For some reason I watched Sister Wives for the first time tonight – a show about a family consisting of 1 husband and 3 (soon to be 4) wives and their children. The controversial nature of their family makes them a perfect candidate for TLC programming. While I find the show… enlightening, I am far from promoting their polygomous lifestyle. The show did make me think of some thoughts on marriage in no particular order:
- God made 1 woman for 1 man. Genesis 2:24
- Scripture makes no wholesale command against polygamy, except in church leadership. 1 Timothy 3
- Proverbs 22:3 – ‘nough said!
- Frank Ramono to son Ray on Everybody Loves Raymond, “If you’ve got a problem with your woman, don’t go get another woman. Now you’ve just got TWO problems!!!”
- How do you court another woman without committing emotional adultery? Matthew 5:28
- Is it not hypocritical for 1 man to have 4 wives, yet each wife is expected to be married to 1 man?
- Polygamy is against the law in all 50 states. Romans 13
- My wife (singular) is the only woman who can satisfy all of my needs – emotionally, relationally, and sexually – guilt free.
John
Though glad a have a good mother -n- law thats 4 mother n laws!! That show is a little weird and so is that dude.
My favorite part of Sister Wives is not the show itself, but the way in which many media outlets, especially those who have been such staunch supporters of overturning Prop 8 in California, have attacked this family with such fervor. Why is marriage equality okay for some, and not for others?
I like your responses to the idea of polygamy. I was just discussing this with my mother, and it’s good to know that we’re not crazy in trying to look for a verse in the Bible that directly speaks against polygamy. With so many guys with so many wives in there, it’s hard, sometimes, to sort out exactly what the Bible does say about marriage – there seems to be plenty on healthy relationships, but the institution itself varies from culture to culture. Thanks for pulling Bible verses that sum everything up succinctly.
And bonus points for the Everybody Loves Raymond quote!
LoL! I’m glad you liked the Frank quote, Sam. I laughed so hard in that particular episode. I know of missionaries that have gone to other cultures where polygamy was acceptable, and have pressured new converts to divorce all but one wife. Some of these men had children with multiple wives. Should he really divorce them? There’s no passage speaking against polygamy (again, except for church leaders) yet there is plenty against divorce! I agree that ideally they should never be in that position. But now that they are, and their country allows for it, I don’t think breaking that family up is wise. Obviously, this is a somewhat gray subject for many people. Thanks for the response!
John