I Scour the Internet: 1/31/12 Edition

This is for all those people out there that want to know when the next season of Sister Wives will start.

The next season should begin in the Spring 2012.

That's right, Spring 2012 !

Assuming of course that the show isn't cancelled in the meantime.

I'm putting this in a prominent place because nothing on the Sister Wives website ( the fundamental fitness one, the Brown family website STILL has a 'Coming Soon' notice up), Twitter or Facebook fan pages says when the season starts. Why are they keeping their fans in the dark?

You know, with all the hype about social media and how important it is, am I the only one who finds it amusing that the Browns are still muddling around not really using Twitter and Facebook to round up some more folks to partake of that expensive MLM food supplements they are trying to sell?

Take a look at the Dargers. They have their ONE public Twitter account, which they basically use to direct their fans to their up and running website. They not only hawk their book, but provide weekly commentaries on their lives as polygamists, with plenty of cheesy, outrageously HUGE photos of the wives -usually hugging a kid or two, or a sister wife or husband or all four of the adults group hugging each other in matching outfits.

And then you have the Browns.

The Brown YouTube channel's plug was pulled months ago. The Fundamental Fitness website very simply points you to either the wives (and now Kody's) Twitter accounts, or the 'Like' fanpage on Facebook. Oh yeah, and to their trainer/business partner's Facebook page. It contains no other content.

I still don't understand the need to have 2 different 'official' fanpages run by the same group of family friends on Facebook. It's almost like how I would imagine Fundamentalist Mormon heaven to be setup. In lower heaven (the Like fanpage) you have all the riffraff who don't quite 'qualify' for the upper heaven - the 'friend' fanpage.

I recently went to the Like page. There were twelve (12) comments between 1/21/12 and and 12 noon 1/30/12.

• 2 comments wanted to know when the next season starts - so far unanswered
• 8 comments say how much they LOVE the show and family
• 1 comment asked a question about marriage vows - it also goes unanswered
• 1 comment called Kody a douchebag

There were no admin comments - which is a good thing if you've ever read a comment from the admins. In fact, on the Like page, I had to go back to 1/16/12 to even find a comment from an admin. I did not find any comments from the Browns on the Like fanpage. The mole must of eaten them all.


Then there's the Friend fanpage. This is the one where you actually have to be 'vetted' as a Friend before you can see the content. Now this information is from Antoinette the mole La Taupe, still working undercover:

On 1/28/12 Robyn commented that her four "kiddos" have been sick with the flu, and she can't wait til everyone is better. And on 1/26/12, Janelle wrote that Maddie has her learner's permit. These are the exact same comments made on their Twitter accounts.

The number of Friends are steadily dropping each week. As of 1/30/12, it's at 1426. There seems to be some lady with named Carol who has taken over as the official greeter now. That's fine, the Admins are too busy approving that backlog of 1000 friend requests and hunting for that mole! They need the help!

Commenters with questions are more likely to be answered by an admin on the Friend page than the Like page, and Janelle answered a question on 1/26/12. It's funny to see how many questions still go unanswered, but the admins ALWAYS have the time to write a response to a comment made by a Sister Wife. Must be in their admin volunteer contract (You WILL respond immediately and positively to a Sister Wife's comment, no matter how banal.)

Thanks Antoinette! Now you better get back undercover before those malicious (but very busy) admins accidently step on you!

OK, what's our Mother of the Year 2011 Robyn been up to?

Yeah, Antoinette told us. So, what's been happening with Global Operation Detox this month?

C'mon, Robyn! You know you were named a TOP RECRUITER - VOLUME and TOP RECRUITER - SIGNUPS, so while you were retweeting I hope you didn't get hurt patting yourself on the back!

And while Robyn works on recruiting, Meri and Janelle went shopping!

Ummm....Thanks for that FYI, Janelle...

Hey, I know what you mean Meri. But we all aspire at one time or another to be Minnie Pearl, know what I mean?

So what's been up with Kody?

Uh... Meri? Can you tell us what Kody is trying to say? Help us out, please!

Thanks a lot, Meri! Explains a lot!

And how's the family business coming along?

 Amazing all right. Fantastic demonstration on how to 1) have a giggly blond set up your sample bottles and 2) have the same giggly blonde demo cross contamination by stirring each sample with the same damn spoon! Real scientific! NOT!



What kind of outfit is this? Didn't I read somewhere this was a multi-billion dollar company but they cram THIRTY (30) bodies into somebody's home? Actually, they could have gotten a lot more people crammed in if they didn't have such humongous chairs. No folding card table chairs for these folks. I guess no one is rich enough to have a mansion yet. Or maybe the rich know better than to get involved with this organization?

Well, that's all for now. When does Spring start?. And remember...

I scour the internet, so you don't have to ! 



From Slate.com: Is Polygamy Really So Awful?

A new study shows that despite what you see on reality TV, plural marriage isn’t very good for society.

By Libby Copeland    |Posted Monday, Jan. 30, 2012, at 5:18 PM ET 

These are boom times for memoirs about growing up in, marrying into or escaping from polygamous families. Sister wives appear as minor celebrities in the pages of People, piggybacking on their popular reality TV show. And oh yes, we have a presidential candidate whose great-grandfather was an actual bona fide polygamist.

Americans are fixated these days on polygamy, and it’s fair to say we don’t know how to feel about it. Polygamy evokes both fascination and revulsion—the former when Chloe Sevigny is involved, and the latter when it is practiced by patently evil men like and Osama Bin Laden and Warren Jeffs, the fundamentalist Mormon leader who had a thing for underage wives. At the same time, the practice of plural marriage is so outside mainstream American culture, so far in the past for many Westerners, that it has come to be regarded as almost quaint. What’s so wrong with it, if it works for some people? In counterculture circles, the practice of polyamory, or open partnerships, is supposed to be having some sort of moment. All of which explains why, in response to the argument by conservatives like Rick Santorum and Antonin Scalia that gay marriage could be a slippery slope leading to polygamy, some feminists, lefties, and libertarians have wondered aloud whether plural marriage is really so bad.

History suggests that it is. A new study out of the University of British Columbia documents how societies have systematically evolved away from polygamy because of the social problems it causes. The Canadian researchers are really talking about polygyny, which is the term for one man with multiple wives, and which is by far the most common expression of polygamy. Women are usually thought of as the primary victims of polygynous marriages, but as cultural anthropologist Joe Henrich documents, the institution also causes problems for the young, low-status males denied wives by older, wealthy men who have hoarded all the women. And those young men create problems for everybody.

“Monogamous marriage reduces crime,” Henrich and colleagues write, pulling together studies showing that polygynous societies create large numbers of unmarried men, whose presence is correlated with increased rates of rape, theft, murder, and substance abuse. According to Henrich, the problem with unmarried men appears to come primarily from their lack of investment in family life and in children. Young men without futures tend to engage in riskier behaviors because they have less to lose. And, too, they may engage in certain crimes to get wives—stealing to amass enough wealth to attract women, or kidnapping other men’s wives.

As marriage historian Stephanie Coontz has pointed out, polygyny is less about sex than it is about power. Rich old guys with lots of wives win twice: They have more women to bear them babies and do household work, and they also gain an advantage over other men. After all, in such societies a young man in want of a wife cannot simply woo her. There is too much competition, and he probably has too little to offer. So he winds up having to do work for a more powerful, polygynous man, bringing him gifts and tributes, in hopes of someday being rewarded with one of that man’s many daughters. “Often the subordination of women is in fact also a way of controlling men,” says Coontz, who was not involved in the study out of the University of B.C.

