I have never actually watched the show - I used to watch HBO’s Big Love though… I don’t care for “reality” shows much because I find them more unrealistic than most fiction
That said I don’t think the subject matter of Sister Wives is that much more problematic than a lot of the other junk on TV. I find polygamy to be less offensive than homosexual marriage. We know God allowed polygamy for some in the past so it appears to not be abominable to Him in the manner of homosexual acts. I don’t think polygamy has a place in Christianity, however, since a Christian marriage is meant to reflect the relationship of Christ and His Church - there is 1 Christ and 1 true Church, no room for additional members. I think polygamy was allowable for God at points in the past since he permitted it for some of his great patricarchs, but I believe it was not His intent for marriage (since he created only one wife for Adam) and is not the ideal for marriage. He wants and demands better for Christian marriage.
I agree with you to a point. God either changed His mind or it’s not that offensive. Solomon, whom the Bible states, “God loved” had over 600 wives and mistresses–hear that MISTRESSES…not all women associated with a king were wives. David had two known women who were named in the Bible; Abigail and Bathsheba. Yet he was a “man after God’s heart”. In those days women were not considered “people” but property. I feel the Church is best reflecting that change in thinking when it promoted monogamy. Most Jewish faiths do not promote polygamy either but there are a few renegade orthodox Jewish men who promote polygamy. I feel Kody is part of a renegade group that pretty much lives off on their own. They have their own private family church services and have publicly renounced all that was done by the FLDS.
As far as the bride of Christ, there is but there isn’t one bride. I’m the bride, you’re the bride, all faithful to Jesus are His bride so…even though we are one bride in a general sense, there are billions of us, so…polygamy could, in theory, argue that they best demonstrate the idea of Jesus Christ; one family, many wives…just as we are many brides, one family in Him. There is massive theological justification for polygamy. The Church teachings reflect a modern more ordered understanding of marriage and family and that’s the way we are directed to live, based on this modern interpretation. When you see the Browns and their beliefs, they really aren’t that way out.
Jacob, David, and Solomon are examples of men that God passionately loved and had their wives. In Jacob’s case it was pretty much a heated contest between two sisters but marrying two sisters was rare. In Jewish tradition you were not allowed to take another wife unless you could demonstrate you can support her and have time for her. Also, in Jewish tradition, a wife was allowed to file for divorce in one case only–otherwise she was not allowed…and that was for being deprived of sex. It was her RIGHT under Jewish law to have sex with her husband. That gave her the chance to have children so it was complex and most Jewish men did not have more than 1 wife because it was horribly expensive and most did not have enough money to have more than 1 wife and all the children as well.
The makers of the show have been up front that Kody and his wives do NOT live off the system in any way and Kody can rattle off the names, age, and birthdates of all his children and wives, seems to be very caring, and demonstrates very deep and complex thinking. Does that mean he’s perfect? No, does that mean I’m promoting their lifestyle? No and yes. Personally I have no problem with it however, I cannot practice or promote what is in violation of my Church’s teachings. I can say that there is a Biblical basis for it and while we do not practice it today, I find there are worse things that one can do and sadly holding up the distorted polygamists is like holding up the distorted monogamists. You can’t tell me that there aren’t more men who practice monogamy who treat their wives like garbage and are abusive and don’t live right than you can probably name. There is good and bad in every belief system…if you don’t like the show, use your remote, but truthfully, they do live pretty well, and are a reasonably healthy example of what polygamy was supposed to be. It may not be our belief, but they are sincere in their devotion to their family and God–and camera crews have reported they are exactly what they make themselves out to be and very genuine. At least their honest. Not like the Catholic man sitting in church whose having sex with various women while he pretends to be a good husband every Sunday or the priest who is having sex and is supposed to be modeling an ideal. If you want to hold up shameful examples, the monogamous couples have much to be ashamed of and really are in no position to point fingers.
I find honesty refreshing. I am loyal fan of the show–I want to learn why, how, what is their truth. In doing that, I can affirm my own.
Lorrie
