Polygamist on trial

[aggiecatholic05]

a polygamist who has allegedly 20 wives is on trial in canada, obviously on charges of polygamy.

Blackmore, 52, is scheduled to appear in court in Creston on Wednesday on a charge of practising a form of polygamy. James Oler, 44, a religious rival of Blackmore’s in the Creston-area community of Bountiful where both men live, also faces a charge of polygamy.

Blackmore said in an e-mail to The Canadian Press, Nelson lawyer Blair Suffredine will represent him in court on Wednesday. Suffredine is a former member of Premier Gordon Campbell’s Liberal government.

“It’s pretty hard to justify why gay marriage is OK and polygamy’s not,’’ Suffredine said. “The truth is he claims this is part of his religion.’’

The men are leaders in a breakaway offshoot of the Mormon church. The group has communities in Bountiful, B.C., Arizona, Texas and Utah and they adhere to the practice of multiple marriage originated by Mormon founder Joseph Smith but renounced by the mainstream Mormon church more than a century ago as a condition of statehood in the U.S.

portagedailygraphic.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1396332

so, does he have a case, at least based on current canadian law? isnt this exactly what people said would happen if ‘gay marriages’ were allowed? and how long until they try it here?

 

[Polaris]

This is where I see a major difference in the secular view and the churches view of marriage. The secular world view has the idea of equality being integral to marriage, which does not enter into any of the Patriarchal religions. After all it is primarily about reproduction and the raising of children. That definition is fit by polygamy. You can complain against Gay marriages all you want using natural law and the bible, but both fail miserably against Polygamy and the concept of Natural Marriage, after all its not Sacramental. Also a third of the power force our Muslim brothers support it. The Jews well that’s difficult to say. The ban has ended but there is no court to say that it is no longer banned. I will like to see who wins here. The moral relativists or the logical conclusions of our own definition of marriage. This is not a monster of secularism but of the religious view to it logical conclusions. The church can attack gay marriage but it will not be able to do anything against polygamy.

 

[Darryl1958]

We just don’t need that kind of person in Canada.

Edit:
Oops, this was meant for the Bill Ayers barred from Canada thread, but it fits this one too.

 

[cristininha]

“It’s pretty hard to justify why gay marriage is OK and polygamy’s not,’’ Suffredine said. “The truth is he claims this is part of his religion.’’

Pretty hard heh?
He wants to have 20 while others aren’t even allowed 1 …
Yep, It makes sense in a strange kind of way.
So if gay people can have one surely he can have twenty, why not?

 

[chevalier]

This is where I see a major difference in the secular view and the churches view of marriage. The secular world view has the idea of equality being integral to marriage, which does not enter into any of the Patriarchal religions. After all it is primarily about reproduction and the raising of children. That definition is fit by polygamy. You can complain against Gay marriages all you want using natural law and the bible, but both fail miserably against Polygamy and the concept of Natural Marriage, after all its not Sacramental. Also a third of the power force our Muslim brothers support it. The Jews well that’s difficult to say. The ban has ended but there is no court to say that it is no longer banned. I will like to see who wins here. The moral relativists or the logical conclusions of our own definition of marriage. This is not a monster of secularism but of the religious view to it logical conclusions. The church can attack gay marriage but it will not be able to do anything against polygamy.

The Church does consider polygamy to be against moral law (Catechism):

**2387 **The predicament of a man who, desiring to convert to the Gospel, is obliged to repudiate one or more wives with whom he has shared years of conjugal life, is understandable. 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."179 The Christian who has previously lived in polygamy has a grave duty in justice to honor the obligations contracted in regard to his former wives and his children.

(vatican.va/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a6.htm#I)

As for equality (Canon Law):

Can. 1135 Each spouse has an equal duty and right to those things which belong to the partnership of conjugal life.

(vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P43.HTM)

This does not mean that suddenly Saint Paul was wrong in the Ephesians (nb. the part where he expounds the duties of husbands is typically not quoted as often). However, people are created equal, have equal human dignity and leadership roles (such as the husband’s) do not change this.

I don’t pretend you don’t know all this, of course.