NY Times: Is Polygamy Confusing, or Just a Matter of Family Values?

Is Polygamy Confusing, or Just a Matter of Family Values?



NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec. 15 — When President Mwai Kibaki of Kenya arrived at the White House recently for a state visit, his wife, Lucy Kibaki, was at his side, resplendent in a flowing gown.

Perhaps fortunately for the White House protocol office, which has little experience with polygamous relationships, Mr. Kibaki left his second wife, Wambui Kibaki, back home.

Mr. Kibaki's multiple marriage has been known for decades among close friends and family in his native village of Othaya, near Mount Kenya. But most Kenyan voters first learned of it on Sunday morning, nearly a year into Mr. Kibaki's presidency, when a local newspaper, The East African Standard, splashed a profile of Mr. Kibaki's second wife on its front page.

Such a complicated family life is not uncommon here. By no means limited to Muslims, polygamy is widely practiced in Africa, particularly among the well-off members of Mr. Kibaki's generation who can afford multiple dowries and the expense of keeping more than one home.

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Is Polygamy Confusing, or Just a Matter of Family Values?

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Marriage is really a bizarre construct. It's religious, social, and legal. In the legal realm, there is absolutely no justification for restricting marriage to anything other than consenting adults, in any number and combination of sexes they choose.

Religiously, it's up to the specific religion what they want to call a marriage.

Socially, I don't see how it's anyone's business. Heck, with the serial monogamy we have going on now...

There was a "family" dinner recently I attended. I was there, with my wife and daughter. It's my second marriage, so that's a step-relationship. Also attending were my father's current wife's stepchildren from a previous relationship, as well as my father's stepchildren from a previous relationship.

I defy anyone to figure out what the hell those relationships even mean anymore.

Maybe we should just go to a system of lapel pins and be done with it, you know?

There is absolutely no reason for him to kow-tow to our backward and parochial ways. It is also completely unfair for him to leave her behind. She hasn't done anything, as far as we know, to deserve being punished by being left behind.

I personally have a biiiig problem with those big fat middle aged fringe Mormons who just seem to want a harem of 15 year olds.

That is hardly the same thing. Pedophilia is no more the same thing as polygamy as it is the same thing as homosexuality.

I think you would find both of the above groups would take serious issue with the person in your example.