Bucket Of Worms: If Gay Marriage Can Be Legally And Morally Justified, Then Why Not Plural Marriage (Polygamy)?

As you can see in the Wikipedia graphic published above, gay marriage will be legal in 12 U.S. states effective August 1st, 2013. They are Washington, Minnesota, Iowa, Maryland, Delaware, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. Yet despite this, some gay marriage advocates don't believe plural marriages can be justified.

Back on March 23rd, 2006, Slate published an article by William Saletan in which he justifies gay marriage but opposes plural marriage. Saletan writes "Here's the answer. The number isn't two. It's one. You commit to one person, and that person commits wholly to you. Second, the number isn't arbitrary. It's based on human nature. Specifically, on jealousy". However, this explanation in and of itself is arbitrary. Who empowered Saletan to define human nature for the rest of us? In fact, many make the case that a considerable number of men are, by their very nature, polygamous. And women, too, which explains why adultery is so commonplace in contemporary society. In fact, some religions, particularly Islam and the Fundamentalist Latter-day Saints, insist that plural marriage is ordained of God, although the Quran imposes a limit of four wives upon Muslim men. Worse yet, Andrew Sullivan, a gay man himself, wants legal gay marriage for himself but would selfishly deny legal marriage to polyamorous groups, writing in 2006 “Legalizing [polygamy] is a bad idea for a society in general for all the usual reasons (abuse of women, the dangers of leaving a pool of unmarried straight men in the population at large, etc.)”.

The bottom line -- if gay marriage is morally and legally justified, so is plural marriage. To claim that gay marriage is O.K. but plural marriage is wrong is intellectually dishonest. It is selfish for gay marriage advocates to get their brand of marriage legalized but freeze out those who believe someone should be allowed to marry more than one spouse. In contrast, bestial marriage could never be justified because only one party, the human, is capable of knowingly consenting to the arrangement. Animals are not capable of giving informed consent.

If the federal government was to overturn the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and declare gay marriage to be legal nationwide, they would be opening themselves up to lawsuits to be filed by plural marriage advocates. Both the Fundamentalist Latter-day Saints and Muslims would have grounds to sue to get plural marriage recognized, at least for religious purposes. While it is possible that such lawsuits would be rejected since neither religious group recognizes the right of women to have more than one husband, this may not stop them from suing. And although the mainstream Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has indefinitely suspended the solemnization of plural marriages, there would be a demand for Congress to formally repeal the Edmunds-Tucker Act and other anti-polygamy legislation used by the federal government to oppress Mormons during the latter half of the 19th century.

If you think gay marriage is complicated, think about the additional complexities of plural marriage. How would the law mandate property rights and responsibilities in partial poly divorces? What about the rights and responsibilities of marriage that merge into preexisting marriages? And how about setting default laws for multiple inheritance in the absence of a will, allocating Social Security benefits, etc.

This is just another reason why gay marriage should be rejected. It opens up a big bucket of worms.

Mormon Polygamist Caleb Darger Renounces Plural Marriage And Fundamentalist Mormonism, Joins Mainline LDS Church

On August 3rd, 2012, the Daily Mail published a fascinating story about a young man in a Mormon polygamist family who chose not to follow in his family's religious footsteps. Caleb Darger, the 21-year-old son of independent Mormon polygamist Joe Darger, joined the mainline Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. And while Joe is disappointed, he accepts his son's decision and has not attempted to deny or disinherit him.

Caleb is one of 24 children, and the Daily Mail says little else about him. Joe is married to Vicki Darger and Valerie Darger, twin sisters who are 42 years old, and their cousin Alina Darger, who's 43 years old. Vicki is Caleb's mother. Joe was once a member of the mainline LDS Church, but was excommunicated when he embraced the principle of plural marriage, a practice indefinitely suspended by President Wilford Woodruff back in 1890. Joe defines himself as an Independent Fundamentalist Mormon, meaning he has not attached himself to the Fundamentalist LDS Church or any other organized polygamist sects. Joe clearly condemns Warren Jeffs' behavior and applauded efforts to bring him to justice.

The Daily Mail cites the family's blog as a primary source of Joe's reaction to Caleb's conversion. From an April 2012 post entitled "Choice In A Polygamous Family", here's the key excerpt:

Recently my son, Caleb was baptised into the LDS, or Mormon Church. We showed up with all the parents, most of the older children, and I think quite surprised the bishop, who remarked on the size of the multitude there to witness the event. He asked us to get up and state our relationship to Caleb and why everyone was there. All three of his mom’s, got up and proudly proclaimed that they were his mother and were there to support him in his choice.

Needless to say there were a lot of shocked faces. I wondered how many of those church goers would have come to a Fundamentalist baptism if one of their children were in similar circumstances? My feelings were very torn that day. I was proud of him. Caleb is an immensely talented musician, scholar and a good person. He had expressed to me that he felt the Church gave him the structure and helped him in his relationship to God. I could not feel bad about that aspect.

