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The term polygamy (a Greek word meaning "the practice of multiple marriage") is used in related ways in social anthropology, sociobiology, and sociology. An interpersonal relationship is a relatively long-term association between two or more people Affinity in terms of Sociology, refers to " Kinship of Spirit " interest and other interpersonal commonalities. Attachment in adults deals with the theory of attachment in adult romantic relationships Human bonding refers to the development of a close Interpersonal relationship between family members or friends NOTICE*************** Casual relationship is a term used to describe the physical and emotional relationship between two people who may have a Sexual relationship or a near-sexual relationship without Cohabitation is when people live together in an emotionally- and/or physically- Intimate relationship. Compersion is a term used by practitioners of Polyamory or Swingers to describe the experience of taking pleasure that one's partner is with another person Concubinage is the state of a woman or youth in an ongoing quasi-matrimonial relationship with a man of higher social status Courtship is the traditional dating period before engagement and marriage Divorce or dissolution of marriage is the termination of a Marriage. A domestic partnership is a legal or Personal relationship between two individuals who live together and share a common domestic life but are neither joined by a traditional Not to be confused with Dowry, or with Dour. Dower or morning gift ( Latin doarium, or Latinized A dowry (also known as trousseau or tocher) is the money goods or estate that a woman brings to her soon to be husband in marriage Bride price also known as bride wealth is an amount of Money or Property or Wealth paid by the groom or his family to the Parents of Family denotes a group of People affiliated by consanguinity affinity or co-residence Friendship is a term used to denote co-operative and supportive behavior between two or more beings Girlfriend is a term that can refer to either a Female partner in a non- marital romantic relationship or a female non-intimate Friend A husband is a Male spouse (participant in a Marriage, Civil union or Civil partnership. Infatuation is the state of being completely carried away by unreasoned passion or Love; addictive love The meaning of intimacy varies from relationship to relationship and within a given relationship Limerence, as posited by psychologist Dorothy Tennov, is an involuntary Cognitive and emotional state in which a person feels an intense romantic Love is any of a number of Emotions and experiences related to a sense of strong Affection. NOTICE TO WOULD-BE ROMEOS ************** Monogamy is the custom or condition of having only one mate in a Relationship, thus forming a Couple. Nonmonogamy is a Blanket term covering several different types of Interpersonal relationship in which some or all participants have multiple marital, Passion (from the Latin patior, meaning to suffer or to endure is an emotion of feeling very strongly about a person Pederasty or paederasty refers to an erotic relationship sexually expressed or not between an adolescent boy and an adult male outside his immediate family Amor Platonicus The term amor platonicus was coined as early as the 15th century by the Florentine scholar Marsilio Ficino Polyamory (from Greek el πολυ meaning many or several and Latin la amor “love” is the desire practice or acceptance of having more than one Polyfidelity is a form of polyamorous Group marriage wherein all members consider each other to be primary partners and agree to be sexual only with other members The psychology of monogamy deals with the thoughts feelings and behaviors that commonly occur in monogamous relationships Abuse refers to the use or treatment of something (a person item substance concept or vocabulary that is harmful NOTICE TO WOULD-BE-ROMEOS*************** Legal separation (sometimes "separate maintenance" " divorce a mensa et thoro," or "divorce from bed-and-board" is a possible step towards Human sexual behavior or different human sexual practices encompass a wide range of activities such as strategies to find or attract partners ( Mating and display Serial monogamy is characterized by a series of long- or short-term exclusive Sexual relationships entered into consecutively over the lifespan Sexual orientation is believed to refer to "an enduring pattern of emotional romantic and/or sexual attractions to men women or both sexes NOTICE TO WOULD-BE-ROMEOS*************** A wedding is the Ceremony in which two people are united in Marriage. WIDOW is a full-length Album recorded by British rock band Ritual released in 1983 A wife is a Female spouse or participant in a Marriage, or Civil union or Civil partnership. Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly Social anthropology is the branch of Anthropology that studies how currently living human beings behave in social groups Sociobiology is a neo-Darwinian and Socialism Synthesis of Scientific disciplines that attempts to explain Social behavior Sociology (from Latin: socius "companion" and the suffix -ology "the study of" from Greek λόγος lógos "knowledge" Polygamy can be defined as any "form of marriage in which a person [has] more than one spouse. "^[1]

In social anthropology polygamy is the practice of being married to more than one spouse at the same time. NOTICE TO WOULD-BE ROMEOS ************** Historically, polygamy has been practiced as polygyny (one man having more than one wife), or as polyandry (one woman having more than one husband), or, less commonly as "polygamy" (one person having many wives and many husbands at the same time). Polygyny (which comes from neo- Greek: πολύ poly "many" + γυνή gyny "woman" is a specific form of Polygamy, In Social anthropology and Sociobiology, polyandry ( Greek: poly - many andros - man refers to a form of polygamous (See "Forms of Polygamy" below. ) In contrast, monogamy is the practice of each person having only one spouse. Monogamy is the custom or condition of having only one mate in a Relationship, thus forming a Couple. Like monogamy, the term is often used in a de facto sense, applying regardless of whether the relationships are recognized by the state (see marriage for a discussion on the extent to which states can and do recognize potentially and actually polygamous forms as valid). The term State has several meanings in law in Private international law and Conflict of laws, State can refer to a well-defined jurisdiction with its own set In Conflict of laws, the issue of Marriage has assumed increasing public policy significance in a world of increasing multi-ethnic multi-cultural Community

In sociobiology, polygamy is used in a broad sense to mean any form of multiple mating. In Biology, mating is the pairing of opposite- Sex or hermaphroditic Organisms for copulation and in Social animals also to raise their In a narrower sense, used by zoologists, polygamy includes a pair bond, perhaps temporary. Zoology (from Greek ζῷον, zoon, "animal" + λόγος, " Logos " "knowledge" is the branch of

Contents 1 Forms of polygamy 1.1 Polygyny 1.2 Polyandry 1.3 Group marriage 1.4 Bigamy 1.5 Trigamy 1.6 Serial monogamy 1.7 Other forms of nonmonogamy 1.8 Benefits of polygamism 2 Polygamy worldwide 2.1 Patterns of occurrence 2.2 Polygamy in African societies 2.2.1 South Africa and Sudan 2.3 Polygamy in Chinese culture 2.3.1 Situation in East Asia 2.4 Polygamy and religion 2.4.1 Biblical sources 2.4.2 Judaism 2.4.3 Christianity 2.4.4 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and Mormon fundamentalists 2.4.5 Islam 2.4.6 Hinduism 2.4.7 Buddhism 3 Legal situation 4 Current proponents and opponents 4.1 Secular 4.2 Religious 5 Polygamy today 5.1 Mormon fundamentalism 6 Muslims and traditionalist cultures 7 Polygamy in fiction 8 See also 9 References 10 Bibliography 11 External links 11.1 African Polygamy 11.2 Christian polygamy 11.2.1 Mormon polygamy 11.3 Jewish polygamy 11.4 Muslim perspective 11.5 Greater China Region

Forms of polygamy

Polygamy exists in three specific forms, including polygyny (one man having multiple wives), polyandry (one woman having multiple husbands), or group marriage (some combination of polygyny and polyandry). Polygyny (which comes from neo- Greek: πολύ poly "many" + γυνή gyny "woman" is a specific form of Polygamy, In Social anthropology and Sociobiology, polyandry ( Greek: poly - many andros - man refers to a form of polygamous Group marriage is a form of polyamory in which more than one man and more than one woman form a Family unit with all the members of the group marriage being considered Historically, all three practices have been found, but polygyny is by far the most common in the world. Confusion arises when the broad term "polygamy" is used when a narrower definition is really meant.

Polygyny

Polygyny is the situation in which one man is either married to or involved in sexual relationships with a number of different women at one time. Polygyny (which comes from neo- Greek: πολύ poly "many" + γυνή gyny "woman" is a specific form of Polygamy, This is the most common form of polygamy. Polygyny is practiced in a traditional sense in many Middle East and African cultures and countries today, including South Africa and most of Southern and Central Africa and the Caribbean. It appears more often in highly patriarchical societies. This is the "polygamy" once practiced by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (commonly called Mormons) and practiced today by their fundamentalist offshoots. Mormon fundamentalism (also called fundamentalist Mormonism) is a belief in the validity of selected fundamental aspects of Mormonism as taught and

Polyandry

Polyandry is a practice where a woman is married to more than one man at the same time. In Social anthropology and Sociobiology, polyandry ( Greek: poly - many andros - man refers to a form of polygamous It is also known as wife sharing. Fraternal polyandry was traditionally practiced among nomadic Tibetans in Nepal and parts of China, in which two or more brothers share the same wife, with her having equal sexual access to them. Nomadic people, (from the νομάδες nomádes, "those who let pasture herds" also known as nomads, are communities of people that Definitions of Tibet See also Definitions of Tibet Name In English The English word Tibet, like the word for Tibet in most European Nepal (नेपाल) is a Landlocked country in South Asia. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National Polyandry is believed to be more likely in societies with scarce environmental resources, as it is believed to limit human population growth and enhance child survival. A woman can only have so many children in her lifetime, no matter how many husbands she has. On the other hand, a child with many "fathers", all of whom provide resources, is more likely to survive. (In contrast, the number of children would be increased if polygyny were practiced, and a man had more than one wife. These wives could be simultaneously pregnant). ^[2] It is a rare form of marriage that exists not only among poor families, but also within the elite. ^[3]

