Polygamy and the British Government

In light of the statement made by Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, in which he favors applying Sharia law to some civil cases in British society, one must read a statement published in the Jewish World Review about the "Tax Credits (Polygamous Marriages) Regulations 2003":

"Culminating several years of evolution, the British government now recognizes polygamous marriages. It changed the rules in the "Tax Credits (Polygamous Marriages) Regulations 2003": previously, only one wife could inherit assets tax-free from a deceased husband; this legislation permits multiple wives to
inherit tax-free, so long as the marriage had been contracted where polygamy is legal, as in Nigeria, Pakistan, or India. In a related matter, the Department for Work and Pensions began issuing extra payments to harems for such benefits as jobseeker allowances, housing subventions, and council tax relief. Last week came news that, after a year-long review, four government departments (Work and Pensions, Treasury, Revenue and Customs, Home Office) concluded that formal recognition of polygamy is "the
best possible" option for Her Majesty's Government.

British society many not approve polygamy, but the government’s formal recognition of polygamy may indicate that approval for one group may lead to approval for all. There are several groups here in the USA who are advocating the legitimation of polygamy. I just hope they don’t look to the British government for inspiration.


Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

Tags: Marriage, Polygamy

The Re-virginization of Brides

According to the laws of Deuteronomy, if a man takes a wife and after the wedding he slanders her by saying that she was not a virgin at the time they got married, “then the girl's father and mother shall bring proof that she was a virgin to the town elders at the gate. The girl's father will say to the elders, “I gave my daughter in marriage to this man, but he dislikes her. Now he has slandered her and said, 'I did not find your daughter to be a virgin.' But here is the proof of my daughter's virginity. Then her parents shall display the cloth before the elders of the town” (Deuteronomy 22:12-17).

In many places, the evidence of a woman’s virginity is still required by the family of the groom. An example of this practice is found in a story reported in The Daily Telegraph of Australia:

On her wedding night, Aisha Salim will hand her blooded sheets to her in-laws as proof of her virginity.

But there's one problem: Like most woman her age, Aisha has smoked, drank, had sex and even lived with one of her past boyfriends.

However, if the family of her soon-to-be husband - or even her own family - knew this, she could be killed.

Aisha has therefore opted to have her virginity surgically restored in a delicate but painful surgery called hymenoplasties - where the hymen is re-created from the already torn tissue, or a new membrane is inserted.

Read this sad story by clicking here.

This practice, as stated in this law, is practically unworkable, since the absence of blood after the first intercourse does not say anything about the virginity of the bride. The intent of the law was to preserve family honor since the woman’s behavior would bring shame to her father and her husband.

The law did not work then and it does not work now.

Claude Mariottini
Profesor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

Tags: Marriage, Virginity

Marriage and the Problem of Dowries

NPR has a sad story about women in India whose families are forced to pay exorbitant dowries to the grooms and their families. Here is an excerpt from the story:

Satwant Kaur was full of hope and happiness on the day she got married.

She had landed a husband who lived and worked overseas in Italy before returning to India to find a bride. She was looking forward to leaving her home in Punjab, northern India, for an exciting new life in Europe.

Her dream did not last long.

Less than a week after the wedding, it became obvious that her husband, Sarwan Singh, had no intention of taking her with him back to Italy. She was the victim of a scam.

Demanding Dowries

Indian men working abroad are much sought-after as husbands because of their relatively high incomes. Their families often demand huge dowries - a practice banned in India but still widespread in some areas.

Kaur says her family paid Singh and his relatives cripplingly large sums of money - the equivalent of $15,000 - during the wedding festivities alone.

Almost immediately afterward, Kaur's new in-laws came up with more demands. They wanted a television, a house and - after Singh went back to Europe - another $15,000. They threatened her with death if her family failed to pay up.

Abandonment

Kaur, now 30, has fled back to her family with her 3-year-old daughter - the product of Singh's brief visit. Mother and daughter must now live with the stigma of being abandoned.

Read the rest of this sad story by visiting NPR.

This scam perpetrated by greedy men is a behavior that must be condemned because it affects women deeply. It is a form of spousal abuse that may involve physical abuse, but it certainly involves emotional abuse.

This scam is contrary to the teachings of the New Testament, where men are exhorted to love their wives in the same way Jesus loved his church. The New Testament teaches that husbands should love their wives with a sacrificial kind of love. What is happening in some places in India is diametrically opposed to what marriage is all about. The behavior of the men who exploit women for money is selfish and self-seeking.

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

Tags: Dowry, Marriage