The idea of a plural family in America still strikes up a heated debate, especially after watching Kody Brown and his four wives, Meri Brown, Janell Brown, Christine Brown, and Robyn Brown on Sister Wives.
Since 2010, the Browns have been trying to show just how lavish a polygamous lifestyle can be while living in the shadows, as it was illegal in Utah. Kody once shared that he had always wanted a large family with multiple wives to spread the love. Sadly, over the years, Kody has really taken a public beating. It also seems he and some of his wives went out of their way to undermine the religious practice.
Polygamy and Government Benefits
For years, the state of Utah only allowed for there to be one legal husband in a relationship. Even though the Browns often stated Kody was spiritually married to the others, they forgot to tell viewers that they also learned how to manipulate the government system.
In deep-rooted sects of the Mormon church like the FLDS, polygamist families are taught that God instituted welfare to assist them. Wives who are not technically married, like Janelle and Christine, file for welfare by stating that their husband has left them.
During a recent season of Sister Wives, the Brown family’s financial dysfunction was showcased as they moved from Las Vegas to Flagstaff. Kody and his wives were trying to offload four homes while renting three and supporting 18 children. None of his math made sense to viewers.
During the first season, Christine received government assistance for food, as she was the wife who stayed home to watch the children. Since gaining more fame, Kody has done little to ensure their finances when the show comes to its timely end. This move only adds fuel to the fire for viewers who feel there is no way one man can legally and financially support more than one wife.
Before Robyn joined the Sister Wives family in 2010, all three of Kody’s first wives filed for bankruptcy. According to The Hollywood Gossip, Kody and Meri filed in 2005, which freed them from $85,000 of debt. Kody’s second wife, Janelle, declared bankruptcy in 1997, with Christine filing in 2012, which led to $25,000 in debt forgiveness.
Christine Left Kody
In November 2021, Christine finally left Kody and moved back to Utah to be closer to her family and friends. All of the Browns were upset, but none worse than Robyn, who called out Christine for giving polygamy a bad name. Sobbin Robyn took issue with Christine leaving Kody and claiming she was no longer married to him. She claimed Christine insulted polygamy and undermined the legitimacy of plural, non-legal marriages done under their church’s authority.
Robyn’s ramble confused viewers. The mother of five stated that she still feels Christine is her sister wife. She has noted that the only way out was for Christine to have her marriage annulled by a church leader (a church Christine no longer believes in) or to sleep with another man. The rules for leaving the marriage seemed a bit nuts. It once again painted polygamy and the Browns in a bad light.
Kody Contradicted Himself Multiple Times
During the latest Sister Wives tell-all, Kody found himself tripping over his own words as he shared with the entire free world that he married Meri out of obligation to his faith. It turns out Kody had severe cold feet but felt he couldn’t be a runaway groom. For years, Kody spouted the motto “love should be multiplied not divided,” yet he didn’t even believe it himself. Kody bashed Meri and called her a tyrant, noting everyone was miserable with her around.
Kody often acknowledged that he wanted power when he decided to marry his third wife, Christine. During the same tell-all, Kody shared that Christine “basically asked to be in my family” and that he only agreed because of her status in their church, the Apostolic United Brethren (AUB). Kody shared he “felt a lot of pressure. Christine was part of; she was basically royalty in our church. It’s not fair, but I look back, and it was not fair for me to go, ‘Oh, this will make me look cool in our church.'” Kody finally admitted that his ego drove him to make the decision.
TELL US – HOW DO YOU THINK THE BROWNS UNDERMINED POLYGAMY ON SISTER WIVES?
