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(20,783 posts)
64. Cohabitation is not Illegal
Mon Dec 23, 2013, 05:30 PM
Dec 2013

but faking a marriage certificate is.

Unless you are willing to have no definition of marriage at all, you have to rule that some marriages do not conform to your definition. In those cases, you have to either assign penalties for those that do not or simply allow anything to qualify as a marriage.

Marriage is intended to define a family, but is prone to abuse because of the financial and legal advantages offered, such as benefits, lower taxes, and easier citizenship. Polygamy supercharges the abuses.

Would you allow a man to marry two hundred women and give them all citizenship? Would you allow a brother to marry a sister, a mother, or a daughter so she can get benefits? Would you allow fifty men and fifty women to get married in a group arrangement, so that all hundred are married to each other? How would marital rights be prioritized if there are competing claims?

I knew an African man who argued passionately for polygamy, and was upset that he had to choose one of his four wives as his 'real' wife for legal purposes in the US. I sympathize with him in some ways, but would not want to take his recommendation.

I am not a purist or anything on marriage or sexual mores, but passing legislation that basically says 'anything goes' is asking for trouble.

Should Polygamy be illegal? [View all] cthulu2016 Dec 2013 OP
It's already sort of illegal now. DanTex Dec 2013 #1
It is more impossible than it is illegal. cthulu2016 Dec 2013 #7
I can't think of any legal reasoning about why it shouldn't be legal penultimate Dec 2013 #2
i go with anything being legal as long as its consenting adults, everyone should be able to suffer loli phabay Dec 2013 #3
I think you and I are at the same place with that. nt stevenleser Dec 2013 #4
No and yes and why the government should not be involved in religious rites at all. Egalitarian Thug Dec 2013 #5
If the inherent issue of imbalance of power is addressed, I'd be happy to look at the issue. LanternWaste Dec 2013 #6
Amazing looks into this culture. Did you read "Under the Banner of Heaven?" Squinch Dec 2013 #45
I'm almost afraid to read Banner. For me, Shattered Dreams was difficult enough to get through LanternWaste Dec 2013 #48
It is horrible. But it is also fascinating how people allow this handful of men Squinch Dec 2013 #53
Another rec for Under The Banner of Heaven. riderinthestorm Dec 2013 #68
I couldn't care if they married a brick named Eloise. There are other things besides their marriage Squinch Dec 2013 #8
K & R Thinkingabout Dec 2013 #49
There is also an aspect of absolute worship of the few powerful men that inevitably leads to Squinch Dec 2013 #54
Should reverse polygamy be legal? pscot Dec 2013 #9
That would be polyandry. Together they are polyamory. n/t Egalitarian Thug Dec 2013 #93
A limerick shows the way: riqster Dec 2013 #10
Polygamy as it's mostly practiced today should indeed remain illegal. Sheldon Cooper Dec 2013 #11
None of that has anything to do with the question cthulu2016 Dec 2013 #14
Sorry about your inability to read and comprehend. Sheldon Cooper Dec 2013 #17
Yes, it should be illegal. ohheckyeah Dec 2013 #12
Okay. Can you tackle the second question? cthulu2016 Dec 2013 #16
The lawful marriage ohheckyeah Dec 2013 #27
You are absolutely correct get the red out Dec 2013 #40
Wouldn't be the first ohheckyeah Dec 2013 #42
No, consenting adults should be able to make whatever agreements between themselves as they kelly1mm Dec 2013 #13
You would need an overhaul of a number of other laws jberryhill Dec 2013 #15
There is no question of state recognition in sight. cthulu2016 Dec 2013 #21
Oh, then I don't understand the question jberryhill Dec 2013 #26
But jberryhill's point is an interesting one. There is a question with the majority of the Squinch Dec 2013 #43
No. It should be legal LittleBlue Dec 2013 #18
I am against such accommodation. cthulu2016 Dec 2013 #22
Long-term, I think this will be viewed no differently than gay marriage LittleBlue Dec 2013 #28
The value of one sex comparable to the other get the red out Dec 2013 #37
When I read that, it feels like the rationalizations LittleBlue Dec 2013 #66
Read "Under the Banner of Heaven" by John Krakauer. It's a lot more than "ewwww." Squinch Dec 2013 #67
