SALT LAKE CITY – Utah has decided to legalize polygamy for all its citizens.
Utah lawmakers have decided to move forward with a bill that would legalize polygamy.
Current Utah Law (Article 3) states that ”polygamous or plural marriages are forever prohibited.” But according to Article 3, you can hold whatever religious beliefs you want. Utah will never prosecute you for your religious beliefs. However being a polygamist and acting upon your beliefs is completely out of the question.
That’s been the conundrum for Utah lawmakers… until now. “We have to change the laws to match the beliefs of our citizens and a man having more than one wife, just makes sense!”, said Utah Speaker of the house, Blake Smith (D).
Over the years, authorities have looked the other way with regard to polygamous behavior and have instead focused on any abuse of children, kidnapping or any other domestic abuse.
Under current Utah Law bigamy is a felony of the third degree.
The news of the new Utah bill coincides with TLC airing its new reality show, Sister Wives, about a man with three wives – and soon a fourth – and his 12 kids.. The man, Kody Brown. says, “polygamy is just another word for paradise.”
The husband is happy. The wives are happy. The children are polite and helpful. “It’s perfect, it’s heaven,” said Brown. “Variety is the spice of life and… I am enjoying my life.”
Advertising salesman Brown lives somewhere in Utah with Meri, his wife of 20 years, Janelle, his wife of 17 years, and Christine, his wife of 16 years. “I like marriage, and I’m a repeat offender,” he says.
He identifies himself as Mormon, though he is not a member of the mainstream faith that has banned “the lifestyle,” he notes. “The lifestyle.” You’ll hear that expression tossed around a lot in the one-hour premiere.
The wives are the biggest advocates, arguing it guarantees security to their children. If one of them were to die, the other wives would step in to raise the kids. The extended clan lives in a large house that is subdivided into separate but adjoining apartments for each of the wives and their children.
“Look, it’s better for women to share one stable, solid, good man than to be with a no-good man who can’t even support himself. It’s the way the world is supposed to work. Women want men with money, power and status and men want variety and beauty. Polygamy is the natural way for human beings to mate, have a family,” said Monica Creighton, another polygamist in Utah.
Utah lawmakers hope to have the bill ready to be signed by Governor Gary R. Herbert by December. They expect a large influx of new residents.
Legalize polygamy? Don't you mean re-legalize polygamy?
Utah is better with women than TIger Woods.
Shame on these women for allowing him to do this.
Why should those women be ashamed for being in a polygamist relationship?
Exactly! Shame on them all.
He chooses this lifestyle.
His wives seem happier.
A man having more than one wife, really are disgusted.
Get to know them and get your mind out of the gutter and it is no longer disgusting.
Polygamy should be legal if the women are in agreement with the marriage. NO miners should be allowed to marry and the wives should be granted a legal divorce anytime they see fit. It should NOT be turned into a bondage thing.
Being non-religious myself I don't preach polygamy on a basis of religion, but personally I think the larger family can be a benefit to a child. Teaching them respect for your elders, and where one might miss something going on in a child's life, another will catch it and perhaps help avoid a problem getting out of hand. "It takes a village to raise a child" is a lovely saying, and one that certainly comes into focus here.
Personally though I wouldn't mind sharing a man with other women. But I think I'd prefer a matriarchal polygamy system, rather then a patriarchal. Of course I do understand that this does not apply to the Mormon belief, but again, I'm not religious so neither applies to me. I am however accepting of how they wish to live their lives, and have to admit it is extremely fascinating to me.
so you mean polyandry?
If a man can marry a man and if a woman can marry woman I don't see any problem with a man marrying more than one woman or a woman marrying more than one man. Our country supports gay marriage so why discriminate against polygamists. As long as consenting adults are involved. Not any of the Warren Jeffs crap.
I am not in a relationship, but I agree with you one hundred percent. Because its our lives, no one has the right to run it. Unless their is abuse going on though. There should be some regulations though to punish the bad people.
if men can have multiple wives then women should be allowed to have multiple husbands..simple. jokes aside, these people are part of a sick perverted cult, and the best part is that you actually grow to like them while watching the show! i feel bad for the kids who they are really hurting at the end of the day.
Personally, I would hate to have my husband dipping his wick in lots of other pots. That’s just euuwww!
Everyone should respect that.
Personally, plural marraige for women would be great with the right man. It certainly isn't for everyone. No one will "make" anyone do it if they don't want to. Why prosecute someone who does want to. Shouldn't we be able to choose? Consenting adults should have the right to decide their own lives.
I think the sister wives should bring in a good looking 20 something brother husband.
This is disgusting. Why would you wanna share your men with other women? If u wanna teach your kids respect and unity, than become better parent. Dad’s nightly desire for ” variety and beauty” not gonna teach them anything.
