John Doe's Christian Poly Life In the USA Today

COPYRIGHT © JANUARY 14, 1995 All rights reserved.

Copyright © 01/14/'95; 01/12/'96, 07/26/2003 (Revised)
This file, in its entirety, may be posted on or copied off of computer
networks like Internet or WWW by anyone so inclined.
By L. Tyler P.O. Box 620763, San Diego, CA 92162-0763
oldservant8@aol.com, oldservant@gmail.com, elkanahtyler@gmail.cm
Jabez1Chr4@aol.com

From:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PolyPolygamyPolygnyNJesus/files/
UrbanBlueCollarPolyToday0908.html

Specifically:
http://f1.grp.yahoofs.com/v1gIfrSKHUxWuUEHXeiyxBHJYYHnkzbY_8_iO
mMeLOtCpeG_skucguzs20idHb_EddBSPuaLK6-16X0T1AqNkj-
g/UrbanBlueCollarPolyToday0908.html

SNIP

///THE SPECIFICS OF THE John Doe FAMILY SITUATION

///Then there is average John Doe who has a job that barely allows him
to support one wife, Betty, in a small two bedroom apartment. His
three
other wives each have their own two bedroom apartment for
themselves
and their children. Their apartments are less than one mile away from
each other. The husband's living room is made into a living-room-
bedroom
for together times, if so desired by all, with all in one large room.
Because of antipolygyny laws and recent Supreme Court rulings, it is
strongly advisable that the husband not be intimate with more than
one
wife at a time. One bedroom in is apartment would be made into a
den,
and the second bedroom for the kids. Each “wife” would have her own
apartment & bedroom, her children having the second and or third
bedroom.

///John works at Slurpo, the local soft dring company, as a union truck
driver making a monthly net of $2400, working 30 hours a week. Betty
works for the City as a meter reader, making a monthly net $2000
per month. Loulou took care of the babies, the last one to give birth
and breast feeding. Fannie Mae works at a part time job, making a
monthly net $800, to have time to help homeschool the children.
The children are home schooled through the 8th grade. Daisy
travels to town to work as an RN, making a monthly net $3200. All
bring their gain to the family, and the family divides what they have
according to each's need, striving for equality . Three of the older kids
work
at local restaurants and fast food outlets, making a net of $1630.
Their monthly net family income is $10030. They have a total of 8
children, a family of 13 people. They all put their income into the
common purse/account and in family conference decide together
how the money should be spent.

///Their combined rents are $3200, in a blue collar neighborhood in

So. Calif. Their food budget is $2600 per mo. They have car
expenses of $1000 per month. Insurance runs $520. Medical and
dental insurance for the full time and part time stay-home moms,
$400. Utilities and phone runs at $160. That is an outflow of $7880.
That leaves $2150 for everything else, including savings, investments.

///Because polygamy is illegal in the USA, he is legally married only

to one of the “wives”, Betty, and was privately and solemnly
covenanted
with each of his other ladies. Loulou, Fannie Mae, Daisy. He attends
Betty's pentecostal church Sunday mornings at 8:30, as her husband.
He attends Loulou's AfroAm COGIC church at 10:30, as her backslidden
man to avoid prosecution for polygamy. He attends FannieMae's
African American Episcopalean church Sunday night, as her
backslidden
man, to avoid prosecution. He attends Daisy's lilly white Presbyterian
church Wednesday nights, as her backslidden man, to avoid
prosecution.
Sunday afternoons they either barbecue at the beach or the park,
where they picnic together and the children play.

SNIP

///Then there is average Joe Blow who has a job that barely allows him
to
support one wife in a small two bedroom apartment. His three other
wives each have their own two bedroom apartment for themselves and
their children. The husband's living room is made into a master
bedroom for together times with all in bed in one room, one bedroom
made into a den, and the second bedroom for the kids. Each wife
having
her own apartment & bedroom, and the children having the second
bedroom. One took care of the babies, usually the last one to give
birth and breast feeding. One worked at a part time job to have time
to help homeschool the children. Another wife worked at the local
market. One traveled to town to work as an RN. All brought their gain
to the family, and the family divided what they had according to
each's need, striving for equality .
SNIP
"///The women gain the love, protection, care, affection, passion and
attention of a man they love passionately, a man who loves them
passionately. Each wife has at least one hour alone with him every
other night for intimacy and special attention. This allows each wife
to have orgasmic passion three times a week without fear of HIV/
HCV/HPV. He has one hour a night with the kids. One hour a night
with everybody during the dinner hour. As you see in the model
below, their is no need for public assistance for this family of 13."
SNIP
///Then there is average John Doe who has a job that barely allows him
to support one wife, Betty, in a small two bedroom apartment. His
three
other wives each have their own two bedroom apartment for
themselves
and their children. Their apartments are less than one mile away from
each other. The husband's living room is made into a living-room-
bedroom
for together times, if so desired by all, with all in one large room.
Because of antipolygyny laws and recent Supreme Court rulings, it is
strongly advisable that the husband not be intimate with more than
one
wife at a time. One bedroom in his apartment would be made into a
den,
and the second bedroom for the kids. Each “wife” would have her own
apartment & bedroom, her children having the second and or third
bedroom.
SNIP
/// The working class and poor single mother with no committed
man has much less than that, in both quantity and quality. John Doe
would spend one night of every four nights as well with
each wife. Statistically John Doe's wives are have orgasmic sex
two times more a week than the averge American wife.
Statistically the average American couple spends much less time
focused on each
other than John and his wives. They are getting about twice as
much conscious focused attention than the average American wives.
SNIP
///Sad to see that N did no better than U. John Doe shares with each of
his wives the responsibility of parenting, teaching, caring and providing
for their children. John Doe and his wives are committed believers and
followers of Jesus Christ, and are maritally committed
to each other as long as each lives. Just as he is commanded to be
sexually having his wives (1Cor7:2-5;Prov5:19,20) and has sexual
authority over the sexual use of their bodies (1Cor7:2-5), the wives are
commanded by God to be sexually having their own husband, and
have sexual authority over the sexual use of his body. They are
forbidden from sexually denying each other except for prayer and
fasting that is mutually agreed upon and has a time limit. He is
responsible for unselfishly and compassionately cherishing his wives in
Love, of submitting to the Word of God they speak to Him from the
Bible, and his wives are responsible for following his lead,
as long as doing so does not involve disobedience to Jesus, and for
showing the respect due to him as the marital authority that God has
set over her (Rom 13; Ephes 5).
SNIP
///The women have the same sexual authority over him and are
commanded to be sexually having him, just as he is commanded to do
with them. He has an hour plus every evening with all the wives and
the children, and an hour =/- with the children of the wife with whom
he spends that night. Such a family that Loves Jesus shows that Love
by Loving each other, so when they see each others need, they do
what they can to meet that need (1 Jn3 Eph 4)

