Polygamy

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phil36

Senior Member
Feb 12, 2009
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Refering to King David, he could have saved himself a lot of trouble if he had taken note of What God warned:


The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them, for the LORD has told you, "You are not to go back that way again." He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold. (deut 17:16-17)

Goo advice to us all I think?
 

maxwel

Senior Member
Apr 18, 2013
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Why not? It seems like a lot of what I have said here is simply correcting the misunderstandings people have regarding what the Bible says about a very pertinent issue for our time. It seems as if you are trying to shut down debate that is not going the way you would like it to. I have no intention of going and resurrecting any other threads. This one has been resurrected, because it is what came up as one of the most recent discussions on this topic in the google search engine. If what I am saying is illogical, or contradicts Scripture, sound reasoning in this debate forum, ought to expose that. If not, then maybe, rather than shutting down debate, those who are truly concerned about the truth found in Scripture, ought to rethink their positions. Otherwise, you are engaging in a sort of virtual inquisition.
Necro Threads:


On most internet forums it's considered impolite, non-current, and bordering on vandalism to resurrect old, dead, ancient threads.

In many forums you get banned for that.





If you want to be polite, you should start a new thread.

If you want to be impolite, non-current, and a virtual forum vandal... then please continue.
 
J

JustWhoIAm

Guest
Refering to King David, he could have saved himself a lot of trouble if he had taken note of What God warned:


The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them, for the LORD has told you, "You are not to go back that way again." He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold. (deut 17:16-17)

Goo advice to us all I think?
Yeah, don't end up like Solomon.
 
J

JustWhoIAm

Guest
On most internet forums it's considered impolite, non-current, and bordering on vandalism to resurrect old, dead, ancient threads.

In many forums you get banned for that.





If you want to be polite, you should start a new thread.

If you want to be impolite, non-current, and a virtual forum vandal... then please continue.
But vandalism is awesome :(
 
Feb 1, 2017
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I think the problem with polygamy, regardless of manmade laws, is that one wife will be loved over the others. This is seen even in the polygamous unions in the Bible. Sarah detested the slavegirl Hagar for giving her to Abraham. Rachel was loved over Leah. Samuel's mom felt bitter and dejected and Peninnah provoked her because she had no child. David had many wives and many children, but he loved Bathsheba and Solomon and the problems did arise between Solomon and Adonijah near David's death.

It is good for a man to only have one wife and one mate and to pour all his affection into her I believe. And not just for belief, but lo not only do the problems of multiple lovers bear out in the Bible, but in our modern society very much so.
 
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DanD

Guest
When the gay marriage thing came out I remember hearing a couple of times on Christian radio that such a thing could lead down a slippery slope until folks may try polygamy. It can of blew my mind, polygamy was tolerated in the bible while just one homosexual act got the death penalty. Polygamy itself was never called a sin in the bible, however it was discouraged by the apostle Paul. I see no reason why polygamy should be practiced under normal circumstances, and it should never be practiced just because some guy wants another woman besides his wife. On the other hand, some unusual circumstances could warrant it. The bible says that there will be a time when seven woman will ask one man to marry them...obviously after a time of war when few men are left.
Most Christians that used that slippery slope argument failed to realize how trying to say that polygamy is the next right, would backfire on them. When ungodly people correctly pointed out that polygamy was already acceptable, and as you pointed out, was not considered sin, it made arguments against same-sex marriage appear to be weak. This has already been demonstrated in this thread!

When did Paul actually discourage polygamy? His audience, for the most part, already shunned the practice. What he did discourage, as far as I am aware, was the practice of monogamous men paying a visit to the temple prostitute. I read the entire Bible, and the NT in two different versions, and I never found where Paul discouraged polygamy.

You say it should never be practiced because some guy wants another woman, but you have not given a single Scriptural reference to back that up. What Jesus clearly stated is that a man should not divorce his wife for another woman. He no longer wishes to support his current wife, and it would be easier for him to get her out of the picture and start over with a new woman. God clearly states in Malachi, that He hates divorce! It is in this context that He says that "you have been faithless".
 
