I have long suspected this is correct, but have never added it up, it's a big job. Tom Shipley counts about 40 polygamous marriages, do you know of anyone who's counted the monogamous marriages mentioned to compare?DocInKorea said:
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Things Christians Say About Polygamy
- Thread starter NeoPatriarch
- Start date
Oreslag
Member
Perhaps counting the number of monogamous marriages isn't even possible. In particular, when more than one wife is mentioned for a particular man, and in context it can be established that the lifetime of both wives at least overlapped, it is clear that the marriage was polygamous.FollowingHim said:
However, it is still possible that two wives mentioned without additional context could have been sequential (i.e. one died and another was then married), and it is still possible that only one of a man's wives (i.e. plural marriage) is mentioned in the scripture. In the latter case a polygamous marriage would be erroneously counted as monogamous.
Thus, my guess is that there is no way to definitively establish a ratio.
I agree it would be impossible to make a clear ratio. However it should be possible to look up every mention of a married woman, and divide into:
- Certain / probable polygamy (more than one wife mentioned, probably overlapping: Moses, David...)
- Unknown (one wife mentioned with little context, two wives mentioned but likely to not overlap: Boaz, Ahab...)
- Probable monogamy (one wife mentioned in circumstances that make monogamy probable: Adam, Noah...)
I expect such a breakdown could be a real eye-opener for people if they were willing to look at it. I expect the polygamy numbers would be comparable to the unknowns, and the probably monogamous could be counted on one hand. Such a breakdown would allow you to demonstrate a minimum polygamy ratio presuming all unknowns were monogamous, and a maximum ratio if they were all polygamous, which would be interesting.
Actually, if you wanted to get really complicated it would be possible to apply Bayesian statistics to the issue, assign a probability to each marriage and obtain a probable polygamy / monogamy ratio with a confidence interval - but I highly doubt that would persuade an ardent monogamist anyway!
- Certain / probable polygamy (more than one wife mentioned, probably overlapping: Moses, David...)
- Unknown (one wife mentioned with little context, two wives mentioned but likely to not overlap: Boaz, Ahab...)
- Probable monogamy (one wife mentioned in circumstances that make monogamy probable: Adam, Noah...)
I expect such a breakdown could be a real eye-opener for people if they were willing to look at it. I expect the polygamy numbers would be comparable to the unknowns, and the probably monogamous could be counted on one hand. Such a breakdown would allow you to demonstrate a minimum polygamy ratio presuming all unknowns were monogamous, and a maximum ratio if they were all polygamous, which would be interesting.
Actually, if you wanted to get really complicated it would be possible to apply Bayesian statistics to the issue, assign a probability to each marriage and obtain a probable polygamy / monogamy ratio with a confidence interval - but I highly doubt that would persuade an ardent monogamist anyway!
This one actually caught me off guard. A recent listener Q and A on "Renewing your Mind" with R. C. Sproul dealt head on 2 days in a row with polygamy. First was the question of divorced elders and deacons, in which Mr. Sproul says that this verse was specifically about polygamy, and that divorced men still qualify. That was nothing compared with the man on day 2.
At this link, go to about 9:30 in to hear a pastor ask what to do with his new Mormon convert with 3 wives and 5 kids by those wives. http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/renewing-your-mind/player/ask-rc-2013-part-2-346284.html He calls the marriages illegitimate but says the man is obligated to those women as a husband. He does not see any use in divorcing as many suggest as all that would do is make orphans out of the kids, so to say. If someone would be nice enough to transcribe this I would be happy to have it. I may if I get a chance.
At this link, go to about 9:30 in to hear a pastor ask what to do with his new Mormon convert with 3 wives and 5 kids by those wives. http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/renewing-your-mind/player/ask-rc-2013-part-2-346284.html He calls the marriages illegitimate but says the man is obligated to those women as a husband. He does not see any use in divorcing as many suggest as all that would do is make orphans out of the kids, so to say. If someone would be nice enough to transcribe this I would be happy to have it. I may if I get a chance.
Wow...so, the verses which specifically mention divorce are not about divorce, but about polygamy, which is not mentioned?
LOL
oh sweet baby Jesus///
and then, the next day....the marriages are illegitimate, therefore, he is living in sin, right? So, is Dr. Sproul saying that the man should continue in sin>? Yes, he does say that.
wow wow wow...
"Divorce is ok. Living in sin with women is ok. Polygamy is wrong."
Doc
LOL
oh sweet baby Jesus///
and then, the next day....the marriages are illegitimate, therefore, he is living in sin, right? So, is Dr. Sproul saying that the man should continue in sin>? Yes, he does say that.
wow wow wow...
"Divorce is ok. Living in sin with women is ok. Polygamy is wrong."
Doc
Attachments
The Next Domino: Polygamy by Dave Miller, Ph.D.
PhD in this case may as well be the abbreviation for Polygamy hater, Definitely.
His article made me very angry with its lies, half-truths and misrepresentations.
https://www.apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=11&article=865&topic=41
ylop
PhD in this case may as well be the abbreviation for Polygamy hater, Definitely.
His article made me very angry with its lies, half-truths and misrepresentations.
https://www.apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=11&article=865&topic=41
ylop
As far as I can gather from that article, he seems to think that morality is defined by American courts. He never once even attempted to show that polygamy was wrong from scripture, simply citing court cases. And the fickle courts are likely to start ruling differently soon, so the entire basis of his argument is unstable. A Christian should stick to the Bible.