I don't think monogamy is only for "higher sentient beings" look at wolves, cranes, beavers, even termites mate for life in monogamous relationships.

To me its a spiritual thing. I believe in reincarnation and that monogamy might just depend on how many of my partners of past lives could be on this plane at this time.

Not exactly what you're looking for I suppose but there you have it.

I think it all depends on the individual. Personally, I'm very monogamous, but I see the appeal polygamy has to others, and I respect that. Often it seems to me that those who speak out the hardest against polygamy are those who feel that their relationship is threatened by it. As long as the people in a relationship are on the same page with this stuff, it's all good.

It depends on the individual. People are flat out different across the board. I am a monogamous person because I want to be and that is what I feel is right. I don't have a desire to be with anyone else sexually. I feel that my girlfriend deserves that and would like the same in return. I am glad she feels the same way too. Be it upbringing or natural, that is how we are at any rate. Other people by nature I do feel are polygamous.

I think monogamy is natural for humans and although we have a polygamous calling, the society we've set up works more successfully with a majority of the people being paired up as monogamous.

I think it depends on the individual. Some people feel more comfortable in a monogamous relationship and some in an open relationship. A lot of it has to do with how a person was raised etc. and how they view the world and grow etc. but it's not one or many people's place to say what is and isn't natural for everyone because it varies in degrees from person to person... and only they can say what is or isn't comfortable for them, in the long run.

I think that deeming any cultural behavior "natural" or "unnatural" is presumptuous and can lead to a lot of unpleasant consequences. I think polyamory is an orientation, just like homo- or bisexuality.

A little bit of both? I think it's more the person and personality.

After reading these post and our own again I feel I need to post again.
Sex in all it's forms is a choice...we chose do it or not to.
But I believe in my heart that we are not hard wired to be with one person.
Yes because we are little more than animals, but more deeply because that having sex with many is natures way of assuring the breed lives on.
How I feel about monogamy is it's a creation of the church to impose control on people. Look at some of the punishments for sleeping around in history. I fell because of this being done by the church and them putting the fear of GOD in us, we are afraid and conformed to there will. and that is we many choose to be with one.

Mono v.s. poly is a continuum and some people are mono, some are poly and some are somewhere in between. Monogamy is absolutely unnatural for some and for others its the most natural thing in the world. There is nothing wrong with either. Its a personal choice and people have to do what is right for them. What is wrong is that our society treats mono as the only ethical option and that's really limiting and unfair to those that aren't naturally monogamous.

It's unnatural, but not a bad thing.

I believe both monogamy and polyamory can be natural, depending on the person

On a biological level, it's probably true that most humans want multiple sexual partners. I'd have to say, though, that emotionally many (if not most) humans feel more satisfied in a monogamous relationship, if for no other reason than that we are programmed biologically to want our partners to be faithful, and thee is usually some expectation of reciprocity.

I also think that the argument about the time and effort needed to raise a human child is a powerful one. A lot of birds are monogamous because it requires two parents to care for the hatchlings, and you could argue that the same is to some extent true of humans.

I think it is natural for people...

Can't lie to yourself, humans are biologically poly. Whether or not we are evolving to become mono is a debate, but in the past we were defiantly promiscuous.

It depends on a person to person basis. I've met people who were both dedicated polygamous and dedicated monogamous, and both lifestyles had advantages.

I don't believe that monogamy is necessarily natural, however, we do have penguins to take an example from.

The more I think about it the more it would seem natural for humans to be polyamorous, but there is always an exception to every rule.

It is a matter of preference, I suppose.

I don't believe in natural/unnatural. To each their own, I always say. I support whatever makes people happy, no matter what is considered "natural."

It can be both, some people just lean towards having one partner where others desire many. It is all what feel right for that person.

I think it's unnatural.

I think it's too generalizing to say that people are 'naturally' or 'unnaturally' monogamous. I think Monogamy can be natural for some people, and polyamory can be natural for others.

The probelm here is that when trying to define thing as "natural" is tricky. When people say poly or mono in this context it is flirted through our perceptions of these concept as social constructs. In reality what is natural is more complex then that.

A lot of people have gotten the message that we are not biologically looking at a species level "naturally hard wired to be "monogamous" but we are also not hardwired to be "poly" either. From biological stand point you having multiple partners increase your sexual fitness (not "naturally" monogamous) however here is the problem your partner doing the same reduces your sexual fitness (naturally sexual jealous and not naturally polyamorous). On the indivdual level the "optimal" biological relationship would be one where your are "poly" but all your partners are "mono". However a natural system couldn't sustain that for very long, so what is actually "natural" is more a conflict between "poly" impulses which improve your sexual fitness (multiple partners) and "mono" impulses which improve fitness (intense sexual jealousy).