A typical American family consist of a wife, husband and of course children (most of the time). But what about four wives with one man and 16 children; This is the life of Kody Brow from TV show, Sisterwives. I feel this is an issue in US National Government, because many issues are arising with was is acceptable and ethical in today’s world. I felt this was a good topic to bring up, because so many people are becoming open to changes, for example gay marriage. So if homosexuals are being accepted in some states, does this mean one day polygamy will be accepted in America? When the constitution was written it was based on Christian morals and if it is not going to be rewritten and completely changed I think Americans should quit trying to find loop holes in the wording to make the unfamiliar acceptable.
My point is that it is illegal to have more than one wife. But with the publicity and support the new show Sisterwives is receiving there’s only a matter of time before an issue is raised on the rights of being able to marry who and how many people you want. So in other words this would be considered a developing issue in the national government, because they would be the ones who would have to consider the changes to be made throughout the United States. I just feel that as Americans, we look down on many other countries. Yet we fail to look at ourselves, when we are the ones devaluing our own morals. For years our ancestors and previous government officials have believed in certain ways of running things and we have improved the government in many ways, but have also lost sight of many of our own beliefs.
I’m not saying I’m against homosexuals or men with numerous amounts of wives, but there are issues that I do not agree with because it has not been accepted in the history, so why should it start now? On the other hand, I contradict my entire beliefs, because being an American we also have our amendments to shelter us and protect us to where we’re granted the opportunity to say and do as we please with our personal life.
I agree with your point, a man should have one wife. Shows about the Polygamists lifestyle are indeed multiplying on the small screen. It's out there, it's being covered extensively, and people are interested. I believe viewers are fascinated by the phenomenon. It's a “secret world” that they want to know more and more about. Public opinion varies on the matter. I’ve heard some say it’s exotic; others say it’s negative, particularly under circumstances where uneducated girls who have been separated from the rest of the world are expected to take part in the lifestyle. The practice itself is illegal in all 50 states. Though its associated with the Mormon religion, I was told by a Mormon co-worker that polygamy was abolished by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the late 1800’s. As a country, we haven't quite wrapped our minds around this. It goes straight to core American values. Polygamy asks us to think about religious freedom, the right to privacy, and are there limits to those rights?
ReplyDeleteI disagree with your argument on the wife to man ratio. Polygamy occurs in many different religions, so to say, "When the constitution was written it was based on Christian morals and if it is not going to be rewritten and completely changed I think Americans should quit trying to find loop holes in the wording to make the unfamiliar acceptable" puts down every other religion. If polygamy is a religious practice (as it has been practiced in buddhism, hinduism and yes even in christianity) then let it be practiced. That does not mean that everyone needs to practice polygamy. If you look in the Old Testament, there are numerous accounts of polygamy.
ReplyDeleteI think that as Americans we should take a look at ourselves. However, we should learn to be more open minded and accepting of other religions, cultures and languages. We should remember that not everyone is of one religion, race or origin. We are all distinct and have different backgrounds. Even though the founding fathers were Christians and they wrote the Constitution with a Christian heart, it is only the foundation for our country. It is our duty to build on that foundation so that we can thrive and advance. Each building block is important and vital for the next building block.
I think the primary problem with your argument is that gay marriage and polygamy are inherently different. Polygamy has been outlawed because it leads to abuse of women, both physical and emotional. Not all polygamist are abusers, but the situation lends itself to an attitude about women that is unhealthy: they are possessions of their husband, there sole purpose is to give birth, they are disposable or replaceable. Gay marriage on the other hand as well as being contrary to your argument, is a firmly established historical practice and is between two consenting, loving adults.
ReplyDeleteAmerica's primary moral is personal freedom. However, that freedom should not infringe on the freedom of another person. This is why polygamy is outlawed by most states and the Mormon church. While I have not seen this program you mention, I do know that popular culture can only affect a person's opinion so much. Just because I am interested in a show about an altruistic serial killer who gets away with murder (Dexter) doesn't mean that I am going to go out and rid the streets of crime one body at a time. My example is a bit on the extreme side but I would venture to guess that after viewing Sisterwives, you do not have a sudden desire to enter a polygamist relationship.