D

DanD

Guest
Necro Threads:


On most internet forums it's considered impolite, non-current, and bordering on vandalism to resurrect old, dead, ancient threads.

In many forums you get banned for that.





If you want to be polite, you should start a new thread.

If you want to be impolite, non-current, and a virtual forum vandal... then please continue.
Fine, let's shut it down. Who wants to start a new thread? How does one go about including the remarks that are in this thread, that need to be corrected, in the new thread? Please advise.
 

BrokenSparrow

Senior Member
Sep 12, 2016
437
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You are adding to Jesus' words here. He never said that a married man looking on a woman lustfully commits adultery. He said Everyone who looks at a woman to lust after her commits adultery. That includes unmarried men as well.

You know there is no excuse for misquoting Scripture here. How hard is it to go look things up on biblegateway.com?

Having more than one wife is against the law in some countries, but this is really more of an "is ought" fallacy. It ought to be against the law to marry a second or third woman without your first wife's (or wives') knowledge and consent. If the first wife knowingly gives consent, it really should not be the government's business how many wives a man has. If she gives consent, she has already dealt with the jealousy aspect. Jealousy is one of the acts of the sinful nature, and having lived in a monogamous marriage for 15 years now, I can assure you that jealousy is not unique to polygamy.

In your closing statement you resort to another logical fallacy known as "Argument from Personal Disgust". There may be problems with polygamy that most people are incapable of being able to handle, but that "sack full of problems" is probably not as bad as you might imagine, and that sentiment cannot be applied universally to everyone. Have you had any discourse or conversation of any sort with an actual polygamist, or are you just pulling that remark out of thin air? The fact is, there are many problems that can be solved by polygamy. Any serious research on your part would have cleared that up for you. My Great-Grandfather for instance, left his first wife for the maid. He later left her for the next maid. Two broken homes as a direct result of strict adherence to monogamy, disobeying Jesus' clear directive about divorce and remarriage. The end result: his son, my grandfather, committed suicide when his marriage started to fall apart. He himself, had engaged in marital infidelity, prompting my grandmother to demand that he leave his career in the military. He could not find a decent civilian job, so he went back to the military. Instead of putting his children through a divorce like he had been through, he took his own life. I don't think it is a leap of logic to understand, that if it had not been for this Roman Catholic dogma that you are clinging to, he could have married however many wives he desired, and there would have been no threat to his career or marriage. Hypocrites who look the other way when a man leaves his wife for another, but will shun a family which practices polygyny, will have to answer to God for this.

The only Biblical text you referred to in your response, was a misquotation of our Lord Jesus Christ. I urge you not to take our Savior's words, and twist them to say what you want Him to say. That is a clear case of Eisegesis! It is imperative of a follower of Christ to "Rightly handle the Word of Truth." It may be excused when an unbeliever does so, but not one who claims to follow Christ.
Now that was a little much don't you think. I didn't quote the Bible exactly there or I would have gave the Chapter and Verse. We were talking about married men so that's why I said married. Have it your way though because it still don't change the fact that looking upon another woman to lust is adultery.

Still means the same thing...ADULTERY, right.

But now let's talk about personal opinion...It's mine and everyone's got one, right. Yeah people get jealous in marriage or any other relationship, but just add to that another woman or man right down the hall and knowing that your husband or wife is sleeping with them. I mean that's a little more cause for jealousy, don't you think?

About your granny...do you think she would have wanted to share her husband with another woman? I mean you act like it was some kind of sad thing that he left her for another woman. How do you know she wasn't happy that the loser left? She was then free to find someone who actually loved her and not just loved having sex with different women.
 
