"Squee, atheism isn't a religion that you teach."

The indoctrinations of athiesm:
1. The individual sets the conditions by which God is required to prove his existence.
2. Other people's theophanies do not count as evidence.
3. All religions are alike. Any criticisms about one specific creed or religious individual should be applied to all traditions everywhere. Therefore, Jehovah's Witnesses are responsible for the Spanish Inquisition.
4. Anyone believing "superstitious nonsense" is a liar or a fool.

The act of creating life is a gift that the beneficiary enjoys as they see fit. We're getting hung up on the idea that we can't control the direction of life as it rolls forward in the flood of time. Since we can't then it's better not continuing life? What unspeakable presumption. And very authoritarian, I might add.

Each of you has parents who in some form or another made the decision for you to exist here on earth. They set no conditions on your existing. They knew you could become a monster or a god or maybe just an animal, but all the same their decisions gave you that choice.

As well to say that nobody should have children because one of them may be the next Hitler. They may also become the next Gandhi, the next Voltaire, the next Helmuth Hübener.

That's the point. You get to choose who you are. So will they.

-Incidentally, Helmuth Hübener's life story was an interesting one:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helmuth_H%C3%BCbener

Humans failing to measure up to the standards humans set for themselves is a reason they shouldn't spread?

Interesting.

"Geez, I hope not. Look how screwed up we are."

If "nonexistence" is better than being screwed up, you're making a strong argument for suicide.

A society that has stopped having children is pondering this question?

Its western bias made it easy. 8/10.

"Do they really support their wives through welfare benefits? Just curious."

I think it's the conventional wisdom, but perhaps my assumptions are not as valid as I thought.

http://www.rickross.com/reference/polygamy/polygamy1078.html

Anecdotally: I remember going to the grocery store in Hilldale ten years ago or so and seeing WIC instructions at the checkout, and the gal in front of me using food stamps or WIC something or other instead of cash.

The question is, do the multiple wives have any benefit from the government not recognizing their marriage? Even though they have husbands, they are accounted as single mothers, when they really don't fit the definition.

"I live with my boyfriend (of 10 years) and girlfriend (of 7 years). We would love to be able to get married, but our state does not recognize gay or polygamous marriage."

Wow, 0 for 2.

I am glad you can live the way it pleases you to live without government interference, even if the government doesn't recognize your relationship.

"This from the religion that spent MILLIONS to prevent same sex marriage in ANOTHER STATE. Appalling."

1. The LDS Church did not spend "MILLIONS" of its own money. It asked its members to donate.
2. There is no "ANOTHER STATE". 750,000 LDS members live in California.
3. FLDS and LDS are different organizations anyway, so the point is irrelevant.

I've been to Colorado City a few times and talked to one or two of "them" and believe it or not they are human beings.

They inhabit a curious wasteland. Their homes are misshapen plywood monstrosities kept in a constant state of "construction" (for tax purposes, I believe?), and their people look like extras on the set of Little House on the Prairie.

Their way of life has substantial problems. A culture that views the accumulation of wives as a status symbol has a hard time coming up with enough women to satisfy the powerful men. Note the peculiar side effect: though the men appear to be calling all the shots, women are WAY more important for perpetuating the polygamy. Thus many boys are ejected from home and community at the advent of manhood because too many frustrated and unmarried men would have a destabilizing effect

To me, forcing a mother to shun her own flesh and blood just because the community's demographics require it is hellish. I have plenty of polygamists in my family tree and (to my knowledge) none of them were forced to that extremity by the patriarchy. The very thought is appalling. My ancestors' brand of the practice was decidedly different than the curious creation exhibited by these folks.

Also, the only reason these guys are able to accumulate so many wives is through systematic welfare fraud. There's no way the guy in the picture could support 46 kids on his own.

I'll state it as plainly as I can: polygamy is a MILLSTONE for these folks, all of them. A heavy weight of tradition and dogma that has contorted their relationships and souls, shrunk their households even as they multiplied their conquests, and forced them to exploit tax and welfare opportunities.

(And if any sort of welfare reforms cut these people off, I'm guessing they would stop accumulating wives tomorrow.)

"People who demand better, receive better. Most people are too craven to speak up, either through low self-esteem, or for fear of appearing intolerant, unhip, uncool."

That's curious - anyone who doesn't complain is venal and pathetic?

Maybe they just don't get bothered as easily as you do.

Hide yourself from the world. Live in fear of being inconvenienced by your neighbors. View the next generation with hostility and suspicion. Live and die alone, and you will never have the peace of your days troubled by others.