Actually, I have LittleBlue Dec 2013 #69
So you are aware there is a lot more than "ew" here. Squinch Dec 2013 #70
No. Because I could write a book 100 times as lengthy LittleBlue Dec 2013 #71
Not abuses that encompass women, children and men, Squinch Dec 2013 #73
lol what nonsense LittleBlue Dec 2013 #74
Oh, dear lord. You really are invested in believing that. Squinch Dec 2013 #83
Those aren't institutionalized into the entity of marriage get the red out Dec 2013 #88
No, it doesn't read like that get the red out Dec 2013 #87
No to polygamy. Yes to polyamory. Blue_Adept Dec 2013 #19
If there is informed consent on the part of everyone involved... Lizzie Poppet Dec 2013 #20
How is it informed consent ohheckyeah Dec 2013 #29
Well that wouldn't be informed consent, would it? (nt) Lizzie Poppet Dec 2013 #31
We would jump all over ourselves to claim it was get the red out Dec 2013 #39
The question, though, is an interesting one. In, say, the FLDS, is informed consent possible? Squinch Dec 2013 #55
Only thing I can think of is, people might take advantage of group marriage for tax reasons. Warren DeMontague Dec 2013 #23
No tax implications, since no government recognizes the unions. cthulu2016 Dec 2013 #25
I guess I misunderstood the question, then- Warren DeMontague Dec 2013 #32
I do not see how people living together can be illegal get the red out Dec 2013 #41
Strange this came up when it did... ohheckyeah Dec 2013 #47
No complaints get the red out Dec 2013 #89
Something else not talked about is ohheckyeah Dec 2013 #91
Hmm...it's currently only illegal if the parties attempt MineralMan Dec 2013 #24
"currently" cthulu2016 Dec 2013 #90
Illegal. I can't even begin to imagine how you'd work out the legal contractual problems. riderinthestorm Dec 2013 #30
+1000000 CFLDem Dec 2013 #34
So only a man with many wives? get the red out Dec 2013 #33
What's the difference between polygamy and polyamory? n/t cherokeeprogressive Dec 2013 #35
No. Nor should polyandry. Or, any other combination among consenting adults. Tierra_y_Libertad Dec 2013 #36
short of claiming any kind of legal rights and responsibilities arising from the geek tragedy Dec 2013 #38
Sure, adults can marry any other adults they like... Demo_Chris Dec 2013 #44
And the polygamy is a ohheckyeah Dec 2013 #51
Absolutely correct. Assuming we can eliminate that as an issue... Demo_Chris Dec 2013 #57
Of course, but I ohheckyeah Dec 2013 #58
You could be correct. Hopefully we will one day find out. nt Demo_Chris Dec 2013 #62
I don't care what they do, but...... dem in texas Dec 2013 #46
I don't think it's so much about the sex ohheckyeah Dec 2013 #50
I support the rights of consenting adults. Vashta Nerada Dec 2013 #52
If you can find a woman who ohheckyeah Dec 2013 #59
as long as all the participants are consenting adults, no it shouldn't be illegal. liberal_at_heart Dec 2013 #56
I would love to know, ohheckyeah Dec 2013 #60
Are you talking about ones who know they are in one? jberryhill Dec 2013 #61
If they don't know they are in one, ohheckyeah Dec 2013 #65
If you want more information ohheckyeah Dec 2013 #63
Cohabitation is not Illegal On the Road Dec 2013 #64
Cohabitation in many countries Harmony Blue Dec 2013 #75
No, it should not be illegal (nt) bigwillq Dec 2013 #72
No. As long it's between consenting adults. PeteSelman Dec 2013 #76
Hell no. Polygamous communities are unhealthy and abusive lanlady Dec 2013 #77
Consenting adults should be able to marry Blanket Statements Dec 2013 #78
Polygamy doesn't work due to findnacial reasons alone Harmony Blue Dec 2013 #79
What about polyandry? hobbit709 Dec 2013 #80
Yes treestar Dec 2013 #81
No. People should be able to marry whoever they want. MadrasT Dec 2013 #82
It should absolutely be legal Riftaxe Dec 2013 #84
I would agree with you IF ohheckyeah Dec 2013 #92
Right....because forcing men and women Riftaxe Dec 2013 #94
It's not about my ideals... ohheckyeah Dec 2013 #97
Ask the married men you know... KinMd Dec 2013 #85
I was going to go with multiple mothers in law, but that works, too. ManiacJoe Dec 2013 #86
Good point davidpdx Dec 2013 #95
Between consenting adults, quaker bill Dec 2013 #96
No, but only if I could have more than one husband. n/t RebelOne Dec 2013 #98
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