///Sunday afternoon everyone in the family free to get together either

has a picnic at the
park/beach/river/lake/backyard. John spends Sunday night with Fannie
Mae + kids after
church. After having dinner with as many of his wives and kids as
possible, John spends Monday night with Betty and one hour with her
kids. After having dinner with as many of his wives and kids as
possible, John spends Tuesday night with Loulou and one hour with her
kids. After having dinner with Daisy and her kids they all go to Daisy's
church and John spends Wednesday night with Daisy. The wives have
scheduled nights with John on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.
Since most months have four Thursdays, four Fridays and four
Saturdays, each month, each wife has three of those nights with John.
This means each wife has seven nights alone with John each month.
Statistically most couples who have been married for five years or
more are couples that do not have orgasmic sexual initmacy more than
seven times per month. Thursday after having dinner with as many of
his wives and kids as possible, he spends a couple of hours doing
something pleasant and meaningful with the older kids and their moms
and spends Thursday night with the schduled wife,or the wife who
drew the "lot, or with the one who expresses the greatest need and the
others consent. Friday after having dinner with as many of his wives
and kids as possible, he spends a couple of hours doing something
pleasant and meaningful with the younger kids and their moms and
spends Friday night with the scheduled wife, or the wife who drew the
"lot, or with the one who expresses the greatest need and the others
consent. Saturday is picnic, party, beach, movie,
bowling, country dancing, Monopoly and Scrabble and/or cards day for
everyone free to get together. If possible all who are able go to a
Christian concert or special service Saturday evening. Saturday night
John is with the scheduled wife, or the wife who drew the "lot, or with
the one who expresses the greatest need and the others consent.

SNIP
///John works at Slurpo, the local soft dring company, as a union truck
driver making a monthly net of $2400, working 30 hours a week. Betty
works for the City as a meter reader, making a monthly net $2000
per month. Loulou took care of the babies, the last one to give birth
and breast feeding. Fannie Mae works at a part time job, making a
monthly net $800, to have time to help homeschool the children.
The children are home schooled through the 8th grade. Daisy
travels to town to work as an RN, making a monthly net $3200. All
bring their gain to the family, and the family divides what they have
according to each's need, striving for equality . Three of the older kids
work
at local restaurants and fast food outlets, making a net of $1630.
Their monthly net family income is $10030. They have a total of 8
children, a family of 13 people. They all put their income into the
common purse/account and in family conference decide together
how the money should be spent.

///Their combined rents are $3200, in a blue collar neighborhood in

So. Calif. Their food budget is $2600 per mo. They have car
expenses of $1000 per month. Insurance runs $520. Medical and
dental insurance for the full time and part time stay-home moms,
$400. Utilities and phone runs at $160. That is an outflow of $7880.
That leaves $2150 for everything else, including savings, investments.

///Because polygamy is illegal in the USA, he is legally married only

to one of the “wives”, Betty, and was privately and solemnly
covenanted
with each of his other ladies. Loulou, Fannie Mae, Daisy. He attends
Betty's pentecostal church Sunday mornings at 8:30, as her husband.
He attends Loulou's AfroAm COGIC church at 10:30, as her backslidden
man to avoid prosecution for polygamy. He attends FannieMae's
African American Episcopalean church Sunday night, as her
backslidden
man, to avoid prosecution. He attends Daisy's lilly white Presbyterian
church Wednesday nights, as her backslidden man, to avoid
prosecution.
Sunday afternoons they either barbecue at the beach or the park,
where they picnic together and the children play.

>>>you mentioned insurance, which I assume is car insurance,

and medical and dental insurance for the wives that stay at
home - what about the rest of the family?

/// The legal wife is covered by her husband's insurance through

employment, and the wives who
work out of the house have med and life insurance through their
employment. The family budgets money to pay for medical insurance
for those not covered by employment.

>>>I stick to my original statement, such a situation means that

each wife must work in order for the family unit as a whole to
survive.

///Yes, everybody works, except for the children under 12 years.

>>>And if Mr. Truck Driver is attending so many different

churches, how is he remaining true to his own faith?

/// All of those churches have compatable core beliefs, no

serious conflicts. In obedience to Romans 14:1,22,23 when they are
in fellowship with Christians in general they are careful not to get into
discussions that might lead to talk or arguments about their private,
personal and discreet polygyny; because " . . 1 . . . we who are strong
[in our convictions] have an obligation to bear the weaknesses of those
without strength [or much personal liberty], and not to please
ourselves.
2 Each one of us must please his neighbor for his good, in order to
build
him up. 3 For even the Messiah did not please Himself." Rom 15

When Romans and 1 Corinthian were written there were two major
populations in the Christian churches, Gentile/nonJewish believers and
Jewish believers obeying the Law of Moses (not for salvation but as
part of the covenant keeping good works they were called to obey Eph
2:10; Titus 3:8). We know the Jewish believers, including all of the
Apostles, were obeying the Law given to Moses throughout the Book of
Acts because of Mat 23:2,3; Acts 15 and Acts 21:16-27 where we see
Paul and James publicly obeying the Law of Moses. To enable these two
distinct groups to fellowship in the same church, the Spirit gave the
Word in Romans 14, 1 Cor 8 and 1 Cor 10 to show the two groups how
they should act when fellowshipping with each other. Obviously it was
easier for Jewish Law observing believers to meet with others like
themselves, and easier for Gentile/Uncircumcised believers to be in
fellowship with other Gentile/uncircumcised believers. In the same way
it is far easier for polygynous Christians to be in fellowship with
polygynous Christians, but the guidelines below show polygynous
Christians how to be in fellowship with monogynous Christians.
Tyler

