Polygamy

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by AnotherTrave

Excellent fish! These days I do my fishing at the grocery store, but then I was always better at eating them then catching them.

If you have 10 girlfriends you don't have to wait to get married to be in trouble.:biggrin:

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
Eph 5:25 (KJV)

Whenever I have read this, it never left me thinking that "wives" was pluralized for one husband, but now I see your point. Go out immediately and marry those ten gals (just kidding), however, I think one wife and one husband was what God placed in the Garden of Eden, and I suspect that is still the pattern He wants.

Originally Posted by rgcraig

Read it a little closer - - it doesn't say husband, love your wives.......they are both plural.

Renda....re-read what he posted again real carefully lol

Note the word NEVER

[Revelationist]

I don't think that the Bible says anything about it... but it's kinda like having a Volkswagon, everyone needs to have had one, but no one should have to have two of them.

[staysharp]

Originally Posted by The Mrs

LOL! Good catch!

BUT...it also doesn't say 'Husband, love your wife'!

Could this imply communal living???

[vrblackwell]

Originally Posted by AnotherTrave

What are you fishing for there in Oregon?

Obey the laws of the land. In the USA it is illegial to have more than one wife at a time.

I posted about this on NFCF and did not get many answers to my question.

The fact is, "Thou shalt not commit adultery" did not apply to the men under the law. That's why men like David(a man after God's own heart) and Abraham(found righteous) had many wives and were still referred to in this way.

I have always heard that God was not pleased with it but allowed it. The woman however could not have more than one husband.

One can only come to the conclusion that this was the laws of their land and that God honored those laws. I know that statement can open a can of worms. However, until someone steps up with scripture and enlightens me, it is the only conclusion I can come to. Any takers?

[Felicity]

How many brides does our Bridegroom have? One! Will He stand for another? No! And He is jealous over us with a Godly passion and justified jealousy.

Something to think about and take into consideration in regard to the heathen practice of polygamy. It was never God's plan.

[TRFrance]

Another joke says:
Marriage is an institution... but who wants to live in an institution??

But seriously, folks... this is a thought/question I've wondered about from time to time:
In many Muslim societies, and some African cultures, a man is allowed multiple wives.
So if a Muslim who has 4 wives comes to Christ, and his wives do too... doesn't God still honor his marriage(s)?

Would the missionary who converts that man and his household to Christ tell the man he has to divorce 3 of his wives? Somehow I don't think he would , but I'm just guessing here.

I'm thinking that we would not.

[Felicity]

Thinking a bit more about this.........

I don't know much about the history of polygamy or even how it works in many places in our world today, but it seems to me that throughout history it might have been an improvement in some women's lives, depending on their circumstances, to have been one of several "wives" rather than to be unmarried with no children.

It might even be true in some cultures and places in our world today.

Our culture is just one of many, but of course is supposed to be built largely on Christian/biblical principles which many cultures and societies in our world today are not.

[Timmy]

But no more marriages after getting born again.

Has anyone posted scripture for prohibiting polygamy, yet? If scripture doesn't forbid it, why should we? If it's the norm in a culture, why do Christians feel the need to "correct" it?

[TRFrance]

Originally Posted by Felicity

Thinking a bit more about this.........

I don't know much about the history of polygamy or even how it works in many places in our world today, but it seems to me that throughout history it might have been an improvement in some women's lives, depending on their circumstances, to have been one of several "wives" rather than to be unmarried with no children.

It might even be true in some cultures and places in our world today.

Our culture is just one of many, but of course is supposed to be built largely on Christian/biblical principles which many cultures and societies in our world today are not.

Good point.
In some cultures, because of wars, violent crime, or other factors, there are a lot more women than men. In those places the women might not mind at all being one of several wives.

We cant always look at these things from an American/Western point of view.

[Mercy]

I watched a National Geographic Program about a society in rual India that allows women to marry more than one man...she in facts marries all the men of the family to keep the population down (she can only have so many kids...) and so there can always be a man at home to work the land, while the others go out to herd. So there are places were women have more than one husband, but the husband only has one wife. It was an interesting program.

I have a friend here at my job from Cameroon Africa. Her father has 16 wives (right now...in 2008). They are very, very wealthy.