Mike Leavitt, the governor of Utah (where else?), is not only in favor of the practice, he argues that polygamy should be allowed as part of religious freedom. According to an article in the Denton Record-Chronicle, there are tens of thousands believed to be practicing polygamy in Utah, the governor does not consider the practice a serious threat of any kind, and prosecutors do not prosecute polygamists there even though it is clearly against the law (July 28, p. 2A).
The average person might think that this is Utah’s problem, but such is not the case. The Denton Record-Chronicle was quick to publish an editorial in favor of the governor’s position. One marvels that this endorsement appeared only one day after the news story was published. Observe the rationale expressed in the editorial, “More Than One Wife?”:
Laws against polygamy were adopted because a majority of its citizens believed Christian morality demanded faithful, monogamous marriages. . . .. . .our neighbors are increasingly Muslim, Buddhist, atheist, Sisters of the Goddess, Vegans, agnostic and a host of other non-Christian faiths and non-faiths and we have to find a basis for our civil laws that will accommodate this growing diversity (10A).
This “multi-cultural” argument fails on two grounds. First, it is an oversimplification (at best) to say that Christian morality inspired laws against polygamy. It would probably be more nearly accurate to say that the laws were inspired by the evils of polygamy.
Second, why is it assumed that a nation founded upon Christian principles must be so generous as to throw out all of the moral values that made her great in the first place? Whether we deserved it or not is certainly debatable, but God has blessed America; shall we render our thanks by destroying even further the little morality that remains?
Perhaps the editor should reflect upon how open-minded Muslim countries are toward Christianity or any other religion. They have not exactly opened wide their arms. We have a far better policy: those in the minority here are free to worship as they wish. Most do not complain about the heavy influence of Christianity on this society, nor should they. Americans who travel in other countries do not expect them to give up their dominant views just because we are there.
Fourteen years ago I recommended a book that dealt with the subject of polygamy. This article will be reprinted on the next page with just a few edits. At the time I wrote it, it never occurred to me that in a few years a newspaper editor would write:
If an adult man wants to be married–at the same time–to three adult women who want to be married to him, what is our basis for denying them the right to live their private lives as they wish (10A)?