NPR & Polygamy
National Public Radio is doing a multi-part piece on the “Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints,” a group that preaches polygamy and whose members apparently practice it in two small, remote towns on the Arizona-Utah border. The group is an offshoot of Mormonism, which wants nothing to do with them. Tuesday’s story is [HERE]. I believe this is to be a three-part series.
This sort of story is why I continue to listen to NPR, and All Things Considered, despite their astonishing bias, which often suggests parody. (I really do think sometimes that they must be joking, but then they make clear that they’re serious. Oh, well.) Nonetheless, where else would one hear a long, thoughtful examination of modern-day polygamy?
The first episode was fascinating. There is the structure one would imagine: Much very circumspect talk by state and county officials about forced marriages, coercion, and the like, but no direct confrontation with the brightly-colored elephant dancing around in the corner of the room.
I find it interesting that, on NPR’s website (link above), in the upper right-hand corner under “More Religion,” they have linked to these stories: “Episcopal Priests Protest Bishop's Support for Gay Clergy,” and “Lesbian Minister Wins Appeal to Methodist Panel.” And they are right to do so.
But now that my public service requirement has been fulfilled, I wish to pose a question.
I am a conservative Protestant Christian. I would, in other words, be readily recognized by the New York Times to be a religious crackpot. And by their lights I am a crackpot.
Accordingly, I know what I think about polygamy.
But if, like the New York Times, the Democratic Party, and NPR, one thinks that it’s perfectly acceptable for a woman to marry another woman, or for a man to marry another man, and that the resulting "family" is no different from a “traditional” marriage, then on what basis does one think that it is wrong for a man to marry more than one woman? Or a woman more than one man?
I’m just asking.
This sort of story is why I continue to listen to NPR, and All Things Considered, despite their astonishing bias, which often suggests parody. (I really do think sometimes that they must be joking, but then they make clear that they’re serious. Oh, well.) Nonetheless, where else would one hear a long, thoughtful examination of modern-day polygamy?
The first episode was fascinating. There is the structure one would imagine: Much very circumspect talk by state and county officials about forced marriages, coercion, and the like, but no direct confrontation with the brightly-colored elephant dancing around in the corner of the room.
I find it interesting that, on NPR’s website (link above), in the upper right-hand corner under “More Religion,” they have linked to these stories: “Episcopal Priests Protest Bishop's Support for Gay Clergy,” and “Lesbian Minister Wins Appeal to Methodist Panel.” And they are right to do so.
But now that my public service requirement has been fulfilled, I wish to pose a question.
I am a conservative Protestant Christian. I would, in other words, be readily recognized by the New York Times to be a religious crackpot. And by their lights I am a crackpot.
Accordingly, I know what I think about polygamy.
But if, like the New York Times, the Democratic Party, and NPR, one thinks that it’s perfectly acceptable for a woman to marry another woman, or for a man to marry another man, and that the resulting "family" is no different from a “traditional” marriage, then on what basis does one think that it is wrong for a man to marry more than one woman? Or a woman more than one man?
I’m just asking.
Presented for your delectation by the Gentleman Farmer at 4:52 PM
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