The Prohibition Of Polygamy An Essential Part Of Mormonism

The practice of polygamy is said to be an essential part of Mormonism, promising resurrection after death or becoming closer to God, and although it has been argued to cause harm by many researchers, the prohibition of the practice could potentially go against the Charter’s promise of freedom of religion. Polygamy is prohibited under S. 293 of the Criminal Code, and the Government of British Columbia came to the Court in order to decide if the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms protects the right to practice polygamy for religious purposes. The objective of the prohibition of polygamy is to protect women, children, men and society from the harms associated with it. When examining human history, polygamy had been condoned by most societies although men were not always able to support multiple wives. Dr. Sheidel of Stanford University says that the beginning of what he calls socially imposed universal monogamy (SIUM) took place in ancient Greece and Rome. This meant that polygamy was normatively prohibited regardless of a man’s ability to support his wives. Socially imposed universal monogamy became dominant and over time both Roman and Christian societal norms began to converge, making it difficult to determine SIUM as a specifically religious norm. Other belief systems, such as Islam, accepted polygamy and was beginning to spread through the Middle East, North Africa, and Spain with the collapse of the Roman Empire. The acceptance of polygamy in other belief systemsShow MoreRelatedPolygamy : Human Rights And Civil Liberties3424 Words   |  14 Pages Polygamy: Human Rights v. Canadian Constitution Collins Njoroge 200105390 Crim 335 - Human Rights and Civil Liberties Instructor: Danijel Ristic 24TH March, 2015 â€Æ' Cesar Chavez, an American civil rights activist and labor organizer, once stated that the â€Å"[p]reservation of one s own culture does not require contempt or disrespect for other cultures† (University of Florida, n.d., para. 14). This oft-quoted aphorism is particularly relevant in Canada, a multicultural country where certain