[Gastonleruanich]

Any of you folks been following the HBO, Big Love series?
We've got a Polygamist businessman with three wives in Salt Lake City, UT.. Trying to fit into normal society by keeping his Polygamy a secret. I believe Big Love is based on a book.
Anyway, it's been quite entertaining for the wife and myself.
I suppose the LDS church doesn't have fond feelings about the show.
....
Actor Bill Paxton is the husband of the three wives.
They live in this housing track/neighborhood, and for all purposes, their home looks like all the others on the street, but behind the house, hubby has two houses interconnected with the house facing the street. They have a common back yard.
Anyway, the wives sit down and make calendar time to have Paxton for the evening/day. It's like a three day rotation set-up. He's fathered kids with all of them. The first wife he married is called "First Wife" the second one is "Second Wife", and so on. There's even a visit to the old family doctor by Paxton for a major Viagra RX.
There's jealousy between the wives and other issues too.
Now businessman Paxton is the owner operator of 4 major home improvement stores in Salt Lake City, and hopes to continue expanding, but in the latest episode, there's been a little snag, as his Polygamy has been exposed or revealed to some Utah government officials through a crazy fluke happening. His first wife was entered in Bee Hive State Mother/Wife of the Year, and when hubby and his kids went to the doings, an anonymous call came in revealing that Bill's wife, sitting with the other finalist wives on the podium, is involved in Polygamy. The anonymous call caused a great embarrassment during the ceremony, and Paxton's wife was escorted off the podium in disgrace.
*
Seems that Polygamy has never worked out very well in ancient times either as Solomon and David had nothing but problems with wive's jealousy's, and the off-springs of the different concubines and wives all vying for Daddy's special attention. King David was nearly killed by one of his kids.
Even old Abraham ran into problems with Sarah his wife and Hagar his Concubine, both having given Abraham sons........Hagar's being Ishmael, and Sarah's being Isaac, later to be renamed Israel.
*
Anyway, I didn't realize how much Polygamy goes on in the State of Utah, by some off-shoot Mormon religious groups that the official LDS church has tried to ignore. As in accepting Black folks for priesthood acceptance now through one of their many "new" revelations from God, they have officially received an OK from God via their latter day prophets that Polygamy is now on the "outs".
Up until about 80 years ago, Polygamy was quite accepted and practiced by mainstream Mormons, but the U.S. Government via Teddy Roosevelt came down on the church with a heavy hammer blow. He demanded the removal of the American flag form the Mormon temple and other punitive actions, as the Mormon church had been very resistant to other mainstream acceptable, and ethical practices in the U.S. culture as a whole.
Anyway, founder Joseph Smith Jr. and Brigham Young both promoted Polygamy as God ordained via their Prophet status to the whole Mormon church body. To this day, there are some areas of Utah, where the "Principle" or Polygamous living is still happening, and the State of Utah refrains from prosecuting these folks. Most likely reason: Too many LDS folks in high government positions in Utah, and open prosecution would embarrass the official Mormon church, headquartered in Utah.
.....
Anyway, Big Love is quite an interesting series going on HBO. Maybe even an eye-opener. There is a way to catch up on past episodes if you go to the HBO home website.

[LSDDSL]

Bill Paxton fits the role perfectly, imo.

[auctionlover]

I watched it a couple of times but my wife loves the show and has seen every single one of them.

[lomonel]

Ahh yes, the polygamy show correct? Heard about it, not seen it.

[Smeaphvalialm]

As a show I find it very interesting and quite an enthralling yarn on fimaly and political dynamics.
My question eightbal is what is the purpose of this thread? Do you want to discuss the show or is this supposed to be a mormon bash? I ask only because the last 2 paragraphs of your post sound a bit like it was heading in a negatice critical direction. Please clarify what it is you would like to discuss, and if so, let's do so in the respectful and well supported way we all know and love here at css.

[Gastonleruanich]

Quote, originally posted by Santeno »As a show I find it very interesting and quite an enthralling yarn on fimaly and political dynamics.
My question eightbal is what is the purpose of this thread? Do you want to discuss the show or is this supposed to be a mormon bash? I ask only because the last 2 paragraphs of your post sound a bit like it was heading in a negatice critical direction. Please clarify what it is you would like to discuss, and if so, let's do so in the respectful and well supported way we all know and love here at css.
Nope! Don't want to bash anyone or any belief system.
Sorry for any inference in my post.

[olivelappers]

Haven't seen the show yet but sounds interesting.
IMO polygamy is just an institutionalised actual state of having more partners at once. Institutionalised "cheating", someone would say.
I have no problems with that. It works fine in some cultures.
But only under one condition: total transparency.
When all relations are open, all partners know each other, all agreed to relationship by their own - not by any kind of force.
I have a problem to understand why any State (or Church) is so zealous by dictating which kind of intimate relationships are OK, and which are not - and institutionalizing the "OK" ones, but prohibiting the "wrong" ones (e.g. same sex couples, polygamous communities, inter-relative marriage etc).
People are not so stupid to not be able to arrange their intimate lives by themselves - without a haelp of State (or Church). Not everyone is interested to live with a single not-blood-related partner of an opposite sex for his/her whole life.
More the State (or Church) interferes in people's intimate lives, more the people feel oppressed. I would know - being raised by a strict Catholic parents under the communist regime. Being double oppressed.
IMO only the freedom of choice is the real freedom.