Argumentative Essay On Polygamy

On June 26th of this year, a historic ruling was made in the Supreme Court of the United States that would grant constitutional rights to same-sex marriages. Supreme Court Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, one of the authors of the historic ruling, was quoted in his reaction to the voting; “No union is more profound than marriage, for it embodies the highest ideals of love, fidelity, devotion, sacrifice, and family. Their hope is not to be condemned to live in loneliness, excluded from one of civilization’s oldest institutions. They ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law. The Constitution grants them that right.” (De Vogue & Diamond, 2015, para. 4) The victory for same-sex marriage opened up the debate for other non-traditional unions, such as polygamy. Supporters argue that if marriage is a fundamental right, then parties of two or more consenting adults should be afforded the same opportunity. Polygamy has held a controversial place in both

For most anti-polygamist supporters, having more than one spouse is immoral, irresponsible, and the ever mentioned, just plain “gross”. Most of these accounts have minimal to non-existent association with polygamous marriages or its founding practice (Zeitzen, 2008). According the Duncan (2008), polygamy is defined as the “state or practice of having more than one spouse simultaneously”. The Fundamental Church of Ladder Day Saints (FLDS) guides those who practice fundamental Mormonism. The church has a leader, or “prophet”, who serves as a median between God and the people. One of the key principles states that each man must marry more than one wife in order to enter into the celestial kingdom. In keeping with the faith, the women’s purpose on earth is to be obedient to her husband and obey the Prophet. If done faithfully, the women shall be invited by the man to join him in the celestial kingdom (Den Otter,