Group marriage

Group marriage, or circle marriage, may exist in a number of forms, such as where more than one man and more than one woman form a single family unit, and all members of the marriage share parental responsibility for any children arising from the marriage. Group marriage is a form of polyamory in which more than one man and more than one woman form a Family unit with all the members of the group marriage being considered Family denotes a group of People affiliated by consanguinity affinity or co-residence A parent is a Father or Mother; one who sires or gives Another possible arrangement not thought to exist in reality (on the social level), although occurring in science fiction , is the long-lived line marriage, in which deceased or departing spouses in the group are continually replaced by others, so that family property never becomes dispersed through inheritance. Group marriage is a form of polyamory in which more than one man and more than one woman form a Family unit with all the members of the group marriage being considered

Bigamy

Bigamy is the act or condition of a person marrying another person while still being lawfully married to a second person. Bigamy is a crime in most western countries. For example, in the United States, because of the contract a married person makes upon becoming married, that person is obliged not to marry again as long as the first marriage continues; stipulations of the marriage license applying.

Trigamy

In seventeenth to nineteenth century England, trigamy referred to the relationship of someone who had three spouses at the same time.

The term is typically used for comic reference. An example is the limerick by William Cosmo Monkhouse about a man from the town of Lyme in Dorset, England. A limerick is a five-line Poem with a strict form originally popularized in English by Edward Lear. William Cosmo Monkhouse ( March 18, 1840 &ndash July 20, 1901) English Poet and Critic, was born in London Lyme Regis (ˌlaɪmˈriːdʒɪs is a coastal town in West Dorset, England, situated 25 Miles west of Dorchester and east of Exeter Dorset ( (or archaically, Dorsetshire) is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland

There was an old fellow of Lyme

Who lived with three wives at one time.

When asked, 'Why the third?'

He replied, 'One’s absurd,

and bigamy, sir, is a crime. '

From the modern legal perspective, trigamy is viewed as two counts of bigamy.

Serial monogamy

Main article: Serial monogamy

The phrase serial monogamy has been used to describe the lifestyle of persons who have repeatedly married and divorced multiple partners. Serial monogamy is characterized by a series of long- or short-term exclusive Sexual relationships entered into consecutively over the lifespan

Other forms of nonmonogamy

Main article: Forms of nonmonogamy

Other forms of nonmonogamous relationships are discussed at Forms of nonmonogamy. Nonmonogamy is a Blanket term covering several different types of Interpersonal relationship in which some or all participants have multiple marital, Nonmonogamy is a Blanket term covering several different types of Interpersonal relationship in which some or all participants have multiple marital,

Benefits of polygamism

Philip Kilbride, an American anthropologist, in his book, Plural Marriage for our Time, proposes polygamy as a solution to some of the ills of the American society at large. He argues that plural marriage may serve as a potential alternative for divorce in many cases in order to obviate the damaging impact of divorce on many children. He maintains that many divorces are caused by the rampant extramarital affairs in the American society. According to Kilbride, ending an extramarital affair in a polygamous marriage, rather than in a divorce, is better for the children, "Children would be better served if family augmentation rather than only separation and dissolution were seen as options. " Moreover, he suggests that other groups will also benefit from plural marriage such as: elderly women who face a chronic shortage of men. ^[4]

Polygamy worldwide

According to the Ethnographic Atlas Codebook, of the 1231 societies noted, 186 were monogamous. 453 had occasional polygyny, 588 had more frequent polygyny, and 4 had polyandry. ^[5]

Patterns of occurrence

At the same time, even within societies which allow polygyny, the actual practice of polygyny occurs relatively rarely. There are exceptions: in Senegal, for example, nearly 47 percent of marriages are multiple. ^[6] To take on more than one wife often requires considerable resources: this may put polygamy beyond the means of the vast majority of people within those societies. Such appears the case in many traditional Islamic societies, and in Imperial China. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National

Within polygynous societies, multiple wives often become a status symbol denoting wealth and power. A status symbol is a visible external denotation of one's social position and indicator of status. Similarly, within societies that formally prohibit polygamy, social opinion may look favorably on persons maintaining mistresses or engaging in serial monogamy. Serial monogamy is characterized by a series of long- or short-term exclusive Sexual relationships entered into consecutively over the lifespan

Some observers detect a social preference for polygyny in disease-prone (especially tropical) climates, and speculate that (from a potential mother's viewpoint) perceived quality of paternal genes may favour the practice there. The countervailing situation allegedly prevails in harsher climates, where (once again from a potential mother's viewpoint) reliable paternal care as exhibited in monogamous pair-bonding outweighs the importance of paternal genes.

Polygamy in African societies

Polygamy existed all over Africa as an aspect of culture or/and religion (mainly Islam). Plural marriages have been more common than not in the history of Africa. Many African societies saw children as a form of wealth thus the more children a family had the more powerful it was. Thus polygamy was part of empire building. It was only during the colonial era that plural marriage was perceived as taboo. Esther Stanford, an African-focused lawyer, states that this decline was encouraged because the issues of property ownership conflicted with European colonial interest. ^[7] In Africa many women are very poor and their husbands have died or been murdered. They then take a husband (usually wealthy) and marry in. The husband usually already has a wife, but marries her anyway. She is then the second wife, but is most times used as a servant.

South Africa and Sudan

Polygamy is encouraged in states such as Sudan, and is very common in West Africa (Muslim and traditionalist). ^[8] In South Africa traditionalist Zulu's and Xhosa's practice polygamy. ^[9] The leader of the ANC, and future president Jacob Zuma is also openly in favor of plural marriages, being married to numerous wives himself. Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma (born 12 April 1942 is a South African politician ^[10][11] The wives live in small houses in a circle around the master compound. ^[12]

Polygamy in Chinese culture

Since the Han Dynasty, technically, Chinese men could have only one wife. The Han Dynasty ( 206 BC–220 AD followed the Qin Dynasty and preceded the Three Kingdoms in China. However, throughout the thousands of years of Chinese history, it was common for rich Chinese men to have a wife and various concubines. Concubinage is the state of a woman or youth in an ongoing quasi-matrimonial relationship with a man of higher social status Polygyny is a by-product of the tradition of emphasis on procreation and the continuity of the father's family name. Before the establishment of the People's Republic of China, it was lawful to have a wife and multiple concubines within Chinese marriage. Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES Chinese marriage ( is a ceremonial ritual within Chinese societies that involve a marriage established by pre-arrangement between families. An emperor, government official or rich merchant could have up to hundreds of concubines after marrying his first wife, or tai-tai.

The Chinese culture of Confucianism and thus the practice of polygyny spread from China to the areas that are now Korea and Japan. Before the establishment of the modern democratic mode, Eastern countries permitted a similar practice of polygyny. ^[13]

Situation in East Asia

After the Communist Revolution in 1949, polygamy was banned. This occurred via the Marriage Act of 1953.

In Mongolia, there has been discussion about legalizing polygamy to reduce the imbalance of the male and female population. Mongolia (mɒŋˈɡoʊliə, literally Mongol country/nation,) is a Landlocked Country in East ^[14]

In Hong Kong, polygamy was banned in October 1971. Hong Kong ( officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a territory located on China 's south coast on the Pearl River Delta, and borders ^[15] However, it is still practiced in Hong Kong and Macau. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Macau topics. One example of this is Stanley Ho. Stanley Ho, OBE, GBS, GLM (born November 25, 1921) also known as Ho Hung-sun, Stanley Ho Hung-sun ( is an Another is Lim Por Yen. Lim Por-yen ( (1914 &ndash 18 February 2005 was a Hong Kong textiles tycoon and banker ^[16] Some Hong Kong businessmen have concubines across the border in mainland China. Kevin Murphy of The International Herald Tribune^[17] reports the cross-border polygyny phenomenon in Hong Kong in 1995. The International Herald Tribune is a widely read English language international Newspaper ^[18]

Man-Lun Ng, M. D. of Humboldt University of Berlin reported the situation in Hong Kong: it was estimated that out of the approximately two million married couples in Hong Kong, about 300,000 husbands had mistresses in mainland China (1996). For other universities in Berlin see List of Universities in Berlin. In 1995, 40% of extramarital affairs involved an enduring long-term relationship with a stable partner. ^[15]

The traditional attitude toward mistresses is reflected in the saying: "wife is not as good as concubine, concubine is not as good as prostitute, prostitute is not as good as secret affair, secret affair is not as good as the affair you want but can't get" (妻不如妾, 妾不如妓, 妓不如偷, 偷不如偷不到). Concubinage is the state of a woman or youth in an ongoing quasi-matrimonial relationship with a man of higher social status Prostitution is the act of performing Sexual activity in exchange for Money.

