01: Polygamy is gaining a hearing and, in some cases, a following among conservative Christians thanks to the Internet and specifically the Website TruthBearer.org.
The Old Orchard Beach, Maine-based website was founded by Mark Henkel for Christians in search of multiple marriage partners. The Internet has helped fuel the growth of polygamy beyond its fundamentalist Mormon base into conservative Christian and secular worlds, according to writer Kate Silver. Henkel says that while Mormon polygamy stresses the importance of procreation (due to doctrinal reasons), Christian polygamy views the practice as following God’s commands in Scripture.
Critics are noticing the phenomenon. The largest personal polygamy site, www.3coins.com, was recently started because all the other sites promote “patriarchal Christian polygamy,” says founder Michael Shone Sr.
(Source: Las Vegas Weekly, Nov. 26)