That polygyny is bad for women is not necessarily intuitive. As economist Robert H. Frank has pointed out women in polygynist marriages should have more power because they’re in greater demand, and men should wind up changing more diapers. But historically, polygamy has proved to be yet another setup that screws the XX set. Because there are never enough of them to go around, they wind up being married off younger. Brothers and fathers, realizing how valuable their female relations are, tend to control them more. And, as one would expect, polygynous households foster jealousy and conflict among co-wives. Ethnographic surveys of 69 polygamous cultures “reveals no case where co-wife relations could be described as harmonious,” Henrich writes, with what must be a good dose of understatement.

Children, too, appear to suffer in polygamous cultures. Henrich examines a study comparing 19th-century Mormon households, 45 of them headed by wealthy men, generally with multiple wives, and 45 headed by poorer men, generally with one wife each. What’s surprising is that the children of the poorer men actually fared better, proving more likely to survive to age 15. Granted, this is a small study, but it’s consistent with other studies, including one from Africa showing that the children of monogamous households tend to do better than those from polygynous households in the same communities. Why? Some scholars suspect that polygyny may discourage paternal investment. Men with lots of children and wives are spread too thin, and to make things worse, they’re compiling resources to attract their next wives instead of using it on their existing families.

Must polygamy always bring these social ills? Is it possible to be polygamous in a way that’s good for you and everyone else? Maybe. Historically, problems have cropped up when polygamy is widespread in a culture with great disparities in wealth, and a few men hoard all the women. But it has worked in small cultures where there aren’t a lot of differences in wealth and status. Coontz points to past Native American societies that occasionally engaged in what’s known as sororal polygyny, in which a man married to one woman might also marry her sister, perhaps after the sister’s husband died.

It’s possible that even in a large, deeply stratified society like ours, rare instances of polygamy wouldn’t foster gender inequity and roving bands of unhappy single men, provided those instances were spread out among a largely monogamous population. But it’s hard to imagine that, because it isn’t how it has played out here. Instead, American polygamy occurs in close-knit fundamentalist Mormon communities, in which young women often do appear to be subordinated and from which young men—the so-called “lost boys”—are exiled to reduce the competition for wives. Has fundamentalist Mormon culture shaped the expression of polygamy, or has widespread polygamy shaped fundamentalist Mormon culture? It’s hard to separate the two.

And this is exactly Henrich’s point: Polygamy may actually exacerbate inequities in wealth and gender that hurt societies, even if the institution itself appears neutral. Crime and chaos are threatening. Christianity may have brought monogamy to Europe and many other places, but those cultures succeeded because monogamy happened to suit them. In other words, as far as social evolution is concerned, the best form of marriage for a given society isn’t really about what’s moral, but what works.

http://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/doublex/2012/01/the_problem_with_polygamy.single.html

Something Different: Reporter screams on Super Bowl zip line

All I got to say is at least Meri and Christine didn't yell like this dude when they rode that Fremont Street Experience zip line.

Can you imagine Kody on the Super Bowl zip line?

The Vancouver Sun: Will the taxwomen bring down the polygamist?

Winston Blackmore in a Vancouver Federal Court facing female judge and prosecutor


By Daphne Bramham, Vancouver Sun January 27, 2012

Winston Blackmore may have finally met his match: the taxwomen.

It's money - not polygamy, not a constitutional challenge to religious freedom and not criminal charges - that's landed Canada's best known polygamist in federal tax court testifying under oath and facing a pair of formidable, demanding and, at times, impatient women, Judge Diane Campbell and Justice Department lawyer Lynn Burch.

And it's so much money that it's possible the government could bankrupt Blackmore and financially ruin two of his brothers (Kevin and Guy) as well as the companies that the three of them operate.

The government claims he underestimated his income by $1.5 million over five years ending in 2006. Before his appeal, Blackmore and his company had been assessed back taxes, penalties and interest payments amounting to $4.3 million. If he loses the appeal, it's not clear how much more might be added in penalties, interest and court costs.

Blackmore claims his group of about 500 fundamentalist Mormons in Bountiful fit the definition of "religious congregation" under the Income Tax Act.

The government says, at best, it's a breakaway sect of a breakaway sect (the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). At worst, it's one big, polygamous family looking for a tax break.

Although he's a preacher, Blackmore was often scarcely audible, especially when the buskers started up outside The Bay across the street from the court.

"Speak up," Campbell frequently urged him. She couldn't hear him. Journalists couldn't hear him. But Blackmore probably wants that.

At times as Blackmore quoted from scriptures or tried to explain his beliefs, the judge - a lawyer from Prince Edward Island with a master of laws degree from Harvard - might have wondered why me?

But, as one journalist mused, this may be her only tax case that will keep people amused over dinner.

For three straight days, Burch poked away at Blackmore's credibility and reliability, producing page after page of documents whether it was in a sworn affidavit from another court or a transcript of an inter-view on CNN with Larry King proving where he had contradicted himself.

As each day went by, his black suit became more rumpled. So did his answers and his demeanour.

Burch interrupted him if he tried to go off on a tangent. She badgered him when he tried to skate away from the simple question: Do you consider yourself a prophet?

Burch asked and re-asked that one. Finally, with raised voice, Campbell ordered: "Answer the question, please. It's a simple yes or no."

"No," he finally said. Did he want to take over the FLDS from jailed prophet Warren Jeffs? Did he want to start his own church? No.

"You don't have a church," Burch asserted.

"I have the priesthood work. I have a church congregation, so I have a church."

"But the only followers are your family and you don't want any others?" "I have plenty."

It was a flash of the defiant outlaw previously only seen on TV interviews and in documentaries rather than the small-town businessman/minister who showed up in court.

What about tithes? He collects cash and keeps no record.

" ... because it's nobody else's business?" Burch asked.

"Everyone [in the community] knows what the money is used for," Blackmore replied.

"That's not my question. You believe it's nobody else's business."

"That is my belief," he said. "It is nobody's business."

Once, Blackmore was ordered to raise $25,000 to prepare for "the worst" in response to the FLDS prophet's prophesy that the world was going to end - one of "maybe more than 15" such prophesies that Blackmore recalled. To get the money, Blackmore said he obtained an unsecured loan from the bank. Except for the all the tax money at stake, Blackmore was probably wishing for those days when he was still back at home in Bountiful with his 21 wives.

He'd been asked to name them and he'd struggled. It wasn't possible to recall the years those 21 marriages took place, Blackmore told Campbell with a rueful smirk. The judge didn't return his smile.

Oh sorry, Blackmore said the next day. There were really 22 wives. He'd forgotten one.

As for children, 47 were born between 2000 and 2006. Were there others? Probably, he said.

Burch suggested 20 more. Blackmore allowed that that was "probably fair." Burch spared both the judge and Blackmore the excruciating spectacle of him trying to name them.

Blackmore's testimony provided myriad details about his lifestyle - both large and small.

Unaffiliated fundamentalist Mormon men from Alberta, Utah and Missouri meet up with Blackmore's group at least once a year to talk about their beliefs and scope out marriage partners for their children.

Blackmore's family dining room is in a separate, 3,000-square-foot building that seats 175 to 200. The kitchen is equipped with industrial-sized fridges, stoves and ovens where, each day, the wives bake 15 to 20 loaves of bread.

Four of his wives are nurses and none was an accountant or a lawyer, which he might be wishing for now.

