Is Polygamy against the bible?

[zeroturbulence]

Polygamy is apparently fine with God...

If he takes another wife to himself, he shall not diminish her food, her clothing, or her marital rights.
Exodus 21:10

“If a man has two wives, the one loved and the other unloved, and both the loved and the unloved have borne him children.."
Deuteronomy 21:15

 

[zeroturbulence]

Wow, DAVID, king of Isreal, had several wives! At least six!

These are the sons of David who were born to him in Hebron: the firstborn, Amnon, by Ahinoam the Jezreelite; the second, Daniel, by Abigail the Carmelite, the third, Absalom, whose mother was Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur; the fourth, Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith; the fifth, Shephatiah, by Abital; the sixth, Ithream, by his wife Eglah; six were born to him in Hebron, where he reigned for seven years and six months. And he reigned thirty-three years in Jerusalem. These were born to him in Jerusalem: Shimea, Shobab, Nathan and Solomon, four by Bath-shua, the daughter of Ammiel; ...
1 Chronicles 3:1-9

 

[HeartOfGod]

Polygamy is apparently fine with God...

If he takes another wife to himself, he shall not diminish her food, her clothing, or her marital rights.
Exodus 21:10

“If a man has two wives, the one loved and the other unloved, and both the loved and the unloved have borne him children.."
Deuteronomy 21:15

Not really if you read right though the bible. God may have allowed it but I don't believe he was for it and it was not in his will. If you read about King Solomon God gave him wisdom at a young age but he didn't use it wisely by having all those wives. If you were to look at some documentaries on people from the Mormon church you would see many of these women who find out that they can get away from Polygamy want to do so by their own free will. There are also those who call themselves Christians who share that sort of thing as well too sadly.

These are considered to be cults and their doctrine is considered to be heresy that's why they fall apart and fail. Any kingdom divided shall not stand and they have had divisions with in them because people find out after years of being caught up in a polygamy because if that's all they are taught then when they find out that not every one in the world lives that way they find out the truth. I have watched documentaries on some of these cults and it's horrible what these women had to go through just to get out of it.

Ex-sect members escape polygamy but not pain - CNN.com

There is no Polygamy in the New Testament because the New Testament is the New Covenant that Christians are under. Not the old one as in the Old Testament. Polygamy is against the law and I hope it stays that way. It's horrible what some of those men had put women through and that includes young children. Especially when an adult man takes a 15 year old as a bride. Think about it if God were really for it then it wouldn't be against the law. At least that is one law that hasn't changed.

YouTube - Mormon Polygamy 1885 1 of 2

YouTube - Mormon Polygamy 1890 Manifesto

 

[MahogonySnail]

He allowed it because they didn't have television in those days, and too much spare time on their hands. Nowadays, that we have TV and cars and have to work harder, who needs or even afford more than one wife? Let alone more than 2 children. Remember they were still in the go forth and multiplying stage. Now that humans are just about over-populated the earth, there's no more need for it.

Also they didnt have social security and welfare support in those days. Sometimes to marry more than 1 wife was out of necessity - so the second or third or 10th wife could be cared for and looked after.

 

[zeroturbulence]

Well yes, there are many scriptures supporting one wife for a man...much more than those that point to polygamy but i was really shocked to find that stuff anyway.

Oh and another reason why polygamy doesnt work well today is because all those wives would quickly run up a humungously gigantic credit card bill that could never be paid off

 

[QuestionTime]

Not really if you read right though the bible. God may have allowed it but I don't believe he was for it and it was not in his will. If you read about King Solomon God gave him wisdom at a young age but he didn't use it wisely by having all those wives. If you were to look at some documentaries on people from the Mormon church you would see many of these women who find out that they can get away from Polygamy want to do so by their own free will. There are also those who call themselves Christians who share that sort of thing as well too sadly.

These are considered to be cults and their doctrine is considered to be heresy that's why they fall apart and fail. Any kingdom divided shall not stand and they have had divisions with in them because people find out after years of being caught up in a polygamy because if that's all they are taught then when they find out that not every one in the world lives that way they find out the truth. I have watched documentaries on some of these cults and it's horrible what these women had to go through just to get out of it.

Ex-sect members escape polygamy but not pain - CNN.com

There is no Polygamy in the New Testament because the New Testament is the New Covenant that Christians are under. Not the old one as in the Old Testament. Polygamy is against the law and I hope it stays that way. It's horrible what some of those men had put women through and that includes young children. Especially when an adult man takes a 15 year old as a bride. Think about it if God were really for it then it wouldn't be against the law. At least that is one law that hasn't changed.

YouTube - Mormon Polygamy 1885 1 of 2

YouTube - Mormon Polygamy 1890 Manifesto

Hey HeartOfGod, obviously this issue pains you very much.

