Polygamy is a common practice in many religions around the world, including the Sanema religion. In this religious context, it refers to the marriage between one man and multiple women, often under certain conditions. One such condition is that the man must be able to provide for all his wives financially. Another condition may require him to treat each wife equally, giving them equal attention, love, and respect. Some scholars have argued that polygamy allows men to enjoy more sexual pleasure than monogamous marriages.
Others believe that this form of marriage can harm trust, ethics, and observance within relationships. This essay will explore how polygamy influences relational trust, sexual ethics, and spiritual observance.
Relationship Trust:
Trust is an essential component of any relationship, whether romantic or platonic. It's based on loyalty, honesty, openness, commitment, respect, and vulnerability. When two people trust each other, they feel safe expressing their feelings and thoughts without fear of being judged or rejected. Polygamy has been linked to decreased levels of trust in relationships due to several factors. First, when there are multiple partners involved, each partner's needs and wants are likely to differ from the others. These differences may lead to jealousy, resentment, and competition between partners. Second, polygamy requires that all partners agree to share their husband/father with another woman(s), which might create insecurities, especially if the relationship is not stable. Third, the lack of stability in a polygamous family can result in unpredictable changes in household dynamics, leading to mistrust.
A lack of privacy can also undermine trust between partners since sharing a house and bedroom with other women can be challenging for some individuals.
Sexual Ethics:
Sexual ethics refers to moral principles governing human behavior regarding sex. In polygamous relationships, sexual ethics play a crucial role because it must address what is acceptable among partners. Some religions allow polygamy but regulate sexual activity between wives.
Islam prohibits intercourse during menstruation, urination, and after childbirth.
These rules can be difficult to enforce within a polygamous marriage, as every wife may have different needs and preferences.
The absence of boundaries around sexual activities may lead to increased promiscuity, resulting in infidelity and sexual dysfunction.
Spiritual Observance:
Religion plays a significant role in shaping people's beliefs and values, including marital practices such as polygamy. Sanema religion allows polygamy under certain conditions, but it also encourages spiritual observance.
When multiple partners are involved in a single marriage, spiritual commitment can become complicated due to conflicting beliefs and practices.
One partner may believe in praying before meals while another does not. Another issue arises from deciding which religious rites or rituals should be observed by all partners in a polygamous family. It could result in misunderstanding, resentment, or even hostility towards other partners.
If one partner feels pressured to adopt certain spiritual practices they don't agree with, it could compromise their integrity and undermine the trust within the relationship.
How does polygamy in the Sanema religion influence relational trust, sexual ethics, and spiritual observance?
Polygamy is a form of marriage where one individual has more than one spouse at the same time. The practice is found among some indigenous communities around the world such as the Sanema in Suriname, South America. This paper examines how polygamy affects relational trust, sexual ethics, and spiritual observance. Relational Trust: Polygamous marriages often involve multiple partners who may not necessarily have equal statuses within the relationship.