Posted on 06/09/2017 9:25:56 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Popular televangelist Pat Robertson, who serves as chancellor of Regent University and chairman of the Christian Broadcasting Network, has said he doesn't know of anything in the Bible that condemns polygamy — the practice of having more than one wife or husband at the same time.
"I'm not sure I know anything in the Bible that indicates polygamy, as such, is against the Bible. But we don't do it and there are a lot of laws based on the New Testament [that] don't permit it, and that's where we are," Robertson said in a clip from "The 700 Club" series posted on YouTube Wednesday.
Robertson was responding to a question from a viewer identified only as Margaret who asked: "Why did God allow the men of faith in the Old Testament to have multiple wives and concubines? And when did God change His mind and make marriage monogamous?"
Although polygamy is illegal in the U.S. and culturally unpopular, some researchers estimate that between 50,000 to 100,000 people are involved in polygamous relationships and the arrangement is more common between men and multiple wives. Public acceptance of the lifestyle is also growing due to reality shows such as TLC's "Sister Wives," which gives a real-life inside look into a polygamist family.
"I don't think God changed his mind [polygamy]," Robertson said.
He noted that a man will find it easier to take care of multiple wives that vice versa.
"The truth is that women have babies. And when they have babies they can't fight wars because they are having babies, and they are looking after their babies and they need somebody to look after them — that's why husbands are supposed to look after their wives. And a man can take care of several wives whereas one wife can't take care of several husbands," the CBN chairman said.
"I think in the early days there must have been more women than men. Multiples wives were standard stuff in the primitive societies, at least they still are in Africa. I know one guy, the chief or something, the general, he had 60 wives. That's a little excessive, it is, but nevertheless, God didn't change his mind but came the New Testament. And Jesus gave the standards of marriage, man leaves his mother and father, cleaves to his wife and the twain will become one flesh," he explained. "And so that's the biblical order of the New Testament, but the culture has changed. God didn't change his mind."
Brad Wilcox, director of the National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia, told The Daily Beast in 2015 that if polygamy is legalized he believes it could happen within "the next 20 to 30 years."
Earlier this year, however, the U.S. Supreme Court dismissed a challenge to Utah's anti-bigamy law brought by "Sister Wives" star Kody Brown and his wives, Meri, Janelle, Christine and Robyn.
Brown is only legally married to one of the "wives." The fundamentalist Mormons who are part of the Apostolic United Brethren Church, claimed in their legal challenge that Utah's law banning multiple spouses violated their religious liberty rights under the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment. They claim polygamy as a religious belief.
Thanks, Capt. Obvious!
And a man can take care of several wives whereas one wife can't take care of several husbands," the CBN chairman said.
Wrong, wrong, wrong! That simply doesn't follow!
Except for the issue of uncertain paternity, and perhaps high female mortality due to child birth, the most-efficient system (from the point of view of economic security) would be, say, two men and one wife.
Even in technologically primitive societies - like the Bronze Age civilizations of the Old Testament or the Iron Age civilizations of the New Testament - one wife should be perfectly capable of maintaining a household and raising the children of two men - who, according to Robertson, are usually off at war, anyway. And two men could better provide for the material needs of a wife and children than just one man.
Regards,
this does not yield a consistent model of g*d’s intention as expressed in differences between the old and new testaments. for example, pork is interpreted as OK to eat in the new testament but it is not kosher in the old.
Peter canonized Paul’s writings as the Word of God and Pat Robertson knows better.
Christianity’s often been flexible on the subject. For example German’s tribes who accepted Christianity were allowed to keep their multiple wives but no future extra person marriages allowed. It’s one of those things that happens from time to time that’s not ideal so it’s suppressed without breaking up existing structures.
Casimir was certainly a great man of history and does deserve much higher acclaim than he presently gets. His reign was a credit to the system of Monarchy especially considering so many monarchs in history were outright denizens.
A thoroughly humanitarian, decent, wise, compassionate and ethical person of great scholarly learning and military feats. He was also tall and said to be handsome his whole life and basically had a 100% approval rating. He must have somehow pleased God before he was born.
Christ has one bride.
That’s the model, Patty boy.
Paul and Peter were contemporaries. Even if Peter deemed some of Paul’s writings to be important, logically, we don’t know exactly which writings Peter was referring to. We don’t even know if Peter died after Paul or before Paul.
The only formal canonization of anything was during the Council of Trent (1545-1563).
If Jesus had something important to say about polygamy or anything else, why would he not it himself?
Actually, there are no biblical examples of a woman having more than 1 husband, as the article defined polygamy. So the article is ,on the surface, a blatant attempt to start problems. I’ll leave it at that.
I don’t know if Pat’s right or not, but 1 Timothy is referring only to bishops.
This smells like the “Jesus never condemned homosexuality (so it must be okay)” talking point the homosexuals make when there are plenty of other OT and NT places in the Bible condemning homosexuality.
Church elders are expected to be “the husband of one wife” but that’s not a blanket denouncement of polygamy, only for those who aspire to higher office within the church. I suspect, just like the homosexual claim, that the issue wasn’t a big item on the agenda at the time.
And, yes, dear old Pat is reaching senility.
You know, Jesus never said anything against hacking into email servers, so it must be okay...
The Bible doesn’t prohibit building a rendering plant in a middle class neighborhood either.
“Abraham had one but used a concubine/maid at her behest”.
“That didn’t end well”
There’s a lesson in there somewhere...
I come from a long line of Freemasons, my experience is a bit different.
The altruistic work and monies provided to children’s hospitals and burn centers is without question, a noble undertaking. And given the amount of effort and time required to support these worthy causes is notable, and at times detrimental to the needs of the family.
Growing up in a Masonic household and around family, friends, and relatives who were all masonic was much different than the implication that they were/are all devout, practicing Christians is not entirely accurate. Just as the implication that those seated in the pews of churches across the broad spectrum of denominations are all devout, practicing Christians.
Both are false assumptions.
OK - says Bishops/teachers of the Good news should be married to one person 9and not single unless one wants to listen to Paul’s personal preferences), but what does it say about the average Joe?
Adam and EVE, not “Eves”
” and God created them male and female, for this reason shall a man leave his father and mother and cleave to his WIFE, and the two shall be one flesh”
Hint- It is in the first book of the OT. You can find it.
I doubt you will find any reference to any policy/command or hint from God for man to round up a harem....
He knew what the outcome of that perversion of His creation would end like.
“Huh, what is Robertson’s problem? 1 Timothy is very clear.”
I agree with you that polygamy and polyandry are not Christian practices, but 1 Timothy is not as perfect a proof text as you might think.
1) The verse in question is about bishops. That’s not about other believers.
2) And we know there were bishops with no wives at all. Thus, the verse limits bishops to one wife, doesn’t mandate they have any, and still says nothing about everyone else.
3) People interested in polygamy are interested in it because of their own sexual desires and not because of anything scripture says anyway.
Robertson must be infected with the McCain syndrome
Yeah....me too.
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