The number of women becoming the secret second wife is ever increasing in east Asia. In Thai translation, "Mia", pronounced "ME-UH", is wife; and MIA-NOI, pronounced (ME-UH-NOY" is second wife (aka Mistress), or more literally, "less than wife" and in some translations "minor wife". The "real" wife or main wife is the "MIA-LUANG", pronounced "ME-UH-LOU-AANG" (and means wife #1). The husband is expected to take care of all the wives, but Mia Luang is the most important as she is typically the bearer of children.

The terms 二奶 (er nai/ yi nai) & 包二奶 (bao er nai / bao yi nai) refer to the second woman and the act of having the second woman respectively. Mansions and villages are now nicknamed 二奶村 (er nai cun / yi nai tsuen) (village of second woman) when a number of secret second wives live.

Polygamy and religion

Biblical sources

The Hebrew Bible indicates that polygyny was practised by the ancient Hebrews. The term Hebrew Bible is a generic reference to those books of the Bible originally written in Biblical Hebrew (and the related Biblical Aramaic Though the institution was not extremely common it was not particularly unusual and was certainly not prohibited or discouraged by the Bible. Nowhere in the Torah or the rest of the Bible is monogamy established as a rule or even a desirable principle. ^[19] The Bible mentions approximately forty polygynists, including such prominent figures as Abraham, Jacob, Esau, Moses, David and King Solomon, with little or no further remark on their polygyny as such. Abraham ( Ashkenazi   Avrohom or Avruhom; ابراهيم, {{Unicode|Ibrāhīm}}; Ge'ez: Jacob ( Hebrew: יַעֲקֹב, Standard   Yaʿaqov Tiberian   Yaʿăqōḇ; Esau (ˈisɔ ( Hebrew, Standard Hebrew Esav, Tiberian Hebrew ʿĒśāw) is the brother of Jacob (whom God renamed Moses ( Latin: Moyses,; Greek: grc Mωυσής in both the Septuagint and the New Testament; Arabic: ar موسىٰ David, Arabic: داوود or داود dawud, "beloved" was the second king of the united Kingdom of Israel according to the Hebrew Bible King Solomon ( Ge'ez: ስለሞን Arabic: ar سليمان, Sulayman, all from the Triliteral root S-L-M, "peace"

The Torah, the Five Books of Moses, includes a few specific regulations on the practice of polygyny. term " Torah " ( Hebrew: תּוֹרָה "teaching" or "instruction" sometimes translated as "Law" most commonly refers to term " Torah " ( Hebrew: תּוֹרָה "teaching" or "instruction" sometimes translated as "Law" most commonly refers to Exodus 21:10 states that multiple marriages are not to diminish the status of the first wife, while Deuteronomy 21:15-17 states that a man must award the inheritance due to a first-born son to the son who was actually born first, even if he hates that son's mother and likes another wife more, implying that she had been divorced, and Deuteronomy 17:17 states that the king shall not have too many wives. ^{[20] [21]}

The biblical institution of a levirate marriage was a positive provision towards polygynous. Levirate marriage is a type of marriage in which a woman marries one of her husband's brothers after her husband's death if there were no children in order to continue the The institution required a man to marry and support his deceased brother's widow if he died without her having given birth to a son. WIDOW is a full-length Album recorded by British rock band Ritual released in 1983 (Deuteronomy 25:5-10) The practice has been justified that it was important for the brother to have died without an heir to continue his name, or say the prayers for the dead for him. It has also been argued that there were also negative factors for the childless widow since children and fertility were a sign of God's blessing. This practice also provided a means of provide for widows. If the eldest brother refused to marry the widow then it was the responsibility of the next brother and so forth down the family line.

The Hebrew Bible prohibits polyandry. In Social anthropology and Sociobiology, polyandry ( Greek: poly - many andros - man refers to a form of polygamous For a woman to have sexual relations when she is married to another (which would include a situation such as polyandry) would constitute adultery, with the consequences that it would have on her status, as well as of her children from that relationship. Adultery is the voluntary Sexual intercourse between a married person and another person who is not his or her Spouse, though in many places it is

Judaism

As noted above, in the biblical days Jewish men were allowed more than one wife and concubinage (wives with less status) was also practiced. ^[19] Since the 11th century, Ashkenazi Jews have followed Rabbenu Gershom's ban on polygyny. Ashkenazi Jews, also known as Ashkenazic Jews or Ashkenazim ( Hebrew: אַשְׁכֲּנָזִים, ˌaʃkəˈnazim sing Gershom ben Judah, (c 960 -1040? -1028? best known as Rabbeinu Gershom ( Hebrew: רבנו גרשום, "Our teacher Gershom" and also commonly ^[22]. Gershom's ban initially applied only to Ashkenazi Jews living in Christian lands. Ashkenazi Jews, also known as Ashkenazic Jews or Ashkenazim ( Hebrew: אַשְׁכֲּנָזִים, ˌaʃkəˈnazim sing Technically, his polygamy ban expired in 1260 (Jewish year 5000). ^[19][23] However, its practice has spread to most Jews and been reaccepted by some Rabinical Assemblies. ^[24] Polyandry was never practised.

Some Sephardi and Mizrahi Jews (particularly those from Yemen and Iran) discontinued polygyny much more recently, as they emigrated to countries where it was forbidden. Sephardi Jews ( Hebrew: ספרדי, Standard Səfardi Tiberian Səp̄arədî; plural Mizrahi Jews or Mizrahim, ( also referred to as Edot HaMizrach (Communities of the East are Jews descended Yemen ( Arabic: اليَمَن al-Yaman officially the Republic of Yemen ( Arabic: الجمهورية اليمنية al-Jumhuuriyya For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. Israel limits the ability for Jews to enter polygamous marriages in Israel,^[25] but recognises existing polygamous marriages of people immigrating from countries where the practice was legal. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics.

Among Karaite Jews, who do not accept Rabbinic interpretations of the Torah, polygyny is non-existent today. Karaite Judaism or Karaism (ˈkærəˌaɪt ˈkærəˌɪzəm) is a Jewish movement NOTE The word sect should not be used without defining it first and Karaites interpret Leviticus 18:18 to mean that a man can only take a second wife if his first wife gives her consent^[26] and Exodus 21:10 to mean that a man can only take a second wife if he is capable of maintaining the same level of the marital duties of food, clothing, and sexual gratification as are due to his first wife. Because of these interpretations and because nearly all countries outlaw it, polygyny is considered impractical, and there are no known cases of it among Karaite Jews.

Christianity

While the New Testament does not explicitly mention or ban polygamy, verses that teach on leadership (discussed below) forbid multiple marriage for church leaders; these verses are often interpreted to mean that marriage is between only one man and one woman:

"each man is to have his own wife, and each woman is to have her own husband. " (1 Corinthians 7:2)

"A bishop must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach. " (1 Timothy 3:2)

The mainline Christian tradition for over 1,000 years has been strictly in favour of monogamy and that most Christian scholars support this position.

Saint Augustine saw a conflict between Roman civil law and Old Testament polygyny. He did not consider it in violation of scripture. He wrote in The Good of Marriage (chapter 15):

[although it] was lawful among the ancient fathers: whether it be lawful now also, I would not hastily pronounce. For there is not now necessity of begetting children, as there then was, when, even when wives bear children, it was allowed, in order to a more numerous posterity, to marry other wives in addition, which now is certainly not lawful.

Augustine noted that polygamy was not in keeping with Roman custom or law. In chapter 7, he wrote:

Now indeed in our time, and in keeping with Roman custom, it is no longer allowed to take another wife, so as to have more than one wife living. [emphasis added]

"But here there is no ground for a criminal accusation: for a plurality of wives was no crime when it was the custom; and it is a crime now, because it is no longer the custom. . . . . . The only reason of its being a crime now to do this, is because custom and the laws forbid it.

The Roman Catholic Church has subsequently taught on more fundamental grounds that "polygamy is not in accord with the moral law. [Conjugal] communion is radically contradicted by polygamy; this, in fact, directly negates the plan of God which was revealed from the beginning, because it is contrary to the equal personal dignity of men and women who in matrimony give themselves with a love that is total and therefore unique and exclusive. " (Catholic Cathechism, para. 2387, Vatican website). This is also the normal position among Protestant Churches, and it can therefore be said that the mainstream Christian position is to reject polygamy in principle.