However, as the time came during the baptism for what we call the “confirmation” where they asked all the “worthy members of the Priesthood” to lay their hands upon his head, I realized at that moment I was both literally and figuratively outside of that circle. Though the priesthood is one of the most important aspects of my life, and while I can recognize their priesthood, they do not recognize mine.

It saddened my heart to think one of the most sacred and important parts of my lives was not fully connected with my son. Such is the consequence of choice. I was both happy for him and sad for me. Choice by its nature means our children will not choose right all the time, or certainly will not choose what I think is right. Yet I believe that is God’s plan as well. None of us do choose the way we should all the time. That is the reason for His grace.

Joe Darger has been interviewed by a number of media sources, including the BBC's John Sweeney in that infamous interview on Mitt Romney, and a video appearance on This Morning Live back in May 2012. In September 2011, Joe and his wives appeared on ABC's Good Morning America, primarily to promote their book "Love Times Three: Our True Story of a Polygamous Marriage". And on ABC's 20/20, Amanda, one of Caleb's sisters, is reported to have gone in the opposite direction of Caleb, joining her fiance in a more traditional fundamentalist Mormon group in Arizona and has recently begun wearing more conservative, longer dresses and a bundled hairstyle. The primary objectives of their publicity campaign are to paint a different picture of polygamy than that broadcast by Warren Jeffs and the Fundamentalist LDS Church, and to raise awareness about their lifestyle and loving family.

Ironically, the campaign to legalize gay marriage in the secular realm could lead to a relaxation of restrictions upon plural marriage, particular for those engaging in it for religious purposes. After all, if gay marriage, which is an abomination without any historical validation, can be justified, how can plural marriage, which is merely an expansion of monogamistic heterosexual marriage, be condemned? Anyone who supports gay marriage but opposes plural marriage could be successfully portrayed as a bigot.

LDS Church Would Not Necessarily Reinstitute Plural Marriage Even If It Became Legal In The United States

With the growing legalization of gay marriage in the United States, talk about legalizing other marital relationships between consenting adults, to include the practice of plural marriage where one man marries many women, is beginning to surface. Not only do the Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints practice plural marriage, but the Muslim Quran recognizes plural marriage as valid and authorizes Muslim men to be married to as many as four women simultaneously.

So the question naturally arises as to whether or not the mainstream Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints would reinstitute the practice of plural marriage should it become legal in the United States. LDS officials have not addressed this question publicly, but the question is explored by Salt Lake Tribune reporter Peggy Fletcher Stack in an article entitled "Will polygamy return for LDS here and hereafter?". She cites Brigham Young University political science professor Valerie Hudson, who opines that even if plural marriage was to become legal, that doesn't mean the Church would reinstitute the practice. Hudson focuses her analysis on LDS scripture, most notably Doctrine & Covenants Section 132. She interprets Joseph Smith's analysis in Section 132 to mean that Mormon polygamy was an exception to the eternal principle of monogamy, and it was removed when the sacrifice no longer was necessary.

What also must be considered is the intended targeted audience. Doctrine & Covenants Section 132 was deliberately directed towards Latter-day Saints at the time. In contrast, there's a contrasting scripture in the Book of Mormon that was directed towards a DIFFERENT targeted audience -- Jacob 2:27, which is replicated below with surrounding verses to provide context:

23 But the word of God burdens me because of your grosser crimes. For behold, thus saith the Lord: This people begin to wax in iniquity; they understand not the scriptures, for they seek to excuse themselves in committing whoredoms, because of the things which were written concerning David, and Solomon his son.

24 Behold, David and Solomon truly had many wives and concubines, which thing was abominable before me, saith the Lord.

25 Wherefore, thus saith the Lord, I have led this people forth out of the land of Jerusalem, by the power of mine arm, that I might raise up unto me a righteous branch from the fruit of the loins of Joseph.

26 Wherefore, I the Lord God will not suffer that this people shall do like unto them of old.

27 Wherefore, my brethren, hear me, and hearken to the word of the Lord: For there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife; and concubines he shall have none;

28 For I, the Lord God, delight in the chastity of women. And whoredoms are an abomination before me; thus saith the Lord of Hosts.

Verse 1 indicates that Jacob, the brother of Nephi, directed this counsel specifically towards the people of Nephi. And this counsel also held firm for Mormons until such time as the Lord directed DIFFERENT counsel towards them, as codified in D & C 132. And the counsel in Section 132 remained in effect until the Lord once again directed DIFFERENT counsel towards Mormons in 1890, when by revelation He authorized President Wilford M. Woodruff to indefinitely suspend the practice of plural marriage. The 1890 Manifesto is canonized as Official Declaration 1.