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Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
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When did Paul actually discourage polygamy? His audience, for the most part, already shunned the practice. What he did discourage, as far as I am aware, was the practice of monogamous men paying a visit to the temple prostitute. I read the entire Bible, and the NT in two different versions, and I never found where Paul discouraged polygamy.

You say it should never be practiced because some guy wants another woman, but you have not given a single Scriptural reference to back that up. What Jesus clearly stated is that a man should not divorce his wife for another woman. He no longer wishes to support his current wife, and it would be easier for him to get her out of the picture and start over with a new woman. God clearly states in Malachi, that He hates divorce! It is in this context that He says that "you have been faithless".
Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, NIV

Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, ESV

A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; KJV

^^ 1 Tim 3:2 ^^

An elder must be blameless, the husband of one wife, having children who are believers and are not open to accusation of indiscretion or insubordination.
Titus 1:6

And this second thing you do. You cover the Lord's altar with tears, with weeping and groaning because he no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor from your hand. 14 But you say, “Why does he not?” Because the Lord was witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant. 15 Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union?[f] And what was the one God seeking? Godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and let none of you be faithless to the wife of your youth.16 “For the man who does not love his wife but divorces her, says the Lord, the God of Israel, covers his garment with violence, says the Lord of hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless.”Malachi 2:13-16

May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth. Prov 5:18

It is not just, do not divorce, but be faithful to the wife of your youth.
 

Prov910

Senior Member
Jan 10, 2017
880
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Necro Threads:
On most internet forums it's considered impolite, non-current, and bordering on vandalism to resurrect old, dead, ancient threads.

In many forums you get banned for that.



If you want to be polite, you should start a new thread.

If you want to be impolite, non-current, and a virtual forum vandal... then please continue.
Really? Bumping a necro is impolite and could lead to getting banned? I've never heard that before. Granted, I'm not experienced on religious forums. But I've posted plenty on sports forums. And there bumping a necro isn't a big deal.

Is there a reason for that? It seems like it would clutter up a message board more to start multiple redundant threads and rehash the same ole things over and over. If a thread becomes a problem a mod would simply lock it and let it drift down into the message board nether regions, wouldn't they? But what do I know? :shrug:
 
Dec 2, 2016
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I know I am not any smarter then other folks but sometimes I wonder why people cannot see what I see. When Paul said that a leader in the church had to have only one wife he discouraged polygamy...he did not have to say, "I Paul discourage polygamy". About looking at a woman to lust after her, Jesus was speaking of a married man or looking at a married woman because someone has to be married in order to commit adultery. Now no one has to be married to commit fornication. Adultery is a form of fornication, however adultery has to involve a married person.
 

OneFaith

Senior Member
Sep 5, 2016
2,270
369
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Modern society abhors the thought of polygamy, but I don't see a Biblical context for it being unlawful. Does anyone have any verses that condemn polygamy?
I know I am going to get flack from this... but I feel like it is a topic that needs to be aired out. Many of the patriarchs had multiple wives, or at least children from multiple women: Jacob, David, Solomon, etc...

I do not support this behavior. I'm just bringing it up. I believe in equal rights for women.
No Bible question is a wrong question.

Polygamy is wrong, it is not from God. Everyone sins, even the patriarchs. But God created one man and one woman- that is holy. And to prove that, the qualifications for elders include having one wife. Technically every Christian should have the qualifications of an elder, but an elder MUST have them to qualify for eldership. Same with divorce- Jesus said it was tolerated in the Old Testament because your heart were hard, but you must not divorce except if your spouse sexually cheats on you.

Polygamy is an act of hard-heartedness (not loving enough). If you truly love your spouse, why would you want another? Jesus has only one Bride. He loves enough- fully, completely.
 
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BrokenSparrow

Senior Member
Sep 12, 2016
437
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Now that was a little much don't you think. I didn't quote the Bible exactly there or I would have gave the Chapter and Verse. We were talking about married men so that's why I said married. Have it your way though because it still don't change the fact that looking upon another woman to lust is adultery.