Periodically, Christian reform movements that have aimed at rebuilding Christian doctrine based on the Bible alone (sola scriptura) have at least temporarily accepted polygamy as a Biblical practice. Sola scriptura ( Latin ablative, "by scripture alone" is the assertion that the Bible as God's written word is self-authenticating For example, during the Protestant Reformation, in a document referred to simply as "Der Beichtrat" (or "The Confessional Advice" ),^[27] Martin Luther granted the Landgrave Philip of Hesse, who, for many years, had been living "constantly in a state of adultery and fornication,"^[28] a dispensation to take a second wife. Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. The Protestant Reformation was a reform movement in Europe that began in 1517 though its roots lie further back in time Martin Luther (November 10 1483 February 18 1546 was a German Monk, theologian, university professor Father of Protestantism, and church reformer Landgrave ( Dutch landgraaf, German Landgraf; French landgrave; Latin comes magnus, comes patriae Philip I of Hesse, ( 13 November 1504 - 31 March 1567) nicknamed der Großmütige (the " Magnanimous " was a leading The double marriage was to be done in secret however, to avoid public scandal. ^[29] Some fifteen years earlier, in a letter to the Saxon Chancellor Gregor Brück, Luther stated that he could not "forbid a person to marry several wives, for it does not contradict Scripture. " ("Ego sane fateor, me non posse prohibere, si quis plures velit uxores ducere, nec repugnat sacris literis. ")^[30] Despite the approval of Martin Luther, Christian polygamy is a minority position. Martin Luther (November 10 1483 February 18 1546 was a German Monk, theologian, university professor Father of Protestantism, and church reformer ^[31]

"On February 14, 1650, the parliament at Nürnberg decreed that, because so many men were killed during the Thirty Years’ War, the churches for the following ten years could not admit any man under the age of 60 into a monastery. Priests and ministers not bound by any monastery were allowed to marry. Lastly, the decree stated that every man was allowed to marry up to ten women. The men were admonished to behave honorably, provide for their wives properly, and prevent animosity among them. "^{[32][33][34][35][36]}

Although it is a minority position, there are conservative Christian groups who embrace plural marriage today. Two such groups are Biblical Families^[37] and Christian Polygyny^[38].

The modern trend towards frequent divorce and remarriage is sometimes referred to by conservative Christians as 'serial polygamy'. In contrast, sociologists and anthropologists refer to this as 'serial monogamy', since it is a series of monogamous (i. Serial monogamy is characterized by a series of long- or short-term exclusive Sexual relationships entered into consecutively over the lifespan e. not polygamous) relationships. ^[39]

In Sub-Saharan Africa there has often been tension between the Christian churches' which insist on monogamy and African Independent Churches which defend traditional polygamy with references to the Old Testament. Sub-Saharan Africa is a geographical term used to describe the area of the African continent which lies south of the Sahara, or those African countries African Initiated Church is a Christian denomination started in Africa by Africans and not by missionaries from another continent

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and Mormon fundamentalists

Main articles: Plural marriage and Mormon fundamentalism

See also: Polygamy in the United States and List of Latter Day Saint practitioners of plural marriage

The history of Mormon polygamy begins with claims that Mormonism founder Joseph Smith received a revelation from God on July 17, 1831 that some Mormon men would be commanded to practice "plural marriage". Mormon fundamentalism (also called fundamentalist Mormonism) is a belief in the validity of selected fundamental aspects of Mormonism as taught and According to a consensus of historians founder Joseph Smith Jr Mormonism is a term used to describe the religious, ideological and cultural elements of certain branches of the Latter Day Saint movement Events 180 - Twelve inhabitants of Scillium in North Africa are executed for being Christians Year 1831 ( MDCCCXXXI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a The July 12, 1843 recording of a Smith revelation on plural marriage is now canonized as scripture in the Doctrine and Covenants by the LDS Church. Events 1191 - Saladin 's garrison surrenders ending the two-year Siege of Acre. Year 1843 ( MDCCCXLIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common The Doctrine and Covenants (sometimes abbreviated and cited as D&C) is a part of the open scriptural canon of several denominations of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the fourth largest Christian denomination in the United States and the largest and most well-known ^[40] For years the practice of plural marriage by Mormons in the United States was not publicly known. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The 1835 edition of the 101st Section of the Doctrine and Covenants, written before the doctrine of plural marriage was practiced, publicly condemned polygamy. Year 1835 ( MDCCCXXXV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common This scripture was used to quash Mormon polygamy rumors by John Taylor during 1850 in Liverpool, England. John Taylor ( November 1, 1808 &ndash July 25, 1887) was the third president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints For the game see 1850 (board game. 1850 ( MDCCCL) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link Liverpool ( is a City and Metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary ^[41] Polygamy was illegal in the state of Illinois^[42] during the 1839-44 Nauvoo era when several top Mormon leaders including Smith, Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball took plural wives. The State of Illinois ( roughly ill-i-NOY is a state of the United States of America, the 21st to be admitted to the Union. There is also a Nauvoo Alabama, and a Nauvoo Pennsylvania Nauvoo ( is a small city in Hancock County, Illinois Brigham Young (June 1 1801 &ndash August 29 1877 was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. Heber Chase Kimball ( June 14, 1801 &ndash June 22, 1868) was a leader in the early Latter Day Saint movement. Mormon elders who publicly taught that all men were commanded to enter plural marriage were subject to discipline; for example, the February 1, 1844 excommunication of Hyram Brown. Events 1327 - Teenaged Edward III is crowned King of England, but the country is ruled by his mother Queen Year 1844 ( MDCCCXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year Excommunication is a religious Censure used to deprive or suspend membership in a religious community ^[43] In May 1844 Smith declared, "What a thing it is for a man to be accused of committing adultery, and having seven wives, when I can only find one. Year 1844 ( MDCCCXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year "^[44] On June 7, 1844 the Nauvoo Expositor criticized Smith for plural marriage. Events 1099 - The First Crusade: The Siege of Jerusalem begins Year 1844 ( MDCCCXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year The Nauvoo Expositor was a Newspaper in Nauvoo, Illinois that published only one issue which was dated June 7, 1844 The Nauvoo city council declared the Nauvoo Expositor press a nuisance and ordered Smith, as Nauvoo's mayor, to order the city marshall to destroy the paper and its press. This controversial decision led to Smith going to Carthage Jail where he was killed by a mob on June 27, 1844. Carthage Jail, located in Carthage Illinois, was the location of the Death of Joseph Smith Jr Events 1358 - Republic of Dubrovnik is founded 1709 - Peter the Great defeats Charles XII of Sweden Year 1844 ( MDCCCXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year The main body of Mormons soon followed Brigham Young to Utah where the practice of plural marriage continued. The State of Utah (ˈjuːtɔː or) is a western state of the United States.

On August 29, 1852 the church began to publicly acknowledge their practice of plural marriage through a sermon on the subject given by Apostle Orson Pratt. Events 708 - Copper coins are minted in Japan for the first time (Traditional Japanese date: August 10, 708) Year 1852 ( MDCCCLII) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year Orson Pratt ( September 19, 1811 &ndash October 3, 1881) was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Additional sermons by top Mormon leaders on the virtues of polygamy followed. ^[45] Much controversy ensued and many novelists began to write books and pamphlets condemning polygamy, portraying it as a legalized form of slavery. As a social-economic system slavery is a legal institution under which a Person (called "a slave" is compelled to work for another The key plank of the Republican Party's 1856 platform was "to prohibit in the territories those twin relics of barbarism, polygamy and slavery". A party platform, also known as a Manifesto, is a list of the principles which a Political party supports in order to appeal to the general public for the purpose ^[46] In 1862 during their first term with full control of both Congress and the White House, the Republicans issued the Morrill Anti-Bigamy Act and the Emancipation Proclamation. Year 1862 was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting on Monday The Thirty-seventh United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government consisting of the United States Senate and See also Executive Office of the President of the United States The White House, formerly known as the Executive Mansion, is the Official residence The Morrill Anti-Bigamy Act was signed into law on July 8, 1862 by President Abraham Lincoln. The Emancipation Proclamation consists of two executive orders issued by United States President Abraham Lincoln during the American Civil War. The Morrill Anti-Bigamy Act clarified that the practice of polygamy was illegal in all U.S. territories. Organized incorporated territories are those Territories of the United States that are both incorporated (part of the United States proper and organized Latter-day Saints believed that their religiously-based practice of plural marriage was protected by the Constitution. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the fourth largest Christian denomination in the United States and the largest and most well-known The Constitution of the United States of America is the supreme Law of the United States. ^[47] However the 1878 unanimous Supreme Court Reynolds v. United States decision declared that polygamy was not protected by the Constitution, based on the longstanding legal principle that "laws are made for the government of actions, and while they cannot interfere with mere religious belief and opinions, they may with practices. Year 1878 ( MDCCCLXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest judicial body in the United States and leads the federal judiciary. This page is about the 1878 US Supreme Court case about polygamy and religious duty as a defense to criminal prosecution "^[48]