"1 And him who is weak in the faith receive ye—not to determinations
of reasonings;" Yng Rm 14
"1 Accept the person who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of
arguing
over differences of opinion." ISV Rm14
Application based on Rom 14:16 Let not then your [conviction that
polygyny is] good be evil spoken of; 17 for the kingdom of God is not
[polygyny] and [monogyny], but
righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 For she that in
this
[controversy about polygyny] serves the Christ is acceptable to God
and
approved of men. 19 So then let us pursue the things which tend to
peace, and
things whereby one shall build up another. 20 For the sake of
[polygyny] do not
destroy the work of God. All things [including polygyny] indeed are
pure; but it
is evil to that woman who [becomes polygynous] while stumbling [in
sin] because
of her doubts about its rightness. 21 It is right not to [take a second
wife],
nor [take a third wife], nor do anything in which thy brother [or sister]
stumbles [striking the toe of one's conscience against an obstacle
inducing
one to sin by acting in doubt], or is offended [ or stumbles or is enticed
to
act without faith or think unfavourably or unjustly of another and so
displesed
and indignant], or is made weak [morally feeble, without strength,
powerless].
22 Have you faith [to believe polygyny is acceptable to Jesus and so
practice
it]? Have that conviction to yourself before God. Blessed is the one who
does
not judge oneself in what [belief or practice of polygyny] one allows
[with a firm and
convinced faith about it based on Scripture]. 23 But one that doubts
[about the rightness of polygyny], if [that] one [becomes polygynous],
[that one] is condemned;
because that one became polygynous not because of faith [in its
rightness];
but whatever [behavior or thought does not originate from] faith [in its
rightness before God] is sin.

***Application based on 1Cor 8: 8 It is true that a particular kind of

[marriage] will not bring us
into God's presence; we are neither inferior to others if we abstain from
[polygyny], nor superior to them if we [practice] it. 9 But take care lest
this
liberty of yours should prove a hindrance to the progress of weak
believers. 10
For if any one were to see you, who know the real truth of this matter,
[practicing polygyny], would not his conscience (supposing him to be a
weak
believer) be emboldened to [practice polygyny as well but with
doubts]? 11 Why,
your knowledge becomes the ruin of the weak believer--your brother,
for whom
Christ died! 12 Moreover when you thus sin against the brethren and
wound their
weak consciences, you are, in reality, sinning against Christ. 13
Therefore if
[my polygyny] causes my brother to fall, never again to the end of my
days will
I [openly and publicly practice polygyny], for fear I should cause my
brother
to fall. [Derived from 1 Cor 8:8-13]

***Application based on 1Cor 10: 23 ¶ Everything is allowable, but not

everything
is profitable. Everything is allowable, but everything does not build
others up. 24
No one should be for ever seeking his own good, but each should seek
that [good]
of his fellow man. 25 Any [form of marriage practiced in the world, is
good for
marrying,] and ask no questions for conscience' sake; 26 for <the
earth is
the Lord's, and all that it contains.> 27 If an unbeliever gives you an
invitation and you are disposed to accept it, [accept it in the form of
marriage that you please], and ask no questions for conscience' sake.
28 But
if any one tells you, "This [form of marriage is wrong and evil];" abstain
from
 [manifesting] it--out of respect for him who warned you, and, as
before,
for conscience' sake. 29 But now I mean his conscience, not your own.
"Why,
on what ground," you may object, "is the question of my liberty of
action to
be decided by a conscience not my own? 30 If, so far as I am
concerned, I
partake [ of the form of marriage I please] with a grateful heart, why
am I to
be found fault with in regard to a thing for which I give thanks?" 31
Whether, then, you are [monogynous or polygynous], or whatever you
are doing,
everything should be done to the glory of God. 32 Do not [let your form
of
marriage] be causes of stumbling either to Jews or to Gentiles, nor to
the
Church of God. 33 That is the way that I also seek in everything the
approval
of all men, not aiming at my own profit, but at that of the many, in the
hope
that they may be saved.
==========================================
========

Biblical Polygyny in History and the Bible

¥× GOD GAVE MOSES RULES ABOUT POLYGYNY

****Exodus 21:7 And if a man sells his daughter to be a

maidservant, she shall not go out as the menservants
do. 8 If she does not please her master, who has
betrothed her to himself, then he shall let her be
redeemed. He shall have no power to sell her to a
strange nation, since he has dealt deceitfully with her.
9 And if he has betrothed her to his son, he shall deal
with her as with daughters. 10 If he takes himself
another [wife], her food, her clothing, and
her duty of marriage shall not be lessened. 11
And if he does not do these three to her, then she shall
go out free without money.

>>>>If polygyny is a sin, why doesn't God forbid the men from
taking an additional wife? If polygyny is unacceptable
to God, why does He instruct men what He requires of
them if they take an additional wife? If polygyny is
sin, where is His command that a woman not marry a
man who already has a wife?

*De 17:15 "You shall only set him king

over you whom Jehovah your God will choose: from
among your brethren shall you set a king over you; .
. . 16 Only he shall not multiply horses to himself, . . .
17 Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his
heart turn not away; neither shall he greatly multiply
to himself silver and gold."

>>>>If this passage is used to make a case against polygyny,

shouldn't it also be used to make a case that the king
should have only one horse, only one bar of gold, and
only one bar of silver?

God's Law forbade a king from "multiplying"

wives>.75 to himself without making such a
command to we nonkings. It appears from later
scripture about Godly and God blessed kings of
Israel that God makes a distinction between
MULTIPLYING wives & horses to yourself and
adding wives & horses to yourself. None of us
object to King David having more than one horse but
many object to King David having more than one
wife, yet it is the same command "he shall not
multilply hoses . . . wives to himself." By 2 Samuel
5-12 God had "given" him seven wives plus a
number of concubines. We see His implied blessing
on DavidÕs polygyny . This implied blessing of his
polygyny would have to mean that David, with
concubines and seven wives, had not yet violated
the prohibition against a king multiplying wives
and horses to himself.
[Footnotes:>75 De 17:15 "You shall only set him
king over you whom Jehovah your God will choose:
from among your brethren shall you set a king
over you; . . . 16 Only he shall not multiply horses
to himself, . . . 17 Neither shall he multiply wives
to himself, that his heart turn not away; neither
shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and
gold." NO PROHIBITION FROM HAVING SOME
HORSES , SOME WIVES and some gold]

*Deut. 21:15 ¦ "If a man have two wives, one beloved,

and one hated, and they have borne him children,
[both] the beloved and the hated, and [if] the first-
born son be hers that was hated; 16 then it shall be,
in the day that he makes his sons to inherit [that]
which he has, [that] he may not make the son of the
beloved first-born before the son of the hated, who is
the first-born; 17 but he shall acknowledge as first-
born the son of the hated, by giving him a double
portion of all that he has; for he is the firstfruits of his
strength: the right of the firstborn is his."

