New NG series: "Polygamy USA."

[Buzzard]

I thought the part where the two women and their husband went out for dinner, squeeing about what broad food they eat was odd. I know she was half joking, but "marry a mexican woman and an asian woman" so they can have more diverse food? :P

The whole thing creeped me out.

[Beammeup]

I missed it, but it reairs tomorrow and my DVR is set.

[DaffyDill]

I'm fascinated by polygamists / polygamy too, but who knows when, if ever this will air over here (Aus). Still, we just had the Hutterites thing, which I didn't watch all the time cos it seemed so stilted and scripted, so maybe we'll score the polygamists as well...

[mrs]

I watched the episode this evening. IMHO 'Polygamy, USA' is 100% more interesting than 'Sisterwives,' so far...

What bothered me about the episode was how the young men were encourage to take part in a mission in order to earn and prove they are ready for marriage. In comparison, the young women do not seem to be learning or proving that they are ready for marriage. We were shown the scene of the young women making pizza with her mother, but that really is not something someone needs to learn before marriage. I understand, polygamy means a city of polygamists will naturally have a large percentage of single men(or the alternative would be to move and leave the city). But on the show I feel like the mission is being shown as a facade to cover up or explain a way the reason those young men are not married.

[Mama Mia]

Hef has been pretty responsible for the children that he has produced, and has a very small number of them- four total, two born in the 1950's, two born in the 1990's. He's not out there collecting benefits for 17 kids. Instead, he's adding jobs to the community- his "girlfriends" are paid a generous salary to live in the mansion, plus all the staff and hangers on that he employs.

What I've never understood about this is that the government will go after the absent parent for the cost of any benefits received regardless - so what is the benefit to being a 'single' parent ? Do they claim not to know who the father is ?

[mrs]

What I've never understood about this is that the government will go after the absent parent for the cost of any benefits received regardless - so what is the benefit to being a 'single' parent ? Do they claim not to know who the father is ?

If I remember correctly, some do not list the father on the birth certificates. It is listed as unknown. Sisterwives Blog talks about this alot in the comments section. Apparently, it is known as "bleeding the beast."

Perhaps someone else can explain it better? ;)

[DifferentGurl]

I found the series to be both interesting and disturbing at the same time. I just wish it doesn't end up like the Hutterite show. So what if what they do creep me out a bit? I just want it to end up being a documentary-like TV show and not a drama-based TV show.

[bionicmlle]

I am COMPLETELY defrauded by young Hyrum...

[yetanothermeg]

I have received a revelation. It felt like a burning in my breast. I am meant to make Hyrum a man. Do you think I can contact him through Nat Geo?

[Buzzard]

I have received a revelation. It felt like a burning in my breast. I am meant to make Hyrum a man. Do you think I can contact him through Nat Geo?

Since GOD chooses spouses through women I think you should get right on it!

[DifferentGurl]

Since GOD chooses spouses through women I think you should get right on it!

Us FJ women should form a "mission trip" to help the men of Centennial Park. Who wants to join the mission trip?!

[Rescinded and Mended]

From what I've read, the practice of issuing birth certificates is no longer encouraged in some polygamous groups, mainly because the document does make it easier to target the fathers of these children in welfare situations, and it complicates legal proceedings when cult leaders want to make certain people 'disappear' for awhile. Brent Jeffs discusses this a bit in his book 'Lost Boys.'

When the FLDS Yearning for Zion ranch was raided in 2008, one of the biggest hassles CPS had to deal with was determining which children belonged to which parents. And boy, did they have a time of it. Cult leaders had babies constantly switched around to different women (and girls) and given identical or opposite names, all in an attempt to confuse the investigators early on. What little documentation there was regarding the paternity of these kids was destroyed or hidden in underground bunkers. The investigation was such a horribly tangled mess that to this day, some of the birth parents have never been officially matched to their children.

Carolyn Jessop did manage to get out of the FLDS with her own birth certificate and most of her other pertinent documents regarding her children, but the fact that she was actually permitted to have the paperwork to begin with might have more to do with the fact that she was married to high-ranking church bishop Merril Jessop. She's the exception rather than the rule.

[patsymae]

Mostly I don't care what other people do, but it creeped me out when Rosemarie said that God might call her to marry a man in his 70s (or maybe not). Ick. Any young woman being called by god to marry a 70 year old man instead of Hyram is getting some human intervention, I think.

[MamaJunebug]

Mostly I don't care what other people do, but it creeped me out when Rosemarie said that God might call her to marry a man in his 70s (or maybe not). Ick. Any young woman being called by god to marry a 70 year old man instead of Hyram is getting some human intervention, I think.

Totally agreed. I found it very curious how progressive they attempted to make it seem ('the girl decides!') but they sure left a loophole open every 5 words or so.

[Dev83]

All I could think of during the show was "I will show Hyrum how to do some manual labor" if you catch my drift.

[Handmaiden of Dog]

My guess is that this is all a big PR stunt in an attempt to make them seem normal and nonthreatening with the goal of decriminalizing polygamy, otherwise why would people living illegal lifestyles be so willing to talk openly on camera? They tried their best to smooth over the ugly side to Polygamy-- for example, all that nonsense about the women choosing. Are you telling me that if a homely girl announced to Hyrum that she was his bride he would have to take her? I seriously doubt it works that way. Also when Isiah had been married to his second wife for 4 years, he suddenly felt the need to take a third wife and lo and behold-- a young woman offered herself up to him== what a miracle.