Blackmore's wives (with their children) live in groups of two or three in houses in and around Bountiful including a house across the border in Por-thill, Idaho.

He once had at least 15 credit cards in his name; only two that he used, the others were given to family members.

He owned a four-seater plane and bought a box for Kootenay Ice hockey games before the new stadium in Cranbrook was even built.

But the most bizarre detail? While he had 22 wives and 67 children, Winston Blackmore's home was a two-bedroom apartment that he shared with his mother.

The tax trial is scheduled to continue for another two weeks.


Source: http://www.vancouversun.com/life/Will+taxwomen+bring+down+polygamist/6060271/story.html#ixzz1kleM30XI

Polygamy and Mormon Fundamentalist Statistics

Non-Mormons sometimes ask Mormons whether they are polygamists.  Mormons will usually sigh and reply, for the thousandth time, that the Latter Day Saints haven't practiced polygamy for over a century and that anyone who practices it today is excommunicated.  However, so-called Fundamentalist Mormons and others the world over do practice plural marriage.

Global Polygamy Statistics:

• It is estimated that more than 3 billion people around the world today believe in polygamy (about 43% of the world’s population) and more than 2 billion actively practice polygamy (29% of the world population).
• Polygamy is still legal in more than 150 countries in Africa, the Middle East, and most countries in the 3rd world.
• Nigeria is home to over 40 million polygamists.
• It is estimated that over 100,000 people in the U.S., mostly fundamentalist Mormons and Muslims, and another 100,000 people in Western Europe  practice polygamy secretly (and not-so-secretly).
• About 78% of human societies are polygynous, in which some men marry more than one wife.  Only 22% of societies are strictly monogamous. Almost no modern societies are polyandrous, in which one woman marries more than one husband, although such societies have existed in the past in the Canary Islands, the Himalayas, the Canadian Arctic, and possibly other places.
• Saudi Arabia has the second-highest divorce-rate in the world, and according to Abdullah Al-Fawzan, a professor and sociologist at King Saud University in Riyadh, polygamy is responsible for up to 55% of divorces.

Mormon Fundamentalists:

• At times, sources have claimed there are as many as 60,000 Mormon fundamentalists in the U.S., with fewer than half of them living in polygamous families.  However, other sources suggest that there may be as few as 20,000 Mormon fundamentalists, with only 8,000 to 15,000 practicing polygamy.
• The Apostolic United Brethren (AUB), the sect to which the Brown family belongs (see their recent court papers for proof), is estimated to have about 5000 to 9000 members throughout Utah, Montana, Arizona, Wyoming, Missouri, and Mexico.  The church has a temple in Mexico, an Endowment House in Utah, and operates several schools.  The AUB is one of the more liberal of the Fundamentalist Mormon groups practicing plural marriage.  AUB leaders do not arrange marriages nor do they authorize plural marriages for people under 18 or for those who are closely related.
• The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS) is estimated to consist of 6000 to 8000 members.  A large concentration of members lives in the twin cities of Colorado City, Arizona and Hildale, Utah.  The church has a temple near Eldorado, Texas.   FLDS members tend to be very conservative in dress and lifestyle.
• The Kingston Clan, officially known as the Latter Day Church of Christ, includes approximately 1200 members.  The Kingston Clan allows marriage to girls just attaining puberty and between close relatives.
• About 1,500 people are members of a group located in Centennial Park, Arizona, called The Work of Jesus Christ, also known commonly known as the Centennial Park Group. In the early 1980s there was a conflict of leadership in the FLDS Church. Some of the members were very unhappy with changes being made by FLDS leaders and, when the FLDS Church instituted a "one-man rule" doctrine, those who wanted to maintain leadership by a priesthood council founded Centennial Park in 1986.
• There is a large movement of independent Mormon fundamentalists. Independents do not belong to an organized fundamentalist group and do not generally recognize any man as their prophet or leader. Because Independents are not one cohesive group, they are very diverse in their beliefs, interpretations of Mormonism, and practices.  Many Independents come from an LDS background, while others come from other Christian or Mormon fundamentalist backgrounds.  Statistically, it is difficult to estimate the number of Independents, but a recent estimate indicates that there may be more Independent Mormon Fundamentalists than there are in any one of the formally organized polygamous groups.  There may be as many as 15,000, about half of whom practice polygamy. According to this informal survey, about half of Mormon fundamentalists, both those in groups and those outside of groups, currently practice polygamy. There is a large concentration of Independents in Utah, Arizona, and Missouri.  
• The average American FLDS polygynist man has three or four wives. Wives average eight children.  Men average 28 children.
• During the 1800s when the LDS church practiced polygamy, the number of Mormon individuals living in polygamous households was approximately 20 to 30%.  The “2%” figure often cited has been disproven by several academic studies and researchers
• According to US Census Bureau data, in 1997 in Colorado City every school-aged child lived below the poverty line.  At the same time, in Hildale, 50% of the town’s residents were on public assistance.
• In Bountiful, British Columbia, a community of about 1000 people,  from 1986 to 2009 (a 13 year period), 833 babies were born to 215 mothers (almost 4 babies per mom).  85 mothers (1/3 of total moms) were 18 or younger. That's 7 times the provincial rate of teen moms.   Two of the teens had 3 children each by the time they were 18; 16 had 2 children each. That means 10% of the babies were born to teenagers, a rate more than double the local average and nearly 4 times the provincial average of 2.7 per cent.
• In Bountiful 45% per cent of Bountiful's mothers are foreign-born, compared with 29% per cent in the rest of Canada and only 11% per cent in nearby Creston and Cranbrook.
• At Bountiful Elementary-Secondary, there have been a total of 59 students in Grade 10 classes since the 2003-04 school year, but only 11 in Grade 12. There’s a similar trend at nearby Mormon Hills.  Since the 2003-04 school year, a total of 44 students have been enrolled in a Grade 10 class, while only 8 have attended Grade 12.
• Since 2003, only 25 students from both schools have attained either a graduation certificate or the adult equivalent by upgrading their classes elsewhere.

Several Enduring Myths about Mormon Polygamy in the 19th Century:

• "Mormons practiced polygamy because women on the frontier far outnumbered men, and plural marriage gave every woman a chance to have a husband." Actually, men sometimes outnumbered women, especially in the early years of Mormon settlement. Some towns had 3 times as many unmarried men as women.  All census numbers in Utah from about 1850 up to 1960 show more males than females in the state.
• "Polygamy took care of older women and spinsters so they had a chance to get married." In truth, most plural wives were younger than the first wife. This idea was especially true in the 1850s.  In Utah (1850s to 1890s), the average age of a 2nd wife was 17 (husband average age early 30s) and the average age of a third wife was 19 (husband average age mid to late 30s). The average age in the USA for a first marriage in the late 19th century was about 22.
• "Polygamous men lived in harems and had about 20 wives each." Although a few prominent Church leaders like Brigham Young did have wives numbering into the double digits, this situation was far from the norm. Most polygamous husbands took only 1 or 2 additional wives. If the family could afford it, each wife had her own home or apartment.
• "Polygamy was all about sex." Some plural marriages contracted in Utah were for eternity only. In eternity-only marriages, conjugal relations weren't permitted, and the wife usually supported herself. In marriages for both time and eternity, the couple enjoyed conjugal relations and the husband was required to support his wives and any children they had.
• "Only the poorest of the poor practiced polygamy." Statistics show that most of the men who practiced polygamy in Utah were among the wealthier members of Mormon society. Supporting multiple households required cash, so church leaders were more likely to approve the marriages of men who could support additional wives.  However, plural wives often came from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, and plural marriage to a well-established man helped them move up the social ladder.