>>>>If God condemns polygyny, why does he not only allow a

man to have two wives, but he actually legislates the right
of one wife's child over the right of the other wife's child?
If the children are children of polygyny, why would God
give them any rights at all, if it is such a sin as some say?

****2 Sam.12: 7 And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man! Thus
saith
Jehovah the God of Israel: I anointed thee king over Israel, and I
delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; 8 and I gave thee thy master's
house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the
house of
Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover
have given unto thee such and such things.

Or as the Complete Jewish Bible renders it: "I gave you your master's
house, and your master's wives to embrace. . . . ."

>>>>Do I have a reading problem, or did God just say that He

gave wives (plural) to David? Why is this giving of wives
listed by God among the blessings that He gave to David, if
polygyny is the sin that some say it is?

****2 Samuel 12:9 Wherefore hast thou despised the word of Jehovah
to
do evil in his sight? thou hast smitten Urijah the Hittite with the
sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with
the
sword of the children of Ammon. 10 Now therefore the sword shall
never
depart from thy house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken
the wife of Urijah the Hittite to be thy wife. 11* Thus saith Jehovah:
Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I
will take thy WIVES before thine eyes, and give them unto thy
neighbour,
and he shall lie with thy WIVES in the sight of this sun.
****2 Sam 16: 21 "And Ahithophel said to Absalom,
Go in to your father's CONCUBINES, that he left to
keep the house. And all Israel shall hear that you are
abhorred by your father. And the hands of all who [are]
with you will be strong. 22 And they spread Absalom a tent
on the top of the house, and Absalom went in to his
father's CONCUBINES in the sight of all Israel."

>>>>Did you notice that those God calls David's "wives" in 2 Sam 12
are what
man calls "concubines" in 2 Sam 16? We need to see people as God
sees them, as what God sees them. Do you see that these "wives" or
"concubines" are the widows of King Saul given to David in 2 Sam
12:8?

WHAT PLACE DID POLYGYNY HAVE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH

WHERE
THE BELIEVING APOSTLES WERE STILL KEEPING THE TORAH LAW WITH
ITS
REGULATIONS OF POLYGYNY, AND THE BELIEVING NONJEWS WERE NOT
KEEPING THE TORAH
LAW?

Christian elders agree that during Jesus' physical

and visible walk on earth, the Jews practiced
polygamy>24."
[Footnote: >24. Trobisch; MY WIFE MADE ME..P. 23. ;
"Polygamy was not definitely forbidden among the
Jews till the time of R. Gershom (c. A.d. 1000), and
then at first only for France and Germany. In Spain,
Italy,m and the East it persisted for some time longer,
as it does still among the Jews in Mohammedan
counties".
HASTINGS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE,
p.584. ; A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-
Nicene Fathers of The Christian Church, Vol. V, p. 267.;
A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene
Fathers of The Christian Church, Vol. iv, p.290.;
A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene
Fathers of The Christian Church, Vol. VIII, p. 258. ;
St. Augustin: On The Trinity, p. 402.;
HASTINGS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE, p.259, 583ff.]

Let's look at the following evidence:

DOUGLAS" NEW BIBLE DICTIONARY : MARRIAGE:
."Monogamy is implicit in the story of Adam and Eve,
since God created only one wife for Adam. Yet
polygyny is adopted from the time of Lamech (Gn.
4:19), and is not forbidden in Scripture . . ..It is
difficult toknow how far polygamy was practised, but
on economic grounds it is probable that it was found
more among the well-to-do than among the ordinary
people. Polygamy continues to the present day
among Jews in Moslem, Hindu, Buddhist, Asian,
Oriental, and African countries." >25
[>25 IVCF, Editor J.D.Douglas; 1962,W. B. Eerdmans
Publishing, p.787]

Eerdmans' Douglas' New Bible Dictionary: "Concubine.

A secondary wife acquired by purchase or as a war
captive, and allowed in polygamous society such as
existed in the Middle east in biblical times....Where
marriages produced no heir, wives presented a slave
concubine too their husbands in order to raise an heir
(Gen. 16). Handmaidens, given as a marriage gift,
were often concubines (Gen. 29:24,29). Concubines
were protected under Mosaic law (Exod. 21:7-11; Dt.
21:10-14), though they were distinguished from
wives (Jdg. 8:31) and were more easily divorced
(Gen.21:10-14)"
[Footnote: >26 IVCF, Editor J.D.Douglas; 1962,W. B.
Eerdmans Publishing.]

FUNK & WAGNALLS NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA:

CONCUBINAGE, "Refers to the cohabitation of a man
and a woman without sanction of legal marriage.
Specifically, concubinage is a form of polygyny in
which the primary matrimonial relationship is
supplemented by one or more secondary sexual
relationships. Concubinage was a legally sanctioned
and socially acceptable practice in ancient cultures,
including that of the Hebrews; concubines, however,
were denied the protection to which a legal wife was
entitled. In Roman law, marriage was precisely
defined as monogamous; concubinage was tolerated,
but the concubine's status was inferior to that of a
legal wife. Her children had certain rights, including
support by the father and legitimacy in the event of
the marriage of the parents".
[Footnote: >27 1986, Funk & Wagnalls NEW
ENCYCLOPEDIA.]

