Posted by Stuart Gilman (67.68.70.215) on November 08, 2002 at 05:33:41:

In Reply to: Re: Bigamy Polygamy - from the actual text posted by Loren on November 07, 2002 at 22:28:23:

The comedic post by Loren as to whether one of my alternates could marry would never have been considered by Bahaullah. The condition known as MPD was considered myth in psychiatry until 1952. It gained acceptance with specific criteria, aetiology, differential diagnosis to schizophrenia and psychosis as well as psychoneurosis. It is classified as a personality disorder and is untreatable. Psychotherapy can help, but there has never been a case of cure.

Now when we consider the Kitab-i-Aqdas (two wives or wife and a maid) and the later pronuncement by Abdu'l Baha in favour of monogamy, we have an interesting dilemma not a comedic one as tendered by Loren.

Because in fact we do have many cases where alternates have married and remained undiscovered for years and sometimes forever. Now since each alternate had no conscious knowledge of the other's marriage, was a sin committed? Pertaining to Baha'is I know of one case I treated where the husband was a multiple and though he did not marry another person, he did engage in relations with other women (plural). But his infidelity was known to his wife as well as his psychiatric condition and no divorce followed.

STUART

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