Polygamy

In the Middle East and North Africa, most of the people engage in monogamous marriages.

It is true that the Islamic Sharia law allows men to marry up to four wives but most of the people do not follow this law. In Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Palestine, Lebanon, and many other countries men resist polygamy.

Indeed polygamy goes against the diginity of all women. I think that all these countries cited above must outlaw polygamy and women must mount a drive to end polygamy!

We must create a "bill of women's right" that would allow these women to marry through exclusively monogamous marriages. The women must be able to have a religious marriage and a civil marriage!

Polygamy is an outdated religious practice therefore we must fight in order to abolish this practice. It is true that Christian and Islamic fundamentalists long allowed their citizens to have multiple wives.

I have noticed that in Benin, Nigeria, and Sudan, men have numerous offspring without having to assume the responsibility of raising them. Polygamy marriages just augment loneliness and jealousy among the wives and the children.

Mormons engaged in polygamy because early church leaders encouraged the practice. However, many citizens viewed polygamy with distrust and anti-Mormon sentiment grew, encouraging many Mormon families to leave New York.

For example, in many Native American cultures, polygamy was often permitted after wars or plagues, when populations shrank and sex ratios were thrown out of balance. In such situations, the practice provided widowed females with companionship and ensured that birth rates would not drop to dangerously low levels.

Altman, Irwin and Joseph Ginat, eds. Polygamous Families in Contemporary Society. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1996.

Van Wagoner, Richard. Mormon Polygamy, a History. Salt Lake City, Utah: Signature Books, 1992

"Key Events in the History of Polygamy (sidebar)." Issues & Controversies On File: n. pag. Issues & Controversies. Facts On File News Services, 19 Jan. 2001. Web. 1 Mar. 2011. .