives an inheritance rule for polygynous families.<ref>Deuteronomy 21:15-17 [http://www.bartleby.com/108/05/21.html#15]</ref> The culmination was [[Solomon]] with 700 wives; however, the fact that they were from the pagan nations led him down the path of corruption.<ref>I Kings 11:1-3 [http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/1Ki/1Ki011.html#top]</ref> There was also a practice of giving a maid servant to a husband to sire children in the period of the patriarchs; Scripture refers to such a maid servant variously as a wife<ref>Genesis 30:4 [http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/Gen/Gen030.html#4]</ref> and as a [[concubine]]<ref>Genesis 35:22 [http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/Gen/Gen035.html#22]</ref>. There are examples of polygamy in the [[New Testament]] and it is stated that an elder or deacon was to be the husband of one wife. That the apostles suspended the practice for such a small group but allowd it for everyone else shows that it was tolerated and commonplace in the early church.<ref>I Timothy 3:2 [http://www.blueletterbible.org/cgi-bin/popup.pl?book=1Ti&chapter=3&verse=2&version=kjv#2]</ref><ref>Titus 1:6 [http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/Tts/Tts001.html#6]</ref> (in some Christian denominations today, that has been taken to mean that divorced men and in some cases even widowed men can not be deacons if they remarry.)

[[Ashkenazi]] Jews banned polygyny around A.D. 1000. [[Sephardi]] Jews continued to practice it in [[Islam]]ic lands for some time after that. [[Yemen]]i and [[Ethiopia]]n Jews practice it to this day. [[Israel]] forbids polygyny, with the exception that a man with multiple wives who moves to Israel may remain married to his existing wives but not marry additional ones.<ref>Judaism 101: Marriage [http://www.jewfaq.org/marriage.htm#Relationship]</ref>

The [[Koran]] approves of polygyny <ref>Koran 4:3-4 [http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/004.qmt.html#004.003]</ref>. The practice was also known among European tribes in pre-Christian Europe and in both China and Japan
<ref>Polygyny in Europe and China[http://www.trivia-library.com/b/alternative-forms-of-marriage-polygyny-part-1.htm]</ref>.

In the modern world polygyny is practiced to some extent in China<ref>Lang and Smart. “Migration and the Second Wife in South China: Toward cross-border polygyny” The International migration review 2002, vol. 36, no2, pp. 546-569 [http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=13830800]</ref>, among certain sects of Mormons<ref>News story on Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints[http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/2006-05-25/news/it-practices-what-they-preach/]</ref> (the mainstream Mormon Church outlawed the practice in 1890<ref>LDS official position[http://www.mormon.org/question/faq/category/answer/0,9777,1601-1-114-1,00.html]</ref>) and in parts of Sub-Saharan Africa <ref>Brown, Judith E. “Polygyny and Family Planning in sub-Saharan Africa” Studies in Family Planning, Vol. 12, No. 8/9 (Aug. - Sep., 1981), pp. 322-326. Abstract. [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0039-3665(198108%2F09)12%3A8%2F9%3C322%3APAFPIS%3E2.0.CO%3B2-U]</ref>.

Polyandry is and has been less common around the world, but it has been practiced. Polyandry is part of traditional Tibetan culture<ref>List of references [http://www.case.edu/affil/tibet/tibetanSociety/marriage.htm]</ref> and is practiced by some [[Native American]] tribes<ref>Polyandry among the Inuit[http://www.snowwowl.com/peopleinuit5.html]</ref>.

Group marriage is likely the least common form of polygamy, but it is practiced. In fact a number of Americans purport to practice just this sort of living arrangement, even though it is not legally recognized as marriage by the state.<ref>Kurtz, Stanley, “Rick Santorum Was Right Meet the future of marriage in America.” New Republic Online 3/23/05 [http://www.nationalreview.com/kurtz/kurtz200503230746.asp]</ref>.

==References==

<references/>
[[category:religion]][[category:culture]]

Polygamy

2007-08-09T15:21:52Z

Gideon70:

'''Polygamy''' is an inclusive term for several variant forms of [[marriage]]. It encompasses [[polygyny]], the practice of having multiple wives, [[polyandry]], the practice of having multiple husbands, and [[group marriage]], the practice of having multiple husbands and wives. Any marriage of 3 or more people is polygamous.

