To the Editor:
(Re: “On legislating morality”, page 6, March 10 Advance)
As Lorne Eckersley put it, “You can not legislate morality.” Let us explore polygamy marriage, adultery, fornication and homosexuality. Every human being with heart and soul will most probably agree that an ideal is a “one life, one wife” policy — marry one, grow together. If you can say at the end of your life that you love your spouse as much as at the beginning, you’ve lived the life of love.
Most honest adults, teenagers and (old enough to understand) kids agree that adultery is wrong. All caring parents agree that fornication (sex outside marriage between those who are not married) is wrong. I can hardly imagine a parent telling his teenage daughter or son to go out and have fun (alcohol, cigarettes, drugs and unbridled sex). Parents wish their kids to find a loving spouse for life and avoid the pitfalls of life. I knew a certain drinker on dope. He argued that his 10-year-old daughter will “figure it out”. My goodness...
Why is the reality so different from an ideal? Mainly because perverted mass media and Hollywood are corrupting our children and adults alike, glorifying immorality, ridiculing morals as archaic, backward, undemocratic or even hateful.
Homosexuality is another topic that troubles me. First of all, “Christians” speaking against it should seriously apologize for divorce, adultery and fornication in churches. Then they should wait till they have something to say in love and wisdom. Flatly condemning homosexuals builds walls, not bridges. What is needed is help, love, understanding and an explanation of God’s marriage designed for heterosexuals. In the past 20 years, it became (under the veil of protecting rights of minorities with the help of “liberal” politicians) legalized, an untouchable mark of perverted democracy. Even schoolchildren will be forcefully exposed to it. The beautiful design of our Maker, Adam and Eve, was turned into Adam and Steve.
It reminds me of Catholic celibacy, the anti-Biblical unbearable burden, that turned devoted priests into pedophiles. I don’t blame homosexuals as much as I blame hypocritical “Christianity”, politicians, judges and mass media.
Let’s look at polygamy: King David was OK when he had one wife, almost O.K. when he acquired Abigail, and went downhill when he “needed” more wives, culminating with coveting Bathsheba, the wife of his faithful servant Uriah. Not only did he have sex with her, he tried to entice Uriah twice and finally ordered his murder. David’s life went downhill: his illicit son with Bathsheba died, his beloved son Absalom plotted to overthrow him (and paid with his life for it) and misery followed David till he died. David’s son Solomon did not learn and acquired 1,000 wives and concubines instead of one. They, in turn, led to his downfall, which culminated in destruction of kingdom, nation and the temple in 586 B.C.
If you look at life of Abraham and Jacob you will find the same. Multiple wives never brought happiness, peace or joy. God put up with polygamy because of free will. Also, God needed to show humanity that the one man, one woman model is the best.
Back to polygamy and Bountiful: If a man marries multiple wives, he puts too much burden on himself and his wives suffer from neglect as a result. As he can be only in one place at the same time, his respective children and wives might hardly see him for more than few days over the weeks. If some 50+ year old man with multiple wives has a need for yet another teenage girl wife, that’s perversion and abuse, not love or marriage.
There has been a healthy rift in the polygamous community in the past few years as many refuse to obey orders of the “prophet” or put up with polygamy. They either leave or stick to one partner.
Don’t get me wrong. There are polygamists who are excellent human beings, fathers and mothers doing their best in a situation somebody else put them in. They need all support and help to get through and to get out. There is not much they can do about their own lives but there is so much they can do for their children — allowing them to follow their hearts, and marry one partner.
One can’t legislate morality but allowing corrupt morality leads to the downfall of society.
Vladimir Certik
West Creston