I also thought the blend of fundy and modern was interesting. Some of the Sister Wives dressed and did their hair like FLDS and some looked like ordinary suburban moms. I wonder if there is ever any clashing of styles among families?

What I found most interesting was the "Missionary boys." When young Mormon men go on their mission, they usually travel away from their families and do actual missionary work or proselytizing. In Centennial City however they could not allow their young men to go out into the world and try and convert people to polygamy so their missionary work consists of doing scut work for the town. I wonder if they get paid?

[yetanothermeg]

Mostly I don't care what other people do, but it creeped me out when Rosemarie said that God might call her to marry a man in his 70s (or maybe not). Ick. Any young woman being called by god to marry a 70 year old man instead of Hyram is getting some human intervention, I think.

This is EXACTLY what I was thinking.

[Evilbad]

I watched the episode this evening. IMHO 'Polygamy, USA' is 100% more interesting than 'Sisterwives,' so far...

What bothered me about the episode was how the young men were encourage to take part in a mission in order to earn and prove they are ready for marriage. In comparison, the young women do not seem to be learning or proving that they are ready for marriage. We were shown the scene of the young women making pizza with her mother, but that really is not something someone needs to learn before marriage. I understand, polygamy means a city of polygamists will naturally have a large percentage of single men(or the alternative would be to move and leave the city). But on the show I feel like the mission is being shown as a facade to cover up or explain a way the reason those young men are not married.

If its anything like the Warren Jeff's sect, it's because the young women are married to his older friends to get them closer to heaven or whatever. If you read "Answer Them Nothing" it will disgust you, the way women are used and young men are thrown away. I no longer agree with or even support the Mormon version of polygamy, after reading how women are treated, how them young boys are tossed away, and how they are taught to view the entire outside world as damned. Not even mentioning how the wives are encouraged to treat each other, to fight for attention with their men. It's just awful. I don't care if they wear pants and act modern, the core of their beliefs oppress women and exalt old men for having a ton of wives and children.

[lizziesmom]

I have yet to see any type of organized religion that isn't centered around power -- whether it be leadership, control over the flock, $$$$, telling the women and younger generation how to live their lives -- all while promising the golden fleece in the afterlife. Sorry, but Jesus would be appalled.

[Closed Womb]

Mostly I don't care what other people do, but it creeped me out when Rosemarie said that God might call her to marry a man in his 70s (or maybe not). Ick. Any young woman being called by god to marry a 70 year old man instead of Hyram is getting some human intervention, I think.

However, there is always a chance that Rosemarie is gay, or asexual, or not interested in having many children. Perhaps she is wisely intervening on her own behalf by being, possibly, "led" to marry a much older man.

(still, ick factor is high)

ETA: I just looked up the Nat Geo website and it looks like they will be following that family with the new, young wife, the mean-ish old guy and his backslider son, Hyrum (PRAISE THE LORD and set the DVRs) and, creepily, "Michael Cawley and Rose-Marie". From the website:

Michael Cawley defines himself as a Mormon fundamentalist who lives the principle of plural marriage. He explains that he can love three women all at once, and that marriage, for him, is an investment towards building for future generations. Michael eldest daughter, Rose Marie, is preparing herself for her own plural marriage. In this community, women wait for a name through inspiration from God. In a home with 18 children, she has learned how to feed, manage and care for a large family, and is ready to start her own.

Looks like there might be a marriage in Centennial Park

[gilora]

They believe polygyny is god's plan, yes? How do they explain the roughly equal birth rate between boys and girls? Seriously, if there was a god and its plan was for each man to have multiple wives, why aren't girls born 3 times more frequently than boys? Has any believer in religious polygyny answered that question on camera?

[sacrilicious]

If its anything like the Warren Jeff's sect, it's because the young women are married to his older friends to get them closer to heaven or whatever. If you read "Answer Them Nothing" it will disgust you, the way women are used and young men are thrown away. I no longer agree with or even support the Mormon version of polygamy, after reading how women are treated, how them young boys are tossed away, and how they are taught to view the entire outside world as damned. Not even mentioning how the wives are encouraged to treat each other, to fight for attention with their men. It's just awful. I don't care if they wear pants and act modern, the core of their beliefs oppress women and exalt old men for having a ton of wives and children.

Yeah... in theory I have no problem with polygamy as long as it is between two consenting adults. But until this particular variety would allow or condone women having multiple husband, or several men and women married, I can't take it seriously.

[DarkAnts]

My problem with polygamy comes in the form of legal issues. For instance, what happens if the husband dies? Legally, the estate goes to the "legal" wife. She has no legal obligation to share with the other wives or their children.

[Arete]

I have several problems with polygamy.

-Who are we kidding, when we are talking about polygamy in the US, we are talking about one man and several wives, period.

-This system forces different women to compete for their husband's finite resources in order to gain some sense of security for there children.

-I don't believe one man can be an adequate father to a dozen or more children. It doesn't work with Jim Bob Duggar who is not a polygamist, and it is certainly not going to work for any John Q. Jessop with 30 kids by five different wives.

As to how many wives/husbands someone may have at the same time, I could not give a rat's ass. It's the built in problems for the wives and kids of men who build harems that concern me.

[lilith]

My problem with polygamy comes in the form of legal issues. For instance, what happens if the husband dies? Legally, the estate goes to the "legal" wife. She has no legal obligation to share with the other wives or their children.

Within communities like Centennial Park, while the first wide may have no legal obligation to share an inheritance with subsequent wives she would be under enormous social pressure to do so, even if she had been the sole wife for most of the marriage and even if she had been the breadwinner for the majority of that time.