Leave the polygamist alone already...

Whose with me.

me

While I think this practice largely has roots in women's subservience, if people are happy let them. I know I sure as hell can't share a husband

http://cbs5.com/national/...66760.html

Polygamist Group Creates Commune In Utah Caves


ROCKLAND RANCH, Utah. (CBS) ― Down a red dirt road, in the middle of Utah's Southeastern desert, a worn wooden sign welcomes lost hikers - because unless you knew how to find it, getting lost is likely the only way you would stumble across Rockland Ranch. From afar, you almost think you're hallucinating from the heat. But as you get closer, you can see it's no mirage - there is a community of modern day cave dwellers living on the side of this sandstone plateau.

There are close to 80 people living inside more than 15 different caves.
But to really understand how Rockland ranch and its inhabitants, you have to learn about Bob Foster-- the man who started it all.

"He was idealistic," said Melinda Foster Morrison, Bob Foster's daughter.

Foster was born in 1925 in Oregon. He converted to Mormonism at the age of 18 and was passionate about his religion. But at the age of 46 in 1971, he converted to fundamentalism, divorced his wife, left his family, and started practicing polygamy - for which he was excommunicated from the LDS church. Shortly after, his life in a cave began.

"He was a dreamer," Melinda said. "He had dreams and he knew how to fulfill them."

Bob started expanding his family - marrying 3 more women and had 28 more children including Melinda Foster Morrison, who says her father's decision to move his growing family to the desert was pure inspiration. After spending 20 days in jail for bigamy in 1974, Bob decided to leave mainstream society.

"He saw this rock and he just saw it knew that was where he wanted to build," Melinda said.

He had worked as a miner, and knew a thing or two about explosives. He had a vision, so he started blasting and built the first cave to house his family. Catrina Foster moved to the ranch after marrying Bob's son, Enoch.

"I thought he was nuts," Catrina said. "I told him I don't want to go out in the middle of nowhere in the desert."

She thought like most people do when they hear about cave-dwellers.

"My guess was as crazy as anybody else's-- you live in a cave?" Catrina said.

But if you're expecting the Flintstones, you'll be very disappointed. Catrina lives in a cave, blasted open with dynamite with her husband, her children, and her sister-wife, Lillian. They are polygamist. But only about half of the residents practice plural marriage. Life at Rockland Ranch is surprisingly ordinary and extraordinary all at the same time. Mornings start with chores; everyone helps. There is much to be done in a community that is almost entirely self-sufficient.

"We try to do the solar panels for the power," said Lillian Foster.

The rest of their electricity comes from generators. They have wells for water, a barn full of animals, and a community garden, from which everyone takes what they need and leaves the rest for the neighbors in the cave next door. The ranch's land is leased from the state and Catrina and Lily's husband is licensed to blast the rock with explosives.

"It shakes a little," Catrina said. "You can hear it echo clear through the canyons."

Everyone works together building new cave-homes which from the inside, you might forget are caves, except for the spots of red-rock on the ceiling and walls. Each room has windows so they can maximize sunlight and conserve energy.

"It keeps a great temperature all year round, it's unique," Lillian Foster said.

They do their shopping in nearby Moab or Monticello where many of the community members work, but they said once you move here, you don't ever want to leave.

"We get to live with people that we love, that we are really close to, and I just love the environment of this place," Melinda Foster Morrison said.

How much you want to bet the Mormons won't be challenging these marriages.

At least put it to a vote in Utah.

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

How much you want to bet the Mormons won't be challenging these marriages.

lilgish said:

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

How much you want to bet the Mormons won't be challenging these marriages.

I really don't understand the opposition to gay marriage.

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

While I think this practice largely has roots in women's subservience, if people are happy let them

PurpleKnight said:

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

While I think this practice largely has roots in women's subservience, if people are happy let them

That is precisely why I don't think we should just "let them." One man having a multitude of wives is one of the most explicit forms of male dominance.

Personally, I believe monogamy is an archaic conception, but the fact that this particular practice so obviously favours men is sickening.

a family is a family is a family.

and don't come at me with all this "oh, so marrying your brother and a coyote and a pack of cards is cool with you too, HUH HUH HUH?!?" - we're talking about consenting adults who know what the hell they're doing and who want to take the formation of a family seriously, just like EVERY married couple should do.
[Edited 11/17/08 18:19pm]

Anxiety said:

a family is a family is a family.

and don't come at me with all this "oh, so marrying your brother and a coyote and a pack of cards is cool with you too, HUH HUH HUH?!?" - we're talking about consenting adults who know what the hell they're doing and who want to take the formation of a family seriously, just like EVERY married couple should do.
[Edited 11/17/08 18:19pm]

I think Polygamists should be left to their secret society.

