I read recently that some MP or Lord in England claimed to know of a couple of twins, separated at birth, who married each other without knowing their relationship. The MP (or Lord) was trying to prove some point or other, and probably made the whole thing up.
But it got me thinking.
It seems to me that the reason siblings aren’t allowed to get married is because of the danger to their children.
Which brings me to a modern question: In states or countries that allow same-sex marriage, is there any reason for them to ban same sex siblings from marrying each other?
A reason other than “it’s gross,” I mean. Assuming that both people are adults and mentally competent, is it a moral issue? Is there an issue of protecting the state from something? Is it any of our business?
This doesn’t work across generations as easily. I mean, a woman shouldn’t ever be able to marry her own daughter, because of all sorts of psychological issues. But two sisters? Why not? Where’s the harm?
Next time I go to church, I’ll try to remember to ask “Father, is it more of a sin to bugger one’s brother than a stranger?” Talk about giving the Christian Right headaches!
From my position, as a near-Libertarian Conservative, sex and marriage aren’t really the government’s (or the general public’s) business. Even between generations, if both parties are consenting adults, how is it any of my business if some woman I don’t know marries her mother, whom I also don’t know? As for being gross, I find public consumption of entrails, smoking, and other activities more bothersome than the private behaviors of others.
FWIW, I’ve read that the risk of genetic problems in the children of brother-sister pairings is actually quite low. Society would be better off worrying about potential parents who both carry the gene for sickle cell anemia. Try pushing *that* law.
The reason I left out mother-daughter stuff is to make the debate easier. I just didn’t want to go into whether that kind of relationship would most likely point to the illegal or immoral way that the mother raised the daughter.
Perhaps not only should that behavior not be banned, it should be encouraged. I’ve always thought that a good form of population control is to have more gay and lesbian couples, not fewer. We should openly support the gay and lesbian population. They don’t reproduce themselves and they often adopt kids who need homes.
When you take out religious thinking and teaching, moral “rights” and “wrongs” often seem to change.
Sooner or later, lesbian couples will be combining their chromosomes in the lab to make kids.
But anyway, I’m not sure you meant what you said. We should encourage same-sex siblings to marry?
Best selling Olson’s Twins’ movie ever.