U.S. District Judge Ted Stewart
rejected the argument that the states ban on polygamy violates constitutional rights of religion and privacy, saying the state has an interest in protecting monogamous marriage.
The judge emphasized his ruling was about marriage, not personal sexual conduct. He cited cases as far back as an 1878 Supreme Court ruling upholding the polygamy conviction of George Reynolds, personal secretary to Mormon pioneer leader Brigham Young.
What I am about to post is completley unrelated, however, I want to make sure you see it. I already posted it on a previous blog by you, Dr. Schramm. But I just wanted to be sure you saw it.
Mr. Stone: Thank you. I have seen the stats. And, I also understand, as Sir Winston once said, "You must look at the facts because they look at you." It should be noted that that is true in everything, having to do with the well being of ones body and the well being of ones soul. There is a hierarchy in everything. Not everything is of equal value.
What is the applicability and strength of using this argument to go against allowing gay marriage? I could be oversimplifying this, but wasnt the essence of the argument of the polygamists the same as the argument for gay marriage?
Yes, Dr. Schramm, by all means get your soul together! However, attempting to get both, body and spirit, in order at the same time is not necessarily too demanding a task. In fact, I would argue that getting ones body in order is a step towards getting the soul together. Think of the happiness that would follow, from managing the body! Thus, the soul would become "happier" as a result of the work on the body.
Granted, not everything is of equal value. And yes, there is a hierarchy in everything. However, achieving (or at least i>attempting) the bettering of ones body (which is arguably on the lower end of the spectrun of consequence) would inevitably result in the betterment of the soul (on the higher end of the spectrum).
With that in mind, it is important to not that the reverse is not true. Bettering of the soul will not necessarily lead to the bettering of the body. It is also important to note in passing that if one does not live long enough to better the soul, (as a result of not bettering the body) then nothing is accomplished.