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Rick Santorum on Polygamy
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subego
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Jan 6, 2012, 04:52 PM
 
IIUC, Santorum isn't a fan of polygamy. He implied that supporting it would be akin to supporting gay marriage.

Can someone explain to me, assuming Santorum's problem with gay marriage is a religious one, what's his problem with polygamy? My understanding is that God is down with the multiples.
     
SpaceMonkey
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Jan 6, 2012, 05:03 PM
 
I have no idea what specifically the Bible says about polygamy, but the catechism of the Catholic Church condemns it as one of the "offenses against the dignity of marriage." Santorum is catholic.

Edit: link: http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P87.HTM

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subego  (op)
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Jan 6, 2012, 05:08 PM
 
But, and please correct me here, I've been lapsed for almost 40 years, there's nothing actually in the Bible condemning it?

Anyone can answer this... I missed the part where you said you didn't know.
     
The Final Dakar
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Jan 6, 2012, 05:11 PM
 
On a personal level, I find Santorum's actual adherence to Catholicism amusing. I thought the majority of Catholics were supposed to be non-practicing and liberal.
     
SpaceMonkey
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Jan 6, 2012, 05:13 PM
 
Originally Posted by subego
But, and please correct me here, I've been lapsed for almost 40 years, there's nothing actually in the Bible condemning it?
It's sort of academic, assuming Santorum is commited enough of a Catholic that his viewpoints in these areas jibe with the Vatican. I assume the quote in that passage refers to some interpretation of biblical scripture, since that is essentially what the Vatican, in part through the Catechism, claims a monopoly on, but I can't decipher those footnotes.

I'd be willing to believe there is something in the Bible condemning it, and something in the Bible somewhere else condoning it.
( Last edited by SpaceMonkey; Jan 6, 2012 at 05:22 PM. )

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subego  (op)
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Jan 6, 2012, 05:20 PM
 
Originally Posted by SpaceMonkey View Post
It's sort of academic, assuming Santorum is commited enough of a Catholic that his viewpoints in these areas jibe with the Vatican. I assume the quote in that passage refers to some interpretation of biblical scripture, since that is essentially what the Vatican, through the Catechism, claims a monopoly on, but I can't decipher those footnotes.
It would be interesting to hear his take on the Vatican. I know a lot of American Catholics have a problem with them (it? Both sound wrong).

I have no idea if this is true, but I've heard it said the only thing stopping a full-on schism is no one here wants to jump first.
     
OAW
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Jan 6, 2012, 05:27 PM
 
Polygamy has been practiced in the vast majority of the world's societies from time immemorial. Those societies whose customs and legal frameworks only allow monogamy are a distinct minority ... along the lines of approximately 15%. Having said that, of those societies that allow polygamy it is generally rarely practiced because of the wealth and resources needed to support multiple wives and their children. As for the Bible ... polygamy is most definitely all throughout the Old Testament. Hebrew culture allowed for polygamy ... and in fact, required it in cases where a man was required to marry and support a brother's widow and children. IMO there's a fairly fundamental reason why polygamy (or specifically polygyny where a man can have multiple wives) exists. Young males fight the wars and often fall thereby leading to a relative shortage of them in comparison to marriageable females. Polygamy evolved as a way to provide a mechanism for those young females who would otherwise not be able to marry and have children the opportunity to do so.

The problem with Rick Santorum and those of his mindset is that they confuse biblical with cultural. Their world view is shaped by religious tradition which is often more influenced by the latter.

OAW
     
SpaceMonkey
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Jan 6, 2012, 05:31 PM
 
Originally Posted by subego View Post
I have no idea if this is true, but I've heard it said the only thing stopping a full-on schism is no one here wants to jump first.
There is way too much ambivilence and apathy for that sort of action, I think. The problem for liberal American Catholicism is that, outwardly anyway, it basically won. At least in the superficial ways that impact people's actual regular worship. But it was never successful in fundamentally transforming the Church as an institution -- John Paul II simply waited them out. But it's a big jump to go from disagreeing with Vatican politics to declaring that you no longer care about the apostalic tradition of the Church, which is what a schism amounts to.

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subego  (op)
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Jan 6, 2012, 05:57 PM
 
I'd buy that.

Thanks for your other responses as well. You've cleared up a seeming inconsistency for me.
     
Waragainstsleep
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Jan 6, 2012, 06:22 PM
 
Originally Posted by OAW View Post
IMO there's a fairly fundamental reason why polygamy (or specifically polygyny where a man can have multiple wives) exists. Young males fight the wars and often fall thereby leading to a relative shortage of them in comparison to marriageable females. Polygamy evolved as a way to provide a mechanism for those young females who would otherwise not be able to marry and have children the opportunity to do so.

OAW
Its probably even older than that. Many primates and other mammals operate in groups that centre around an alpha male with a retinue of females.
I have plenty of more important things to do, if only I could bring myself to do them....
     
   
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