In HASTING'S DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE we read

"Being .. apparently legalized, and having the
advantage of precedent, it was long before polygamy
was formally forbidden in Hebrew society, though
practically it fell into disuse; the feeling of the Rabbis
was strongly against it. Herod had nine wives at once.
. . Its possibility is implied by the technical
continuance of the Levirate law," [Deut. 25:5-10] "and
is proved by the early interpretation of 1 Ti 3,
whether correct or not. Justin reproaches the Jews of
his day" [A.D.] " with having 'four or even five wives,'
and marrying 'as they wish, or as many as they wish.'
The evidence of the Talmud shows that in this case at
least the reproach had some foundation. Polygamy
was not definitely forbidden among the Jews till the
time of R. Gershom (c. A.D. 1000), and then at first
only for France and Germany. In Spain, Italy, and the
East it persisted for some time longer, as it does still
among the Jews in Mohammedan countries."
[Footnote: >28. HASTINGS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE;
p.583ff.]

Eugene Nida's (American Bible Society) book Customs

and Cultures>.29 . . documents the current practice of
polygyny by Christians in non Western countries, and
how it is still practiced in China, SE Asia, India, Africa
and parts of South America. Eugene Nida points out
that when polygamists become Christians they are
told of their limitations in church offices and are
asked not to take any additional wives because it
stumbles western Christians (Rom 14, l Cor. 8 and 10).
They are not usually asked to abandon their other
wives to a premature widowhood because of l Cor>.
7:1-15.
[Footnote: >.29 1954, Harper & Brothers, New York]

100 AD: Tacitus, who died in 117 A.D., was a Roman historian who
provided us with one of the earliest detailed descriptions of the
Germans and
their Germanic tribes, which later migrated into western Europe and
included the English and the French. >30 These Germans of his time
were
unique. They strictly observed the marital tie and were generally
content
with one wife for each husband, in marked contrast to most of the
"barbarians" of the time who often practiced polygyny. The few
exceptions to
this Germanic monogyny was when they were sought for a polygynous
marriage because of their high birth>31[Footnotes:>30 Source: Tr.
Maurice
Hutton, in Tacitus: Dialogus,Agricola, Germania, Loeb Classical Library
(Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1914). WOMEN'S LIVES IN
MEDIEVAL
EUROPE- A SOURCE BOOK; p. 36.;>31 WOMEN'S LIVES IN MEDIEVAL
EUROPE - A
SOURCE BOOK; p. 37.]

http://www.apuritansmind.com/Pastoral/McMahonElderAndDivorce.htm
The Elder & Divorce
Are divorced men expelled from the ministry?Ê That depends...
The Elder and Divorce:
by C. Matthew McMahon
http://www.apuritansmind.com/Pastoral/McMahonElderAndDivorce.htm
"Rome was laden with polygamy and
disorderliness.Ê Concubines, wives, and undisciplined children could
be seen
from the Caesars" house down to its subjects.Ê The ill-ordered
household was
in contempt in the eyes of the Christian."

APOSTOLIC TIMES: "In Roman law, marriage was precisely defined as

monogamous; concubinage was tolerated, but the concubine's status
was
inferior to that of a legal wife. Her children had certain rights, including
support by the father and legitimacy in the event of the marriage of
the parents".
[Footnote: >27 1986, Funk & Wagnalls NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA.]

APOSTOLIC TIMES: In the Second Commonwealth polygamy is far from

general (cf. To bit and Susanna). Yet it survived far into the Christian
era.
In the New Testament Jesus neither condemns polygamous unions nor
advocates a change in the system."
CHARLES A. RUBENSTEIN-----------------Bibliography:
Abrahams, 1., Jewish Life in the Middle Ages (1917);
Westermarck, E., History of Human Marriage (1901);
Spencer, H., Principles of Sociology idem, Descriptive Sociology;
Lay, Wilfrid, A Plea for Monogamy (1923)

APOSTOLIC TIMES: "Herod had nine wives at once. . .Its possibility is

implied by the technical continuance of the Levirate law, [Deut.
25:5-10] and is proved by the early interpretation of 1 Ti 3, whether
correct
or not. Justin reproaches the Jews of his day [A.D.] with having 'four
or even five wives,'and marrying 'as they wish, or as many as they
wish.' The evidence of the Talmud shows that in this case at least the
reproach had some foundation. ">41.
[Footnote: (>.(40. Septuagint Lev. 21:13 "He shall take for a wife a
virgin of his own tribe.". .>41. DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE, J.Hastings
(Selbie, Lambert, Mathews), Hendrickson Publishers,1989;p.583ff.]

****1 CORINTH. 7:7 Now I wish all men to be even as myself: but every
one has his own gift of God: one man thus, and another thus. 8 But I
say to the unmarried and to the widows, It is good for them that they
remain [unmarried] even as I. 9 But if they are not having continuing
control over themselves [to keep from sinning sexually once in a
while],
THEY SHOULD MARRY; for it is better to marry than to burn. . . 17
¦ But as God has distributed to each one, as the Lord
has called each one, so let him walk. And so I ordain
in all churches.18 [Was] any called having been
circumcised? Do not be uncircumcised. Was anyone
called in uncircumcision? Do not be circumcised. . . .
20 Let each one remain in the calling in which he was
called. 21 Were you called as a slave? It does not
matter to you, but if you are able to become free, use
[it] rather. . . . 24 Each in whatever way he was called,
brothers, in this remain with God."

>>>>Doesn't this principle extend to include being

called in polygyny? Wouldn't it be like this? '¦ But as God has
distributed to each one, as the Lord
has called each one, so let him walk. And so I ordain
in all churches.18 [Was] any called in
polygyny/concubinage? Do not become monogynous.
. . . . . 20 Let each one remain in the calling in
which he was called.'

Consider the following: "That the good

purpose of marriage, however, is better promoted by
one husband with one wife, than by a husband with
several wives, is shown plainly enough by the very
first union of a married pair, which was made by the
Divine Being Himself, with the intention of marriages
taking their beginning therefrom, and of its affording
to them a more honorable precedent. In the advance,
however, of the human race, it came to pass that to
certain good men were united a plurality of good
wives, --- many to each; and from this it would seem
that moderation sought rather unity on one side for
dignity, while nature permitted plurality on the other
side for fecundity. For on natural principles it is more
feasible for one to have dominion over many, than for
many to have dominion over one."
[Footnote: >..34 2b A Select Library of the Nicene and
Post-Nicene Fathers of The Christian Church; Vol. V; p.
267]

Ephesians 2:14-18 and Colossians 2:11-17,

confirmed by 2 Peter 3:15, show us that Jesus
reveals and instructs us to accept the end of the Law
of Moses, finally releasing believing Jews from
having to obey the Law of Moses (as the Gentiles
were in Acts 15) and then not many years later
causes the Jerusalem Temple to be destroyed so that
it would be impossible to keep on obeying the Law of
Moses with its sacrifices and temple worship.

