Recently, Dr. Keith Ablow, a medical contributor to Fox News, stated “Marriage is over. It is, officially, judicially, a joke.” On December 13, 2013, the joke was given to the state of Utah wrapped in the guise of “religious liberty” in a 91-page decision by Federal District Judge Clark Waddoups. Sadly, the decision allowed for the legal practice of “religious cohabitation” by polygamists.
While traditional marriage may be a laughing matter for judicial elites, their cavalier decisions have serious consequences for society. In particular, this decision allows for a real inequality to exist between men and women. It is fascinating – but not surprising — that many modern feminists who object to the subjugation of women have not spoken out against this ruling. The philosophy that brought in the likes of abortion on demand also helped to usher in this decision. The “mystery passage” from Planned Parenthood v. Casey provides an insight to why this philosophy of sexual ethics came to be. It simply states, “At the heart of liberty is the right to define one’s own concept of existence, of meaning, of the universe, and of the mystery of human life.” In essence, the court is saying that any individual has the right to define his own truth (when it comes to the subject of sexuality). And it seems that this philosophy is being routinely applied in areas of sexual ethics that come before the courts. Unfortunately, the passage became firmly entrenched in this area of sexual “privacy” in the Lawrence v Texas US Supreme Court decision which legalized sodomy. In summary, as long as it is sex among consenting adults, anything goes in the Courts, regardless of the consequences.
In order to better understand why polygamy is wrong theologically, one needs to understand what is said in Scripture about marriage, specifically in the Book of Genesis. In Chapter 2 it states, “The Lord God said: It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suited to him.” The first thing to note is that God makes one woman for Adam, not multiple. God shows the equality of the two by making only one woman for Adam. Furthermore, Genesis states “That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one body.” Again, the narrative is in the singular.
But a valid question remains—how does polygamy victimize women and children? The simple proof of this reality can be seen in both the past and present. When polygamy has been practiced, the two sexes have been treated far from equally, and it has typically resulted in the subjugation of women. If it is allowed to be practiced in the US, it will be as Fr. Dwight Longenecker recently stated, “Rather than do everything they [women] will join a harem of women reliant on the one man who does and decides everything.” When a man takes multiple spouses, then something becomes unequal. When inequality exists between the two sexes, then something is not in accord with God’s design. God intends for the husband and wife to be equal partners. This is echoed in the Catechism, “However polygamy is not in accord with the moral law. [Conjugal] communion is radically contradicted by polygamy; this, in fact, directly negates the plan of God which was revealed from the beginning, because it is contrary to the equal personal dignity of men and women who in matrimony give themselves with a love that is total and therefore unique and exclusive” (no. 2387). Each reflects something about the divine that the other gender does not. This relationship can only be properly expressed in the marriage of one man to one woman. Man cannot give himself totally to more than one wife: attentions will be diverted, needs will be neglected for the benefit of another wife, and feelings will be unjustly hurt.
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Furthermore, polygamy has the added effect of victimizing the children. Without getting into many of the psychological effects, it is important to note that the children will not get an appropriate view of the reflection of God; it appears that the man is dominant while the women are subservient. The model these children receive from their parents is that marriage is not unique and exclusive, like how Christ is married to his bride the Church. Not to mention the reality that the reflection of the Trinity is also lost. Only in an exclusive marriage can the creative aspect of the mystery of the Trinity be seen. Male and female are co-equals in the creation of the family. When a man “marries” more than one woman, that equality is no longer present. Three or more cannot become one flesh. In fact, it could be argued that polygamy reflects something more demonic than Divine precisely because it no longer reflects equality, but rather reflects inequality and subservience.
Judge Waddoups may believe he is protecting the sanctity of sexual expression. However, such romanticism comes with a steep price. Women involved in polygamous relationships will be viewed as mere chattel. Young girls will grow up with the view that they are mere sexual toys that have no voice in family life. Or to put it another way, they will grow up with the view that they must compete with other women for the attention of their husband. This is not equality and judges ought to know better. Throwing out the history of the family within the common law that has been adjudicated over the centuries is not only negligent, but very imprudent. And, it is no joke for a society that has to pick up the pieces.