Unfortunately, I was not able to find any reliable statistics on the Lost Boys or on polygamous marriage reassignment / divorce.

Sources:

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/understanding-polygamy-in-mormon-history.html
http://www.polygamystop.org/history.html
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Relationships/Monogamy_and_Polygamy
http://wikiislam.net/wiki/Polygamy_in_Islam
http://www.rickross.com/reference/polygamy/polygamy69.html
http://religiouschildabuse.blogspot.com/2011/02/affidavit-in-canadian-polygamy-case.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mormon_fundamentalism
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070714202842AA5PRQs



Written by Terrasola

The Darger Sister Wives Editorialize

Mitt Romney and His Polygamous Persecution History Shapes Who He Is Today

Posted on January 20, 2012 by Alina Darger
Source: http://lovetimesthree.com/mitt-romney-and-his-polygamous-persecution-history-shapes-who-he-is-today/

There was a very insightful column today in the New York Times by David Brooks describing the history of the Romney family. I thought it was well done in that it gives a historical perspective of how his faith, and the exodus of Mormons and specifically his family, helped shaped the man he is today. I recommend the article here.


We see that within our families. The generational impacts of persecution can shape people for years to come. Vicki and Valerie’s mother for example was in the 1953 raid in Short Creek, Arizona. The fear and trauma she suffered, we see today among some of her kids and even passed to grandchildren.  There becomes a real fear and mistrust, but also a sincere drive to succeed and prove others wrong.

Hopefully the candidacy of Mitt Romney will be a time for better understanding of the injustices of the past with religious persecutions. Also to show examples of how that faith endured and even thrived not just in spite of those hardships, but possibly because of them. Perhaps too, Mormons can embrace their past without shame and realize they have nothing to hang their heads about. Although there have been some shameful moments in the history of our faith, to be Mormon, or to be Polygamous (past or present), is not inherently shameful.

Today I had an interview by a BBC radio host. He acknowledged, “Who am I to judge” my faith, and then couldn’t help but acknowledge his questions were full of judgement. For him he could not reconcile how I could sexually share myself and allow other women into a relationship, and why that had anything to do with religion. I could only answer that it is my choice and I ask only to be respected in that choice as a capable, adult woman. He is free to differ in belief with me and hold his own values true. Just as it is hard to me to understand what I consider the loose social mores in much of modern society.

In summary, the dialog is good and continues to be healthy. There are usually two types of hate against minority groups in my experience. Those borne from ignorance, and those that are full of bitterness through some experience of their own. They have had a negative interaction with a member of a minority group and blame the entire class; spreading their anger and hurt emotions in a vain attempt to get rid of them. It is my hope to continue to help educate those who simply don’t know and for the people who have felt pain through their associations, continue to show love and patience for healing.

__________________________________________________


Plural Wife Speaks Out On The Injustice Of Polygamy Laws


Posted on December 20, 2011 by Vicki Darger
Source: http://lovetimesthree.com/plural-wife-speaks-out-on-the-injustice-of-polygamy-laws/


“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere!” Martin Luther King, Jr.  I think some of the best quotes have come out of challenging times.  When I read the ‘injustice’ quote a few days ago it struck a chord with me.  We often get asked about the felonious nature of our relationship and are we worried about what action ‘the state’ might take, etc.  As a result, we speak about how we would like to see the law changed.  However, Dr. Kings words brought new life to our message.  It’s not just about what’s good for me, or for my family, but for all freedom loving Americans. If an injustice can happen to me, unchecked, minimalized, excused, disregarded, and because of ignorance or intolerance on the part of the general public, then it can happen to any one of my friends or neighbors or fellow Americans.

Now, I have said in the past, and I will say again, I don’t want to take away anyone’s personal story.  However, I don’t want anyone to take away mine.  That happens when people make such claims as, ‘All polygamy equals abuse,’ or ‘Children of polygamists don’t have choice’ or ‘All the men are in it for the sex.’  In our case these claims simply are not true.  And if just one family proves these statements to be false then we should have protection from the very laws that criminalize us.

There is a certain irony in the logic that I should be criminal…that someone wants to take away my choice, when the crux of that logic is that they want it criminalized because ‘these women do not have choice!‘  Therein lies the injustice.  I should have choice.

I choose this way of life because it is my deeply held faith, because it is the people I have chosen to love and include in my family, and because I have found fulfillment in this family that I want to be free to enjoy.
My new quote, “Felonious polygamy is erroneous!” It’s kinda catchy, but I don’t expect it to be at the top of anyone’s list of ‘favorite quotes’.

Dr. King was right, I don’t expect everyone to agree with my choice of family, nor do I agree with the choices of many of my fellow Americans, but I do believe that we all should stand up for justice, even among the most unpopular amongst us.

_______________________________________________________



Warning...This is my opinion. If I offend anyone, I apologize, but I just feel very strongly about this.

 I have a question: Do these two women have the slightest clue what they are talking about and why?

Funny that Vicki mentions Dr Martin Luther King Jr. She IS aware this man (and others like him) paid the ultimate price for their beliefs, isn't she?. Refresh my memory, when has a 20th (or 21st ) century Independent Fundamentalist Mormon made the ultimate sacrifice because of his beliefs? JAIL TIME DOESN'T COUNT! Oh yeah, poor Kody Brown. Instead of fighting the laws in Utah, he runs like a thief (intended) in the night to LAS VEGAS! And then has the unmitigated gall to claim "law enforcement" was after him when it was apparent law enforcement did not give a damn.

When I read Vicki's words "If an injustice can happen to me, unchecked, minimalized, excused, disregarded, and because of ignorance or intolerance on the part of the general public, then it can happen to any one of my friends or neighbors or fellow Americans", I have to shake my head. Vicki, what you are saying is if an injustice can happen to YOU, a WHITE woman, then something is wrong. It sounds to me you think polygamists are entitled in some way.  Hey Vicki, I don't remember seeing you or your fellow polygamists marching alongside Dr King, or Mahatma Gandhi, or even Harvey Milk for justice for all people. I didn't see you or your polygamists cronies cry about the deaths of the three little black girls murdered when their church was blown to smithereens by white extremists in 1963. How about Viola Liuzzo, and Emmett Till? Do you even know who Andrew Goodman, James Chaney, and Michael Schwerner were and the ultimate price they paid because of their beliefs? Answer this, would ANY of the people whose lives were lost so others (including YOU) could be free, be welcomed in your homes? In your Church? As your neighbor? A friend? A son or daughter in law?

And adding the cherry on the top, is Alina saying she has an issue with the "...loose social mores..." of modern society when her husband regularly has sex not only with her, but with  her twin and a cousin?

Alina, and the rest of your Sister Wives and your husband and the Browns while I'm at it, need to get OFF that 'I'm entitled to be a polygamist because I choose' horse and understand that fighting against discrimination, against prejudice, against laws that you don't like  means you have to take an stand. As many have found out, justice in this world doesn't come free. You not only have to fight, you must be willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for what you believe. So get off the coattails of Gay Rights and only quote Dr. King if you are willing to shake his hand and welcome him AS AN EQUAL, into your community and religion if he were still alive.

If you can't then just crawl back into that hole from whence you came.