This means that the marriage and morality

teachings of 1 Thess. 4 ; Romans 7; 1 Corinthians
5, 6 and 7 were written before the time of Acts
21:16 while Paul and the believing Jews, including
the apostles, were still obeying and teaching the
marriage and morality laws of the Law of Moses,
discussed at length above including polygyny . The
change of significance was not that
polygyny was condemned or forbidden but that
monogamy was made a prerequisite for holding an
official position of leadership in the local church.
The polygyny of the Jewish, Greek and Roman
world was not attacked, but the leadership of the
local churches was transformed by the monogamy
restriction, probably to prevent polygamous
leaders from getting involved in church service
that would result in the neglect of time with their
own children and/or wives. What was the actual
status of polygamy in New Testament time, the
First Century AD? Christian elders agree that
during Jesus' physical and visible walk on earth,
the Jews practiced polygamy>24."
[Footnote: >24. Trobisch; MY WIFE MADE ME..P.
23. ; "Polygamy was not definitely forbidden
among the Jews till the time of R. Gershom (c. A.d.
1000), and then at first only for France and
Germany. In Spain, Italy,m and the East it
persisted for some time longer, as it does still
among the Jews in Mohammedan counties".
HASTINGS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE, p.584. ; A
Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene
Fathers of The Christian Church, Vol. V, p. 267.;
A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene
Fathers of The Christian Church, Vol. iv, p.290.;
A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene
Fathers of The Christian Church, Vol. VIII, p. 258.
; St. Augustin: On The Trinity, p. 402.;
HASTINGS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE, p.259,
583ff.]

WHAT THEN DOES THE NEW TESTAMENT ACTUALLY

SAY ABOUT POLYGYNY FOR BELIEVERS TODAY?
"Whoever divorces his wife and marries another
woman commits adultery against her." Mark 10:11 Pretty clear,
right? But did you note that nowhere in the Bible does He say
"Whoever
remains married to his wife and marries another woman in polygyny
commits
adultery against her." Why? When Jesus walked on earth didn't He
Himself
command the apostles and His disciples to observe and obey
all of the Law of Moses>a., including the Laws about polygyny
cited in the following, and that the apostles and Jewish believers kept
and observed all the Laws given to Moses (including those about
polygyny) through the entire book of Acts>b period up until God
released the apostles and believing Jews from the Law of
Moses in Ephesians 2 and Colosians 2? What about the following
facts:
(1) Immediately after God gave Moses the ten commandments He
gave Moses instructions for men who have more than one
wife>14. .
(2) Later He gave Moses instructions (Dt.21:1ff) for a
husband who has two wives>15. .
(3) He gave Moses specific instructions for the brother-
in-laws of a widow and did not exempt any brother who was already
married>16. and Jesus introduced no such exemption when He spoke
of
this passage>17.
(4) God Himself told polygynist King David (he had ten
+/- wives and concubines at the time>18. ) that He had been with him
wherever he had gone, that He would make a great name for him, that
his
descendant would be the Messiah>19. , and that He Himself had given
David more than one wife>20.
(5) God, who cannot sin and never portrays Himself as
sinning, portrayed Himself as the polygynist husband of two wives
in Ezekiel 23.
[Footnotes: >a. Matthew 23:1-3
>b. In Matthew 23:1-3 Jesus commands obedience to the
Laws given to Moses. In Acts 15 the believing non-Jews, not the
believing Jews, were released from the Laws given to
Moses. In Acts 21:15-25 we see the Jewish apostle Paul
and the surviving apostles still obeying the Law of Moses in
obedience to Christ in Matt. 23:1-3.
>14. Exodus 21:7-11 (See Hosea 3:2; Deut. 25:5-10;
Lev. 19:20)
>15. Deut. 21:15-17 (See 2 Chron. 24:3; Gen. 29:33; 1
Chron.5:2; 26:10; 2 Kings 2:9)
>16. Deut. 25:5-10
>17. Matt. 22:23-25; Mark 12:18-20; Luke 20:27-29
>18. 2 Samuel 5:13; 6:12-23
>19. 2 Samuel 7:8-17
>20. 2 Samuel 12:8 ; that this did not mean platonic care
is evident from 1 Kings 1:1-3; 2:13-25.

Does Jesus' statement "The two shall become

one flesh" mean that only one man and one woman
should become one flesh, as in monogamy>57 , as
most of the "leaders" maintain? Doesn't the Spirit uses
"The two shall become one flesh" principle in 1 Corinth. 6
to show "that he who is joined to a harlot is one body
with her" , and then uses the same "one flesh"
principle in Eph. 5 about a husband and his wife?
Do you recall the discussion of this issue in the section on
Adam and Eve?

1Cor.7:2's ". . . ..each [man] is commanded to be having

his own wife, and each [woman] is commanded to
be having her own husband" .

How can this be an argument for monogamy as most Christian leaders

maintain>62? Whenever Abraham had Sarah, he had his
own wife; and whenever Abraham had Hagar, he had his own wife, not
someone else's wife,right? When David had Ahinoam, didn't
he have his own wife? When David had Abigail, didn't he have his own
wife? When David had Maacah, didn't he have his own wife? When
David had Haggith, didn't he have his own wife, instead of having
another's wife? When David had Abital, didn't he have his
own wife? When he had Eglah, didn't he have his own wife,
not someone else's wife? Each time Jacob, Joash or Gideon
had one of their own wives in polygny, wasn't he having
his own wife/concubine? Wasn't each wife/concubine of
these polygamists having her own polygamous
husband? Isn 't this also true of a man and his concubine
with whom he has maritally covenanted>22 honorably before God?
Doesn't each polygynist have his own wife, and have each one of them
intimately and each one is his own wife? Doesn't each of the
polygynist's wives have her own husband and have him intimately in
their marriage.
How does the passage above rebuke, demean or condemn polygyny?
Doesn't
the
passage address marital faithfulness and exclude adultery, which
involves a
husband having another"s wife and a wife having one who is not her
own husband? Doesn't it restrict sexual "having" to marriage
with one"s own mate in monogyny or polygyny?

