Polygamous relationship or marriage is not sin?
"Sin" is different from "wrong." "Sin" means that something is prohibited by religion. Most mainstream religious groups believe that polygamy is a sin; end of story. However, as for labeling and judging others, Christianity at least teaches that one should not judge other people. Would I engage in polygamy? No. Should you do it? Well, it depends on whether anyone else is getting hurt by your behavior. If not, live and let live.
How WOULD a Polygamous marriage work anyways?
In places where it is still practiced, women have no other real choices. There whole identity and worth is tied into being a wife. They are judged by the quantity and quality of their children. The best way to make your own kids look good is to make the kids of the other wives look bad. There is tremendous abuse of children in polygamy by the sister wives because of this bias. Combined with the neglect of a father who can barely name all his kids, it's a nightmare. There are roughly equal numbers of men and women. For every man who takes 4 wives, 3 men are left without hope of a family, or any commitment to the society that has abandoned them. These unmarried men become an destabilizing force. They don't contribute to the economy. Every polygamous father knows that some of his sons will never marry. I find that very sad. There are few countries that have polygamy and succeed economically. Polygamy was designed for agrarian societies, not modern life. It doesn't work nearly as well as monogamy. Monogamy is a big reason that Western style countries have left others behind economically. In the polygamy with which I learned about, the men always pick favorite wives. The favorite will have more control over money, and use it to punish the other wives. If any wife doesn't please him, he can ignore her until she comes to his point of view. He has no incentive to negotiate or compromise. It is a completely powerless life for a woman. No man would put up with such treatment.
If gay marriage becomes fully legal? the how about gay polygamy?
Thats all grosss
Can polyamory/polygamy save marriages?
Polyamory will ruin a marriage that is not strong, but is legal. Poly couples are usually open with each other and honest about what they want. They usually have one spouse, but can be committed to others. The government can't make you have just one partner. Whereas polygamy is illegal because you are legally(technically illegally) wed to more than one person, and in most cases the spouses aren't aware of each other, except in extreme cases such as the fundamentalist mormons. I don't think either can save a marriage, that is already having issues.
On gay marriage and polygamy/polyandry...?
Yes. I think an individual should have absolute control of his/her choices concerning his/her relationships provided they do not interfere with anyone elses individual right to the same. If you want marriage to just be about being with someone of the opposite sex.....then marry someone of the opposite sex. No one is taking that away. Likewise....if you want marriage to be about just being with one person, then make that choice. It's strange to me to think that so many people seem to believe that if rights are granted to a group they don't understand or agree with it somehow cheapens their right to believe what they choose to believe. In my opinion tolerance and understanding can only serve to strengthen and solidify our own personal choices and beliefs.
What's it like to be one of two or more wives in a polygamous marriage?
I am the second wife in a polygamous Islamic Marriage and I would say that if anyone can avoid being in this kind of situation, do it.It all started off well. Before marriage, my husband introduced me to his wife and his children and we all got along well. His wife knew our intention to get married and I told her that I will not agree to marry him unless she approves of it. She agrees and we even talk about religion and we practiced it at home, etc. My husband’s first marriage was an arranged one, five years later he met me and fell in love and we wanted to make it right before Allah. They are both from the Arabic culture and I’m not.I didn’t ask for my rights, unlike other Muslim practices that there should be equal everything (days or money spent with wife 1 should be same with wife 2) because he had children and I also have work so I can provide for myself. I understand his situation. And I became friends with his first wife and I spend days in their home and we go out together as a family. I sincerely thought that the first wife was happy with me joining in the family.Then we got married. We consumated the marriage and continued on with our lives. Sometimes, first wife will even message me that husband wants to spend Tuesday with me, or she will ask if I wanted something from the market and I will do the same. Sex was great with my husband and I can say he enjoys it a lot. Its haram (not allowed) to have us both together in bed and I never wanted to talk about what they do anyway so I never asked him or his first wife.One day after he spent the day with me, I got a call after he returned home. He was crying and told me we need to divorce. I was surprised. I thought we were happy?Turns out that he saw his first wife about to commit suicide. She said she cannot take it anymore. Even now, I don’t understand the sudden change of her mind. I think its because of her family and friends telling her things.Now, I am married but not married. I cannot talk to my husband as I used to because she will be jealous. She blocked me away, I cannot call her or message her. Nothing. I am trying to understand her. Maybe she realized she cannot share him. But we are married now. I am asking for a divorce but my husband doesn’t want.Lesson learned, never get into a polygamous marriage. People will get hurt one way or another.