Cynical Jinx

Latter Day Saints (Mormon) Statistics

People are curious about the LDS (Mormon) religion .  It seems that everywhere you look, or hear, people are discussing TV shows and court cases that involve offshoots of Mormonism, and about the effects of the LDS faith in the political arena.  According to the website LDS Statistics  in February 2010 the term “LDS” was the second most searched religious denomination term on the internet, after “Catholic”.

Population

• In 2007, there were over 13 million Mormons worldwide, nearly the same as the number of Jews. Some experts dispute whether this figure represents active LDS members.

• 
  

      United States . . . . . . . . . . . .       6     Million.

      Europe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  .      0.5  Million

      Latin America . . . . . . . . . . . .  .    3     Million

      Asia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  .    1     Million

      Africa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      0.25 Million

      South Pacific & Africa . . . . .       0.5 Million

      As of 2004, Tonga is 46% LDS, Samoa is 36% LDS and American Samoa is 24% LDS.  A visual representation of global membership statistics is available here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Church_of_Jesus_Christ_of_Latter-day_Saints_membership_statistics

• In the U.S. the LDS Church is the 4th largest religious denomination with over 5.5 million members, a population about equal to the number of Muslims.
• Wikipedia also has a breakdown of 2010 Canadian membership statistics per province at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Church_of_Jesus_Christ_of_Latter-day_Saints_membership_statistics_(Canada)

Other Church Info

• As of Nov 2011 There are 136 operating temples, 13 under construction, and 17 announced (not yet under construction)
• The church distributes over 5 million copies of the Book of Mormon per year.
• There are approximately 800 converts to the Mormon church per day, 300,000 per year.   This number is decreasing, but experts disagree on the amount and rate of decline.
• As of December 31, 2010, there were 52,225 LDS missionaries serving in 340 church missions throughout the world.  Most are young males in their late teens to early twenties.  Each usually spends 2 years in the field.
• There are 16 missionary training centers globally.
•  LDS Bishops spend an average of 10 to 20 hours a week in their calling

LDS Member “Life” Statistics

• Atheist.com states that Mormons represent one of the largest religious groups within both the CIA and FBI.  I could not find this corroborated anywhere.
• 97% of LDS’s over age 30 have married, which is higher than the marriage rate in the same category for Catholics, Protestants, or those with no religious affiliation. According to NORC (National Opinion Research Centre) data, a higher percentage of LDS’s have been married than any other religious group. 89% of LDS’s have been married, compared to 87% of Protestants, 81% of Catholics, and 83% of Jews.
• 45% of LDS women and 23% of LDS men have married by age 19. By age 21, 74% of LDS women and 49% of LDS men have married. This is considerably higher than for any other religious group.
• 66% of married LDS’s say they’re "very happy" in their marriages, compared with 65% of Protestants and Catholics, and 57% of the non-religious. LDS women tend to report more marital happiness than other women, particularly Protestants and Catholics.  However, LDS men report lower levels of marital satisfaction than all other men except the non-religious.
• 18% of LDS’s report they’ve been separated or divorced, compared with 11% of Catholics and 10% of Jews. In a 1985 survey of LDS’s, Mormons reported that 17% had been divorced.   LDS’s are more likely to remarry after divorce than persons from other religious groups.
• More than 50% of Mormons have 3 or more children, compared with 36% of Catholics and 37% of Protestants. About 20% of Mormons have 5 or more children, compared with only 10% of Protestants and Catholics. Only about 2% of Jews have 5 or more children.
• Among all religious groups except LDS, the ideal number of children is 2. 43% of Catholics said that 2 is the ideal number of children, compared with only 23% of LDS. More than 50% of Mormons said that the ideal number of children is 4 or more, compared with 26% of Catholics and 22% of Protestants.
• 58% of Mormons said that premarital sex is always wrong, compared with 34% of Protestants and 25% of Catholics. About 75% of Protestants and over 66% of Catholics said that extramarital sex and homosexuality are always wrong, compared to 90% of Mormons.
• 18% of LDS women and 22% of LDS men in the NORC survey graduated from college. These figures are significantly higher than among Protestants and Catholics, but lower than among Jews and the non-religious. 14% of LDS men and 8% of LDS women have a graduate education. Jews and those with no religion have higher percentages, while Catholics and Protestants have lower percentages.
• Among both men and women, Mormons have more professionals and managers than Catholics or Protestants but fewer than Jews or "others." They have fewer operative workers than any other religious group except Jews. LDS women are overrepresented among service occupations, with 25% in service occupations, compared with only 19% of Catholic women, the religion with the next highest percentage.·      LDS women are more likely to graduate from college than Catholic or Protestant women, but less likely than Jewish or non-religious women. For graduate education the pattern was similar; a higher percentage of LDS than Catholic or Protestant women have a graduate education.
• LDS women are more likely to be employed in professional occupations than Catholic or Protestant women. 23% of LDS women are employed in professional occupations, which is similar to Jewish women and women with no religious affiliation.
• LDS doctrine prohibits the use of alcohol, tobacco, and other addictive drugs.  Among adults and adolescents, usage rates are considerably lower among Mormons than among other religious groups. Only 28% of adult LDS’s say they drink alcohol, compared with 65% of Protestants, 85% of Catholics, and 86% of Jews.  14% say they smoke tobacco, compared with 36% of Protestants, 38% of Catholics, and 28% of Jews.
• The National Institute on Drug Abuse survey of substance use among high school seniors reveals substantial differences between Mormons and other religious groups. About 33% of LDS high school seniors said they had used alcohol within the previous 30 days, compared to 62% of Protestants and 75% of Catholics.
• The percentage of LDS seniors who smoke is half as large as among the other religious groups: 14% among LDS, 28% among Protestants and 32% among Catholics. According to CDC statistics, Utah has been the state with the lowest smoking rate for many years.
• Differences for illegal drugs aren’t as large, but are still lower for LDS students. 14% of LDS seniors had used marijuana during the month before the study, compared to 22% of Protestants and 25% of Catholics.  5% of LDS students had used cocaine during the past month, similar to Protestants and compared to 7% of Catholics, and 8% of Jews.
• LDS have longer life expectancies than non-LDS due to lower than average rates of cancer, heart disease, and infant deaths.  85% of LDS report that their health is good or excellent, which is higher than any other religious group. Only 3% of LDS rate their health as poor.

