DiscussMormonism.com

An interesting article focusing on the problems polygamy in Colorado city causes for boys and young men. It seems the not only women suffer from this abomination.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/09/us/09 ... =2&_r=2&hp

Thanks for the article Jason. On the most basic level, how does polygamy ever work out mathematically?

Maxrep wrote:Thanks for the article Jason. On the most basic level, how does polygamy ever work out mathematically?

I think it works like this:

Divide the number of women by the prophet's desire.

Maxrep wrote:Thanks for the article Jason. On the most basic level, how does polygamy ever work out mathematically?

It doesn't. Unless some fatal disease suddenly strikes a huge percentage of people with twigs and berries.

Some time ago, I was reading about the history of marriage and something struck me.... The Romans did not end polygamy because they cared about women, they ended it because it was harmful to society to have so many men without women. And, of course, those men who were not wealthy were without a wife at all.

Those LDS men who advocate polygamy seem to hold the idea that THEY would be the ones with the harems... it truth, unless they were one of the rich and powerful, they would be without a woman.

The reality is our species (individually and collectively), does much better with monogamy... there are clear reasons human pair bond.

~dancer~

Maxrep wrote:Thanks for the article Jason. On the most basic level, how does polygamy ever work out mathematically?

It's called Hilbert's paradox of the Grand Harem--or was that Hilbert's Hotel?

It can work with transfinite numbers. It just can't work if we assume that the number of males and females are finite and that men and women are equally righteous (if not equally righteous, God is stacking the deck against some people). Now some argue that the numbers of qualifying men/women must be finite because the earth will only have mortals for a finite time and at a finite rate. Furthermore they imagine that marriages can only take place between people of the same planet. I think it possible , however, that the many children who die before the age of accountability may be able to marry outside the planet and thereby get out of this problem.

Now, do I want polygamy? No. I'd almost certainly be on the losing end in this life and I'm not so sure women would like it either. Well, maybe a few who could then marry their movie star crushes even if that crush were already taken, but I don't think the sane women would much like it.

Dare I ask this. Does the LDS Church need to do more to support and reach out to these boys and women that are fleeing this abusive cult. Yes cult. I think so as it is part of the LDS Church's legacy. We ought to back them up with support and financial assistance. Course we won't cause then we will be giving people the idea that somehow the current polygamy the FLDS does is sort of like what 19th century Mormonism did and there is no way the Church will lend credence to that idea.

Jason Bourne wrote:Dare I ask this. Does the LDS Church need to do more to support and reach out to these boys and women that are fleeing this abusive cult. Yes cult. I think so as it is part of the LDS Church's legacy. We ought to back them up with support and financial assistance. Course we won't cause then we will be giving people the idea that somehow the current polygamy the FLDS does is sort of like what 19th century Mormonism did and there is no way the Church will lend credence to that idea.

I don't think the church as an institution has the responsibility for this any more than, say, they are responsible for the Lundgren murders or the Jeffs child abuse stuff. That said, people in southern Utah are in a position to help, and it wouldn't be a bad service project for the wards and stakes there. They might even gain some future missionaries out of it. ;-)

asbestosman wrote:

Maxrep wrote:Thanks for the article Jason. On the most basic level, how does polygamy ever work out mathematically?

It's called Hilbert's paradox of the Grand Harem--or was that Hilbert's Hotel?

It can work with transfinite numbers. It just can't work if we assume that the number of males and females are finite and that men and women are equally righteous (if not equally righteous, God is stacking the deck against some people). Now some argue that the numbers of qualifying men/women must be finite because the earth will only have mortals for a finite time and at a finite rate. Furthermore they imagine that marriages can only take place between people of the same planet. I think it possible , however, that the many children who die before the age of accountability may be able to marry outside the planet and thereby get out of this problem.

Now, do I want polygamy? No. I'd almost certainly be on the losing end in this life and I'm not so sure women would like it either. Well, maybe a few who could then marry their movie star crushes even if that crush were already taken, but I don't think the sane women would much like it.

Hilbert's paradox, transfinite numbers, interplanetary marriages, etc. I'll let you in on a little secret, Asbestosman, I think most here clearly see your reply as a far reach at justification. I think the early Utah landscape summed up the situation when it was said that you could hardy find a thirteen year old girl who was not already spoken for.

Polygamy works best in societies where you can count on a lot of your men dying off from war or attack.