Still means the same thing...ADULTERY, right.

But now let's talk about personal opinion...It's mine and everyone's got one, right. Yeah people get jealous in marriage or any other relationship, but just add to that another woman or man right down the hall and knowing that your husband or wife is sleeping with them. I mean that's a little more cause for jealousy, don't you think?

About your granny...do you think she would have wanted to share her husband with another woman? I mean you act like it was some kind of sad thing that he left her for another woman. How do you know she wasn't happy that the loser left? She was then free to find someone who actually loved her and not just loved having sex with different women.
Oh my goodness, I am sorry about my last statement. I was talking about your great grandmother and great grandfather not your grandfather. I didn't read all of you're post and didn't even see the part about your grandfather committing suicide. So I really am sorry about what I said.

However, I still don't agree that polygamy would have solved the problem. But I really am sorry.
 
Dec 2, 2016
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Sometimes we have to be careful that we are not more righteous then the bible, the bible never at any time says that polygamy is wrong or was it ever called a sin. By implication it is not the best, by that I mean that Adam was only given Eve because that was enough, and Paul stated that a leader in the church could only have one wife. The righteous men of the bible were not said to have sinned by having more then one wife, and the bible says that there is a time coming when seven women will ask to marry one man(no doubt after terrible war). Also, Jesus used the parable of one man who was to marry ten women. Polygamy is not the normal, however in some cases it may become necessary. To sum this up, polygamy was not started by God but was also not condemned by God.
 
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Nov 26, 2012
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None of what you said here is Biblical. There are many reasons why a man might desire another woman. It may be that the one he has is a contentious woman. How then would sex with that woman keep any chemicals in check. Marriage is about far more than sex anyway.

How is a man like the former worship pastor at my former (mega-)church in Plano, supposed to serve God, now that he has disobeyed Christ's directive regarding divorce and remarriage? Sure, he and his wife may have had to step away from that church, because that church has not yet accepted the Biblical teaching about polygamy, but he could have served the Christian Polygamy community very well, if he had simply taken a second wife. How is it that churches are still inviting people like Wayne Watson, who was my favorite artist before his divorce and remarriage, to perform concert events, but if he were to do the right thing and remarry his first wife, he would be shunned? Don't you see the hypocrisy?

All this nonsense about addiction and dopamine didn't keep God from giving David his wives! Read Psalms 16:11. David wrote that! How dare a follower of Jehovah think about enjoying pleasures! What was he thinking? That must have resulted from his twisted view, huh. Oh yeah, God inspired him to write that, didn't He.
I read Psalms 16:11 and fail to see how eternal pleasures and joy in the presence of the Lord supports satisfying your flesh. If you understand how the the body and brain work you would see how controlling your serotonin and dopamine effect your Christian walk. Believe what you want, I really don't care if you have fifty wives and can justify them all with Old Testament forefathers. My point is that the New Covenant isn't the Old Covenant. You can't put new wine in old wineskins. Unless God has called you to be a breeder for His purposes, serving Him will become more difficult with every woman you cleave to.
 
D

DanD

Guest
I read Psalms 16:11 and fail to see how eternal pleasures and joy in the presence of the Lord supports satisfying your flesh. If you understand how the the body and brain work you would see how controlling your serotonin and dopamine effect your Christian walk. Believe what you want, I really don't care if you have fifty wives and can justify them all with Old Testament forefathers. My point is that the New Covenant isn't the Old Covenant. You can't put new wine in old wineskins. Unless God has called you to be a breeder for His purposes, serving Him will become more difficult with every woman you cleave to.
I will answer this and other questions on the new thread:
http://christianchat.com/bible-disc...my-continuation-older-thread.html#post2978645
 
Mar 2, 2016
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There's even a beer for that.

polygamy-porter.jpg
 
Dec 2, 2016
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Polygamy may sound like a lot of fun at 25, but at 72 it just sounds like a lot of extra work, he,he.