IF you have children (i hope not) it sounds like you are doing a GREAT job teaching your kids 'respect'
*eye roll*
The women are happy???these women have shit drilled into their heads every single day.They receive years of training and watch other women around them being married to one dog.They think its ok to have multiple wives….and this thing about the children being polite and respectful is bullshit.The man of course has a lovely time with multiple wives,and the women are asusual taught that if he has a good time they shud b happy and tell people they are happy.Its like a dog being chained.It thinks it has a happy life because that is what it has seen from the time it was a pup.So the dog's happy….Such people are a shame to the society.SO irritating to know such people still exist..These women should be slippered for allowing this to happen to them and other women and teaching their daughters the same thing.
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So gay marriage is good for America but polygamy is morally wrong? Even liberals can be hypocrites & flat out full of crap. A man's happiness is some people's worst nightmare.
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Listen and awaken from your slumber. Love and sex with committed people in marriage and in family (children) should be made only between consensual adults, with respect, faith, and honest commitment of sharing love and life. These adults are examples to their children and should live a life style that honors the responsibility towards each other and their children. Back to love, not lust, that is key. How is it love to ” have variety” for the man? Hmmm. Isn’t that just accepted CHEATING?!?. There is no way that I believe that these women are happy sharing their husband with many wives while they cook, clean, tend to children ,AND BE FAITHFUL to him! What a crock! These women are fooled and played. This should not be compared to homosexual, nor heterosexual relationships. This is nothing more than men demeaning women to have sex with multiple and younger wives, and brain wash these women into accepting it. Finally just bc he may provide a roof or food, doesn’t mean this lifestyle doesn’t come at a cost. I boldly say there is NO HONOR nor LOYALTY in these relationships from these husbands. I strongly recommend these wives open their eyes to realize their example and choice to live accordingly will only bring more dishonor and confusion to their daughters and sons. For you know what goes on in secret, and what lies are hidden, and what ” training” you learned from your upbringing. When will you question what is true? May you see and act invoke faith knowing the full consequences of YOUR CHOICES. This is what I say to these women, and I would add once again…wake up and be brave.
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It makes far more sense to have one wife with multiple husbands. Then there is the opportunity for more men to be out working, earning more money for a smaller number of children, which would be nothing but beneficial to everyone. It is nearly impossible to function on one income, making both mother and father have to work. With multiple "fathers" you could have all of them working to support the household while the wife (or have the wife work and one of the husbands stay home) takes care of the children, thus giving them the attention they really need and deserve. One man having to support multiple wives and tons of kids just doesn't make financial sense.
If the man is a hard worker he should be able to provide. However one wife and multiple husbands makes even less sense. Every man would want a child, but they would have to wait there turn every other year, which would be a huge burden on the women and she would be fatigued. It is very unhealthy and I would think dangerous for the women if she had multiple husbands. Also by nature men are dominant and they would not get along at all.
Exactly. One woman with several husband does make much more sense!
This man breaks his wedding vows everyday.
We already have a variation of this called Babydaddy. Some women have many babydaddies, one for each of the children they have. My only question is why are many of them not collecting child support. If they pick many nice babydaddies with good jobs, they could have ample financial security. This would include a beautiful home. fine schools for the children, healthy food, nice clothes, vacations and entertainment allowance. Additionally, there is no need for legalization of polygamy .This is a fine alternative compared to the poverty conditions that is provided by the welfare system.
Thats pure stupidity! please get your head out of the dark ages at in 2012 women earn just as much money as men and should be aiming to spend equal time with children!
It is sad, but true that the world is loosing its moral fiber. Things are only going to get worst from here. These women – seem pathetic to me. They don’t believe that they are worthy enough to garner the exclusive love of one man. Their self esteem is such that they feel they need to share him with five/six other people. That is so sad and such a giant leap backward for women’s rights.
I think it should be the choice of any man or woman to have multiple wives or husbands. By definition limiting a woman or man to just one wife or husband is a restriction of freedom and their rights. If a woman or man can handle having multiple partners well then let it be.
I agree. The data would not even support that monogamy is effective in western societies. There are a lot of children without parents home to watch them, lots of broken homes, and lots of cheating spouses. Stable homes and personal responsibility should be the goal, not the state telling us who to marry.
This is what happens when you mix politics with religion if religious institutions want to be involved in politics they should have to pay their fair share in taxes.
Wow amazing how people have such a negative view of something they barely understand..
After reading many of these posts I have a question. How many of the folks commenting have been divorced? Because since monogamy is suppose to be the prefered norm I find it interesting that in the U.S. That 1 out of 5 marriages end in divorce in less than 5 years. And those are monogamous marriages. It seems to me that we must try to be intellectually honest and accept that before you condemn polygamy you may want to fix monogamy cause its failing! Marriage is a choice not a law.