Finances

• LDS bishops and leaders receive no compensation for the time and effort they put into their calling.  The Roman Catholic church has a similar set-up for priests in religious orders, who take a vow of poverty and only receive a small allowance.  Parish priests receive a salary, health and retirement benefits.
• Missionaries and their families are expected to pay their own expenses while on their mission. As of 1990, all young missionaries pay a flat monthly rate to cover living and mission related expenses, which is distributed according to area costs of living. The flat-rate monthly mission cost as of April 2010 is $400 U.S.  Missionaries are provided with limited medical care and are required to pay for non-essential medical treatment  or to treat preexisting conditions. LDS youth and their families are encouraged to save money throughout childhood to pay for as much of their mission as possible.  Married couple missionaries are expected to pay their own costs, but in 2011 the church began paying for missionary couples' housing expenses exceeding $1400 U.S. per month.
• It is estimated that about 10% of LDS church funds come from income on its investments.  These investments are in for-profit businesses managed through Deseret Management Corp.   and are subject to federal, state, and local income and other taxes.  The investments include: 
• AgReserve Inc. - large U.S. producer of nuts
• Hawaii Reserves Inc.  - includes Polynesian Cultural Centre and BYU-Hawaii
• Farmland Reserve Inc.- over 590,000 acres of farms and farmland in FL, NE, and OK
• Bonneville International Corp. – large U.S. radio chaino   Deseret News Publishing, which publishes: the Deseret Morning News (2nd largest morning newspaper in Utah), Mormon Times, LDS Church News, and El Observador
• Beneficial Financial Group – insurance and financial services company (assets exceed $3.1 B U.S.)
• Temple Square Hospitality – operates properties in downtown Salt Lake City, including Lion House and Joseph Smith Memorial Bldg
• Deseret Book
• Deseret Mutual
• Zions Securities – real estate company that manages apartments and commercial property, largely in downtown Salt Lake City
• Time magazine estimated in 1996 that the church's assets exceeded $30 billion.  This figure excludes current liabilities for maintenance, although the LDS Church incurs virtually no long-term liabilities. After the Time article was published, the LDS Church responded that the financial figures in the article were "grossly exaggerated." Three years later, annual revenues were estimated to be $5 B, with total assets at $25 - $30 B.
• 68% to 72% of Utah residents say they belong to the LDS Church.  Utah’s per-capita income is 45th in the US.  Since 2002, Utah has had the highest per-capita bankruptcy rate in the U.S.  Experts speculate that while religious affiliation may play a part (e.g. tithing requirements and LDS encouraging large families), the relatively young average age of Utah residents (27, compared to 35 nationally), low salaries, weak job markets, high cost of living, high percent of entrepreneurs, and other economic factors may play a part in the bankruptcy statistic.
• About 20% of LDS families have an income less than $10,000 per year, while 15% earn more than $50,000 per year. The only religious group dramatically different from LDS in income distribution is the Jewish: Almost 50% of Jewish families earn $50,000 or more, while less than 10% have incomes below $10,000. Although the differences are small, LDS have a few more middle-income families than other religious groups. 39% of LDS families have incomes between $25,000 and $50,000, which is higher than for any other religious group surveyed.
• It is thought that because of the high proportion of Mormons and the LDS Church's own comprehensive welfare system, Utah spends much less of its budget on public welfare than other states. "On average, other states spend 22.4% of their budgets on public welfare; Utah spends 14%."
• According to U.S. Bureau of Census data released April 2000, Utah "spends a larger percentage of state dollars on education" than any other state.

Sources:

http://carm.org/mormon-church-statistics
http://religionus.blogspot.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finances_of_The_Church_of_Jesus_Christ_of_Latter-day_Saints
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deseret_Management_Corporation
http://en.fairmormon.org/Utah/Statistical_claims/Bankruptcy_rate_in_Utah
http://www.allaboutmormons.com/number_of_mormons.php
http://www.atheistconnect.org/2011/09/22/are-there-really-more-mormons-than-jews-in-the-world/
http://www.lightplanet.com/mormons/daily/social_eom.htm
http://www.adherents.com/largecom/lds_dem.html



Written by Terrasola

FLDS Raising Money for Jeffs

Posted: Jan 20, 2012 6:07 PM MST
Updated: Jan 20, 2012 6:10 PM MST

By Nathan Baca, Investigative Reporter
By Alex Brauer, Photojournalist

LAS VEGAS --  Polygamist leader Warren Jeffs is making what former members of his church call a "last ditch" effort to raise money as he serves time in prison.

An advertisement appeared in Friday's Review-Journal which gives southern Nevadans the opportunity to buy church proclamations ranging in price from $3 to $10.

Leaders of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, known as FLDS, did not return 8 News NOW calls.

Church membership is estimated to be between 10,000 and 15,000 members. The I-Team talked to a member of the Child Protection Project who was a child bride in the FLDS church before leaving.
"I believe he's gearing his people up. Several of the revelations where he does a call to his people that God will soon call his army forth to avenge him and things like that. I think this is his last ditch effort before he does that final call asking for God's army to stand up and go after everybody he feels persecuted him," Flora Jessop said.

The FLDS church states they are sending the writings, purchased through the ads, to leaders all around the world.

Jessop says there is fear among those who still have family within FLDS that the church may resort to violence against themselves or others as a last stand.

Jeffs was convicted of sexually assaulting two underage girls in Texas and is serving time in prison there.

The ad has also appeared in the New York Times and the Salt Lake Tribune.

Source: http://www.8newsnow.com/story/16568173/i-team-flds-raising-money-for-jeffs?
________________________________________
Why are Fundamentalist Mormons so fascinated with Southern Nevada, in particular, Las Vegas? Warren Jeffs was arrested outside of Las Vegas. And Kody Brown calls Las Vegas his 'Plymouth Rock'. Is there  a secret polygamy cell working out of Las Vegas? What is the allure?
Cynical Jinx

Is LDS polygamy history relevant to 2012 campaign?

By Joseph Walker

Deseret News

Published: Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2012 1:58 p.m. MST

 

A Washington Post editorial writer believes the history of conflict between The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the United States of America over the issue of polygamy is relevant more than 100 years later because of the presidential possibilities of Mitt Romney.

"If he wins the presidency, Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor and Mormon bishop, would not be the first president to confess a historically disfavored faith," writes Charles Lane on the Post's PostPartisan blog site. "But Romney would be the first who belongs to a church that the U.S. government actually tried to crush."

Lane reviews the history of conflict on the issue, noting that "only a minority (of Mormons) actually practiced" plural marriage before it was officially discontinued by the LDS Church in 1890 (it should be noted that last week's Pew Research Center survey, "Mormons in America," showed that only 2 percent of those who currently identify themselves as Mormons see polygamy as "morally acceptable").

"This long-ago struggle, in which Mormons and non-Mormons shed blood, is complicated even in hindsight," Lane writes. "Anti-Mormonism was not a pure case of intolerance; polygamy did threaten women's equality. Yet the Supreme Court's assertion of a 'Christian' basis to constitutional law and federal punishment of all Mormons for the actions of a minority are hard to justify by modern standards."

Lane notes that "contrary to foes' predictions that the LDS would wither without polygamy, Mormonism flourished in the 20th century … Yet many Americans still do not know quite what to make of them."

He cites recent public opinion polls, documentaries and political statements suggesting confusion within the ranks of the general public about how to perceive Mormonism and whether or not they can in good conscience support a Mormon politician.

"Americans are products but not prisoners of our history," Lane concludes. "Like Mormonism, U.S. democracy was invented in the New World, and it's still being reinvented. Hence the prospect of a presidential contest between an incumbent whose race would have made him an outcast 125 years ago — and a challenger whose creed would have done the same."

In South Carolina, where Romney currently has a significant lead over his Republican presidential rivals heading into the state's important primary on Saturday, the polygamy discussion hasn't come to the surface. In fact, religious and political leaders are saying that Mormonism won't be a factor in the voting like it was in 2008, according to the Washington Post's Michelle Boorstein.

"Unlike last time, when Romney made a historic speech about his faith, this time he's halting all talk of religion, and church officials are halting all talk of him," Boorstein wrote.

For the Mormon perspective she spoke to Terryl Givens, a Latter-day Saint who is a professor of religion at the University of Richmond.

"In the South especially, there's this resistance to highlighting our 'otherness,'" Givens said. "There is this ambiguity for Mormons when they picture a Mormon president. Do we really want to be mainstreamed? People have said to me, 'Do we really want the entire image of Mormonism to depend on the performance of one guy?'"

According to Boorstein, "Romney's campaign is making a calculation in 2012."

