# Bigamy in Belgium **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [December 29, 2003, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bigamy-in-belgium/221485 "2003-12-29T00:25:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![milroyj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@milroyj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/milroyj)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2003, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bigamy-in-belgium/221485/1 "2003-12-29T00:25:39Z")
At **Aldebaran’s** request, I am opening a new thread. Serious question. From your posts, I gathered that you spend time in both Belgium and your unnamed Arab country. So I was just wondering how Belgian law treats your bigamy? For example, if you were to die in Belgium, who would inherit your money? Or if you were sick, who would make medical decisions for you? If you were to go on welfare or disability, would both of your wives collect? Thanks for your reply. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2003, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bigamy-in-belgium/221485/2 "2003-12-29T01:52:57Z")
Bigamy? Am I missing something? A link maybe? ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2003, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bigamy-in-belgium/221485/3 "2003-12-29T01:53:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by sailor \* > **Bigamy? Am I missing something?..** Two wives, apparently… ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2003, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bigamy-in-belgium/221485/4 "2003-12-29T02:00:57Z")
Of course, the word was deliberately chosen for its insulting value. Bigamy is the act of marrying a second wife, illegally, in a society that only recognizes monogamy. **Aldebaran** is apparently engaging in polygyny, the marrying of more than one woman in a society that recognizes that relationship. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2003, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bigamy-in-belgium/221485/5 "2003-12-29T03:07:56Z")
He said “wives”, but never said there were only 2. ---
**Author:** ![milroyj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@milroyj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/milroyj)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2003, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bigamy-in-belgium/221485/6 "2003-12-29T03:10:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by tomndebb \* > \*\*Of course, the word was deliberately chosen for its insulting value. > > Bigamy is the act of marrying a second wife, illegally, in a society that only recognizes monogamy. > > **Aldebaran** is apparently engaging in polygyny, the marrying of more than one woman in a society that recognizes that relationship. \*\* Wrong, **tomndebb** , and I must say, as usual. Bigamy: “the act of entering into a marriage with one person while still legally married to another”. The definition of the word does not mention anything illegal about the arrangement, nor does it say anything about which “society” recognizes it. Do you defend bigamy? Yes, or no. ---
**Author:** ![minty\_green](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@minty\_green](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minty_green)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2003, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bigamy-in-belgium/221485/7 "2003-12-29T03:28:20Z")
“Bigamy” is usually employed as a description of a criminal act. As such, it does include an implicit moral disapproval. But who cares? milroyj is quite free to disapprove of Aldebaran’s apparent lifestyle choice, and it hardly makes him a bigot if he does disapprove. AT ---
**Author:** ![minty\_green](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@minty\_green](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minty_green)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2003, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bigamy-in-belgium/221485/8 "2003-12-29T03:29:23Z")
“Bigamy” is usually employed as a description of a criminal act. As such, it does include an implicit moral disapproval. But who cares? milroyj is quite free to disapprove of Aldebaran’s apparent lifestyle choice, and it hardly makes him a bigot if he does disapprove. At least not in any meaninful sense of the word, that is. ---
**Author:** ![minty\_green](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@minty\_green](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minty_green)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2003, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bigamy-in-belgium/221485/9 "2003-12-29T03:31:37Z")
Feel free to criticize my polyposting, too. ---
**Author:** ![London\_Calling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@London\_Calling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/London_Calling)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2003, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bigamy-in-belgium/221485/10 "2003-12-29T03:35:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by milroyj \* > At **Aldebaran’s** request, I am opening a new thread. > > Serious question. From your posts, I gathered that you spend time in both Belgium and your unnamed Arab country. So I was just wondering how Belgian law treats your bigamy? For example, if you were to die in Belgium, who would inherit your money? Or if you were sick, who would make medical decisions for you? If you were to go on welfare or disability, would both of your wives collect? > > Thanks for your reply. What is the great debate ? ---
**Author:** ![milroyj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@milroyj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/milroyj)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2003, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bigamy-in-belgium/221485/11 "2003-12-29T03:35:59Z")
I wonder if any of our resident feminists will chime in to express her (dis)approval of bigamy? Err, thought not. ---
