After the Supreme Court allowed homosexual couples all over the United States to get legally married, a polygamous family is now trying to use this controversial ruling as basis for its contention that having more than one spouse at a time should likewise be legalised.
This goes against the teachings in the Holy Bible which clearly states that monogamy should be practised in all marriages. In the New Testament, 1 Corinthians, "Because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband."
Kody Brown and his four wives—who stars in the reality show "Sister Wives"—argue, however, that polygamous marriages should be considered acceptable and healthy like monogamous ones.
The polygamous family, through their lawyer, Jonathan Turley, is now suing the state of Utah before the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals because of its polygamy ban.
Brown and his wives argued that polygamy, just like same-sex marriage, should be allowed no matter how unpopular this type of relationship is.
"It is clear that states can no longer use criminal codes to coerce or punish those who choose to live in consensual but unpopular unions," Turley said.
"This case is about criminalisation of consensual relations and there are 21st-century cases rather than 19th-century cases that control," the lawyer added.
He further said that states cannot compel Americans to "live their lives in accordance with the religious or social values of the majority of citizens."
Turley also said that prohibiting the Browns to live their polygamous lifestyle violates their right to religious freedom. The family belongs to the Apostolic United Brethren, a polygamous Mormon fundamentalist church within the Latter Day Saint movement.
The lawyer likewise argued that the Browns are not committing any crime by living a polygamous life.
"The Browns were investigated and no crimes or harm was found in their plural family," Turley said.
In a polygamous relationship, the man is legally married with one of his wives, and is said to be "spiritually" married with the others.