"This time," she writes, "his advisers say that he isn't even meeting with faith groups directly and they have no outreach staff specifically for faith groups. A campaign flyer making its rounds last week in South Carolina focused on Romney's 'deep and abiding faith' but never named it."

Boorstein also quoted Marie Cornwall, an LDS sociologist at BYU, said that while Romney's reluctance to talk about his religion may be based on campaign strategy, it is also cultural.

"Mormons are very averse to conflict," Cornwall said. "You have those kinds of conversations around the table, but only with like-minded people. It's a politeness thing."

Source http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700216622/Is-LDS-polygamy-history-relevant-to-2012-campaign.html

Another Asian View of Polygamy: Venus & Mars: How About Polygamy?

Venus & Mars: How About Polygamy?

Katrin Figge & Tasa Nugraza Barley | January 17, 2012



Polygamy. The word alone sounds like a disease to me.

I don’t care what reasons are used to justify legal marriage to more than one partner, be they religious, financial or the fact that some men think they’re kings of the world and need a harem to complement their wealth and power. I simply can’t wrap my head around the concept.

And, just to clarify: It’s not only the image of a man with more than one wife that troubles me. I am equally disturbed by women who think they need more than one husband — but, let’s face it, that doesn’t happen as much.

I guess that if everyone involved in a polygamous scenario is happy with the part they are playing, then by all means, they should live their lives. But more often than not happiness is not the case, and sadly, women in some countries simply agree to polygamy because they don’t have any choice.

Personally, I could never be a second or third wife and share my husband with others. To me, that would simply feel like he was cheating on me, even though the other women might be legally bound to him as well and living under the same roof.

I can imagine that when a man announces to his wife that he has decided to marry a second woman, many of these women lose some of their of dignity and pride, and feel unworthy and insufficient. Furthermore, it seems that jealousy and rivalry may take root among these women.

And what about the children? What kind of effect will polygamy have on little kids?

I remember a movie where a young girl was utterly confused because she grew up in a household with her mother, her biological father and what she called her two “voluntary daddies,” who were only roommates, but still, the other kids in her preschool were quick to make fun of her living arrangements.

If anything, I wouldn’t want to expose my children to ridicule and laughter simply because of something their mother did.

Call me a romantic old fool, but I still believe there is that one person out there for me. One person to grow old and spend the rest of my days with. If I ever recite wedding vows, then I will surely mean them.

But even if I can’t find that person, I’d rather be on my own than play second fiddle in an already crowded house. But I am grateful that I have a choice in this matter and don’t need to get married to survive.

Katrin Figge is deputy features editor at the Jakarta Globe.



As a proud young Muslim, I have long believed that polygamy could only be practiced in very extraordinary conditions. And based on some research I did a few years ago, I came to the conclusion that the practice could only be justified during the time that our prophet lived, an era when it was fine for a man to have 10 or 20 wives.

But I admit that I’m no expert on religious issues, so let’s leave all the technical issues behind. I’d like to use logic instead.

As a son in a happy family, I know that my life would be miserable if my father suddenly decided that having two wives was a good idea.

With all due respect to men with two or more wives, I think I’m on the ladies’ side this time.

As someone who grew up being told that cheating on your wife is a sin, I simply can’t understand why some men think it’s normal to have two or more wives. I mean, can’t you just focus on your one wife? Why is it so hard to be happy with just one wife? Well, perhaps men can just be selfish sometimes.

I’m no saint, but I think polygamy is a barbaric tradition. I believe every man is destined to get married to one woman in his life. That woman is called your soulmate, who supposedly owns half your heart. I think you’re a monster if you have the heart to hurt a woman who’s so important to you.

We’ve all seen it. Every woman who lives in a polygamous relationship says she doesn’t mind that her husband is sharing his love “equally” with other women. That’s a lie. There’s no woman in this world who would genuinely accept a polygamous family. Her lips may say “yes,” but deep down inside, her heart is crushed to pieces.

I’m certain there’s no way for polygamous men to treat all his wives equally — it’s simply impossible. Most polygamous men, being men, will favor the younger women over the older ones.

And don’t forget about the children. Just like women, children around the world would no doubt hate to see their parents practice polygamy. I mean, imagine if you have two mothers in the same house. Imagine if your father had to share his love and wealth with two women. That could be messy.

If men have the desire to help others, then I think they’re dumb to think that polygamy is the answer. What they need to do is find an orphanage and start buying the orphans clothes and books.

Tasa Nugraza Barley is a features reporter at the Jakarta Globe.

Source: http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/lifeandtimes/venus-mars-how-about-polygamy/491899

An Asian View of Polygamy: Mister Polygamy

As published on The Asian Age (http://www.asianage.com/) website

Mister Polygamy
By editor
Created 18 Jan 2012 - 00:00


Is it the lure of sex that makes men cheat? Bill Clinton cheated on Hillary, Silda Wall Spitzer stood by her husband New York Governor Eliot Spitzer despite him cheating on her, Tiger Woods made headlines for serial philandering, while Hugh Grant split with Elizabeth Hurley when he couldn’t hold himself back on his encounter with a prostitute and right after Sean Penn’s split with Robin Wright, he made news for his public affair with actress Natalie Portman. Recently caught in the red was Ashton Kutcher when he cheated on Demi Moore. The scene is no different in India with our line up of casanovas like Kamal Hassan, Aditya Pancholi, Salman Khan, Shekhar Kapur besides many others.

Men will be men and nobody can refute that. According to sociologist Eric Anderson, who recently launched his book The Monogamy Gap: Men, Love and The Reality of Cheating, men will always cheat, even if they love their partners and don't want to leave them. So what is it that that makes them unstoppable? Does this hold true for men in India or do such statements reinforce unfair generalisations? We dig in.

Actor of repute who has acted in Indian television, film and theatre, Meeta Vashisht opines, “Cheating on a partner is always a result of sexual low self-esteem, (however minor it may be), the inability to communicate with a partner and a lack of respect for one’s committed relationship, essentially a lack of respect for self. It needs courage, humility, insight and wisdom to face the gaps in a relationship.”

But Delhi-based Brijesh Dahiya, whose ex-girlfriend thought he cheated on her, concedes, “I completely agree. The phenomena of cheating is instinctively based on the primal male nature of being polygamous which is again mammalian like a lot other species. The idea of monogamy is an applied social norm which we’re expected to fall into. Now love is a pure emotion that stirs feelings of belonging but is not an antidote for attraction beyond singular partners. For a man to not address his attractions are only out of respect for his social scenario and value for belonging-ness that love offers.”

Giving in to the view that men were probably born to be polygamous in nature is fashion guru, Prasad Bidapa who has launched many new models and actors. “Men are known to be genetic markers spreading their seed far and wide. Their body craves sex with other people somatically. Sigmund Freud also spoke on how men, unlike Indian farmers, produced seeds in abundance, many of which would go redundant if not put to good use.” Agrees the rich and famous hotelier Vikram Chatwal, “I do the bhangra when I see gorgeous women.”

Departing with a nay is brand guru, Harish Bijoor who chances upon meeting many pretty faces on his various international travels. “If men cheat, they are cheating with women and that means equal number of women are also cheating. But there might be more men who like to take the not-so-straight road.”

Source URL: http://www.asianage.com/life-and-style/mister-polygamy-346

________________________________



Kody doing the backward bhangra with the midwife



Interesting leap from cheating to polygamy, but the author makes a point with the idea that some men need to spread their abundant seed so it doesn't go to waste. And  'bhangra' is Punjabi dance music!