Increasingly harsh anti-polygamy legislation penalized church members, disincorporated the church, and permitted the seizure of church property. The Edmunds Act, is United States federal legislation signed into law on March 23 1882 declaring Polygamy a Felony. The Edmunds–Tucker Act of 1887 touched all the issues at dispute between the United States Congress and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Members of the church were subsequently sent to Canada and Mexico to set up communities free from prosecution and in order to keep their marriages intact; e. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. The prosecutor is the chief legal representative of the prosecution in countries with either the Common law Adversarial system, or the civil law g. , Charles Ora Card founded Cardston, Alberta at the direction of John Taylor. Charles Ora Card (1839 – 1906 was the founder of the town of Cardston, Alberta, the first Mormon settlement in Canada. Cardston is a town in southwest Alberta, Canada. Cardston was settled in 1887 by Mormons from Utah The church's fourth president, Wilford Woodruff, issued a public declaration (commonly called the Manifesto) announcing the official discontinuance of the practice in 1890. Wilford Woodruff ( March 1, 1807 &ndash September 2, 1898) was the fourth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day See also Latter Day Saint polygamy in the late 19th century The "1890 Manifesto", sometimes simply called "The Manifesto", is a statement Year 1890 ( MDCCCXC) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Woodruff indicated in his diary that his action was taken "for the temporal salvation of the Church" which had been shown to him as being in danger through a vision from the Lord. ^[49] Much of the opposition against the church ceased because of the Manifesto. Opposition to statehood for Utah faded as the controversy over Mormon polygamy waned. The State of Utah (ˈjuːtɔː or) is a western state of the United States. (Utah was granted statehood in 1896. Year 1896 ( MDCCCXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year )

National attention in the United States again focused on potential polygamy among the church in the early 20th century during the House of Representatives hearings on Representative-elect B. H. Roberts and Senate hearings on Senator-elect Reed Smoot (the Smoot Hearings). The twentieth century of the Common Era began on The United States House of Representatives is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress; the other is the Senate. Brigham Henry Roberts ( March 13, 1857 – September 27, 1933) was a Mormon leader historian and politician who published a The United States Senate is the Upper house of the bicameral United States Congress, the Lower house being the House of Representatives Reed Smoot ( January 10, 1862 – February 9, 1941) was a native-born Utahn that served in the United States Senate The Reed Smoot hearings ( Smoot hearings or Smoot Case) were a series of Congressional hearings on whether the United States Senate should seat U Sixth church president Joseph F. Smith issued the church's Second Manifesto against polygamy in 1904 which clarified that all members of the LDS Church were officially prohibited from performing or entering into polygamous marriages, no matter what the legal status of such unions was in their respective countries of residence. Joseph Fielding Smith Sr ( November 13, 1838 &ndash November 19, 1918) was the sixth president of The Church of Jesus Christ The "Second Manifesto" was a 1904 declaration made by Joseph F Year 1904 ( MCMIV) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year starting on In 1909 a committee of apostles met to investigate post-Manifesto polygamy, and by 1910 the church had a new policy. In the Latter Day Saint movement, the quorum of the Twelve (also known as the council of the Twelve, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Council Those involved in plural marriages after 1904 were excommunicated; and those married between 1890 and 1904 were not to have church callings where other members would have to sustain them. Although the LDS Church officially prohibited new plural marriages after 1904, many plural husbands and wives continued to cohabit until their deaths in the 1940s and 1950s. ^[50] Seventh church president Heber J. Grant who died in 1945 was the last LDS Church president to have practiced plural marriage. Heber Jeddy Grant ( November 22, 1856 &ndash May 14, 1945) was the seventh president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar In the Latter Day Saint movement, the President of the Church is generally considered to be the highest office of the church Leaders of the LDS church say that because they have restored the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the earth, plural marriage was a temporary necessity for this purpose.

The LDS Church now excommunicates members found to be practicing polygamy. ^[51] The "Teachings of Brigham Young"^[52] and a LDS website on Joseph Smith^[53] are some examples on how LDS Church publications now commonly characterize the history of early church leaders on the practice of plural marriage. Brigham Young (June 1 1801 &ndash August 29 1877 was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement.

Although Mormons accept the prohibition on plural marriage, various splinter groups left the mainline LDS Church to continue the open practice of plural marriage. The word schism (ˈsɪzəm or /ˈskɪzəm/ from the Greek σχίσμα skhísma (from σχίζω skhízō, "to tear to split" Polygamy among these groups persists today in Utah, neighboring states, and the spin-off colonies, as well as among isolated individuals with no organized church affiliation. The State of Utah (ˈjuːtɔː or) is a western state of the United States. Polygamist churches of Mormon origin are often referred to as "Mormon fundamentalist" even though, because they are practicing polygamy, they are not a part of the LDS church and therefore are not accurately considered "Mormon". Mormon fundamentalism (also called fundamentalist Mormonism) is a belief in the validity of selected fundamental aspects of Mormonism as taught and They often use an ambiguous September 27, 1886 revelation to John Taylor as the basis for their authority to continue the practice of plural marriage. Events 489 - Odoacer attacks Theodoric at the Battle of Verona and is defeated again Year 1886 ( MDCCCLXXXVI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common John Taylor ( November 1, 1808 &ndash July 25, 1887) was the third president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ^[54] The Salt Lake Tribune states there are as many as 37,000 fundamentalists, with less than half of them living in polygamous households. The Salt Lake Tribune is the largest-circulated daily newspaper in the U ^[55] Most of the polygamy is believed to be restricted to about a dozen extended groups of polygamous fundamentalists. The LDS Church asserts that it is improper to call any of these splinter polygamous groups "Mormon. "^[56][57]

Islam

Main article: Polygamy in Islam

In Islam, polygamy is allowed, with the specific limitation that men can only have up to four wives at any one time. This is a sub-article to Polygyny and Islamic marital jurisprudence In Islam, Polygamy is allowed and practised under certain restricted However, the Qur'an specifically states that men who choose this route must deal with their wives as fairly as possible, doing everything that they can to spend equal amounts of time and money on each one of them. The Qur’an ( القرآن, literally "the recitation" also sometimes transliterated as Qur’ān, Koran, Alcoran Although many Muslim countries still retain traditional Islamic law which permits polygamy, certain elements within some Muslim societies challenge its acceptability. A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion Sharia ( Arabic: ar شريعة) is the body of Islamic Religious law. For example, polygamy is prohibited by law in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Lebanon, Tunisia and Turkey. Bosnia and Herzegovina ( Latin script: Bosna i Hercegovina, Cyrillic script: Босна и Херцеговина is a country on the Balkan Lebanon (ˈlɛbənɒn Arabic: ar لبنان Lubnān) officially the Republic of Lebanon or Lebanese Republic (ar الجمهورية اللبنانية Tunisia (تونس Tūnis officially the Tunisian Republic ( is a country located in North Africa. Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches

Hinduism

Both polygamy and polygyny were practiced in ancient, medieval and early-modern times, among many sections of Hindu society. A Hindu ( Devanagari: हिन्दू is an adherent of the philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, a set of religious, Philosophical For example, in Ramayan, father of Ramchandra, king Dasharath has three wives but Ram has pledged himself just one wife. Ramayan is a highly successful It is a television adaptation of the ancient Indian religious epic of the same name and is primarily based Rama ( IAST: rāma Devanāgarī: राम Khmer: Phreah Ream Thai: Phra Ram Lao: Phra Lam Tagalog: The only instance of polyandry in Indian mythology is seen in Mahabharat where Draupadi marries 5 brothers, the Pandavas. In the Ancient Indian epic Mahābhārata, Krsnā Draupadī (Devanagari कृष्णा द्रौपदी; approx In the Hindu epic Mahābhārata, the Pandava (or Pandawa brothers ( Sanskrit: पाण्‍डव pāṇḍavaḥ are the five acknowledged sons of Krishna, the 8th incarnation of Vishnu had 16,108 wives. Krishna (कृष्ण in Devanagari kṛṣṇa in IAST, ˈkr̩ʂɳə in classical Sanskrit is a deity worshiped across many traditions of Hinduism Hinduism during the vedic period did not prohibit polygamy, in fact it prescribed rules to regulate it (though no limit was placed on the number of spouses). Historically, kings routinely took concubines. For example, the Vijaynagara emperor, Krishnadevaraya had multiple "wives. Vijayanagara (ವಿಜಯನಗರ is in Bellary District, northern Karnataka. Sri Krishnadevaraya ( Kannada: ಶ್ರೀ ಕೃಷ್ಣದೇವರಾಯ Telugu:శ్రీకృష్ణదేవరాయ (1509-1529 CE was the most famous " Monogamy was only imposed by 18th. and 19th. century Christian European imperialists, especially the British Raj. Under modern Hindu Marriage Law, polygamy is forbidden for Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs. However, Muslims in India are allowed to have multiple wives. Marriage laws in India are dependent upon the religion of the subject in question. ^[58]

Buddhism

Marriage is considered a secular issue in Buddhism. According to Theravada Buddhism, polygamy is discouraged and extramatrial affairs are considered sinful. It is said in the Parabawa Sutta that "a man who is not satisfied with one woman and seeks out other women is on the path to decline". In Tibetan Buddhism, namely Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism, it is not uncommon to take a consort in addition to a spouse, though it is namely for certain spiritual practices that the spouse may not be able/ready to participate in--or if the husband/wife are at different levels on their spiritual path. A consort is appropriate in such cases. Within this context, either the husband or wife, occasionally both, might take a spiritual consort. This is known as Consort Practice, and there are specific teachings and mediations that go along with it. Consort Practice is often very private, however, and not openly discussed outside of followers of Tibetan Vajrayana--which tends to be a very private form of Buddhism in general -- hence it is not very well known. Husbands and wives also engage in Consort Practice together, monogamously.