". . . ..let each man have his own wife, and let each
wife have her own husband" is not an argument for
monogamy as most Christian leaders maintain>62 .
Whenever Abraham, David, Jacob, Joash or Gideon
had one of their own wives, he was having his own
wife/concubine; and each wife/concubine of these
polygamists had her own polygamous husband. This
is also true of a man and his concubine with whom
he has maritally covenanted>22 honorably before
God. David had his own Abigail and Abigail had her
own David. David had his own Abigail and
Bathsheeba, and Bathsheeba and Abigail both had
their own David. The polygynist has his own wife,
and has each one of them intimately and each one is
his own wife. Each of the polygynist's wives has
her own husband and has him intimately in their
marriage. This passage does not rebuke, demean or
condemn polygyny. The passage addresses marital
faithfulness and excludes adultery, which involves
a husband having another"s wife and a wife having
one who is not her own husband. It restricts sexual
"having" to marriage with one"s own mate.
[Footnotes:>.62 Please see THE INSTITUTES OF
BIBLICAL LAW, by R. Rushdonney, p. 363. >22
Ezek. 16:8; Malachi 2:10-17; Neh. 9:38 with 1
Sam. 20:3-17; As in Matt. 1:18-24 and Luke 1 &
2, she was his "wife" by their covenant even before
their actual formal wedding.]

1 TIimothy 3: 1* ¦ Faithful [is] the word: If anyone

reaches out to overseership, he desires a good work. 2*
Then it behooves the overseer to be without reproach,
husband of only^ one wife, temperate, sensible, well-
ordered, hospitable, apt at teaching, 3 not a drinker, not
quarrelsome, not greedy of ill gain, but gentle, not
quarrelsome, not covetous, 4 ruling his own house well,
having children in subjection with all honor. 5 (For if a
man does not know to rule his own house, how shall he take
care of the church of God?) 6 not a novice, lest being
puffed up he may fall into the condemnation of the Devil. 7
But he must also have a good report from those on the
outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the
Devil.
8 ¦ Likewise the deacons [are to be] reverent, not double-
tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of ill gain, 9
having the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. 10
And let these also first be tested, then let them [use the
office of a deacon], being blameless. 11 Even so [their]
wives are to [be] reverent, not slanderers, temperate,
faithful in all things. 12 Let the deacons be the
husbands of only^ one wife, ruling [their] children and
households well.
[^ Strong's: "3391 mia; adj; only one;
J.B.Phillips: "he must be married to one wife only . . . .
TEV, WMS, NCV: "he must have only one wife" . . .
NASB, NIV: "the husband of one wife, . ."
BER: "one wife's husband . . ."
NEB: "faithful to his one wife . . ."
The American Bible (Catholic): "a bishop must be . . . married only
once . . "
MOF: "he must be married only once . . ."
Complete Jewish Bible: "he must be faithful to his wife"
TCNT:The Presiding-Officer should be . . . a faithful husband; . .
WEY: A minister then must be . . . true to his one wife, . .
CEV:" . . officials must be . . . faithful in marriage . . ."
MESSAGE: "A leader must be . . . committed to his wife . . ."]

This makes it clear that official leaders and official officers

of a local assembly of Jesus believers should not be polygynous.
This leaves polygynous Jesus believers free to be unofficial
visiting Bible teachers, missionaries, evangelists and counselors
serving local assemblies in unofficial ministry.

****Titus 1: 6 ¦ if anyone is blameless, husband of one

wife, having believing children, not accused of loose
behavior, or disobedient. 7 For an overseer must be
blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not full of
passion, not given to wine, not quarrelsome, not greedy for
ill gain; 8 but hospitable, a lover of good, discreet, just,
holy, temperate 9 holding fast the faithful word according
to the doctrine, that he may be able, by sound doctrine,
both to exhort and to convict the gainsayers.

>>>>Are these requirements only for elders,overseers and

deacons, or are they for all of us in Christ? Aren't we all
supposed to be without reproach, temperate, sensible,
well-ordered, not drinkers, not quarrelsome, not greedy
of ill gain, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous,
reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine,
having the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience, being
blameless, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all
things. having a good report from those on the outside?

>>>>But doesn't 1 Corinth. 12 and Ephes. 4 make it

plain that we all have different gifts so that some
[but not all] are hospitable, some [but not all] are
able to teach, some [but not all] rule their own
house well, some [but not all] have their children
in subjection with all honor, (For if one does not
know to rule his own house, how shall he take care
of the church of God?)? Since novices are not
expected to be able or qualified to be an elder,
overseer or deacon, doesn't that also mean that they
are therefore not expected to be mongynous? Since
all believers are not required to have the gift of
hospitality, of teaching, of ruling well and
effectively their children, and since all believers
are novices at one point in their spiritual lives,
then isn't it obvious that not all believers have the
gift (1 Cor. 7) of monogyny? If these standards
(especially monogyny) are to be required of all
believers, then what about those believers Paul
encourages to never marry at all so that they can
wait on God without distraction in times of
persecution? Isn't it clear that these requirements
are required only of those who seek to qualify for
such positions?

Husband of one wife: Yes! Definitely! An

elder/overseer/bishop/superintendent of a church
must be the husband of only one wife. Are we all
elders/overseers/bishops/ superintendents?
Clearly not. The unmarried are not. The married
who have unruly children are not. Husbands with
disrespectful, uncooperative and defiant wives are
not. The married and unmarried who are unable to
teach are not. All novices are not. Those with a bad
reputation, earned or unearned, among the unsaved
through slander or misunderstandings are not.
Those who don"t want a church leadership position
are not. That includes most of us, and most of us
are not covered by the injunction to be the husband
of only one wife.

