Dr. Henderson
English 101
2 May 02
Polygamy
Polygamy as stated in the Academic American Encyclopedia is “a type of marriage in which a person many legally have several spouses concurrently. It may take the form of polygyny, the marriage of a man to more than one women, or polyandry, the marriage of a woman to more than one man” (419). I chose to write on Polygamy due to the fact that it’s still recognized as a form of marriage in the world.
Polygamy: Right or Wrong?
In 1862 the Thirty-Seventh Congress passed a law which effectively outlawed polygamy in every province and territory of the United States, including and especially in Utah. “Be it enacted ... that every person having a husband or wife living who shall marry any other person, whether married or single, ... shall ...be adjudged guilty of bigamy and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars, and by imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years... And be it further enacted that ... all other acts or parts of acts heretofore passed by the legislative assembly of the Territory of Utah which establish, support, maintain, shield, or countenance polygamy, be, and the same hereby are, disapproved and annulled... And be it further enacted, that it shall not be lawful for any corporation or association for religious or charitable purposes to acquire or hold real estate...of a greater value than fifty thousand dollars.” United States Revised Code, Section 5210 ( Lightning Rods 1 )
Polygamy has been a subject of debate throughout American history, especially in states such as Utah, where the polygamist life style is a way of life in some small rural communities. Polygamy isn’t not just an American issue, but it also affects Arabic culture. The Mormon Church does not practice or endorse polygamy today, and its practice is grounds for exclusion from the church.
Islamic Polygamy
Unlike Christianity, Islam does not provide an explicit prohibition of...