writing group and meandering thoughts.

[kippurbird]

So, the guy who wrote that horribly cliche piece of drivel turned out to be rather nice about it (and kinda hot >.> ) and wasn't at all like Miss Formulaic. He seemed to be very interested in our comments and didn't mind that I was horribly brutal. He asked questions about how to make it better and was generally everything a reviewer could want in a person. I look forward to his next installment with high hopes.

Now, on a completely random matter as I wait for the paint to dry on my birthday present for my brother (we exchange presents on our birthdays, don't ask, we just do). I think Polygamy should be made legal.

Why? You may ask. My response: Why not? How is it wrong to be married to more than one person. Where does it say that it's a morally wrong thing to do? If all parties that are involved are consenting adults, they why shouldn't they get married in any which way they please? No one is getting hurt by such a marriage. It's just a different way of doing so. In fact I think the fact that it is illegal is unconstitutional according to the Constitution of the United States. It does, after all, state that we are allowed religious freedom and there are religions that allow for polygamy. So, theoretically those who practice those religions should be allowed to practice that practice. >.> Also, there is the separation of church and state. This I think is important, because in the Protestant tradition (On which this country was founded in )polygamy is a Bad Thing (I don't know why as I'm not a Protestant nor a Christian) and so they have imposed their religious ideal upon the rest of the country. If the US wanted to fully espouse that they are a land of true religious freedom and that there is a true separation between church and state then polygamy should be legalized.

After all beyond religion there isn't a good reason not to. I have yet to hear an argument as to why we shouldn't allow it. It just isn't allowed.

Perhaps I should start a petition to get it on a ballot or something. =D

Comments

[gjohnsonkoehn.livejournal.com]

In fact I think the fact that it is illegal is unconstitutional according to the Constitution of the United States. It does, after all, state that we are allowed religious freedom and there are religions that allow for polygamy. So, theoretically those who practice those religions should be allowed to practice that practice.

The guarantees of the First Amendment are not absolute; while free speech is guaranteed, for instance, the use of obscenity and the distribution of pornography are both regulated by the state. The Supreme Court has in the past upheld the state's ability to limit, impinge upon or outright forbid religious practices, providing there is a legitimate social interest in such things. Just because a secular prohibition lines up with a religious prohibition does not necessarily make the former an instance of the latter in government's clothing. After all, the Protestant tradition also forbids murder and theft, but we would never declare that laws based on those are religious and therefore unconstitutional.

Also, I recommend being very careful before demanding total freedom of religion; the sacrifice of animals, female genital mutilation, the subjugation of girls and women, the corporal punishment of children and even the murder of non-believers have all been considered matters of religious importance and even divine command at various times and in various places.

[christinaathena.livejournal.com]

Tell me how consentual polygamy harms anyone, then. Those examples you gave are harmful acts. If three or more people all consent to get married, how does that harm anyone any more than two men or two women getting married?

[gjohnsonkoehn.livejournal.com]

Those examples I gave were also clearly separated by a line break from my polygamy-centric aspect of the comments; they were in response to the perception I got from Kippur's post that she advocates total freedom of all religious practices as a necessity for being considered religious tolerant and pluralistic. I think polygamy is generally unworkable (well, at least moreso than monogamy), but no, I certainly don't think it's actually harmful, in and of itself.