'Monogamous men enjoy peace of mind'

The debate on polygamy, and what God says about it, will not go away soon. Whereas Islam recognises polygamy as long as one demonstrates ability and does not supersede wife number four, Christianity is categorical about one man, one wife.

The New Testament is clear that monogamy is the way to go, but it is not uncommon to find pastors and religious leaders in polygamous unions justifying their actions by quoting the Scriptures from the Old Testament.

After all, the wisest man who ever lived, Solomon, had 700 wives and 300 concubines.

One pastor who justifies his polygamous ways is Patrick Kimera from Uganda. His story captured the airwaves when it broke in July, 2013.

This is how he sees it: “My father married six wives. He stayed with three in the same house and we were all very happy.

“As children, we loved and respected all the mothers and each other to the point where you could never claim only one was your mother.”

According to the pastor, polygamy, is not a punishment.  “It was meant to help women. Marriage is polygamous. Monogamy has failed even in the Western world, which is why people are killing spouses and homes are broken,” Pastor Kimera was quoted in the Daily Monitor of July 2013.

However, his congregation disagreed with his actions and left in droves, but not before taking him to court. Which way then? Is there a contradiction here?

Indeed the Old Testament is full of prominent people who had more than one wife.

They include the famed Abraham, King David, Jacob among others. This would imply that God allowed it because these were people who walked closely with Him.

When God allowed the children of Israel to take up a king over them after they had left Egypt, His instructions were that this king should not take many wives because they would turn his heart away from God.

God’s warning did come to pass when Solomon’s wives and concubines turned his heart to follow other gods. Contrary to Pastor Kimera’s observations, there is always commotion in polygamous homes.

The New Testament is not silent on polygamy. Paul, in giving Timothy and Titus instructions on the qualifications needed for one to serve in the ministry, says a deacon, or church leader, must be a husband of one wife. All the scriptures on marriage in the New Testament speak of husband and wife in singular terms.

Even from the very beginning, God’s ideal marital relationship is on monogamy when He says: “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife and they will become one flesh.” Of course people interpret the Scriptures based on their perception so that they pick what sits comfortably with them. Those with many wives seek to justify themselves with reasons such as women are more than men or that they are avoiding sexually transmitted diseases.

If you ask me, monogamy is the way to go not only according to the Scriptures but even for peace of mind.