There is the problem of the polygamous

mentality. A man who has learned to love
passionately and maritally more than one wife at
one time would be more vulnerable to sexual
temptation in church ministry than a man who has
learned to love passionately and maritally only one
wife at a time. A ministering polygamist in a
leadership position would be more likely to be
tempted to accept the advances/ propositions of an
unmarried sister in the church who falls in love
with him and he with her. This could result in sex
outside of marriage (fornication) or yet another
addition to his polygamous "harem". This would
stumble the saints and would be a reproach to the
unsaved. It would appear that a godly polygamist
would have to have a very low profile (no
leadership position) in the church, as the scripture
requires.

Douglas" New Bible Dictionary : MARRIAGE:

....."Monogamy is implicit in the story of Adam and
Eve, since God created only one wife for Adam. Yet
polygyny is adopted from the time of Lamech (Gn.
4:19), and is not forbidden inScripture. . . ...Polygamy
continues to the present day among Jews in Moslem,
Hindu, Buddhist, Asian, Oriental, and African
countries."
HASTINGS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE: . ". . Elkanah,
the husband of Hannah and Peninnah, is an
interesting example of a man of no particular position
who nevertheless had more than one wife; this may
be an indication that bigamy, at least, if not polygamy,
was not confined to the very wealthy and exalted. At
all events, polygyny was an established and
recognized institution from the earliest of times.">39
[Footnote: >39. HASTINGS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE;
p.259.]

"Polygamy meets us as a fact: e.g. Abraham, Jacob, the

Judges, David, Solomon; 1 Ch 7:4 is evidence of its
prevalence in Issachar; Elkanah (1 Sam.1:1ff) is
significant as belonging to the middle class; Jehoida (2
Ch 24:3) as a priest. . .Legislation . . . safeguarded the
rights of various wives, slave or free; and according to
the Rabbinical interpretation of Lv 21:13>40. . . .the
high priest was not allowed to be a bigamist. . . The
marriage figure applied to the union of God and Israel
. . . implied monogamy as the ideal state. . . Being ..
apparently legalized, and having the advantage of
precedent, it was long before polygamy was formally
forbidden in Hebrew society, though practically it fell
into disuse; the feeling of the Rabbis was strongly
against it. Herod had nine wives at once. . . Its
possibility is implied by the technical continuance of
the Levirate law, [Deut. 25:5-10] and is proved by the
early interpretation of 1 Ti 3, whether correct or not.
Justin reproaches the Jews of his day [A.D.] with
having 'four or even five wives,' and marrying 'as
they wish, or as many as they wish.' The evidence of
the Talmud shows that in this case at least the
reproach had some foundation. Polygamy was not
definitely forbidden among the Jews till the time of R.
Gershom (c. A.D. 1000), and then at first only for
France and Germany. In Spain, Italy, and the East it
persisted for some time longer, as it does still among
the Jews in Mohammedan countries>41.
[Footnote: (>.(40. Septuagint Lev. 21:13 "He shall take
for a wife a virgin of his own tribe.". .>41. HASTINGS
DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE; p.583ff.]

So what are you doing if you are condemning

polygyny in general as sin?Mark 7:8 "[For], leaving
the commandment of God, you hold what is delivered
by men [to keep] --washings of vessels and cups, and
many other such like things you do. 9 And he said to
them, Well do you set aside the commandment of
God, that you may observe what is delivered by
yourselves [to keep]. . . . 13 making void the word of
God by your traditional teaching which you have
delivered; and many such like things you do".

Pretty serious stuff, laying aside God's

commands so you can keep your own traditions and
making God's Word ineffective through your
traditions. It wont look good for those folks at the
judgment seat of Christ. What about all those third
world folks, especially the Moslem, Hindu, Buddhist,
Asian, Oriental, and Africans, who are practicing
polygyny and are told that they have to dump and
abandon their extra wives &/or concubines in order
to become Christians, the biggest obstacle for the
Moslem, Hindu, Buddhist, Asian, Oriental, and African
community? These "Christian" folks who feel their
own tradition about monogamy and polygyny must
be kept by Moslem, Hindu, Buddhist, Asian, Oriental,
and Africans and other third world polygamists for
them to become Christians sound like these folks:
****Mat.23:13 ¦ "But woe unto you, scribes and
Pharisees, hypocrites, for you shut up the kingdom of
the heavens before men; for *you* do not enter, nor
do you suffer those that are entering to go in."

I understand that Rev. Joseph Conrad Wold>*, a

Lutheran missionary in Liberia, maintains the
following points: 1. Some missionaries have become
like the Pharisees, knit picking legalists; 2. For
unbelievers it is more of a question of who is or is not
a polygamist rather than who is and who isn't a
Christian; 3. Rejecting polygamy has become the
rejecting of polygamists; 4. If Cornelious>45 could be
born again without circumcision, then surely
polygamists should be able to be born again without
cutting away their wives, breaking their solemn
promises and forcing their beloved and faithful wives
into adultery for survival; 5 Let the polygamist be lost
because he refused to love and obey Jesus, rather
than because he loved his wives too much to cause
them to suffer, or was too virtuous to be a
hypocrite.>70 He makes such an impassioned case I
hope you take the time to read the original. Truly the
commandments of men, condemning as sin and
forbidding polygamy, make of no effect the
commandments of God for so many.
[Footnote: >*GOD'S IMPATIENCE IN LIBERIA, Rev.
Joseph Conrad Wold, pp. 179ff. >45 (Acts 10 &
11). @>.@70 Trobisch, MY WIFE MADE ME. . .
Pp.16 & 17;].

http://polyamory.meetup.com/389/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Poly_Polygamy_Polygny_And_Jesus
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/OrthodoxBiblicalMarriagePolygamy
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PolyPolygamyPolygnyNJesus
http://groups.google.com/group/BiblicalChristianPolygamyPolygyny
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/OrthodoxBiblicalMarriagePolygamy2
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LynnAndLossRecovery
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PolyOption4ChristiansWithSTDs/ -
http://community.eons.com/groups/group/women-sharing-one-man-
maritally
http://groups.myspace.com/BiblicalChristianPoly
http://www.flickr.com/groups/396188@N24/ - - personal
http://www.flickr.com/groups/christian_polygyny/
http://www.flickr.com/groups/christian_polygamy/
http://www.flickr.com/groups/christianpoly/
http://polygynouschristians.multiply.com/
http://biblicalpolygamy.multiply.com/