Polygamy, in ancient times, was widespread, but has become less common over time. The most common form of polygamy is polygyny. Polygynous marriages are found in the [[Old Testament]], especially among the early Hebrew kings. The book of [[Deuteronomy]] gives an inheritance rule for polygynous families.<ref>Deuteronomy 21:15-17 [http://www.bartleby.com/108/05/21.html#15]</ref> The culmination was [[Solomon]] with 700 wives; however, the fact that they were from the pagan nations led him down the path of corruption.<ref>I Kings 11:1-3 [http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/1Ki/1Ki011.html#top]</ref> There was also a practice of giving a maid servant to a husband to sire children in the period of the patriarchs; Scripture refers to such a maid servant variously as a wife<ref>Genesis 30:4 [http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/Gen/Gen030.html#4]</ref> and as a [[concubine]]<ref>Genesis 35:22 [http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/Gen/Gen035.html#22]</ref>. There are examples of polygamy in the [[New Testament]] and it is stated that a deacon is to be the husband of one wife. That the church leaders saw fit to suspend the practice for such a small grop, but allow it for everyone else speaks volumes.<ref>I Timothy 3:2 [http://www.blueletterbible.org/cgi-bin/popup.pl?book=1Ti&chapter=3&verse=2&version=kjv#2]</ref><ref>Titus 1:6 [http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/Tts/Tts001.html#6]</ref> (in some Christian denominations today, that has been taken to mean that divorced men and in some cases even widowed men can not be deacons if they remarry.)

[[Ashkenazi]] Jews banned polygyny around A.D. 1000. [[Sephardi]] Jews continued to practice it in [[Islam]]ic lands for some time after that. [[Yemen]]i and [[Ethiopia]]n Jews practice it to this day. [[Israel]] forbids polygyny, with the exception that a man with multiple wives who moves to Israel may remain married to his existing wives but not marry additional ones.<ref>Judaism 101: Marriage [http://www.jewfaq.org/marriage.htm#Relationship]</ref>

The [[Koran]] approves of polygyny <ref>Koran 4:3-4 [http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/004.qmt.html#004.003]</ref>. The practice was also known among European tribes in pre-Christian Europe and in both China and Japan
<ref>Polygyny in Europe and China[http://www.trivia-library.com/b/alternative-forms-of-marriage-polygyny-part-1.htm]</ref>.

In the modern world polygyny is practiced to some extent in China<ref>Lang and Smart. “Migration and the Second Wife in South China: Toward cross-border polygyny” The International migration review 2002, vol. 36, no2, pp. 546-569 [http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=13830800]</ref>, among certain sects of Mormons<ref>News story on Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints[http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/2006-05-25/news/it-practices-what-they-preach/]</ref> (the mainstream Mormon Church outlawed the practice in 1890<ref>LDS official position[http://www.mormon.org/question/faq/category/answer/0,9777,1601-1-114-1,00.html]</ref>) and in parts of Sub-Saharan Africa <ref>Brown, Judith E. “Polygyny and Family Planning in sub-Saharan Africa” Studies in Family Planning, Vol. 12, No. 8/9 (Aug. - Sep., 1981), pp. 322-326. Abstract. [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0039-3665(198108%2F09)12%3A8%2F9%3C322%3APAFPIS%3E2.0.CO%3B2-U]</ref>.

Polyandry is and has been less common around the world, but it has been practiced. Polyandry is part of traditional Tibetan culture<ref>List of references [http://www.case.edu/affil/tibet/tibetanSociety/marriage.htm]</ref> and is practiced by some [[Native American]] tribes<ref>Polyandry among the Inuit[http://www.snowwowl.com/peopleinuit5.html]</ref>.

Group marriage is likely the least common form of polygamy, but it is practiced. In fact a number of Americans purport to practice just this sort of living arrangement, even though it is not legally recognized as marriage by the state.<ref>Kurtz, Stanley, “Rick Santorum Was Right Meet the future of marriage in America.” New Republic Online 3/23/05 [http://www.nationalreview.com/kurtz/kurtz200503230746.asp]</ref>.

==References==

<references/>
[[category:religion]][[category:culture]]

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Polygamy

Polygamy