How would you refute this argument?

[cnystrom]

Mark 10:11 ESV And he said to them, “And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her.”

This verse is against divorce, not polygamy. Ironically we have lots of divorce and very little polygamy in our culture.

It says nothing against a man who marries a woman and keeps her, and then married another woman.

In fact I think one could argue from this verse that if a man did NOT keep the first wife, he would now no longer be eligible to take another wife.

 

[frederick]

In fact I think one could argue from this verse that if a man did NOT keep the first wife, he would now no longer be eligible to take another wife.

The only woman he is forbidden to marry is his divorced wife, if she had subsequently been married and then was divorced or widowed (cf. Deut. 24:1-4). ...her former husband who divorced her must not take her back to be his wife (v:4).

If the divorce came about because one spouse became a Christian and the unbeliever left, both are free to remarry (cf. 1 Cor. 7:15).

 

[Mark C]

Partial credit...

This verse is against divorce, not polygamy. Ironically we have lots of divorce and very little polygamy in our culture.

Actually, correctly translated, He is speaking against "putting away," which -- as has been noted, and argued, many times -- is not the same as "divorce". Arguably, she "still has a living husband," because she does NOT have the entire package which constitutes "divorce."

And we have tons and TONS of 'putting away' in our culture, too...