Just as we give our young children different rules at different stages of their development, so religion has played an important part in the social and moral development of human civilisation. From a purely sociological point of view I think this is undeniable even for atheists.

This is one area where dogmatism has to some extent had a macro stabilising influence on human society, and to some extend continues to do so in lesser developed areas, however, it has arguably had it's day in modern western civilisation.

Seen from a pragmatic morally relativistic stance these social rules and norms can be beneficial at first but there comes a tipping point (or rather more of an extended grey area) where their positive influences no longer out-weigh the negative consequences of holding on to them.

In general I think we are approaching a stage in human social development where conservatism it's self will no longer be seen as an acceptable / alternative political or ideological position, but rather as a morally deficient system which must be superseded by progressivism if we are to continue to grow and thrive as a species.

Unfortunately this means that there are troubled times ahead as more morally objective and advanced ideologies clash and conflict with deeply embedded old conservativistic norms.

Polygamy and polyamory play in different leagues. Before you jump into conclussions for egalitarian reasons (I used to think the same way), I urged you to read or listen to Andrea M. Emmett, a psychologist/journalist who spent several years in Uttah studying bible-based polygamy and she wrote an awarded book with interviews of women ex-members, called "God's brothel".

She concluded that in fact polygamy is a cover for pedophilia, rape, incest, orgies, sexual slavery and violence.

Hahaha...

I remember this thread from more than two years ago. I go away for awhile and when I come back, BANG! here it is again.

I wonder why that is?

I've been involved in polyamery for a number of years. It's no one else's business but mine, my partner and my boyfriend. It's not advertised to anyone. I've not brought it into my family life in any way. I'm not harming anyone. I don't see the problem. I know many that are polyamerous.

I'm an atheist and I am 100% against polygamy nor do I believe the nonsense written in the original post.

"Atheists who hold strong perspectives against polygamy are like the atheists who argue in favor of there being a spirit or free-will behind every person, they are atheists who, whilst not believing in god or religion, still cling to a religiously motivated morality."

This is ridiculous. I have no religious beliefs. I was born atheist and have remained so for my entire life, currently 37 years old. I am against polygamy for reasons based on biology, society, history and reason.

I am against polygamy because it is bad for society and leads to violence, suffering, death, rape and possibly war. As human beings we have a natural drive to procreate and have offspring just all life forms. Take a look at countries where males are preferred to females and female babies are killed or aborted before they are born because they are not male. Say India. There are places in India where there are 40 males to 1 female ratios. These are also places where you find lots of rape, gang rapes, etc.

Many of these men have no possibly way to ever pass on their genes / procreate or even just have sex. Their drive to do so does not go away, it's there constantly nagging at them in their subconscious. For many of these guys the only way they will ever be able to have sex is if they rape someone or kill the partner of that female to increase that males chances of hooking up.
In places like China you have prostitutes shipped in and major human trafficking problems, again, because of the male to female ratio being so off balance.

To the other questions asked, no , I am not against gay marriage or anything else. There is no reason to be. There is great reason to be against polygamy though and it has nothing to do whatsoever with any worthless religion or fairy tale characters from their ignorant "holy" books.

Imo the best model of civilization involves a monogamous hetero couple where the male goes out to earn an income and the mother nurtures and raises the children.

Generic leftists typically disagree because muh gender and identity politics.

Some post mentioned polygamy mostly means males with multiple wives, paraphrasing.

That's a reflection of female inherent nature where women are willing to share the "fittest" male type deal, no different to chimps really.

Fact is less men have children than women but more men have more children than women.

That means most of us come from fewer fathers than mothers, I'm sure you can do the math.

Polyandry is common across species including bees. Domestic animals and farm animals are more advanced then humans in that so few males are responsible for most of the babies it leads to disastrous genetic bottle necks. I have worked a bit in animal production.

Not sure how you get misogyny out of all that but hey, that's leftist thinking...everything is a male plot.

You can find your own citations if you are genuinely interested.