Why is bigamy illegal?

[jake-the-peg]

Looking at a recent thread it occurs to me that it's a little odd that Bigamy is illegal.

Marriage is after all a civil arrangement between people does enforcing a particular form of that arrangement with the full weight of the law really make sense?

We are after all now in an era of Gay marriage

Obviously there are practical implications like tax and benefits etc. but these could easilly be accomodated with some rule changes.

Does bigamy really warrent being a criminal offense ?

[ludwig]

// It is a bit pointless and it is a bit complex and I'd say it was undesirable - but a criminal offense? with imprisonment? //

I think ellipsis has answered that above with this ...

// If slapping someone around the face is an offence, then I don't see why marrying someone else behind their back shouldn't be. I know which would hurt me more, and for longer. //

[naomi24]

The discussion seems to have moved on from the original question. Are we talking about men marrying a second spouse in secret, or being able to legally marry more than one wife? Personally I think both are rotten ideas.

[emmie]

as do i, legally you cannot marry more than one person in Britain, and that is how it should stay. No one ever asks these women in marriages where the man is permitted to have multiple partners, whether they like having to share the husband. Jealousy is a human trait and women and men are not immune.

[emmie]

at a time, i should have put

[wildwood]

Surely this should then work for women too!

If a law is there to protect the family unit then it has my backing. It is easy enough to get a divorce nowadays. If you have no intention of spending the rest of your life with your selected partner, why bother getting married at all?

[EDDIE51]

A woman in USA has just 'married' a roller coaster ! if that does not discredit the institution of marriage I don't see how having more than one wife/husband can do worse.
By the way are there any examples of a wife having several husbands at the same time ? I have heard numerous examples of one man many wives but never the other way around.

[craft1948]

Why am I seeing this from a different perspective, I was thinking of a woman having more than one husband.

[naomi24]

Eddie, this from Wiki:

//Polyandry (a woman having multiple husbands) occurs very rarely in a few isolated tribal societies. These societies include some bands of the Canadian Inuit, although the practice has declined sharply in the 20th century due to their conversion from tribal religion to Christianity by Moravian missionaries. Additionally, the Spartans were notable for practicing polyandry.

Societies which permit group marriage are extremely rare, but have existed in Utopian societies such as the Oneida Community.//

[askyourgran]

Because it makes a mockery of the 'purity' of marriage. 'Keep thee only unto her/him' is the Covenant of the Marriage Ceremony ie. monogamous marriage.

[EDDIE51]

My Mrs has had a few 'bits on the side' perhaps she is part Eskimo ;-)

[Old_Geezer]

As far as I can tell the question dosn't distinguish on gender nor has it anything to do with doing somthinging is secret. As for complexity, that's the concern of those who enter willingly into such arrangements.

[Old_Geezer]

'married' a roller coaster <shakes head> Yes we read of tales like this every now and again. Clearly they have done nothing of the sort but are just being humoured. Although medical treatment may be more appropriate assuming they are serious about their 'partner'.

[NOX]

'Because it makes a mockery of the 'purity' of marriage. 'Keep thee only unto her/him' is the Covenant of the Marriage Ceremony ie. monogamous marriage. '

So it is indeed purely a religion based ideal centered around Christian belief which does somewhat leave everyone else out in the cold if they don't agree, and stuck with christian rules they feel don't apply to them.

[Sir Alec]

Bigamy should be legal. If Muslims can be paid for having two wives, which is illegal in this country (ie bigamy), and they are also paid child benefit for the amount of children that 2 wives can produce, then why shouldn't everybody else use this scam to get more money?

[vetuste_ennemi]

Roller coaster? Did the earth move on the wedding night?

[New Judge]

Like many religous conventions and customs marriage has, as its basis, a practical side. The idea that partners should "forsake all others" has a serious and practical effect. It means that the likliehood of incestuous relationships between, say, half-siblings, is considerably reduced. Such relationships have a greatly increased chance of producing deformed offspring and so in a monogamous society that risk is reduced.

With the popularity of marriage declining keeping track of the family lineage is considerably more tricky and the risk of incestous relationships occurring is increased. The answer for those wanting more than one partner is quite simple - just don't get married. So long as marriage is defined as a union between just two people (note the careful choice of words to avoid the same-sex marriage diversion) then those entering into it are entitled to legal protection should their partner illegally enter into a "marriage" with somebody else. Since almost all bigamists enter into their subsequent unions without the knowledge of their spouse such deception deserves to remain a criminal ofence.

[ll_billym]

Bigamy not such a problem but when it extends to polygamy the powerful men end up with all the girls and other men go whistle.

That is pretty much the conclusion in the book The Red Queen, a very good book about human sexuality.

[Le Chat]

I would be quite happy having a couple of husbands....especially at bedtime! :) x