G'day from Australia. I have enjoyed reading the posts on here for a few months now and thought I might add a few of my own. In my country the only public discussion of polygamy that I am aware of, occurs in connection with the social practices of Muslim immigrants. There is zero concept in public thought of polygamy outside Islam. Religion in Australia is usually a private matter, whereas from a distance it appears religion in the USA is of much greater public concern. Of course the usual attempts towards legalisation of homosexual marriage are occurring; and public perception is that gay partnerships are fine. But I am pretty sure that polygamy would be perceived by the general public as 1. Outrageous Muslim behaviour that does not belong in this country, 2. An attempt at welfare fraud or 3. Religious nutters. Please note I am simply reporting on what I think public perception would be, not stating my personal opinion. In practice polygamy is ocasionally visible, if you know what you are looking for. Just the other day I noticed a family of Middle Eastern origin at the local shopping centre with one man, three women, and young children being passed around with obvious practice.
-
Biblical Families is not a dating website. It is a forum to discuss issues relating to marriage and the Bible, and to offer guidance and support, not to find a wife. Click here for more information.
Hi from Australia
- Thread starter ylop
- Start date
Hello and Welcome to BF. 
Welcome indeed.
Yet you appear to have some acquaintance with the series Big Love. Bet there's more discussion of it going on behind closed doors and in pubs than you might expect.
Be fun to bust it out into the open, now, wouldn't it? Squiring around a PM family of your own while wearing Christian message T-shirts? Take them all to church together? Expect an adventure.
Yet you appear to have some acquaintance with the series Big Love. Bet there's more discussion of it going on behind closed doors and in pubs than you might expect.
Be fun to bust it out into the open, now, wouldn't it? Squiring around a PM family of your own while wearing Christian message T-shirts? Take them all to church together? Expect an adventure.
Thanks for the welcomes.
Big Love has been screened in Australia on the TV channel SBS, which is a government channel for ethnic minorities, so would have only been viewed by a very small proportion of the population. Personally, I am a recalcitrant with no TV however when I heard of the series I hired a few DVDs of the first series. I enjoyed them for their airing of the polygamy concept, however it seemed to degenerate quickly into standard soap opera with a crisis every week, so I havent bothered watching again.
The only public conversation I have observed is along the lines of "Did you see how that Arab @#$% was getting three welfare cheques for three wives, the thieving ^&*($# ".
Certainly it would be fun to bust out. In fact recently I had to attend an induction interview at a Christian private school where one of my children was applying to attend. While sitting with my wife (bless her everpatient heart) on the lounge being interviewed by two middle-aged ladies who I am sure have never missed a Sunday service in their life, I was suffering deeply from the sanctimonious righteousness image of the place and the sweet smiles of the staff. I was reciting the mantra in my head "this will be better than the government school, at least they wont do sex and drugs openly, just put up with it"; but it wasnt working and my smile was wearing thin. My wife is much better at staying calm in these things, so she was doing the talking and asking all the right questions like "Tell me about your music program" and "I hear the children all go on a camp so they can get to know each other", but I was going crazy. So I pictured myself sitting on the same lounge chair being interviewed, along with not one but TWO wives, and the reaction of the nice Christian ladies. It helped me get through...
Big Love has been screened in Australia on the TV channel SBS, which is a government channel for ethnic minorities, so would have only been viewed by a very small proportion of the population. Personally, I am a recalcitrant with no TV however when I heard of the series I hired a few DVDs of the first series. I enjoyed them for their airing of the polygamy concept, however it seemed to degenerate quickly into standard soap opera with a crisis every week, so I havent bothered watching again.
The only public conversation I have observed is along the lines of "Did you see how that Arab @#$% was getting three welfare cheques for three wives, the thieving ^&*($# ".
Certainly it would be fun to bust out. In fact recently I had to attend an induction interview at a Christian private school where one of my children was applying to attend. While sitting with my wife (bless her everpatient heart) on the lounge being interviewed by two middle-aged ladies who I am sure have never missed a Sunday service in their life, I was suffering deeply from the sanctimonious righteousness image of the place and the sweet smiles of the staff. I was reciting the mantra in my head "this will be better than the government school, at least they wont do sex and drugs openly, just put up with it"; but it wasnt working and my smile was wearing thin. My wife is much better at staying calm in these things, so she was doing the talking and asking all the right questions like "Tell me about your music program" and "I hear the children all go on a camp so they can get to know each other", but I was going crazy. So I pictured myself sitting on the same lounge chair being interviewed, along with not one but TWO wives, and the reaction of the nice Christian ladies. It helped me get through...
Doing a few google searches indicates that Australia accepts plural if it is based in another country. Though indicated mostly for non-Christian plural homes, it seems to me that this would make it hard for those that practice Christian plural to get in trouble in Australia.
There is legal acknowledgement of foreign polygamy for the purpose of divorce settlements, and possibly for some welfare benefits, but that is the extent of it.welltan said:
Australian polygamy is illegal, and has virtually zero public acceptance. The Australian Federal Government's position was stated in 2008 by Attorney-General Robert McLelland who said the practice is against the law. "There is absolutely no way that the Government will be recognising polygamist relationships," he said. "They are unlawful and they will remain as such."
Cohabitation is the norm. You can cohabit all you like, no one will bat an eyelid. If you happen to conceive a child, the government will pay for you to have an abortion if that is what you want, that is fine, there is virtually no abortion protest movement. You can cohabit with members of the same sex, that has slightly less social acceptance but certainly you would not be condemmed for it. Every now and then you will come across a young couple who have decided to keep separate until marriage, that is definitely the exception. Perhaps once a year the local newspaper will run a 'feel good' article about someone doing that. The general tone is that they are doing a nice thing, along the same lines of how you would feel say towards a professional lady who gave up her career to care for an ailing relative - very noble and special, but not something the majority would do.
Normal Australian behaviour at present would be (applying broad generalisations here):
Teens - make sure you use these things, children. Can't have babies having babies.
Twenties - screw around, live together with various partners, focus on having fun.
Thirties - possibly get married to a 'serious' partner. Cute to have your children as pageboys and girls at the wedding.
Forties - maybe divorced by then. find someone new, live together, have a 'blended family'.
Normal Australian behaviour at present would be (applying broad generalisations here):
Teens - make sure you use these things, children. Can't have babies having babies.
Twenties - screw around, live together with various partners, focus on having fun.
Thirties - possibly get married to a 'serious' partner. Cute to have your children as pageboys and girls at the wedding.
Forties - maybe divorced by then. find someone new, live together, have a 'blended family'.
Here is a youtube video on Muslim polygamy in Australia - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqcwmBbCsR8 .