What are the laws on polygamy?
no
Not allowed.
Secular law in most western countries with large Jewish and Christian populations does not recognise polygamous marriages. However, few such countries have any laws against living a polygamous lifestyle: they simply refuse to give it any official recognition. Parts of the United States, however, criminalize even the polygamous lifestyle; these laws originated as anti-Mormon legislation, although they are rarely enforced. Polygamists may find it harder to obtain legal immigrant status.
Multiple divorce and marriage for polygamy
Some polygamous families use a system of multiple divorce and legal marriage as a loophole in order to avoid committing a criminal act. In such cases the husband marries the first wife, she takes his last name, he divorces her and then marries the next wife, who takes his name. This is repeated until he has married and divorced all his wives, except possibly the last one. This way the wives feel justified in calling themselves Mrs. [husband's last name] and, while legally they're divorced from the husband, they still act as if married to him and expect those around them to acknowledge and respect this.
Since only one wife is married to the husband at any one time, no law is being broken and so this type of polygamous family unit can be overt about their relationship.
The conviction of Thomas Arthur Green in 2001 may have made the legal status of such relationships more precarious in Utah, although Green's bigamy convictions were made possible only by his own public statements.
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Recent polygamy cases
In 2001, the state of Utah in the United States convicted Tom Green of criminal non-support and four counts of bigamy for having 5 serially monogamous marriages, while living with previous legally divorced wives. His cohabitation was considered evidence of a common-law marriage to the wives he had divorced while still living with them. That premise was subsequently affirmed by the Utah Supreme Court in State v. Green, as applicable only in the State of Utah. Green was also convicted of child rape and criminal non-support.
In 2005, the state attorneys-general of Utah and Arizona issued a primer on helping victims of domestic violence and child abuse in polygamous communities. These states are emphasizing enforcement of crimes of child abuse, domestic violence, and fraud over the enforcement of the crime of bigamy. The priorities of local prosecutors are not covered by this statement.
Edith Barlow, a mother of five in the polygamous community of Bountiful, B.C., was denied permanent residence and has been asked to leave the country after ten years in Canada.
Ask the Utah guy now on the FBI's most wanted list. Woo Hoo
UNLAWFUL FLIGHT TO AVOID PROSECUTION - SEXUAL CONDUCT WITH A MINOR, CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT SEXUAL CONDUCT WITH A MINOR; RAPE AS AN ACCOMPLICE
WARREN STEED JEFFS
Answers:
Polygamy is against the law. When a man is married to more than one woman, it is done contract wise, not within the laws of a state. No one can legally married more than one person. The Mormon church even frowns on polygamy. When it was practiced, it was during a time before sufferage when a woman was not allowed to hold land or a title. The government used this as an excuse to seize land held by a Mormon woman if her husband was dead (usually at the hands of a government hired person). Most of the marriages (notice I didn't say ALL) were in name only. There was no contact. When the US Government decided to out law polygamy, the Mormons fell in line to that law. Those who practice polygamy now and say they are Mormon actually belong to a splinter sect or they are writing their own rules and having their own services, they are not actually under the hand of the assembly located in Salt Lake. The show Big Love is remiss in making this information know. There are polygamists around. Unfortunately, they are able to get around laws and still benefit from the states hand outs. Many of them are on public aid although I have heard of some in Texas that are independently wealthy.
Personally, no amount of money would let me allow my husband to marry and 'service' some other woman. I would be digging a hole first! LOL
It's illegal.
For the actual polygymist (men of course), it's all about power not love.
However, that is only one take on the subject. In other parts of the world and other religions, it is not only considered normal, but vitally necessary.
Have a look at the links below...
