Incest
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Incest is the activity of having sex with your close relatives. It's opposed by just about everybody[1] — including most liberals/atheists/skeptics/rationalists and fundamentalists — although the reasons vary from: the adverse effects of incestual reproduction, to "God forbade it", to personal disgust.
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[edit] Occurences
In the Abrahamic religions, Adam and Eve (the first humans) had offspring who reproduced with each other, namely Cain and his sister.[2] Abraham also practiced incest with his half sister Sarah (Genesis 20:12).
Most of the USA, all of China and one or two other countries are strict in their incest laws in not permitting first cousins (those possessing at least one common grandparent) to marry.
From Wikipedia
Laws regarding first-cousin marriage around the world First-cousin marriage Legality dependent on religion or culture Statute bans first-cousin marriage Banned with exceptions Criminal offense No data
[edit] Genetics
The biological result of too much incest (if safe sex is not practiced) can be the manifestation of normally rare, recessive, genetic traits with unpleasant consequences. After too much reproductive incest, the family tree starts to look more like a ladder.
Ironically, incest is vital to the development of extreme traits in prized domesticated plants and animals. This is called "line breeding", and it is typically done by mating offspring with their parents. Since a few generations of this can lead to problems as described above, then there is usually an "out breeding" to remix the genes a bit.
[edit] Pedophilia
Incest is frequently a form of abuse or pedophilia, as the most common occurrence is between siblings (an older sibling preying on a younger) or between a parent and a child. Both boys and girls can be the victims of this sort of incestual abuse by a family member, and although with boys it is more likely to be male-on-male, both genders are equally likely to experience physical coercion.[3]
[edit] Issues with argument
One problem with most anti-incest arguments is that they tend to focus only on procreative sex, ignoring the likely possibility that many incestuous couples don't want, or even can't have children (like gay incestuous couples, or those that use birth control). Hence, the genetic argument against marriage between relatives represents a false dichotomy; marriage can be allowed while pro-creation is restricted.
[edit] Other twists to have in mind
Something to point out are notorious cases in the world where 2 persons met each other, fell in love, got married, but discovered later on with DNA tests that they are in fact genetically related (as siblings mostly, whom were separated and adopted by different families earlier on in their lives). While this implies they have a higher than average chance of conceiving a biological child with genetic defects, It doesn't erase the times they bonded together as a result, the way they view each other, as lovers. One last idea, is that by definition, "Incest" does not necessarily indicate pedophilia (underage members with an adult) nor rape (one side is not consenting). One should keep that in mind, when discussing the idea of incest itself, not to confuse / associate it with sexual harassment / violating one's body or lack of Informed Consent.
[edit] Law
Incest between close relatives is illegal in most countries. The European Court of Human Rights has decided that individual nations of the European Union may enforce laws against incest. [4] Sex between adult brother and sister is legal in many countries of the EU and in some states of the USA. [5]
[edit] Quotes
- "Incest is best, put your sister to the test". -- Anonymous
- "The trouble with incest is that it gets you involved with relatives." -- George S. Kaufman
- "You should make a point of trying every experience once -- except incest and folk-dancing." -- A. Bax, "Farewell My Youth"
- "If you can't keep it in your pants, keep it in the family." -- Anonymous
- "Why go out when you can go down the hall?" -- My friend Jon, but he steals everything so probably anonymous
- "Why go down the hall when you can just go to the top bunk?" -- Jon Bontrager (allegedly)
- "If you ask me a priori the question ‘if a brother and sister love each other and use contraception, is there something absolutely morally wrong about that?’ … I’d have to think about it because I don’t think there’s any absolute condemnation of that fact. If they love each other and care for each other and they go off and it doesn’t affect anything else …" -- Lawrence Krauss.
- "How do you castrate a hillbilly? Kick his sister in the jaw!" -- a well-known joke
[edit] In popular culture
- Half brother, sister incest plays an important part in the 1996 movie Lone Star.
- In the T.V. series Rome Octavian has sex with his sister Octavia. Difficult to know if this is based on fact or not.
- Major plot point in George R.R. Martin's Game of Thrones, its sequels and TV adaptation.
- About half of all Redneck jokes, if redneck jokes can be considered to be "culture".
- Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Is Incest Wrong? This tries to rationally discuss/debate the act of incest by consenting adults.
[edit] Footnotes
- ↑ Probably except the ones who are doing it.
- ↑ Cain and Abel in Text and Tradition: Jewish and Christian Interpretations of the First Sibling Rivalry, John Byron - 2011, page 27
- ↑ "Incest", Pat McClendon's Social Work
- ↑ German incest couple lose European Court case
- ↑ Adult incest is legal in very many countries in EU & world & should be legal in Unenlightened Denmark