On the subject of spreading his seed, can you imagine Kody doing the bhangra? Oh, wait a minute - we've already seen that!

Cynical Jinx



Kody doing the bhangra with his sisterwives and Ellen





UPDATE ! I Scour the Internet: The Black-Out Day Edition 1/18/12

That's right. My second favorite website, Wikipedia, is in black out mode formally protesting SOPA.

Mon Dieu, what am I going to do for 24 hours?

Well, as luck may have it (darn it!) the twits tweeting on Twitter have not been affected by this protest. Thank goodness! Can you imagine if the Brown Family loss access to their fans for 24 hours?

Scary thought, isn't it? So let's get to it, and see what the Browns are spewing out to their adoring fans.


Hey Robyn! What's Happening girlfriend?

As already noted by many commenters on SWB, how charming Robyn and Kody consider Dayton (aka David) as "our boy". I think I understand now. "Bonus children" is used to describe offspring from other sisterwives. "Our children" is used  to described a sisterwife's children with Kody. And when Kody describes his many offspring, he merely sticks in the mother's name: Christine's kids; Janelle's kids; Meri's daughter. Hmmm.....interesting....

Oh yeah, nice how you let the public in on the traditional Brown family birthday "date". Funny how the other three sisterwives were able to leave that traditional privy only to family members. But leave it to old runny mouth to spill the beans! And why is it called a date - makes it seem so, I don't know, officious maybe? So who's the Kody assistant in charge of scheduling all those birthday dates?

Kind of sad in a way for the kids - no spontaneity in that family!

And on the subject of spontaneity....

It's the Annual Tweet to Dad How Much We Love Vegas and Each Other! (suitable for retweeting)

How sweet! I hope they get at least a car or something from old dad, don't you agree? And proud daddykins retweeted to all his followers!

Has anyone noticed how they don't mention their mother(s) or their father name? My family they say. hmmm....So with children, they address the entire family as "My family".

Hey the "Other" Wives are talking too!

Hey, you tell 'em, sister! Wait a minute. Christine, does this mean Kody Brown and his Sisterwives featuring Mother of the Year 2011 Robyn Sullivan weren't invited? Am I sensing some sour grapes, perhaps?

No wonder. Who but a group of teenage boys would turn a safe nerf dart into a semi lethal weapon? To quote Ralphie's mother (from A Christmas Story) "YOU'LL SHOOT YOUR EYE OUT!"

Note to self: Make sure all nerf toys and tacks are locked away when Hunter comes to visit.

College recruiting on twitter!?!  I wonder if the Air Force Academy and Naval Academy and West Point will be recruiting the Browns'  teens on twitter too?

P.S. I'd hate to have that job!

And last but not least...



A lot has been discussed on SWB about the above tweets from the Kodster.

Unfortunately, it appears the Kodster is just indulging in some quoting fun with his fellow LIV! Global Operation Detox warriors. Which kind of explains why his quotes are either from movies or Googled. Kody just doesn't look like the literary type.

But that doesn't mean we can't join in the fun, too, does it? What are some of your favorite quotes?

Cynical Jinx wants to go first. Her quote comes from Mommie Dearest (Joan Crawford, not Robyn Sullivan that is):    Don't f--- with me fellas! This ain't my first time at the rodeo!

Now that's scary. Mine is ahem...classier shall we say.
From Terminator:  I'll be back...

So tell us, what are your thoughts and what is your quote you'd like to share?


UPDATE 1/19/12: Who remembered to say Happy Birthday to the Kodster? Why Robyn, of course!

Does anyone else feel this is a bit too much? Sweet man? Awesome husband? Phenomenal father? Is over the top praising of Kody to fans part of Robyn's honeymoon experience? And why haven't the other wives given Kody a public shoutout yet? Hmmmm.....

Remember, I scour the internet - so you don't have to!

I Scour The Internet: The Friday the Thirteenth Edition

That's right, it's Friday the Thirteenth.  I don't know about you, but as soon as I'm finished here, I'm hiding in my closet!

So let's quickly see what's happening in the Brown Tweet world.

The Browns discover the power of advertising...


Well, let's say a few local businesses should be feeling the love from Kody and Krew's fanbase...they hope...

Call me silly, but I bet Kody wrote this particular tweet. How much furniture can this broad need?

Robyn:    ( with sad face) Oh Kody, I never had a Modern Romantic Bedroom suite from Jonathan Adler in my first marriage...

Kody:     All my wives have a Modern Romantic Bedroom suite from Jonathan Adler!

Christine: Uh, no they DON'T!

Janelle:    Kody, at the rate you're spending money, we are going to OWE money to TLC next season!

Meri:       Robyn is the sister wife I always wanted!

Christine and Janelle: ( in unison) WE KNOW!

Notice how Kody carefully calls Lindo Michoacan his favorite and not Janelle. But you got to admit, nothing beats a good guacamole! So next time I'm in Vegas ...

Let's see if I got this right: 1) Mention name of business 2) Say how much you love it and/or ask reader to check it out 3) Describe the quality of the merchandise/atmosphere/prices.

Unfortunately, they left out 4) SOUND CONVINCING

And then there's Meri who sounds like she just can't be bothered:

I guess Meri didn't like her hostess gifts for hosting that marathon Pampered Chef online party after all.  She didn't even try to shill that LIV stuff, either.

Major Sales Failure ! You can't make money with an attitude like that! How do her sister wives stand her?

The Browns On The Road Again ( and Again)

Where's a pigeon when you need one?

Looks like Meri's not afraid to go to Utah. Why do I get the feeling she is the driving force behind Kody's LIV success? To be fair, LIV's announcement said it was the Kody Brown Family and not just Kody Brown that had reached Senior Director level. Whatever that means...

By the way, I looked it up. First, why do MLM websites make everything so COMPLICATED TO UNDERSTAND? But here it is in black and white:

Step Five: Qualify for the Liv Free Car

• Build your Total Organizational Volume to $20,000 and qualify as a Senior Director
• Qualify for Liv Free Car Bonus ($300 in cash your first month of qualification, $700 after your lease or purchase your Liv branded car)

So I'm hoping that it's Meri  driving the brand spanking new "company" car Kody picked up in Texas. And folks, if you need a good laugh, check out the dude lecturing and using a CRAYON to write. I know he was trying to make a point, but I just laughed myself silly watching him be so serious with a damn crayon!

http://www.livinternational.net/Opportunity/Rewards/LivFreeCarProgram.aspx

I guess you can say this is a benefit of plural marriage: You don't have to plan to include your husband on a road trip to Disneyland!

And Finally...

Well, to be honest, on my planet, no means no and get lost means get lost. And any fool who thinks different can explain it to the Jury at the trial.

But that's just me. I guess Meri and her offspring live on a different planet than mine. By the way, my planet is called Earth...

Well, that's all for now! Now you go put on those foil covered hats or whatever it is to protect yourself on this Friday the Thirteenth!

Back on the Planet Earth... Update 1/14/12

Guess who's celebrating their birthdays on Monday!! Guess who's throwing the partay!!!

I can't believe I didn't get an invitation! So do ya'll think she will make the cakes or buy them?  And wouldn't it be funny if Meri's gift from Christine is one of those hair flowers from hairflowerdesign.com ? What gift would you send to Meri and Dayton for their b'day?

Just remember, I scour the Internet, so you don't have to!