**Author:** ![milroyj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@milroyj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/milroyj)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2003, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bigamy-in-belgium/221485/12 "2003-12-29T03:37:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by London\_Calling \* > \*\*What is the great debate ? \*\* Is bigamy morally acceptable? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2003, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bigamy-in-belgium/221485/13 "2003-12-29T03:40:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by milroyj \* > \*\*Is bigamy morally acceptable? \*\* Yes it is. I think it is incumbent on the anti- folks to demonstrate that it isn’t. ---
**Author:** ![minty\_green](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@minty\_green](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minty_green)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2003, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bigamy-in-belgium/221485/14 "2003-12-29T03:48:29Z")
And how does one go about demonstrating that something is or is not “morally acceptable”? ---
**Author:** ![London\_Calling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@London\_Calling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/London_Calling)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2003, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bigamy-in-belgium/221485/15 "2003-12-29T03:48:35Z")
I tend to agree with **John Mace** , if only because I can’t think of a reason why it wouldn’t be “morally acceptable”, assuming full knowledge of all parties concerned (and in which case it is probably better termed ‘polygamy’ or similar – ‘bigamy’ (to me) does not infer full knowledge as between all parties But then **milroyj** has yet to make his case, so I’m not sure I’m aware of the counter viewpoint. Want to make you case **milroyj**? ---
**Author:** ![milroyj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@milroyj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/milroyj)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2003, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bigamy-in-belgium/221485/16 "2003-12-29T03:51:22Z")
Sorry, I disagree. For example, if you married another woman, wouldn’t your wife be hurt, to say the least? I think that deliberately hurting other people is immoral. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2003, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bigamy-in-belgium/221485/17 "2003-12-29T03:54:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by milroyj \* > \*\*Sorry, I disagree. For example, if you married another woman, wouldn’t your wife be hurt, to say the least? > > I think that deliberately hurting other people is immoral. \*\* Why do you assume wife #1 would be hurt? By your logic, though, it might by immoral **not** to marry wife #2 in some instances. Supposing wife #2 were terribly hurt if she coudn’t marry you. That is certainly possible. You need to come up with a better reason. ---
**Author:** ![London\_Calling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@London\_Calling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/London_Calling)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2003, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bigamy-in-belgium/221485/18 "2003-12-29T04:00:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by milroyj \* > I think that deliberately hurting other people is immoral. You allege in your OP **Aldebaran** is a common criminal i.e. a “bigamist”, when we all know his culture permits multiple marriages. That was intentionally hurtful in any reasonable persons view. Are you saying immorality is acceptable or are you being a tad contradictory and/or hypocritical ? ---
**Author:** ![milroyj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@milroyj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/milroyj)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2003, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bigamy-in-belgium/221485/19 "2003-12-29T04:03:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by John Mace \* > \*\*Why do you assume wife #1 would be hurt? By your logic, though, it might by immoral **not** to marry wife #2 in some instances. Supposing wife #2 were terribly hurt if she coudn’t marry you. That is certainly possible. > > You need to come up with a better reason. \*\* I see, and I’m not surprised, that y’all are getting relative on me. A bigamist in America is jailed, but a bigamist in, say Saudi Arabia, is peachy keen. Got it. Moral relativism, and all. ---
**Author:** ![milroyj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@milroyj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/milroyj)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2003, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bigamy-in-belgium/221485/20 "2003-12-29T04:05:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by London\_Calling \* > \*\*You allege in your OP **Aldebaran** is a common criminal i.e. a “bigamist”, when we all know his culture permits multiple marriages. That was intentionally hurtful in any reasonable persons view. > > Are you saying immorality is acceptable or are you being a tad contradictory and/or hypocritical ? \*\* It was NOT intentionally hurtful, not did I call him a common criminal. Either bigamy is immoral, or it’s not. Your choice, I guess. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bigamy-in-belgium/221485.md?page=2)