I've been thinking about this issue since I first read this reply of yours, as to why God allowed women to be treated this way in the Old Testament. The reality is that the women in these Mormon Polygamist Churches are treated identical to the way women were treated in the Old Testament. They were married young, typically to older men, so far as I understand. These women do not enjoy this lifestyle as you have made evident with the CNN article you included, so I must conclude they probably didn't like it in the OT either. However, there was no alternative lifestyle possible back then, so they had no hope for a better life.

Now as to why did God allow this? I have to assume that this must have been part of the curse that fell on Eve for her sin in the garden. There really isn't a better explanation that I can come up with without making God look criminal for allowing this.

I also did find NT proof that God wanted to end Polygamy during the Christian Dispensation:

1 Tim 3:
2A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;

So I think that verse makes it very clear that God wanted Christians to stop Polygamy.

What a bizarre and difficult topic this one is! But many things changed from the Old to the New Covenants.

Quest

 

[QuestionTime]

CNN Article Quote: "Larson recalls seeing her father, Vergel, smack her mother for expressing jealousy over his second wife, Mae."

Personally I would be quite disgusted if I had to share my future wife with another man. I would be very jealous, just as this woman was.

This is a very painful topic, truly, because God created chemicals in the brain to give us a romantic attachment to our mate. When this is abused with adultery or with polygamy, it causes painful jealousy. I think it's clear then just from how God created us, that He never intended for men or women to have more than one marriage partner.

Quest

 

[phil36]

Concerning David and Solomon read Deuteronomy 17:14-20, God new there would be a King over Israel (under Him) see The covenant with Abraham. Kingship is addressed here in Deuteronomy also and what he should and should not aquire...


Phil

 

[Clement]

Old Testament

In Exodus 21:10, a man can marry an infinite amount of women without any limits to how many he can marry
In 2 Samuel 5:13; 1 Chronicles 3:1-9, 14:3, King David had six wives and numerous concubines.
In 1 Kings 11:3, King Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines.
In 2 Chronicles 11:21, King Solomon's son Rehoboam had 18 wives and 60 concubines.
In Deuteronomy 21:15 "If a man has two wives, and he loves one but not the other, and both bear him sons...."


New Testament

Jesus said:"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law (the Old Testament) or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke or a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law (the Old Testament) until everything is accomplished. (Matthew 5:17-18)"

In the end, its what you make out of it..


--

 

[jimmydiggs]

I don't see how this is even an issue. Why would any man need more than one good woman?

On second thought.. Why would a man want to deal with more than one woman?

Why would any woman want to deal with more than one man?

 

[NodMyHeadLikeYeah]

It couldnt be wrong, look how happy they all are

 

[QuestionTime]

It couldnt be wrong, look how happy they all are

What is he wearing on his nose?

Quest

 

[HeartOfGod]

Hey HeartOfGod, obviously this issue pains you very much.

I've been thinking about this issue since I first read this reply of yours, as to why God allowed women to be treated this way in the Old Testament. The reality is that the women in these Mormon Polygamist Churches are treated identical to the way women were treated in the Old Testament. They were married young, typically to older men, so far as I understand. These women do not enjoy this lifestyle as you have made evident with the CNN article you included, so I must conclude they probably didn't like it in the OT either. However, there was no alternative lifestyle possible back then, so they had no hope for a better life.

Now as to why did God allow this? I have to assume that this must have been part of the curse that fell on Eve for her sin in the garden. There really isn't a better explanation that I can come up with without making God look criminal for allowing this.

I also did find NT proof that God wanted to end Polygamy during the Christian Dispensation:

1 Tim 3:
2A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;

So I think that verse makes it very clear that God wanted Christians to stop Polygamy.

What a bizarre and difficult topic this one is! But many things changed from the Old to the New Covenants.

Quest

Yes that does pain me very much because I don't like to see women mistreated in that way because I have had friends go through situations that were really bad so I yeah my heart does go out to those women.

I was thinking about that verse but you found it before I did, you must have fast fingers and a quick mind to find that passage. Did you study in bible college? You sound like a student to me, oh I don't know just asking?

I wanted to go to bible college but some how I don't have the funds to go so I studied on my own and with other people. Some verses just come to me right off the top of my head and others I tend to forget. Either way I still have to look them up.

It couldnt be wrong, look how happy they all are

They look like miserable slaves.

 

[MahogonySnail]

This is no place to be posting family photos NodMyHead hehehehe.

 

[QuestionTime]

Yes that does pain me very much because I don't like to see women mistreated in that way because I have had friends go through situations that were really bad so I yeah my heart does go out to those women.



I was thinking about that verse but you found it before I did, you must have fast fingers and a quick mind to find that passage. Did you study in bible college? You sound like a student to me, oh I don't know just asking?

Nope, I'm just really good at Googling.

I wanted to go to bible college but some how I don't have the funds to go so I studied on my own and with other people. Some verses just come to me right off the top of my head and others I tend to forget. Either way I still have to look them up.

