Should incest be banned?

[ChristineES]

I just don't think that incest is the same as homosexuality. A brother is able to impregnate his sister, and that can cause birth defects. Gays can have children only if they adopt or have a surrogate parent or sperm donor or something (I hope saying that isn't insensitive or anything, let me know if it is, and I will remove it)

 

[McBell]

I just don't think that incest is the same as homosexuality.

Nor do I.
However, listening to the main argument given by the OP, they are being treated as one and the same since the exact same two reasons are given to ban them: Its yucky and god said no.

 

[beenie]

I am not sure what the "ew factor" is?

This information was taken from the census data in 2001.

There has been a census in 2011, but I do not think the data subsets are available yet.

I don't see a reference to cousin marriages in that article.

 

[methylatedghosts]

Nor do I.
However, listening to the main argument given by the OP, they are being treated as one and the same since the exact same two reasons are given to ban them: Its yucky and god said no.

That was my impression too.

 

[The Sum of Awe]

Can someone explain the problem with incest other than deformed children which can be solved with medical science if it needs to?

 

[Zoe Doidge]

Can someone explain the problem with incest other than deformed children which can be solved with medical science if it needs to?

It would seem not...

So far all we've got is the equivalent of "I don't like crackers so anyone who eats them should be imprisoned".

 

[Skwim]

"Incest decreases the variety of the gene pool and thus allows (detrimental) recessive mutations to become obvious and cause phenotypes and diseases. If you take two related individuals both heterozygous (and thus phenotypically normal) for a given gene defect and mate them, then 25% of the offspring will be homozygous and thus have the condition."
source
​

So, aside from incestuous relationships that would lead to a pregnancy, I see no need to criminalize incestuous relations that would otherwise be legal between consenting adults.

 

[Gjallarhorn]

This the same old story as the bestiality debate.

Surely saying 'ew' is a good enough reason to ban such behaviour?

Public opinion, consensus, morality issues - doesn't that mean anything to you?

Public opinion once held that the sun revolved around the Earth. Morality issues used to find no fault in slavery or rape.

 

[ChristineES]

Public opinion once held that the sun revolved around the Earth. Morality issues used to find no fault in slavery or rape.

Those examples are not at all the same thing as incest, the way I see it. And it is more than just "God says no and I don't like it". Even before I had faith, it was creepy to me and I have known people who have never had any faith who find it creepy. But, as I said, I wouldn't know if this is just a inborn revulsion or something learned from society (not necessarily religion).

 

[beenie]

The problem is, we can't base our laws on what creeps us out. As much as I personally don't like it, I can't impose my creep factor on consenting adults.

Of course, that is putting all religious indoctrination aside.

 

[The Sum of Awe]

Those examples are not at all the same thing as incest, the way I see it. And it is more than just "God says no and I don't like it". Even before I had faith, it was creepy to me and I have known people who have never had any faith who find it creepy. But, as I said, I wouldn't know if this is just a inborn revulsion or something learned from society (not necessarily religion).

If I may ask, if it isn't just because you don't like it, what is the reason why it is "wrong"?

 

[Skwim]

The problem is, we can't base our laws on what creeps us out.

Wanna bet? Some people, in fact people right here on RF, would be fine with doing just that.










But I know what you mean.

 

[ChristineES]

If I may ask, if it isn't just because you don't like it, what is the reason why it is "wrong"?

It isn't that I think it "right" or "wrong", or that it creeps me or that it creeps a great majority of people out. It just feels wrong on a basic level. That is just my own personal feeling and as I keep saying, I don't know if it is an inborn thing or just something I learned from my peers and society at large. But I don't want to condemn others and I won't. The same goes with bestiality- it just feels wrong to me. I can't help the way I feel about it. I don't want to lie and say I feel perfectly fine about it, either.

 

[The Sum of Awe]

It isn't that I think it "right" or "wrong", or that it creeps me or that it creeps a great majority of people out. It just feels wrong on a basic level. That is just my own personal feeling and as I keep saying, I don't know if it is an inborn thing or just something I learned from my peers and society at large. But I don't want to condemn others and I won't. The same goes with bestiality- it just feels wrong to me. I can't help the way I feel about it. I don't want to lie and say I feel perfectly fine about it, either.

Okay, gotcha

Although beastiality is more of a rape, there could be reason why it should be illegal.

 

[cablescavenger]

I don't see a reference to cousin marriages in that article.

I thought you were asking for proof of the high disability rate.
Yes they do have a high amount of cousins do marry, ask a Muslim.

 

[beenie]

I thought you were asking for proof of the high disability rate.
Yes they do have a high amount of cousins do marry, ask a Muslim.

I know they do.

You said that disabilities are a result of inter-cousin marriage, and I asked for proof of that claim.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

First you have to define what is a close family member? It can make a pretty big difference depending on what culture you are in, especially when trying to define incest.
Other than moral perspectives there is nothing wrong with it. And while the birth defects thing is true, it's less than a half truth. If a brother and sister have a child together, assuming they are both healthy, have about the same the chance of having a child born with birth defects than any other randomly selected child. It's after multiple generations that inter breeding MIGHT cause a genetic problems. There is an equal chance though that beneficial genetic mutations will be passed down. There may also be nothing good or bad. Eventually a homogeneous breeding group can produce genetic clones that lack any genetic flaws.

 

[Drolefille]

Those examples are not at all the same thing as incest, the way I see it. And it is more than just "God says no and I don't like it". Even before I had faith, it was creepy to me and I have known people who have never had any faith who find it creepy. But, as I said, I wouldn't know if this is just a inborn revulsion or something learned from society (not necessarily religion).

There is a psychological process that happens when one is raised with one's siblings as children. Almost always this results in the siblings not being considered acceptable mates. So your revulsion may be cultural, but the aversion to marrying one's own siblings is fairly natural. I've not seen if that's been tested cross-culturally though so perhaps someone else can.

Besides the risk of birth defects -which are relatively small and become a problem in future generations more than in the first generation unless there's a particular recessive gene both siblings have - the one concern I have with incest relationships is the inherent inequality that can exist. Particularly if there's a parent/child factor, but often still with a brother/sister. I think there are some questions about whether consent is freely given. I wouldn't be jumping up and down to ban them though were they not already.

Now two siblings or half siblings who never met until adulthood? Sure, no problem - and there's no aversion built in because they didn't grow up together.

Found an article: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=evolving-mechanism-avoid-sibling-sex

 

[cablescavenger]

I know they do.

You said that disabilities are a result of inter-cousin marriage, and I asked for proof of that claim.

Not the "ew factor", it is definitely a problem.

Inbreeding – Cousin marriages and health disorders « hatefsvoice

Why we need action to end the tragedy over disabled babies born to Muslims who marry their cousins | Mail Online

700 children born with genetic disabilities due to cousin marriages every year - Telegraph

It's time to confront this taboo: First cousin marriages in Muslim communities are putting hundreds of children at risk | Mail Online

 

[nnmartin]

many responses, good.

Looks like I have some work to do! :drool: