Accelerating The 'Roe Effect'

Written by David Flanagan
Published March 23, 2005
page 1 | 2 | 3

Once you've made a choice and chosen your marriage option, you are, at least for the length of that marriage, locked into that option. Sounds almost like we are trying to turn marriage into some kind of wireless or long-distance calling plan.

Here are a few unanswered questions in this whole debate:


  • Do we have any clue whatsoever what the long-term impact of such arrangements might be on society?

  • Might not these more liberal marriage options give Christian conservatives like myself a HUGE advantage in terms of population growth? Liberal marriage options are likely to produce less children, which ultimately means that conservatives who prefer traditional marriage will have larger families and, with each generation, exponentially more cultural leverage.

Let me offer a case in point; it's what James Taranto in his Opinionjournal.com column, Best of The Web Today, calls "The Roe Effect of The First Century":

In its cover story this week on early Christianity, Newsweek notes that "the sociologist Rodney Stark calculates that the number of Christians rose from roughly 1,000 (or .0017 percent of the Roman Empire) in A.D. 40 to nearly 34 million in 350 (or 56.5 percent of the total population)."

How'd they do it? Here's one way: "By largely banning abortion and female infanticide, Christians increased the ranks of women who could in turn bear Christian children."

We already know that pro-life families tend to have more children and that those same families are more conservative around marriage in general. Wouldn't the liberalization of marriage have the effect of accelerating what Taranto calls "The Roe Effect" further? I think so.

So perhaps, in light of that knowledge, Christians should be gung ho regarding these attempts to liberalize marriage. The very liberals who complain that we Christians are trying to take over the culture and move back towards the dark ages, or some such silly nonsense, are going to help us do exactly that.

We don't have to lift a finger. Instead, we'll allow liberals to select their ideology for exctinction and we can just sit back and wait to inherit society.

Sounds like a plan.

David Flanagan
Viewpointjournal.com

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Accelerating The 'Roe Effect'
Published: March 23, 2005
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Writer: David Flanagan
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#1 — March 23, 2005 @ 13:57PM — Rhodney Reck [URL]

MUSEUM OF TERRITORIAL-POLYGAMY OR MUSEUM OF POLYGAMY-TERRITORIES

=======================================

ARTICULATE THAT POLYGAMY NOWDAYS IS ALL
ABOUT THE "FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS OF AN
INDIVIDUAL"

Next on ACLU agenda: Polygamy
ACLU organization's mission "to defend
all fundamental rights of all ...
indicated that, among other goals, a
push for legalized polygamy may be
on ...
http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.as
p?ARTICLE_ID=42501


Leader of ACLU talks on agenda
Yale Daily News - Jan 19, 2005
... right for individuals to engage in
polygamy," Strossen said ... public
aware of threats to civil rights, she
said ... and that is to defend all
fundamental rights of all ...


"The ban on plural marriage affects so
many fundamental rights," ...
http://www.sltrib.com/utah/ci_2551499
[/quote]


------------------------------------

$ 200,000,000 Museum of Territorial-
Polygamy or Museum of Polygamy-
Territories proposed for D.C and
another $150,000,000 for a regional
museum



-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SECOND ISSUE

Be Aware:

"Anti-Polygamist Offenders" Found
Guilty of Religious Vilification of
Polygamists

http://www.humaneventsonline.com/article
.php?id=6114



#2 — March 23, 2005 @ 14:05PM — Tristan

So "god" gave Solomon the 300 wives & 700 concubines?

kinda like "She" (god!)--gave Job all those pussy boils and festering sores --
and lets all those millions of little children be starved and killed all over the world and sold into sexual slavery...

oops! I forgot: "god's Ways are beyond our comprehension" and it is not for us to question "god's" reasons---we are just so far "beneath" god's infinite wisdom & understanding - that we could never begin to comprehend god's "ways" .......

i love this "pie-in-the-sky" answer to every question about why "god" allows horrible things to happen in the earth ~~~~!!!!

#3 — March 23, 2005 @ 14:15PM — Phillip Winn [URL]

Tristian managed to use at least two words that appeared in the original story! Of course, not in anything remotely resembling the way they were used in the story, but it's still progress, eh?

#4 — March 23, 2005 @ 14:20PM — Tristan

Philip!

i didn't see that "rule" you were referring to about how a specific percentage of each post must include direct referral to the original article; where did you say that WAS ...???

and not to mention spelling or anything to Mr. "Perfect" there ---but it's TRISTAN, not tristian ....

Got it phiilip ?????????

(man ---some people have nothing better to do than sit at their pc and pick apart every little comment on here I see~~maybe theyneed to go out and obtain bona-fide employment instead of living on welfarem disabilitym and food stamps~~!!!)

don't you agree .......???? :<)

#5 — March 23, 2005 @ 14:22PM — Dawn

Phillip, do you think Tristan is drunk, or "touched?"

#6 — March 23, 2005 @ 14:35PM — JR

We don't have to lift a finger. Instead, we'll allow liberals to select their ideology for exctinction and we can just sit back and wait to inherit society.

Something bothers me about that argument... Oh! I know. If the liberals have been selecting themselves for extinction, how did they ever manage to get a majority?

#7 — March 23, 2005 @ 14:39PM — Lisa McKay [URL]

Well, the other thing about David's argument is that it assumes that children will grow up to follow in their parents' political footsteps, which isn't necessarily going to happen.

#8 — March 23, 2005 @ 14:43PM — Tristan

Dawn:

Is it possible for you to actually make an intelligent comment about a subject you're posting UNDER ---or do you just use them to stir up fights as you've been doing here all day?

Is this really what "blogging" is all about ..? People just picking fights the instant they see a comment or post they don't like--then they start some kind of on-going verbal "battle" with that author..?? That's "blogging" ???
any response to that Dawn >> "constructive response" ---or would you just prefer to argue back and forth ???

#9 — March 23, 2005 @ 14:50PM — Temple Stark [URL]

We don't all live under the Christian God's rules and laws of the land are not created based on it. Your entire otherwise well-posed argument ends there.

#10 — March 23, 2005 @ 14:55PM — Dave Nalle [URL]

Wow, putting aside Tristan's little vendetta for a moment, that Peck guy in the first comment is a real loon. Both insane and incoherent at the same time. Plus a big fan of ALL CAPS.

On the otherhand, I agree that it's about time polygamy was legalized. No reason not to allow it in a mature and free society.

>>And once everyone's relationship is recognized, marriage is gone, and only a system of flexible relationship contracts is left.<<

And this is a bad thing, why? Our society is built on contracts. Handling marriage more like a contract can only lead to benefits for society.

As an overall assessment of this article, I have to say that just repeating that something is 'bad for society' with no actual data to back that up beyond one interpretation of the Bible, isn't going to get you very far.

Dave

#11 — March 23, 2005 @ 14:55PM — Tristan

Christians aren't Judgemental ......


Nooooooooo not in the LEAST!

funny how most of the world's various religions seemingly got along pretty well with each other for thousands and thousands of years until about 2,000 years ago when this upstart new "religion" (actually: a cult of the DEAD!) sprung up worshipping this dead man on a cross~~~and suddenly the earth had all these men in long black robes travellin to all the various corners of the globe telling people that they had to believe in this "religion" or they were "WRONG" and "going to hell" (and in many cases---if they wouldn't convert--put to DEATH! now THAT's a good way to win your argument, eh!)

#12 — March 23, 2005 @ 15:29PM — David Flanagan [URL]

JR & Lisa,

Good comments and questions. First of all, studies do show that, for the most part, children grow up to refelct their parent's values. It is not true in every case, however, it is generally the case.

Secondly, liberals were the majority for a very long time because they were strong on traditional family, strong on national defense, strong on a lot of things that they just don't seem to be strong on any more. President Clinton was a moderate to left President, while he consistently supported the pro-choice position, he also consistently supported pro-family positions.

He supported and signed the Protection of Marriage Act and urged Senator Kerry to back those states which were attempting to amend their constitutions to define marriage as one man and one woman. He understood, at the very least, what most Americans wanted.

Since Clinton left office, I see very little moderation from Democrats. Just the party of NO, though, I don't want to label all Democratic leaders that way, just the ones who seem to make all the decisions for their party.

And that is why mainstream Democrats out there in middle America have been voting Republican, because Republicans have taken on the values that Democratic leaders once defended.

Thanks,

David

#13 — March 23, 2005 @ 15:33PM — swingingpuss [URL]

Tristan, history is peppered with religious clashes that took place before Christianity came into being .For example there had been intense enmity between Vaishnavites and the Shavites in India during the ancient period.

Buddha had been persecuted by the brahmins and buddhist monks had to voluntarily jump into fire when they lost religious debates to the brahmins by the end of the ancient period.

In Japan those who did not accept Amida buddha and followed the lotus sutra were persecuted during the mediaeval period and even during the First world war those who did not accept the sun goddess talisam were put into jail.

And show me one other religion that does not say that it is the 'only' true path towards salvation?

#14 — March 23, 2005 @ 15:36PM — Tristan

Nalle's VENDETTA~!

Oh puleeaaasssseeeeeeeeeeee

Nalle is one to talk about "personal vendettas"! HA!
as he proceeds in the very next sentence to start ANOTHER one with that poster!
Amazing anybody stays here and posts ANYTHING when there seem to be a small group of malcontents (nalle-dawn-"dr" pat---)---who seem to derive unusually intense pleasure from bashing any other posters in here?

Seems to be a mechanism in place here that is very inhibiting to letting new people in here get acclimated and adjust--to the point where they get to know the blog anf get a feel for the dynamics....

kind of the same mechanism as when a father beats his child physically over and over thus stunting the child's emotional growth resulting in the child being almost vegetative and catatonic emotionally as they grow up.......

#15 — March 23, 2005 @ 15:38PM — Dave Nalle [URL]

We mostly just enjoy bashing you, Tristan. Maybe if you responded to the topic instead of only responding to comments and how they relate to you personally you'd draw less fire.

Dave

#16 — March 23, 2005 @ 15:41PM — Tristan

Nalle is the one to PREACH, eh?

and I see he responds constantly to the topic and never has personal vendettas...
as evidenced by that comment!
How funny! Hmmmmmm....

#17 — March 23, 2005 @ 17:30PM — Bennett Dawson

Grow up you three. There is value in this topic, it was well presented, and the author doesn't deserve the disrespect of you three having a brawl in the middle of this blog.

Regarding the concept of "breeding for control of society", it could be a valid one. However, I have to point out that there ore many types of group marriages, several of them are outlined in Heinlein's The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress. These long term "Line Marriages" offer greater stability for the raising of children, and for the accumulation of a family's financial equity.

All that needs to be overcome, or to avoid I should say, is our jealous nature.

#18 — March 23, 2005 @ 17:49PM — Bennett Dawson

Ahhh, as I was saying (taxes and accountant inturupted) A line marriage is one where new (younger)members are brought into the marriage every ten years or so in a gender ballanced ratio. None of the family's assets are ever liquidated due to the death of the senior husband or wife. The older members have built-in old age and hospice care, and the children never suffer the devastaing consequences of losing all when one of the birth parents die. Equity is reinforced by the greater earning power of multiple working parents, and grows more able to withstand any number of situations that would cripple a two parent family.

There are always adults around to provide for the education and disipline of children.

My wife says that it would never work, but she is an insecure person, and jealosy springs from insecurity. We as a society may not be ready for this type of marriage, but one cannot deny that there are benefits to a strength in numbers approach to living in a family group.

Comments?

#19 — March 23, 2005 @ 18:04PM — swingingpuss [URL]

Bennet, a joint family system also takes care of the old, the young and the unemployed members of the family. And as a woman I'd prefer to share my husband and his income with his mother and siblings rather than him having a harem full of 'wives'.

#20 — March 23, 2005 @ 18:28PM — Bennett Dawson

as a woman I'd prefer to share my husband and his income with his mother and siblings rather than him having a harem full of 'wives'.


Yeah, that's what my lovely wife says. But again, she's pretty insecure, despite my strict and undying fidelity.

#21 — March 23, 2005 @ 18:37PM — swingingpuss [URL]

All the more reason why polygamy wont work. We women dont like to share our husbands. You'd have a house full of catty women and nagging mother in laws. Think about peace of mind instead of the libido or the pocket :-)

#22 — March 23, 2005 @ 19:08PM — gonzo marx

heh..swingingpuss..i woud really like you to go and read "the Moon is a Harsh Mistress"

the Line marriages mentioned are RUN by the women..the society of the story is based on the Moon being a penal colony, a harsh scarcity of women in the colony forced thier society to examine and adapt..this lead to customes where ANY harm done to any woman had the very real peril of a bunch of strangers shoving the Offender out of the closest airlock

personally..i enjoy that Thought

as for the shape and Form of any "marriage"..i would put to you that it is ONLY the business of those involved..so the aforementioned "relationship contracts" are EXACTLY what is required based on the Principles put forward in the Constitution of the United States

those people of "Faith" are more than welcome to form their "marriages" how they see fit, but EVERY citzen of this country is covered by the "equal protection" principle of the U.S. Laws..thier form of "marriage" is just as legal when placed under that Context

not all forms work for all folks...but the baseline Postulate for ANY marriage...as far as i can determine..is care for those involved and any children produced by said union

all else is window dressing and cultural Tradition

over the course of human History just about EVERY form of "marriage" has been practiced successfully and has been accepted as "normal" and "traditional"

i put it to you, that since one of the founding principles of our Nation was that there should be no Tyranny of the Majority, and that pursuit of religious and cultural freedom was paramount, that it flies in the face of our stated goals as a Nation to deny ANYONE their right to "the pursuit of happiness" as they see fit as long as it does no demonstable harm to anyone else..

now if someone could show me how it harms me to have Jack and Bob, or Jane and Jill to enjoy the fruits of "marriage" (or even all four if they so choose)..then maybe i can take this argument a bit more seriously...

think about it...put aside any knee jerk response...this IS a subject we, as a society, should be talking about..

Excelsior!

#23 — March 23, 2005 @ 19:32PM — Bennett Dawson

Great job Gonzo!!! And I should have mentioned in my last post that a "harem of wives" is polygamy, a line marriage would be polyamory. Also what I set out was a gender ballanced situation, equal numers of husbands and wives.

#24 — March 23, 2005 @ 19:58PM — swingingpuss [URL]

Gonzo, thanks for recommending the book. I have just yanked it from my significant other's bookshelf and I'm about to sink my teeth into it.

#25 — March 23, 2005 @ 20:13PM — gonzo marx

excellent swingingpuss...it IS one of my fav's...and ya will learn a lot about the principles of american democracy...at least how it was viewed by the Founders..

Professor Bernardo de la Paz fer President!!

Excelsior!

#26 — March 23, 2005 @ 20:17PM — DrPat [URL]

Significantly left out of every such discussion is polyandry, under which one woman is allowed multiple husbands. Perhaps this is because our current system of divorce and remarriage (with community property) gives us serial polyandry and polygamy instead. How much better for the children if all their daddies remain at home!?!

[cricket sounds]

What man here cannot honestly admit that when he hears "polyamory," he envisions his own wife still there to provide comfort and home-cookin' while a lush young nubile wench (or three) tend to his other needs?

#27 — March 23, 2005 @ 20:20PM — David Flanagan [URL]

Three quick comments:
1) I'm a big scifi fan and, of course, Heinlein is one of the best. Starship Troopers is one of my fav of his books.
2) The line marriage concept is scifi. You could try it here, if the laws allowed, but, even in the book, it worked because of certain extraneous factors which forced it on the colonists.
3) Monogamous marriage is by far both historically and culturally the dominant form of marriage. People come to live in the US and Canada all the time and what do they tend to bring with them? Their extended families of course. They support each other, share the burdens of parenting, cooking, cleaning, working, etc., and they bring their excellent work ethic with them. But look at Asia and what do you see? Monogamous marriage. How about Europe? The same. South American, North America, everywhere you go, the most dominant form of "coupling" is monogamous marriage.

Whether you believe in Darwinian Evolution or a Christian God, it still makes sense to have an ideal form of bonding. That ideal form is monogamous heterosexual marriage, and the citizens of this country, as well as the government, has every right to define marriage in a way that insures the healthiest possible society.

Thanks,

David

#28 — March 23, 2005 @ 20:24PM — David Flanagan [URL]

I should also say what I have not said before, I do believe that it's not the government's job to police our bedrooms. People are free and should remain free to make choices, but expecting that the government has to give an official blessing to each and every form or relationship is going a bit far.

Thanks,

David

#29 — March 23, 2005 @ 20:33PM — gonzo marx

to DrPat...
i fully understand your Point..which is why i clearly stated that whatever works for the individuals in EACH CASE...if some enjoy the amazonian model..thas their bizness...not mine..and i don't feel it takes away from my marriage at all

i think some dom/sub types would find it relatively easy to come up with a snigle female and a horde of drooling men in leather as the perfect "family"

to David Flanagan...
i disagree with your definition of "ideal"..in Asia polygamy has been rampant thru most of their history...chinese culture even has specific words for the number one wife...each of the two others, and specific rank names for various levels of legal concubines...a bit misanthropic, i know..but part of one of the oldest and largest cultures in recorded history...

polyamorous marriage has been traditional in many south seas cultures

i have no idea what is "ideal"..i refute your Postulate that the "state" or "society" has ANY claim on telling me what is "ideal" in ANY way , shape , or form as long as i do not cause demonstrable harm to my neighbors, or violate the Law...

i also reserve my Right to advocate my position, and any attempt i may make to legally challenge and/or change the Law

i also Respect and will defend YOUR right to your Position, even when i disagree with you...MOST ESPECIALLY when i disagree

this ;ast fact alone seem to seperate me from many on the so-called "Right" who pay lip service to the Principles i have just stated

and i am just Jester enough to point it out..and have a perverse sense of glee in shouting out when the Emperor is nekkid

Excelsior!

#30 — March 24, 2005 @ 06:00AM — alienboy [URL]

I can only assume that David Flanagan is trying to wind up other blogcritics with this outrageously offensive and frankly deranged post. I am happy to take the bait!

Can anybody PLEASE explain to me what business it is of the state or ANY of the many busybodies who seem to live only to tell other people how to live their lives to tell other people how to live their lives?

I really don't mind if people choose to devote themselves to whatever path of "self-enlightenment" they want, but I have a seriously BIG problem when these people try to bring their "beliefs" into my lifestyle.

Why can't these interfering types just focus on their own little corner of the world and leave everybody else to get on with their own thing? Isn't tolerance a part of the dogmas of most of these belief systems anyway?

BAH!

#31 — March 24, 2005 @ 06:22AM — Pro-Polygamy [URL]

It turns out that pro-polygamists are more conserative, more Bible-dedicated, and more pro-women than conservative Christians are supposed to be.
www.Pro-Polygamy.com/articles.php
www.ChristianPolygamy.INFO
www.LoveNotForce.com

The Bible clearly proves polygamy is 100% biblical.
www.BiblicalPolygamy.com

Pro-Polygamy.com has been mentioned in the Wall Street Journal and that site has been saying that "Polygamy is the next civil rights battle" for some time.
www.Pro-Polygamy.com

Any author's reference to "civil rights" regarding polygamy has simply seen the media articles presented at that Pro-Polygamy.com site over the years.

The problem in general is the irresponsible hysteria by intellectually immature people who are not able to cope with the issue maturely and Christians who are too afraid to stop believing a Catholic-only created doctrine that does not ever exist in the Bible when you read it for yourself.

After all, the Adam and Eve story and "one flesh" passages were both written by polygamous Moses!
www.BiblicalPolygamy.com/exegesis/remember-moses-wrote-it/

How more obvious could it get?

So, while some would like to hide the truth, there are some non-Mormon conservative Christians who do see the truth. This is not a liberal idea at all. There's even an organization for Christian Polygamy:
www.TruthBearer.org

People should really think before they act hysterical.

#32 — March 24, 2005 @ 09:13AM — Dave Nalle [URL]

Frankly, I don't give a rats ass what the bible says about polygamy, I just can't see any legal justification for prohibiting it. What consenting adults choose to do in their relationships is none of the government's business and never should have been - well, except that it's just fun to annoy mormons, of course.

Dave

#33 — March 24, 2005 @ 09:22AM — alienboy [URL]

Nalle and Alienboy agree!

Again!!

#34 — March 24, 2005 @ 09:37AM — Dave Nalle [URL]

Must be a sign of the coming apocalypse.

Dave

#35 — March 24, 2005 @ 09:40AM — alienboy [URL]

LOL

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