Is Polygamy Wrong?
Last month Channel 4 ran a documentary entitled Three Wives, One Husband about the Mormon family pictured above.
The documentary followed the lives of Enoch and his two wives Lillian and Catrina and their 17 children. In the documentary, Enoch decided he wanted to marry a third wife, Lydia Rose. However, before he could propose the family had to vote.
In A' Level RS we study the concept of polygamy and polyamory and whether they can be considered ethical.
The documentary followed the lives of Enoch and his two wives Lillian and Catrina and their 17 children. In the documentary, Enoch decided he wanted to marry a third wife, Lydia Rose. However, before he could propose the family had to vote.
In A' Level RS we study the concept of polygamy and polyamory and whether they can be considered ethical.
Polygamy in Religion
The documentary featured a Mormon family. In the Mormon faith men can take multiple wives but not without first consulting their existing wives. It is believed that taking many wives helps a man get closer to God.
Some benefits of polygamy are that people are less likely to cheat and in a society where women have very traditional gender roles it means more hands to help with the housework and look after all those children. The family featured had 17!
In Islam Prophet Muhammad but a ban on unlimited polygamy but did allow men to take up to 4 wives; again not without full consent of a man's existing wife.
However, in Islam polygamy had a much more practical function; in a time when a woman would be destitute if she was unmarried, men would marry widows and take on their children as a means of ensuring everyone was looked after in the community.
Marriage in the time of Muhammad, like in the UK at the time, was not a matter or love but more a financial and political arrangement.
For instance, if a man died in battle it would not be uncommon for his brother or cousin to marry his widow and take on any children as his own as a mark of love and respect- he would not want to see his sister in law, nieces and nephews go without food and protection.
Some benefits of polygamy are that people are less likely to cheat and in a society where women have very traditional gender roles it means more hands to help with the housework and look after all those children. The family featured had 17!
In Islam Prophet Muhammad but a ban on unlimited polygamy but did allow men to take up to 4 wives; again not without full consent of a man's existing wife.
However, in Islam polygamy had a much more practical function; in a time when a woman would be destitute if she was unmarried, men would marry widows and take on their children as a means of ensuring everyone was looked after in the community.
Marriage in the time of Muhammad, like in the UK at the time, was not a matter or love but more a financial and political arrangement.
For instance, if a man died in battle it would not be uncommon for his brother or cousin to marry his widow and take on any children as his own as a mark of love and respect- he would not want to see his sister in law, nieces and nephews go without food and protection.
What do you think?
- Is polygamy immoral?
- Does knowing that polygamy is not always about love or lust make it seem more acceptable?
- Even if Islamic polygamy originally had noble intentions, is it still applicable in today's modern society?
- Would you allow your husband or wife to take on a second partner?
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