I personally would join them if I found the right husband... or husbands.
I do believe you can love more than one person at a time ...

Someone posted something a few weeks ago about a woman marrying a family of brothers.

All the brothers.

I. CANNOT. GET. THIS. OUT. OF . MY. HEAD.


I'd try it.... but only for like a month or so.

I really think they should offer public passes & retreats so people can try it out.

PurpleKnight said:

Anxiety said:

a family is a family is a family.

and don't come at me with all this "oh, so marrying your brother and a coyote and a pack of cards is cool with you too, HUH HUH HUH?!?" - we're talking about consenting adults who know what the hell they're doing and who want to take the formation of a family seriously, just like EVERY married couple should do.
[Edited 11/17/08 18:19pm]

I don't see anything wrong with being critical. A gay married couple is fine with me because it's merely the communion of two consenting adults wishing to express their devotion to each other.

On the opposite end, there really is a misogynistic undertone to these polygamous marriages that stops me from being able to accept them. I would be fine if the wives in these marriages were allowed multiple husbands as well, but as it is, it's gender biased.

I oppose polyandry for the same reason.

Sure, they're consenting adults, but women have been socialized into accepting patriarchal practices since they were born. So, the freedom to choose carries a lot of coercion.

SynthiaRose said:

this is all I have to say on this here

http://prince.org/msg/105/286823

fraternal polyandry!! - when a woman has more than one husband .. if men want to have more than one wife, then doggoneit... they need to legalize it for women to have more than one husband and that's that lol make EVERYTHING EVEN..


and of course I'm joking lol... I do not agree with polygamy

okay, look.

all i know is that i really like the show 'big love' and i don't want it cancelled, okay?

I guess they believe they will be rewarded in the afterlife for all the misery they suffer now
at least that was the impression I got from hearing the wives talk on a doco I saw recently, about a british non-practicing jewish guy, who had a revelation, moved to the US to become a rabbi with Jews for Jesus, took 7 wives, as he believes is right by god, and they all live in the same house, along with 9 or so kids.

Polygamy is sick and demeaning, but, leave polyamoury alone.
[Edited 11/18/08 22:43pm]

I'm for polyandry too, and what relationship dynamic has been more patriarchal and male dominated than monogamy?

lilgish said:

meow85 said:

PurpleKnight said:

meow85 said:

PurpleKnight said:

meow85 said:

PurpleKnight said:

meow85 said:

PurpleKnight said:

I think polyamoury is absolutely wonderful, but the difficulty of maintaining it without it transforming into a gender-biased form (such as I believe polygamy and polyandry to be) is always of concern.

Compersion is an ideal mindset to achieve, but it requires overcoming years of socialization into the belief that romantic love is synonymous with entitlement over one's sexuality.

All in all, I really do believe monogamy is an archaic conception.

Interesting food for thought.

Oddly enough, we were just talking about polyamoury today in Philosophy....

PurpleKnight said:

meow85 said:

Interesting food for thought.

Oddly enough, we were just talking about polyamoury today in Philosophy....

I'm a Philosophy major.

I view sexuality as a potential means to erase the illusion of separation between people. When sex is used to both celebrate and promulgate love between various people, I believe the phenomenon is one of collective transcendence.

The impediment to this is, of course, personal jealousy. Jealousy is nothing more than an expression of insecurity and has no place in a so-called sophisticated thinking being. It is the inevitable reaction of a perceived threat to ownership of a partner's sexuality.

I really, truly hope this irrationality can be overcome. I believe it can, but gradually.

meow85 said:

PurpleKnight said:

I'm a Philosophy major.

I view sexuality as a potential means to erase the illusion of separation between people. When sex is used to both celebrate and promulgate love between various people, I believe the phenomenon is one of collective transcendence.

The impediment to this is, of course, personal jealousy. Jealousy is nothing more than an expression of insecurity and has no place in a so-called sophisticated thinking being. It is the inevitable reaction of a perceived threat to ownership of a partner's sexuality.

I really, truly hope this irrationality can be overcome. I believe it can, but gradually.

I agree. I think we're capable of getting past things like jealousy, but it would take a lot of work and I'm not sure where we'd start.