MagiStream

I see it the same as Gazzy: it's not ok between different generations because there'll always be a power difference between them and there's just too much danger of grooming being involved.

As for siblings, it's kinda creepy and I'd feel weird if I knew them IRL, but I can se they're not harming anyone if they really are two consenting adults, and do not intend to have children. Nowadays we have enough technology to prevent reproduction effectively enough.

As for cousins, second cousins especially, people get too upset over it. We evolved in small tribes, where it was a given you'd be at least a little related to everyone. Up to a hundred years to go it was actually pretty common to marry between cousins, it only became "taboo" after we learned about the potential for genetic problems. So if I knew a couple of second cousins who got married, and did not intend to have children, it would bother me absolutely not at all.

Second cousins are no problem, first cousins no problem for me too, although I think that marriage between first cousins is forbidden in some countries, but OK in other. And as I said, no problem for me.

lorikeetlovr wrote:It's a crime, and anyone condoning it should seriously re-think it.

Could you elaborate on your own personal opinion on the topic? Sure, it's a crime in most places. That's understood. But that surely cannot be the sole reason why you disagree with it? Care to share your thoughts on it and why you feel it's wrong, aside from it being against the law?

While I personally wouldn't participate in incest myself and I have no desire to, I agree with what others have said. It's a) not something I consider wrong if it's between two consenting adults and b) not my business what other adults do. Whatever makes someone happy, as long as they're not hurting anyone.

I remember seeing an episode of Maury, where a man and woman were a married couple who had a child together and they had no idea they were brother and sister. I forget how they became aware of the fact that they could be related, but they had a DNA test done that proved they were siblings. I remember it being such a big thing on the show at the time. The couple, if I remember correctly, said they'd still be together. No idea what happened after the show, though.

Apparently they claimed their child was fine, no birth issues and whatnot. No idea if something couple develop later in the child's life as it grows up or not though. Either way, it's their business. If they want to continue dating, that's their business, it's their life, not mine. What someone else does with their love life, especially someone else whom I don't know, doesn't affect me.

I recently watched a documentary on the terrible defects of children born to parents who are siblings or cousins. (Incest doesn't 100% cause defects it just greatly raises the possibilities of it) I think that if you are closely related by blood to somebody you defiantly shouldn't have children with them because of the terrible defects it could cause the child. If you don't have children, then there is less of a problem. I personally don't like the thought of dating/marring someone I'm related to but that is just my personal opinion, I'm not going to force my opinion on anybody.

From what I have seen, incest is very bad in terms of health. Babies born to incest parents have an increased chance for very serious diseases and mutations. Many of these are lethal and can kill a child within 24 hours of birth. One such case is talked about here:
https://www.indiatoday.in/mail-today/st ... 2018-09-26
(Warning: Graphic Image)

The baby was born to a woman who married her cousin, and as a result it developed what is called "harlequin ichthyosis". It was born with very hard, fish-like scaly skin. In most cases, babies with this mutation die a few hours after birth. There are many many more mutations that have an increased risk from inbred couples, including cleft palete and fused limbs. I personally wouldn't marry and have a child with a family member for this reason;; but that is just my opinion.

Basically everyone else has touched on my main sentiment - that as long as steps to avoid inbreeding are made (and it really requiring several generations to usually dangerously affect the gene pool) and it's between two consenting adults, it's fine. I also agree with the power dynamic issue of cross generations being quite iffy, but I do have an interesting thought to add...

We have to remember that human development is as much influenced by our upbringing as it is by our genetics. If someone is raised by an adoptive set of parents, or never met one (or more) of their biological parents, they could have no emotional or mental association with these humans as "parents." They might know those people made them, but they wouldn't think of them as a parent. If they only met them as an adult themself, isn't it possible their could be no unhealthy power dynamic between them? Some studies even suggest their are bilogical probabilities of being physical attracted to parents who didn't raise us because they share our genes (see Sigmund Freud lol). And I do recall reading several stories of people who fell in love with one of their bio parents after only meeting them later in life.

I just figured those little thoughts might be interesting.

It is wrong on all levels. Humans are not meant to inbreed. Inbreeding destroys lives. It is not fair to the child who may end up with health complications due to inbreeding. Even if both consenting adults agree not to have children, accidents happen. And there are no promises they would want to terminate the pregnancy. They are just being selfish by having children.

Now, if they are cousins like a 2nd cousin and a 4th cousin being together or a 1st cousin and a 3rd cousin, that to me is not considered incest. They are so far apart from being considered "blood" family.

Two 1st cousins, two 2nd cousins, etc THAT is incest.

A 1st cousin and a 2nd cousin? That is a little close to incest...they are pushing the line but..I guess it would be fine?

A mother and son, father and daughter, brother and sister, father and his sister, ect...is very much incest and is wrong.

If you find out that your dating your long lost sibling, yes incest. If you are related by blood, its incest, and wrong.

Eh, I'm rather indifferent to what people do in the bedroom if both consent and are not hurting anyone. It might be a bit weird, but it is not impacting me or anyone else physically, so why should I try and restrict them in their relationships (so to speak)?

While I do think they probably shouldn't have children/inbreed and should rather adopt a child instead, we shouldn't really have a say in other peoples' lives to such an extent. That's kind of like trying to own someone as a pet in my opinion. We can dictate if an animal should produce offspring (and get it fixed if not) and we can chose a mate for it, but we shouldn't do that to people. Let 'em chose to do what they want so long as they're not hurting anyone or themselves. Let 'em be happy.