The 2008 BBC documentary series "A Year in Tibet", however, recorded three distinct cases of polyandry in and around the city of Gyantse alone (the pregnant farmer's wife in episode 1, "The Visit"; Yangdron in episode 2, "Three Husbands and a Wedding"; and the young monk, Tsephun's, mother in episode 5, "A Tale of Three Monks"). In "Three Husbands and a Wedding", a 17-year-old girl is also shown being forced into a marriage that would have been polyandrous, except that the younger, 12-year-old, brother had to attend school on the wedding day (his parents hint that he will marry his older brother's new wife at a later date). The programs include statements from the women involved that indicate they did not enter the polyandrous marriages willingly, and commentary that indicates young women in Tibet are routinely forced by their families into polyandrous marriages with two or more brothers.

Polyandry (especially fraternal polyandry) is also common among Buddhists in Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Ladakh, and other parts of the Indian subcontinent.

Legal situation

See also: Polygamy in the United States

Most western countries do not recognize polygamous marriages, and consider bigamy a crime. The term Western world, the West or the Occident ( Latin: occidens -sunset -west as distinct from the Orient) can have multiple meanings The term polygamy (a Greek word meaning "the practice of multiple marriage" is used in related ways in Social anthropology, Sociobiology, and Several countries also prohibiting people living a polygamous lifestyle. In some States of the United States, the criminalization of a polygamous lifestyle originated as anti-Mormon laws, although they are rarely enforced. Anti-Mormonism is Discrimination, hostility or Prejudice directed at members of the Latter Day Saint movement, particularly The Church of Jesus Christ ^[59]

Polygamists may find it harder dealing with government agencies, such as obtaining legal immigrant status.

Current proponents and opponents

Secular

David Friedman and Steve Sailer have argued that polygamy tends to benefit most women and disadvantage most men. David Director Friedman (born February 12, 1945) is a writer who became a leading figure in the anarcho-capitalist community with the publication of his Steven Ernest Sailer (born December 20, 1958) is an American journalist and movie critic for The American Conservative, ex-correspondent Friedman uses this viewpoint to argue in favor of legalizing polygamy, while Sailer uses it to argue against legalizing it. The idea is firstly that many women would prefer half or one third of someone especially appealing to being the single spouse of someone that doesn't provide as much economic utility to them. Secondly, that the remaining women have a better market for finding a spouse themselves. Say that 20% of women are married to 10% of men, that leaves 90% of men to compete over the remaining 80% of women.

In the US, the Libertarian Party supports complete decriminalization of polygamy as part of a general belief that the government should not regulate marriages. The Libertarian Party is a United States political party founded on December 11 1971

Individualist feminism and advocates such as Wendy McElroy also support the freedom for adults to voluntarily enter polygamous marriages. Individualist feminism (sometimes also grouped with libertarian feminism or ifeminism) is a term for feminist ideas which seek to celebrate Wendy McElroy (born 1951 is a Canadian Individualist anarchist and Individualist feminist.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Utah, USA, is opposed to Utah's law against bigamy. The American Civil Liberties Union ( ACLU) consists of two separate Non-profit organizations the ACLU Foundation a 501(c(3 organization which focuses ^[60]

Those who advocate a Federal Marriage Amendment to the American Constitution to prohibit same-sex marriage generally word their proposed laws to also prohibit polygamy. The Federal Marriage Amendment (FMA (also referred to by proponents as the Marriage Protection Amendment) is a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution Same-sex marriage (also referred to as gay marriage) is a term for a legally or Socially recognized Marriage between two people of the same Many proponents of same-sex marriage are also in favour of maintaining current statutory prohibitions against polygamy, some arguing that while same-sex marriages do not involve toleration of pedophilia amongst practitioners, the same is not true of most polygamists in the United States. Same-sex marriage (also referred to as gay marriage) is a term for a legally or Socially recognized Marriage between two people of the same The term pedophilia or paedophilia has a range of definitions as found in Psychology, law enforcement and the popular vernacular

Religious

The Roman Catholic Church clearly condemns polygamy; the Catechism of the Catholic Church lists it in paragraph 2387 under the head "Other offenses against the dignity of marriage" and states that it "is not in accord with the moral law. The Catechism of the Catholic Church, or CCC, is an official exposition of the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church and the twenty-two " Also in paragraph 1645 under the head "The Goods and Requirements of Conjugal Love" states "The unity of marriage, distinctly recognized by our Lord, is made clear in the equal personal dignity which must be accorded to man and wife in mutual and unreserved affection. Polygamy is contrary to conjugal love which is undivided and exclusive. "

Currently the vast majority of Protestant congregations take the Catholic view on polygamy.

The illegality of polygamy in certain areas creates, according to certain Bible passages, additional arguments against it. Paul of Tarsus writes "submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience" (Romans 13:5), for "the authorities that exist have been established by God. Paul the apostle (שאול התרסי Šaʾul HaTarsi, meaning " Saul of Tarsus " Σαούλ Saul and Σαῦλος Saulos and " (Romans 13:1) St Peter concurs when he says to "submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. " (1 Peter 2:13,14) Pro-polygamists argue that, as long as polygamists currently do not obtain legal marriage licenses for additional spouses, no enforced laws are being broken any more than when monogamous couples who similarly co-habitate without a marriage license. ^[61]

At the present time, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints supports enforcing laws against polygamy, although historically this denomination practiced polygamy which they considered to be a principle revealed by God, and fought vocally against those seeking to establish such laws. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the fourth largest Christian denomination in the United States and the largest and most well-known Today, the church will excommunicate any member found to be practicing polygamy.

Controversial Christian vegetarian activist and leader Nathan Braun implies a positive stance towards polygamy in his fourth edition of The History and Philosophy of Marriage. Christian vegetarianism is based on extending the compassionate teachings of Jesus, the Twelve apostles and the Early church to all living beings through Nathan Braun is a Canadian author Independent scholar, and activist in the Vegetarian movement

Polygamy today

Not all modern polygamists practice the more traditional, individuated style of religious polygamy characterized by secluded, communal living, power centralization, and familial intermarrying. Some polygamist families are created with consenting, informed and socially integrated adults who believe in the practice of polygamy for personal, emotional, practical, or intellectual reasons. It is unclear whether these families are truly very few in number or if their existence is under-reported because of the legal ramifications and social stigma of polygamy in the United States. Popular culture tends to focus heavily on the fundamental religious, particularly fundamental LDS aspects of polygamy; despite some practicing polygamist in the United States having no connection to the traditional or fundamental LDS church. Additionally, because of the high potential for, and historic record of abuses within polygamist cultures, modern polygamist families may be hesitant to be open about their marriages and risk connection with the negative image of fundamental compounds. Husbands or wives in these polygamist marriages argue that polygamy is neither inherently abusive or unequal, though it can be corrupted. Modern polygamists contend that their style of practice instills family values, community, love, and equality as well as seeking to promote, and not subjugate, every member of the family. Proponents of polygamy state that many modern polygamist spouses are consenting adults whose lifestyle does not affect the lives of others and are thus deserving of privacy in their personal relationships.

Mormon fundamentalism

Some of those who continue to practice polygamy today still do so for religions reasons. They often live in their own communities and tend to find their additional spouses within their own communities or networks of like communities. This can involve daughters of polygamous families entering into arranged marriages with older men who already have a number of wives. This is commonly called daughter swapping. Marriage age can be young and sometimes below the legal minimum. Young men may be forced to leave the communities so that more women are available to be married to older polygamous males. It is also not uncommon for fairly close relatives to marry, leading to inbreeding, though part of this comes from the difficulty of keeping track of the complex net of familial relations. Inbreeding is breeding between close Relatives whether plant or animal

Some sects that practice or at least sanction polygamy are the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the Latter-day Church of Christ and the Apostolic United Brethren. The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints ( FLDS Church) is one of the largest Mormon fundamentalist denominations and one of America's largest The Latter Day Church of Christ is a Mormon fundamentalist denomination in the Latter Day Saint movement, and is most commonly known as the Kingston Clan These sects tend to aggregate in communities where they all commonly share their own specific religion and thus basis for polygamy. These small groups ranging from a few hundred to about 10,000 are reported to be located in various communities of the Western United States, Canada, and Mexico including:^[62]

Bountiful, British Columbia Pringle, South Dakota Ozumba, Mexico Centennial Park, Arizona Colorado City, Arizona Bonners Ferry, Idaho Rexburg, Idaho Lovell, Wyoming

Pinesdale, Montana Mancos, Colorado Davis County, Utah Salt Lake County, Utah Tooele County, Utah Utah County, Utah Motaqua, Utah Cedar City, Utah

Hanna, Utah Hildale, Utah Manti, Utah Rocky Ridge, Utah Sanpete Valley, Utah Modena, Nevada Eldorado, Texas