Bible College is a lie. They are typically very liberal. Nope, I learned by reading the writings of the old saints, not what Bible College professors teach. (John Wesley is my favorite old saint, he has 140+ sermons online).

George Fox:
But my relatives were much troubled that I would not go with them to the "church" to hear the priest; instead I went into the orchard or the fields, with my bible, by myself. I asked them, did not St. John say to believers, 'that they needed no man to teach them, but as the anointing teaches them.' (1 John 2:27). Though they knew this scripture to be true, they were still upset and fearful because I could not yield to their wishes in this matter and go to hear the priest with them. I saw that a true believer was something different than what they believed one to be; and I saw that being educated at Oxford or Cambridge did not qualify or fit a man to be a minister of Christ. Knowing that, why would I want to follow people from Oxford or Cambridge? So I could not join in with them or any of the dissenting groups; but I was as a stranger to all and relied entirely upon the Lord Jesus Christ.

WigglesTime

 

[phil36]

George Fox is a Quaker, they are not really Christian, so I am not sure why you love them so much.. they are on the fringes. So I would not have George Fox as a role model.. unless ofcourse you want to be a Quaker. "religious society of friends".

Phil

 

[NodMyHeadLikeYeah]

This is no place to be posting family photos NodMyHead hehehehe.

hahaha! wow you made a joke and it was pretty funny this time!

 

[QuestionTime]

George Fox is a Quaker, they are not really Christian, so I am not sure why you love them so much.. they are on the fringes. So I would not have George Fox as a role model.. unless ofcourse you want to be a Quaker. "religious society of friends".

Phil

George Fox was a fully converted and Holy Spirit filled man. I think that is enough reason to warrant us at least considering his interpretation of scripture, even if it is lots different than ours. I come to the same conclusion with reading Charles Finney, as well you know.

Any man who brings forth good fruit ought to be heard. That's my opinion, others may not share it and that's fine.

Quest

 

[kiwi_OT]

We are Christians. Not Jews, therefore I think any scripture relating to this topic should come from Jesus or the Apostles, otherwise its old Torah law which certainly doesnt apply to us.

One point I might like to add is that Paul commanded through the Holy Spirit the selection of church elders to lead. One requirement he made of these men was that they had to bee faithful to their wife as an example for all the other men in the church to follow (1 Timothy 3:2, 3:12, Titus 1:6).
He continually commands that the men love and care for their wife as Jesus loved the church. Men cant find a loophole in that scripture because in that metapor Jesus has only one bride (us). And if Paul constantly throughout his various letters tells men to act like Jesus to their wives ie give yourself up for her, her body belongs to you your body belongs to her, be faithful to her, submit to each other... then how does polygymy fit with that eh? Hes making it awfully clear in my opinion.

Paul knew his readers werent stupid, he knew they would get all the hints (loud hints I say). One man and one woman are to cleave from their parents and to become one unit and to love each other. Simple.

Lastly, look at the Song of Songs. Surely people are still wondering why such a sexual book is allowed in the bible. Because it shows how much God celebrates and endoreses intimacy between a husband and a wife (the man incidently being Solomon). Yes Solomon was to later on have 700 wives and 300 concubines, but read Ecclesiates and you'll find he thoroughly regretted that decision. Read Proverbs (also largely written by Solomon, and you'll continuously find statements saying "Son, stick with the wife of your youth! Dont go running around with other women!"

 

[zeroturbulence]

We are Christians. Not Jews, therefore I think any scripture relating to this topic should come from Jesus or the Apostles, otherwise its old Torah law which certainly doesnt apply to us.

One point I might like to add is that Paul commanded through the Holy Spirit the selection of church elders to lead. One requirement he made of these men was that they had to bee faithful to their wife as an example for all the other men in the church to follow (1 Timothy 3:2, 3:12, Titus 1:6).
He continually commands that the men love and care for their wife as Jesus loved the church. Men cant find a loophole in that scripture because in that metapor Jesus has only one bride (us). And if Paul constantly throughout his various letters tells men to act like Jesus to their wives ie give yourself up for her, her body belongs to you your body belongs to her, be faithful to her, submit to each other... then how does polygymy fit with that eh? Hes making it awfully clear in my opinion.

Paul knew his readers werent stupid, he knew they would get all the hints (loud hints I say). One man and one woman are to cleave from their parents and to become one unit and to love each other. Simple.

Lastly, look at the Song of Songs. Surely people are still wondering why such a sexual book is allowed in the bible. Because it shows how much God celebrates and endoreses intimacy between a husband and a wife (the man incidently being Solomon). Yes Solomon was to later on have 700 wives and 300 concubines, but read Ecclesiates and you'll find he thoroughly regretted that decision. Read Proverbs (also largely written by Solomon, and you'll continuously find statements saying "Son, stick with the wife of your youth! Dont go running around with other women!"

Very good post, Kiwi!