Judge tosses convicted B.C. polygamists' constitutional challenge

[White_Unifier]

Judge tosses convicted B.C. polygamists' constitutional challenge - British Columbia - CBC News

I agree that Canada should refuse to recognize a polygamous marriage contracted on Canadian soil, but I think it should still recognize a polygamous marriage that is contracted abroad.

As for punishment, I think all the state needs to do is to just not recognize the validity of any polygamous marriage contracted in Canada. That avoids any prison costs to the taxpayer and such.

I recognize that that leaves a loophole allowing a person to contract a polygamous marriage abroad and then to return to Canada with the papers. In practical terms though, I think that however harmful polygamy may be to society, forcibly breaking such a marriage causes even more harm than it solves. I think we need to put it into perspective too.

Then there's this:

'His lawyer, Blaire Suffredine, argued that the unions were never legal marriages, but common-law relationships sanctioned by Blackmore's church, and carry no legal weight.'

If the issue has to do with child molestation, then why not deal with it on those laws?

 

[Hoid]

They openly flaunt the law.

 

[White_Unifier]

They openly flaunt the law.

That's debatable when we consider that the polygamous marriages were never registered as civil marriages, only religious ones. So one could argue that whatever their religious laws said, they were technically not married under Canadian law. Add to that that fornication is not a criminal offence either. So if he's not civilly married, then what law is he breaking? There was mention of the age of the wives, but that has to do with child molestation, not polygamy.

I'm not saying I agree with polygamy. As I mentioned in the OP, I very much oppose it. I'm just looking at it from a pragmatic standpoint though. In the case of freely consensual adults, if they legally contract a marriage in a different jurisdiction, however harmful polygamy may be to society, how does forcibly breaking that marriage fix the damage done? It would seem to me that that just causes even more damage. How does incarcerating a person for polygamy improve the situation?

That's why I think the best solution would be for Canada to simply disallow the contracting of a polygamous marriage in Canada and to refuse to recognize any such marriage illegally contracted in Canada (which would be punishment enough) and then just recognize any polygamous marriage legally contracted abroad.

I know it leaves a loophole, but it at least discourages it without wasting excessive taxpayer dollars on it.

 

[Hoid]

I heard his after statement that he was insignificant and better men than he had been prosecuted for their religious beliefs.

No one plays the victim like a Christian.

 

[taxslave]

That's debatable when we consider that the polygamous marriages were never registered as civil marriages, only religious ones. So one could argue that whatever their religious laws said, they were technically not married under Canadian law. Add to that that fornication is not a criminal offence either. So if he's not civilly married, then what law is he breaking? There was mention of the age of the wives, but that has to do with child molestation, not polygamy.

I'm not saying I agree with polygamy. As I mentioned in the OP, I very much oppose it. I'm just looking at it from a pragmatic standpoint though. In the case of freely consensual adults, if they legally contract a marriage in a different jurisdiction, however harmful polygamy may be to society, how does forcibly breaking that marriage fix the damage done? It would seem to me that that just causes even more damage. How does incarcerating a person for polygamy improve the situation?

That's why I think the best solution would be for Canada to simply disallow the contracting of a polygamous marriage in Canada and to refuse to recognize any such marriage illegally contracted in Canada (which would be punishment enough) and then just recognize any polygamous marriage legally contracted abroad.

I know it leaves a loophole, but it at least discourages it without wasting excessive taxpayer dollars on it.

As my wife pointed out if we had a poly marriage I would have someone to help with the chores.

I heard his after statement that he was insignificant and better men than he had been prosecuted for their religious beliefs.

No one plays the victim like a Christian.

Never met an Indian that wants a freebee have you?

 

[White_Unifier]

As my wife pointed out if we had a poly marriage I would have someone to help with the chores.

And two or more wives to treat totally equitably lest one feels jealousy against another. I'll take a pass on that, thank you very much.

 

[taxslave]

And two or more wives to treat totally equitably lest one feels jealousy against another. I'll take a pass on that, thank you very much.

Me too. I don't have a problem with multiple wives but I firmly believe they must be at least 5 miles by leaky rowboat apart.

I don't think she was referring to an extra wife either.

 

[gopher]

polygyny is a divine gift:


God said He GAVE Wives -- Exegesis - Biblical Polygamy . com