Polygamy

[Aquila]

What about the place where the Law of Moses commands a brother to take his deceased brother’s wife to raise up children in the dead brother’s name, even if he was already married? Essentially in this situation God’s Law required polygamy.

God’s Law also established rights and privileges for concubines and brides taken in war.

Seeing that God’s Law regulates it without calling it “sin” and that Abraham and others are considered righteous though they had multiple wives I don’t think we can call it a “sin.”

In the case of Abraham, his wife, Sarah, asked him to take Hagar. Was this adultery? The Bible doesn’t imply that it was, though it complicated God’s plan for Abraham. Was this because he had consent from his wife? That has baffled me before.

My wife and I have had a few discussions about this on a “what if” level. She stated that she wouldn’t want me to have other “wives” but if we lived in biblical times she could tolerate concubines as long as they were subject to the two of us and took care of the house work, farming, and domestic affairs. She would want to be #1 and remain the only one with legal rights of a “wife.” I was surprised with her open mindedness…until I realized she kept dropping hints at how nice it would be to have help with house cleaning. LOL

[Revelationist]

I've always wondered, where missionarys go, and they have polygamy, and the missionary has them divorce all but one wife... are they doing something that's Biblical, or are they just trying to Americanize them? Usually these wifes that are divorced and their children are put out to starve to death.

Originally Posted by Aquila

What about the place where the Law of Moses commands a brother to take his deceased brother’s wife to raise up children in the dead brother’s name, even if he was already married? Essentially in this situation God’s Law required polygamy.

God’s Law also established rights and privileges for concubines and brides taken in war.

Seeing that God’s Law regulates it without calling it “sin” and that Abraham and others are considered righteous though they had multiple wives I don’t think we can call it a “sin.”

In the case of Abraham, his wife, Sarah, asked him to take Hagar. Was this adultery? The Bible doesn’t imply that it was, though it complicated God’s plan for Abraham. Was this because he had consent from his wife? That has baffled me before.

My wife and I have had a few discussions about this on a “what if” level. She stated that she wouldn’t want me to have other “wives” but if we lived in biblical times she could tolerate concubines as long as they were subject to the two of us and took care of the house work, farming, and domestic affairs. She would want to be #1 and remain the only one with legal rights of a “wife.” I was surprised with her open mindedness…until I realized she kept dropping hints at how nice it would be to have help with house cleaning. LOL

LOL

Same with my wife, haha.

Good point about Abraham and there are other examples as well.

[Coonskinner]

Originally Posted by Revelationist

I've always wondered, where missionarys go, and they have polygamy, and the missionary has them divorce all but one wife... are they doing something that's Biblical, or are they just trying to Americanize them? Usually these wifes that are divorced and their children are put out to starve to death.

Can you tell us about some of these missionaries that have done this, and concemned the wives and kids to starvation?

Do you have personal knowledge of this, or is this another Anti-UPC Urban Legend?

[Revelationist]

Originally Posted by Coonskinner

Can you tell us about some of these missionaries that have done this, and concemned the wives and kids to starvation?

Do you have personal knowledge of this, or is this another Anti-UPC Urban Legend?

I've head the missionarys tell of having them devorce thier other wives after they come to Christ. The rest is putting two and two together.

I don't recall bringing the UPC into this though... does the shoe fit?

[Coonskinner]

Originally Posted by Revelationist

I've head the missionarys tell of having them devorce thier other wives after they come to Christ. The rest is putting two and two together.

I don't recall bringing the UPC into this though... does the shoe fit?

Babies starving is putting two and two together--ok.

No, the shoe certainly doesn't fit.

I have never starved any babies to death.

You said "usually."

That is a pretty strong word.

Especially for pure surmise.

But hey...if it makes us look down on some evil preacher, it's all good.

[Revelationist]

Originally Posted by Coonskinner

Babies starving is putting two and two together--ok.

No, the shoe certainly doesn't fit.

I have never starved any babies to death.

You said "usually."

That is a pretty strong word.

Especially for pure surmise.

But hey...if it makes us look down on some evil preacher, it's all good.

Next time you hear a missionary testify of this, go and look at those folks cultur... usually the purpose of polgamy is because there's not enough men, and the women need support. I'm not talking about missionarys to Utah...

[Aquila]

Missionary Bobbie Wendell (UPCI) explained that in Ethiopia divorced women typically became slaves or prostitutes and their children sold as slaves. She told a story about a man with two wives and like 5 kids who had been saved. This man even brought his whole family to the Lord. However, he was told that he had to divorce his second wife. He said he would and put her and the children up in a place to stay. But in the next worship service the man didn’t show up. Bobbie went to the place where he had put his second wife up to stay until the divorce and she was gone. Apparently her husband had come for her and their children. The man and his two wives and children were never heard from again. The man just couldn’t bring himself to divorce his second wife and leave her subject to such social shame.

Personally, I would have allowed them to continue coming to church as a family but disqualified him from pastoring.

[Aquila]

Missionary Bobbie Wendell (UPCI) explained that in Ethiopia divorced women typically became slaves or prostitutes and their children sold as slaves. She told a story about a man with two wives and like 5 kids who had been saved. This man even brought his whole family to the Lord. However, he was told that he had to divorce his second wife. He said he would and put her and the children up in a place to stay. But in the next worship service the man didn’t show up. Bobbie went to the place where he had put his second wife up to stay until the divorce and she was gone. Apparently her husband had come for her and their children. The man and his two wives and children were never heard from again. The man just couldn’t bring himself to divorce his second wife and leave her subject to such social shame.

Personally, I would have allowed them to continue coming to church as a family but disqualified him from pastoring.

[TRFrance]

Wow.
I cant help but wonder how many souls we've lost because of poor biblical scholarship and man-made doctrine that drives people away from the church.

I'm sure it must make heaven sad.