Muslims and traditionalist cultures

Polygamy, and laws concerning polygamy, differ greatly throughout the Islamic world and form a very complex and diverse background from nation to nation. The settlement of Bountiful is located in the Creston Valley of southeastern British Columbia Canada, near Cranbrook and Creston Pringle is a town in Custer County, South Dakota, United States. Mormon fundamentalism (also called fundamentalist Mormonism) is a belief in the validity of selected fundamental aspects of Mormonism as taught and Colorado City is a town in Mohave County, Arizona, United States and is located in a region known as the Arizona Strip. Bonners Ferry is a city in Boundary County, Idaho, United States. Rexburg is a city in Madison County, Idaho, in the United States. Lovell is a town in Big Horn County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 2281 at the 2000 census. Pinesdale is a Town in Ravalli County, Montana, United States. The Town of Mancos is a Statutory Town located in Montezuma County, Colorado, United States. For the Davis County Cooperative Society see Latter Day Church of Christ. Salt Lake County is a County located in the US state of Utah. Tooele County (tuːˈɛlə is a County located in the US state of Utah. Utah County is a County located in the US state of Utah. As of 2000 the population was 368536 and by 2007 was estimated at 483702 Cedar City is a city in Iron County, Utah, United States, 250 miles south of Salt Lake City on Interstate 15. Hanna (also Defas Park) is an unincorporated community in western Duchesne County, Utah, United States, on the Uintah and Ouray Hildale is a city in Washington County, Utah, United States. The population was 1895 at the 2000 census. Manti is a city in and the County seat of Sanpete County, Utah, United States. Rocky Ridge is a town in Juab County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Provo &ndash Orem, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Eldorado is a city in Schleicher County, Texas, United States. Whereas in some Muslim countries it may be fairly common, in most others it is often rare or non-existent. However, there are certain core fundamentals which are found in most Muslim countries where the practice occurs. According to traditional Islamic law, a man may take up to four wives, and each of those wives must have her own property, assets, and dowry. Usually the wives have little to no contact with each other and lead separate, individual lives in their own houses, and sometimes in different cities, though they all share the same husband. Muhammad, for example, married many of his wives because they were war widows who were left with nothing and took care of them. Thus, polygamy is traditionally restricted to men who can manage things, and in some countries it is illegal for a man to marry multiple wives if he is unable to afford to take care of each of them properly.

In the modern Islamic world, polygamy is mainly found in traditionalist Arab cultures, Saudi Arabia, West and East Africa (In Sudan it is encouraged from the president)^[63] and the United Arab Emirates for instance, whereas in secular Arab states like Tunisia and non-Arab countries with Muslim population, Turkey for example, it is banned. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, KSA ( المملكة العربية السعودية, al-Mamlaka al-ʻArabiyya as-Suʻūdiyya) or Suudi Tunisia (تونس Tūnis officially the Tunisian Republic ( is a country located in North Africa. Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches However, polygamy is still practiced in Malaysia, a non-Arab Muslim country, but there are restrictions as to how it can be practiced. For the biogeographical region see Malesia Malaysia (məˈleɪʒə or /məˈleɪziə/ is a country that consists of thirteen states and ^[64] In traditionalist cultures where polygamy is still commonplace and legal, Muslim polygamists do not separate themselves from the society at large, since there would be no need as each spouse leads a separate life from the others.

Polygamy in fiction

The quip "Bigamy is having one spouse too many. Monogamy is the same. " is popularly misattributed to Oscar Wilde. Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde (16 October 1854 – 30 November 1900 was an Irish Playwright, Novelist, poet and Author of

A popular joke with Mark Twain has Twain asked to cite a Scripture reference that forbids polygamy, and he responds with, "No man can serve two masters. Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30 1835 – April 21 1910 better known by the Pen name Mark Twain, was an American Humorist, satirist "

A number of writers have expressed their views on polygamy by writing about a fictional world in which it is the most common type of relationship. These worlds tend to be utopian or dystopian in nature. Utopia is a name for an ideal community taken from the title of a book written in 1516 by Sir Thomas More describing a fictional Island in the A dystopia (from the Greek δυσ- and τόπος alternatively cacotopia, kakotopia, cackotopia, or anti-utopia) is the vision of a society For instance, Robert A. Heinlein uses this theme in a number of novels, such as Stranger in a Strange Land. Robert Anson Heinlein (July 7 1907 – May 8 1988 was an American Novelist and Science fiction Writer. Stranger in a Strange Land is a best-selling 1961 Hugo Award -winning Science fiction Novel by Robert A

Polygamy is practiced by the Fremen in Frank Herbert's Dune as a means to pinpoint male infertility. Franklin Patrick Herbert Jr ( October 8 1920 &ndash February 11 1986) was a critically acclaimed and commercially successful American Dune is a Science fiction novel written by Frank Herbert and published in 1965. It is socially accepted as long as the man provides for all wives equally. Cultures described within the Dune novel series have intentional similarities to Islamic, Arabic, and other cultures. The Dune universe, or Duniverse, is the political, scientific, and social fictional setting of author Frank

Similarly, the Aiel society in Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time series practice a form of polygamy, in which multiple women may marry the same man; in that fictional culture, women are the ones who propose marriage. In Robert Jordan 's Fantasy series The Wheel of Time, the Aiel are a race of people Robert Jordan was the Pen name of James Oliver Rigney Jr ( October 17, 1948 &ndash September 16, 2007) under which he The Wheel of Time (abbreviated by fans to WoT) is a series of epic fantasy novels written by the late American author James Oliver Among Aiel, sisters or very close friends who have adopted each other as sisters, will often marry the same man, so that he will not come between them.

Ursula K. Le Guin describes a planet O, where the cultural norm is a four-person marriage (two of each gender). Ursula Kroeber Le Guin (ˈɝsələ ˈkroʊbɚ ləˈgwɪn (born October 21, 1929) is an American author The Hainish Cycle is the setting for a number of Science fiction novels and stories of Ursula K

Dan Simmons describes a culture of three-person marriages (any gender ratio) in his book Endymion. Dan Simmons (born April 4, 1948 in Peoria, Illinois) is an American Author most widely known for his Hugo Award Endymion is the third science fiction novel by Dan Simmons in his Hyperion Cantos Fictional universe.

Noted libertarian author L. Neil Smith included a character married to two sisters in his book The American Zone. L Neil Smith (full name Lester Neil Smith III) also known to readers and fans as El Neil, is a Libertarian Science fiction Author The dominant culture in the novel sees one's religion and personal living accommodations as no one else's business, and "acts of capitalism between consenting adults" as the norm instead of something immoral.

Jean M. Auel in the pre-historic Earth's Children series depicted several instances of "co-mating," where a person could have more than one mate. Jean Marie Auel (dʒiːn mɘˈɹiː aʊl née Untinen (born February 18, 1936 in Chicago, Illinois) is an American and Earth's Children is a series of Historical fiction novels written by Jean M Examples included the headwoman Tulie in the Mammoth Hunters, and a man who married a pair of twins in the Shelters of Stone. Also of note was Vinavec, the headman of the Mammoth Camp who wished to mate with the protagonist Ayla and was willing to take her Promised, Ranec, implying a bisexual relationship as well. Ayla is the main character of Jean Auel 's Earth's Children novels

A Home at the End of the World is a novel by Michael Cunningham about a polygamous family. A Home at the End of the World is a 1990 novel by Pulitzer Prize -winning American author Michael Cunningham. Michael Cunningham (born November 6, 1952) is an award-winning American Writer, best known for his 1998 Novel The Hours It was later adapted into a film. Both explore issues of homosexuality and families.

In the Star Trek television series Enterprise, the ship's physician, Dr. Phlox (who is a Denobulan) has three wives, each of whom has three husbands of her own (including him). Star Trek Enterprise (simply titled Enterprise prior to season three is a Science fiction Television program created by Brannon Dr Phlox is a Fictional character in the Television series Star Trek Enterprise, played by John Billingsley. One of his wives seemed to be interested in having extramarital relations with a human, which Phlox himself did not oppose, and even encouraged. It has also been stated that the Andorian species enter into group marriages (although whether this is due to societal custom or biological necessity has not been firmly established. Andorians are a Fictional race of Humanoid Extraterrestrials in the Star Trek universe Group marriage is a form of polyamory in which more than one man and more than one woman form a Family unit with all the members of the group marriage being considered )

In the Sci-Fi television series Babylon 5 the Centauris allow for men to have more than one wife. Babylon 5 is an American science fiction television series created produced and largely written by J

In Star Wars Expanded Universe, it is explained that Cereans (like Ki-Adi-Mundi) have a much higher birth-rate of girls than boys. Star Wars is an epic Space opera franchise initially conceived by George Lucas during the 1970s and significantly expanded The Star Wars Expanded Universe encompasses all of the officially licensed fictional background of the Star Wars universe outside of the six feature films Abyssin The Abyssin inhabit the planet Byss. They are a nomadic race often described as "brutish and violent" Ki-Adi-Mundi is a fictional character from the Star Wars universe. Thus, every male Cerean must have one wife and multiple "honor wives", to increase the chance of giving birth to another male. Jedi Cerean Ki-Adi-Mundi was allowed to marry multiple times, although Jedis were not supposed to marry at his time; but Ki-Adi-Mundi got a dispense of that norm.

