Should a person be able to be married to more than one person? (second option is NAY Btw. Don't know how to edit the options)
I personally don't think so, but it's funny to me that it is against the law! With all the shit that is going on in this world?
I say yay. if a guy loves more than one woman (or dude) then go ahead and get married or civil unionized.
While I personally dislike the idea, and generally it means multiple wives, not husbands, find it sexist, as long as everyone involved are consenting adults, I say leave them alone. If that's what they freely choose, yes, it should be legally recognized. I don't think laws shoud be based on my personal likes/dislikes or my personal taste. Of course, there have been cases come to light where a young teen, 15 or so, was forced against her will to marry a much older man. That's an entirely different story.
How will they file a joint return with the IRS? The country will fall into financial doom if the IRS code gets more complicated!
I'd want to see some research findings on the impact to kids of polygamous families. I suspect it isn't healthy, since we seem to have evolved away from it in most cultures. But I'd read the results with an open mind. Personally, I ain't interested.
Polygyny, polyandry, man/woman, man/man, woman/woman, etc., I don't care. As long as all parties are consenting adults, it's none of my business. The government doesn't have the right to discriminate. However, I think it should only be a religious institution that confers "marriage". If the government does it, than it's a civil union.
My view as well. To comment on mook's post, I think the trend away from polygamy (lots of countries allow it still) is a religious thing - Catholicism is deeply set against it. As far as the young girls forced to marry, I'm against it, but the age of consent is between 16 and 18 in the USA so it's possible for a young girl to marry consentually.
That is an interesting outlook but I would point out that it would be pretty rare that you would find that situation, just because most dudes don't like to double dip if you catch my meaning.
Here is my view. The government should not be playing any role in marriage whatsoever. My view is that the only reason this is a polarizing issue to begin with, is because it has been made an issue. The government should not care what people do in the name of their own religion/philosophy, providing it doesn't violate any particular individual civil rights. Can anybody provide a good answer as to why the government should have any laws about marriage at all? Hell I can point out that if (if I could pull it off) that I could live with 10 girlfriends, have kids with them, and there is nothing illegal about that at all, because I didn't marry them legally. So what is the difference? Girlfriend? Nobody cares. Married? All the sudden the world is coming to an end. The difference is money and taxes. That is why it is being made an issue.
Whether or not churches want to sanctify polygamey is strictly up to them. Should the government get involved and make it a crime? No.
I used to think it would be pretty sweet to have a doctor wife, a lawyer wife, a mechanic wife, etc etc etc. You'd never have to spend money again.
I'm with Wheels. One is already hard enough with the American mindset of independence and working mothers. It's simple protection against the modern American male. Allow him more and he's just going to end up with so many alimony payments he won't see a dime of his own paycheck.
