Comments on: Polyamory’s Faith and Family Values http://www.religionwriter.com/faith-life/polyamory/polyamorys-faith-and-family-values/ Fresh Ideas on Religion in Whole-Grain Journalism Form Thu, 18 Feb 2010 22:47:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: CatDeville http://www.religionwriter.com/faith-life/polyamory/polyamorys-faith-and-family-values/comment-page-1/#comment-727 CatDeville Sun, 04 Nov 2007 19:48:02 +0000 http://www.religionwriter.com/polyamory/polyamorys-faith-and-family-values/#comment-727 "Here’s a quick way to think about it: polygamy is multiple-partner living for those on the far right of the politico-religious spectrum, and polyamory is for those on the far left. (And RW will look forward to hearing push-back from those who bristle at this crude shorthand.)" I won't disappoint, then :-) Yes, this "crude shorthand" is far from being accurate. Besides the obvious point made in your article that polyamory is a religiously and politicaly diverse community, there are many within the polyamory community who also practice polygamy - in the fullest sense of the word. By that I mean that both polyandry and polygyny as well as group marriage are practiced, and all three of those are "polygamy". So, some polygamists are a subset of the polyamorous community. For those of us in the poly community who are also polygamous, inaccurately defining conservative religious polygyny as the only form of polygamy is annoying. The fact that the more abusive forms of polygamy (coercive, sometimes arranged polygyny which includes either spousal abuse or sexual abuse of minors) is seen as the only way that polygamy is practiced is even more irritating. Worse, creating, spreading or fostering such an idea increases the problems with prejudice and civil rights issues for ethical, polyamorous polygamists. Within the polyamory community, families, of any composition of spice (our pl of "spouse") is possible. The most common are 1F2M, 1M2F and 2M2F, but any composition can occur, and since many polyfolk are also Pagan, and many Pagan traditions will sanctify such unions if asked to do so, these unions can be polygamous unions by the literal definition of polygamy. So polygamous marriages do exist within the polyamory community... both "informal" (where the family consider themselves "married" but never seek out a ritual to sanctify the union, often because they belong to traditional faiths where such a ceremony would not be possible) and more "formal", where the union is sanctified with a religious sacrament. So the type of polygamy that you're speaking of is only one type of polygamy. And there are more than two religious groups in the US who practice polygamy (although for Pagans, polygamy is not a tenant of our faith... it's just something which which is not restricted by our faith and in some cases, such as with the Church of All Worlds, it is something which is supported by the tenants of our faith.) Never Thirst, Cat “Here’s a quick way to think about it: polygamy is multiple-partner living for those on the far right of the politico-religious spectrum, and polyamory is for those on the far left. (And RW will look forward to hearing push-back from those who bristle at this crude shorthand.)”

I won’t disappoint, then :-)

Yes, this “crude shorthand” is far from being accurate. Besides the obvious point made in your article that polyamory is a religiously and politicaly diverse community, there are many within the polyamory community who also practice polygamy – in the fullest sense of the word. By that I mean that both polyandry and polygyny as well as group marriage are practiced, and all three of those are “polygamy”. So, some polygamists are a subset of the polyamorous community.

For those of us in the poly community who are also polygamous, inaccurately defining conservative religious polygyny as the only form of polygamy is annoying. The fact that the more abusive forms of polygamy (coercive, sometimes arranged polygyny which includes either spousal abuse or sexual abuse of minors) is seen as the only way that polygamy is practiced is even more irritating. Worse, creating, spreading or fostering such an idea increases the problems with prejudice and civil rights issues for ethical, polyamorous polygamists.

Within the polyamory community, families, of any composition of spice (our pl of “spouse”) is possible. The most common are 1F2M, 1M2F and 2M2F, but any composition can occur, and since many polyfolk are also Pagan, and many Pagan traditions will sanctify such unions if asked to do so, these unions can be polygamous unions by the literal definition of polygamy.

So polygamous marriages do exist within the polyamory community… both “informal” (where the family consider themselves “married” but never seek out a ritual to sanctify the union, often because they belong to traditional faiths where such a ceremony would not be possible) and more “formal”, where the union is sanctified with a religious sacrament.

So the type of polygamy that you’re speaking of is only one type of polygamy. And there are more than two religious groups in the US who practice polygamy (although for Pagans, polygamy is not a tenant of our faith… it’s just something which which is not restricted by our faith and in some cases, such as with the Church of All Worlds, it is something which is supported by the tenants of our faith.)

Never Thirst,
Cat

]]> By: Polyamory and the Same-Sex Marriage Debate | Religion Writer.com http://www.religionwriter.com/faith-life/polyamory/polyamorys-faith-and-family-values/comment-page-1/#comment-718 Polyamory and the Same-Sex Marriage Debate | Religion Writer.com Thu, 01 Nov 2007 18:46:47 +0000 http://www.religionwriter.com/polyamory/polyamorys-faith-and-family-values/#comment-718 [...] “Polyamory’s Faith and Family Values,” Oct. 29, 2007 [...] [...] “Polyamory’s Faith and Family Values,” Oct. 29, 2007 [...]

]]> By: Neil Ball II http://www.religionwriter.com/faith-life/polyamory/polyamorys-faith-and-family-values/comment-page-1/#comment-712 Neil Ball II Wed, 31 Oct 2007 09:33:55 +0000 http://www.religionwriter.com/polyamory/polyamorys-faith-and-family-values/#comment-712 "Here’s a quick way to think about it: polygamy is multiple-partner living for those on the far right of the politico-religious spectrum, and polyamory is for those on the far left. (And RW will look forward to hearing push-back from those who bristle at this crude shorthand.)" The scale of "left" and "right" are fallacious. Take myself for example. I'm a polyamorous atheistic anarcho-capitalist. I lack a belief in any god/deity. I despise socialism and government in all its forms. I absolutely love the concept of a truly free market capitalistic society. Where do I fit on your scale? (You asked for it :D) “Here’s a quick way to think about it: polygamy is multiple-partner living for those on the far right of the politico-religious spectrum, and polyamory is for those on the far left. (And RW will look forward to hearing push-back from those who bristle at this crude shorthand.)”

The scale of “left” and “right” are fallacious. Take myself for example. I’m a polyamorous atheistic anarcho-capitalist. I lack a belief in any god/deity. I despise socialism and government in all its forms. I absolutely love the concept of a truly free market capitalistic society. Where do I fit on your scale? (You asked for it :D )

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