Big Love is an HBO series about a polygamous family in Utah in the first decade of the 21st century. Big Love is an HBO television drama about a fundamentalist Mormon family in Utah that practices Polygamy. In the series, Bill Henrickson has three wives and seven children, who belong to a fundamentalist Mormon splinter group. Big Love explores the complex legal, moral, and religious issues associated with polygamy in Utah. Henrickson's three wives each have separate houses beside one another, with a shared backyard. By outward appearances, he lives with his primary wife, and has two "friends" living close by, while in reality taking turns sleeping at a different house each night. Henrickson effectively balances his work, the continuing demands of his wives, and his wives' relatives.

In Duke of the Mount Deer/The Deer and the Cauldron the Hong Kong writer Louis Cha (Jin Yung) assigned seven willing wives of different characters to the very capable hero Wai-Siu-Bo (Wei-Shao-Bao). The Deer and the Cauldron ( or The Duke of Mount Deer is the last Wuxia Novel written by Jinyong. The Deer and the Cauldron ( or The Duke of Mount Deer is the last Wuxia Novel written by Jinyong. Louis Cha, GBM, OBE ( born 6 February 1924) known with his pen name Jin Yong ( is one of the most influential modern Chinese-language This politics, office-politics, romance, and kung-fu survival story was based in the early Ching (Qing) Dynasty (of Kangxi reign 1654–1722). The saga has been made into films and TV series several times since the 1960s. Famous actors like Tony Leung (Leung Chiu Wai), Steven Chow (Chow Sing Chi), and Dicky Cheung (Cheung-Wai-Kin) have played the male role. Tony Leung Chiu-Wai ( born June 27, 1962) is a Cannes Film Festival and 5 times Hong Kong Film Award -winning Hong Kong Stephen Chow Sing-Chi, born June 22 1962 is a Hong Kong Scriptwriter, Film director, producer and actor Dicky Cheung Wai Kin ( born on February 8, 1965) is a Hong Kong television actor

Random House will publish award-winning author David Ebershoff's next novel The 19th Wife in 2008. David Ebershoff is an American-born writer editor and teacher It is about Ann Eliza Young and the legacy of Mormon polygamy in the United States today. Ann Eliza Young (née Webb) (1844 – 1908? was one of Brigham Young 's many wives and later a critic of Polygamy and an American Mormon Ebershoff is the author of the international bestseller The Danish Girl. The Danish Girl is the name of the first Novel by David Ebershoff.

In David Weber's Honor Harrington series, the inhabitants of the planet Grayson practice polygamy (polygyny) due to the human colonists to the planet acquiring a genetic defect that gave rise to a large women-to-men birth ratio combined with a high infant mortality. David Mark Weber is an American Science fiction and Fantasy author. Note This is the 'Main' article for the Honor Harrington related Book series and Sub-series by David Weber. The planet Grayson is a Fictional human star-nation in the " Honorverse " located in the Yeltsin's Star system Polygyny (which comes from neo- Greek: πολύ poly "many" + γυνή gyny "woman" is a specific form of Polygamy,

Wen Spencer's science fiction novel A Brother's Price describes a society where men are very rare and protected, and multiple sisters typically marry one man

See also

• Forms of nonmonogamy
• Friedelehe
• Lost boys (polygamy)
• Pilegesh
• Plaçage
• Polyamory
• Triad (relationship)

References

Bibliography

• Cairncross, John (1974). After Polygamy Was Made a Sin: The Social History of Christian Polygamy. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul. ISBN 0-7100-7730-0.  
• Campbell, James (1869). The History and Philosophy of Marriage. Re-published online at TruthBearer. org. First published in Boston. Retrieved on August 5, 2005.
• Chapman, Samuel A. (2001). Polygamy, Bigamy and Human Rights Law. Xlibris Corp. ISBN 1-4010-1244-2.  
• Hillman, Eugene. Polygamy Reconsidered: African Plural Marriage and the Christian Churches. New York: Orbis Books. ISBN 0-88344-391-0.  
• Korotayev, Andrey (2004). Andrey Korotayev (born in 1961 is an anthropologist, economic Historian, and sociologist. World Religions and Social Evolution of the Old World Oikumene Civilizations: A Cross-cultural Perspective, First Edition, Lewiston, New York: Edwin Mellen Press. ISBN 0-7734-6310-0.  
• Van Wagoner, Richard S. (1992). Mormon Polygamy: A History, 2nd Ed. , Utah: Signature Books. ISBN 0-941214-79-6.  
• Wilson, E. O. (2000). Edward Osborne Wilson (born June 10, 1929) is an American biologist researcher ( Sociobiology, Biodiversity) theorist ( Sociobiology: The New Synthesis. Harvard Univ Pr. ISBN 0-674-00235-0.  

External links

• Pro-Polygamy.com - Provides op-eds and press releases on polygamy-related current events for the secular mass media
• Polygamy Diaries - Phoenix, Arizona TV station profiles polygamists in Arizona and Utah.
• Anti-Polygamy.com - A discussion forum for both sides of the anti-polygamy debate.
• 4TheFamily.us - Chat, discussion forum, and news with a focus on polygyny (one-man, multiple wives). Note: Other forms of polygamy, such as polyandry and polyamory, are not welcome for discussion here.
• The Weekly Standard: Polygamy vs. Democracy

African Polygamy

• Polygamy in Africa
• Sudan goverment encourages Polygamy

Christian polygamy

PRO:

• Website and Forum for those involved with Christian Plural Marriage
• The Christian Polygamy group at Yahoo! - Presents a Christian discussion on the issue of polygamy, and discusses many contemporary issues of polygamy, including practical thoughts for the practice of polygamy.
• Christian Polygamy Info - Presents definitions and the history of the new, modern social movement which has no connection to Mormon polygamy.
• TruthBearer.org -- Organization for Christian polygamy Provides activists with teachings, resources, support, and media interviews
• Biblical Polygamy - Presents biblical exegesis of arguments to support polygamy and lists out all the polygamists in the Bible
• A defense of Christian polygamy - discusses and answers objections many Christians have to polygamy with cited evidence in the Bible

CON:

• "Why did God allow polygamy in the Bible?"
• "Is polygamy allowed by the New Testament?"
• "On Polygamy" by Protestant Theologian Johann Gerhard

Mormon polygamy

NEUTRAL:

• Recent polygamy-related stories in the Salt Lake Tribune
• "The Primer" - Helping Victims of Domestic Violence and Child Abuse in Polygamous Communities. Etymology According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word bible is from Latin biblia, traced from the same word through Medieval Latin and Late Latin Etymology According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word bible is from Latin biblia, traced from the same word through Medieval Latin and Late Latin Johann Gerhard ( October 17, 1582 – August 10, 1637) was a Lutheran church leader and theologian A joint report from the offices of the Attorney Generals of Arizona and Utah. :
• Hope for the Child Brides - non-profit organization in St. George, Utah, that offers assistance to any victims of abuse who live in specific polygamous Mormon splinter group communities where underage marriage occurs.
• Bradley, Martha Sontag Kidnapped from That Land: The Government Raids on the Short Creek Polygamists
• Van Wagoner, Richard S. Mormon Polygamy: A History
• The Four Major Periods of Mormon Polygamy
• mormoncentury.org - Spiritual roots of Mormon polygamy

PRO:

• MormonPolygamy.com - Group of Fundamentalist Mormon women in Utah, called "Principle Voices of Polygamy", who advocate consensual, adult Mormon polygamy.

CON:

• "A Shield and Refuge Ministry": A Christian outreach to Mormon Fundamentalists
• "Is Polygamy Part of God's Plan for Marriage?"
• Tapestry Against Polygamy - A group of ex-Mormon fundamentalist polygamous wives in Salt Lake City, Utah, who offer insight and assistance for anyone seeking to leave specific polygamous Mormon splinter group communities.
• "Official Mormon View Of Polygamy - official Mormon stance on polygamy.
• "Lifting the Veil of Polygamy" - A film about Mormon Fundamentalism and polygamy (viewable online), by Living Hope Ministries.

Jewish polygamy

• JewishPolygamy.com; Jewish polygamy in our time:The Orthodox Jewish Pro Polygamy Page; Chabad-Lubavitch Rebbe on Polygamy
• History of Polygamy in Judaism
• History of Jewish Marriage
• Why Moses Remained Celibate: from the Oral Torah; clerical celibacy

Muslim perspective

• http://askmuslims.com/polygamy.html
• Polygamy No-nos
• Stories of Polygynous Blessings

Greater China Region

• Man-Lun Ng, M.D. Berlin Humboldt University research on sexiology: about the situation in Hong Kong
• Confucianism in the Early Edo Period in Japan
• 2002 Heather M. Schmidt: The Cycle Created by China’s One-Child Policy(increasing the gap of male:female ratio and problems caused
• MSN Encarta: Confucianism

According to Rabbinic Judaism, the oral Torah, oral Law, or oral tradition ( is the oral tradition received in conjunction with the written Torah Clerical celibacy is the practice in various religious traditions, in which Clergy, Monastics and those (of either sex in religious orders adopt a

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