Man Accused of Marrying Four Women Avoids Jail Time

New Hampshire Public Radio has the following interesting account of the view taken by a court on the question of bigamy.

Michael Middleton, accused of bigamy, enters a courtroom in Dover in March of 2019.Quote:

A man with four wives in four different states pleaded guilty to bigamy charges in Strafford County Superior Court on Monday.  Michael Middleon was sentenced to 12 months in prison, with all of that time suspended pending good behavior. Middleton, who gained notoriety as the ‘Cupid of Chaos,’ is also ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation.  Proseuctors say that the 43-year-old married a Georgia woman in 2006, an Alabama woman in 2011 and a New Hampshire woman in 2013. That led to the bigamy charge in New Hampshire, but court documents show he also married a fourth woman in Kentucky in 2016. Prosecutors say he used the marriages to gain access to the women’s assets, including $20,000 from his New Hampshire wife. [Report on earlier hearing at Court Orders Alleged ‘Cupid of Chaos’ Polygamist To Have No Contact With His Wives] Middleton was arrested in Ohio in February. He also has faced domestic violence charges in Maine. In New Hampshire, bigamy carries a maximum sentence of seven years in prison and up to a $4,000 fine.

The first thing that will strike even the most hardened atheist or catholic is that, in secular law, “bigamy” is the impossible crime: The law prohibits a man marrying more than one wife, but the result of this prohibition is that the second “marriage” is not a marriage – therefore there was no marriage and there is no bigamy!

Having dispensed with the flawed worldly approach we must look to God for what He wants:

Now the Bible tells us in 1:Kings:11
1 But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites:
2 Of the nations concerning which the Lord said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love.
3 And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.
4 For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the Lordhis God, as was the heart of David his father.
5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.

Setting aside the problem of women worshipping stone idols – all to common nowadays – obviously, if Solomon The Wise was not punished but is revered as someone who purveyed a Wisdom similar to God’s, it appears that, of itself, bigamy is not a serious matter – it is simply the desire of those who are in a position to procreate to the maximum to do just that. And, in that procreation, more Christians are produced and what could be wrong with that.

The examples of many wives and concubines are numerous in the Old Testament – a time when men were naturally closer to God.

Of course, we would expect Jesus to have a public comment on this, and He does not disappoint:

M’t:19:4: And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,
M’t:19:5: And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?

M’t:19:6: Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

Now many false prophets have interpreted this as a prohibition on bigamy. This is quite ridiculous! Jesus was speaking on the very opposite of marriage! He was speaking of divorce!

Jesus had no need to change the law and customs of God’s People and indeed stated
M’t:5:18: For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

So we see that Mat:19:4-6 is merely a generality that takes place within any marriage and it doesn’t matter how many wives a man has he becomes one with each of them. 

So, to return to the court case, we see that the lack of jail time reflects a Christian view and gives a nod to “man’s law” – the judge, in handing out this sentence, showed the wisdom of Solomon.

As an aside – I will mention that the judge in the case seems to have been quite remarkable – a True Christian – you will not have missed “also ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation”.

It has emerged that the reason for this is that the atheist prosecutor knew so little of the Bible that he thought that Michael Middleon was mad! What a sad, but all too common piece of persecution by the godless!

Replies:
MitzaLizalor (30-04-2019 12:39 PM): in secular law, "bigamy" is the impossible crime: The law prohibits a man marrying more than one wife, but the result of this prohibition is that the second "marriage" is not a marriage - therefore there ...
Collinslaw (30-04-2019 03:39 PM): Man Accused of Marrying Four Women Avoids Jail Time New Hampshire Public Radio has the following interesting account of the view taken by a court on the question of bigamy. http://mediad.publicbroadcasting.net/p/nhpr/files/styles/x_large/public/201904/deb_cram_michael_middleton.jpg Michael ...
Johny Joe Hold (30-04-2019 06:00 PM): we must look to God for what He wants: - obviously, if Solomon The Wise was not punished but is revered as someone who purveyed a Wisdom similar to God's, it appears that, of itself, bigamy is not ...
Dr. Anthony J. Toole (01-05-2019 08:52 PM): Sure like there's more than enough of young Michael Middleton to go around. Is it really a crime to share that much love? ...
MitzaLizalor (02-05-2019 03:37 AM): Not everyone identifies marriage in the same way. • For some, new-age hippies for instance, free love is the norm. A few may get together and function as a unit possibly going through a pagan crystal ...
James Hutchins (04-05-2019 06:10 PM): I looked, but was unable to discern if ANY of these so called marriages are valid. I saw no mention of any healthy sons. Just because a bewitching woman takes advantage of a caring man does not put the ...
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