Dad sues to teach daughter about polygamy

CNN ^ | Monday, December 8, 2003 | Associated Press

[.cnI redruM]

Stanley Shepp wants the right to teach his daughter about polygamy and his religious beliefs.

HALLAM, Pennsylvania (AP) -- Tracey L. Roberts isn't trying to stop her ex-husband from voicing his support of polygamy, a belief that broke up their marriage.

[.cnI redruM]

Does a polygamist with 6 wives get six different tax breaks? Tune in next week when Richard Gere attempts to marry his pet gerbil.

[proxy_user]

"In pious times, ere priestcraft did begin,
Before polygamy was made a sin;
When man on many multiplied his kind,
Ere one to one was cursedly confined;
When nature prompted, and no law denied,
Promiscuous use of concubine and bride;
Then Israel's monarch, after heaven's own heart,
His vigorous warmth did variously impart
To wives and slaves; and, wide as his command,
Scattered his Maker's image through the land.....

[Pan_Yans Wife]

May God bless that little girl.

[samtheman]

And so the idiocy spreads like fungal rot, now that all is ok, and all is condoned.

[Reeses]

Does a polygamist with 6 wives get six different tax breaks?

I'm not sure but he certainly gets six mother-in-laws. Can you imagine that?

[Eastbound]

He should take this to the Mass. Supreme Court, where he would probably get a 'tufer.' A court not to quibble, they would probably rule that not only could he teach his daughter, but he could marry his daughter. Massachooosetts -- the gateway to license.

[trebb]

Polygamy's illegal everyplace, and it's illegal for a whole lot of reasons

give it a few minutes and that will change - after the SCOTUS FU on the Texas sodomy ruling, Massachusetts courts "blessed" gay marriage and there is now a case brewing where a guy convicted of polygamy wants the conviction overturned...Santorum is being proved right when he said that SCOTUS had opened Pandora's Box and that all sorts of social mores would be pushed to the wayside.

[looscnnn]

Not withstanding that it is wrong, consider the following:

Isn't this infringing on his freedom of speech? Also, isn't it abridging his religious beliefs? Just because they do not have an officially sanctioned religion, doesn't "fundamentalist" Mormonism count as a religion? What about what happens in a person's home is of no business of the government (established in the case of the two Texas gay men)? Technically, couldn't he say that making polygamy illegal is establishing religion (which is unconstitutional)?

Just some food for thought (and discussion).

[tkathy]

Polygamy is slavery hiding behind religion.

[.cnI redruM]

I'm not sure where a true libertarian can object to a religion that sacrifices chihuahua dogs by the light of the full moon. I mean, if they don't shank Taco Bell's Chihuahua instead of their own and if they don't impel people to attend against their will, what's the big stink?

[3Lean]

The liberal's support of gay marriage certainly does cause a lot of other ideas to pop up, doesn't it?

If this man were gay and trying to teach his daughter about his "boyfriend" the ACLU would be all over this, wonder where they are now???

Question for all - if having multiple wives is a requirement for a happy afterlife, does that vindicate the saying "to get to heaven you have to go through hell"?

Also, since the male/female ratio is about 1:1, does that mean that not all men can have a happy afterlife, since there just aren't enough women to go around?

[mhking]

Just damn.

If you want on the new list, FReepmail me. This IS a high-volume PING list...

[LenS]

Also, since the male/female ratio is about 1:1, does that mean that not all men can have a happy afterlife, since there just aren't enough women to go around?

That's where the suicide bombers come in -- you have to give the surplus males a chance at heaven.

Clearly, that's the reason why polygamy fails in the long run. It produces an unhappy and violent culture where half your labor force is wasted and much of the other half runs around horny and looking for someone to take it out on.

[jonalvy44]

Santorum was right...I want to legalize my relationship with my poodle, LOL. She does sleep with us, after all. Think that'll fly? :)

[looscnnn]

If they pass the ammendment stating that marriage is between a man and woman only (hopefully that is how they would word it), can people marry a blow up doll or a dead person as long as they are of opposite sexes?

[BlueNgold]

The issue is legitimate because of the joint custody arrangement. You have a division of thought on bringing up the child, but it is in the extreme. One of the opposing views runs afoul of the law. This is not a simple matter of 'Catholic vs. protestant' .. this is a matter of indoctrination into an illegal activity. Were there no division of custody and the parents agreed then the courts would have no say. However, the complainant, as a joint custody holder, has standing. It is not a matter of government interference, it is a matter of a parent, unable to adequately resolve a custodial issue, addressing the courts for resolution.

[.cnI redruM]

They'd have to keep the dead lady in a well-chilled meat locker, but I can't see any grounds to object.

[LenS]

Ah, but how does your poodle feel about it? *g*

[weegee]

Telling a child about adults marrying multiple spouses is "child abuse" and puts them at risk of "sexual abuse" according to this lawyer but having a homosexual parent is perfectly okay for children in modern America.

The liberal double standard knows no bounds.

[looscnnn]

"this is a matter of indoctrination into an illegal activity."

But given what the US Supreme Court found in regards to the 2 Texas "gentlemen", which made sodomy (which was illegal) legal, couldn't that hold true in this case? If so, that would make polygamy legal. So then it would become "Catholic vs. protestant" so to speak.

If they rule against him (this is part of the government making the ruling), can't that be seen as governmental interference? I agree that this is issue that started between the parents, it is what caused the divorce, but as soon as the courts (and the legislatures) get involved isn't the government involvment counter to his beliefs still interference? Take out polygamy and put in baptism (or what ever) and see if that changes things in your view.