Do anti-polygamists, think that modern culture is inferior?

[DiscussingTheTopic]

So some anti-polygamists have argued that

Polygamy is okay in the past but not today

So that would mean that people are more capable in the past. Basically their whole argument would make sense if people are not as capable of doing things in modern times than in the past. It is strange to think of that with new modern technologies!

Some possible anti-polygamist arguments

1. It was easier to get food in the past therefor polygamy is acceptable in the past but now unaffordable

2. People were more able to get along with each other in the past, but in today's culture they would fight.

3. Woman were more obedient and "slave-like" in the past

This argument hints that anti-polygamists have something wrong with their society that it needs to improve to the status of the past when polygamy was allowed. So why not make the cultural improvements toward polygamy!

The third argument is a backhanded way to say in the past women were mistreated therefor polygamy was okay in the past. But those who make such an argument are saying it was okay to mistreat woman in the past.... Otherwise they would have said polygamy was never okay, instead of okay in the past but not the present! Of course women being obedient is admirable not bad!

 

[Tlaloc]

Re: Do anti-polygamists, think that modern culture is inferi

A lot of it is rooted in the idea that Christ laid down a 'new and more perfect' law, its an idea linked with the school of gnosticism Socinianism and loosely linked with Cerenthianism. It is also very much like Islam where new prophets lay down new laws in new eras. Its popular because it insinuates that we are better, holier, and closer to God than those Israelites before us. It flows from the whole essence of ascetic piety, I'm better than you because I have less liberty, which roots itself firmly in gnosticism in general where physical is evil and spiritual is good and thus restricting physical freedoms is always good. We are better than them so we have a new law they did not in times before us...

The third arguments is a backhanded way of asserting that women have always been mistreated in the past, its a core doctrine of feminism that permeates modern theology. I have never seen that argument used before this century, it is one of the few new anti polygamy arguments that exists.

I have not seen actual anti-polygamists using 1 and 2 before as you presented them, its more of a farce on their views than what they might use isn't it?

 

[DiscussingTheTopic]

Re: Do anti-polygamists, think that modern culture is inferi

1. It was easier to get food in the past therefor polygamy is acceptable in the past but now unaffordable

2. People were more able to get along with each other in the past, but in today's culture they would fight.

3. Woman were more obedient and "slave-like" in the past


How they use argument 1

They will say polygamy was acceptable in an agricultural culture.

The problem with that argument is food should be more plentiful today than in the past with increased technology.

How they use argument 2

Argument 3 is a special case of argument 2.

They basically say woman will not go for polygamy today.

They also say woman will not go for being state at home moms today, will not go for dressing modestly today, will not go for having a lot of children today........ They might have in the past but not these days.

Basically in the past if you got a second wife, she would go along with what you say, but now woman will not put up with it.

That is essentially indirectly stating that woman were better behaved in the past than the present. This does not show that polygamy is wrong, but that the current society is evil!

 

[sweetlissa]

Re: Do anti-polygamists, think that modern culture is inferi

As to your argument that "women wouldn't go for it" please note that many of our posters are women who are "going for it."

SweetLissa

 

[sweetlissa]

Re: Do anti-polygamists, think that modern culture is inferi

The biggest problem with your arguments is that you are talking about the traditions of men and we are trying not to let tradition be our final authority. Our final authority is God's word.

 

[DiscussingTheTopic]

Re: Do anti-polygamists, think that modern culture is inferi

These are not my arguments against polygamy, stay at home moms, etc.

These are paraphrases or variants of arguments other people tell me

 

[steve]

Re: Do anti-polygamists, think that modern culture is inferi

It is also very much like Islam where new prophets lay down new laws in new eras. Its popular because it insinuates that we are better, holier, and closer to God than those Israelites before us. It flows from the whole essence of ascetic piety, I'm better than you because I have less liberty, which roots itself firmly in gnosticism in general where physical is evil and spiritual is good and thus restricting physical freedoms is always good. We are better than them so we have a new law they did not in times before us...

well said

1. It was easier to get food in the past therefor polygamy is acceptable in the past but now unaffordable

2. People were more able to get along with each other in the past, but in today's culture they would fight.

3. Woman were more obedient and "slave-like" in the past

the "arguments" sound more like excuses and they also sound silly, if the people voicing them would prefer not to practice poly because of them, well, let me be the first to not stand in the way of their decision
either it is a sin or it is not a sin

 

[Tlaloc]

Re: Do anti-polygamists, think that modern culture is inferi

Thanks, thats something thats been boiling in my mind for a long time but I've never been able to express it properly until I read Martain Madans 'Christ not the giver of a new Law' which is was very helpful to me.