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Incest: Immoral or Moral?

I was asked this question today by a theist. If there is no God why is safe sex between brother and sister immoral to an atheist? This guy was smart to add safe sex because it closed off my avenue to argue the health issue. So, I was thinking why is it immoral if it is consensual? I understand we find it gross but is that because of Christian influence?

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  • 79 votes
paul1967 8 Oct 12
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314 comments (301 - 314)

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2

So far 7 people are super creepy.

LOL well, I'm not sure I would call them creepy. Let me pose a scenario to see if you change your mind. You fall in love late in life say, 50ish and you marry this person, and you're now 60ish, and you discover the person you loved was your sibling that you had never met. Do you end it now because you know?

IDK.... This is a really weird conversation. I gave a quick answer to this poll because I have brothers and 1 little sister and this shit is too weird to think about. Paul1967 Im gonna guess you don't have close siblings or you do but you have exercised your mind in this way of thinking to where it doesnt disturb you. I can't do it. This is too weird LOL. But hey I tell everybody it don't matter what I think, do whateva dafuk you wanna do, I just like to put my opinions out there cause I can, haha.

2

Apart from finding it personally distasteful from an objective perspective the psychological issues and in-breeding biological problems are non nonsensical.

1

I guess I find incest icky because I can't imagine being attracted to my sister, if I had one. Now I am atheist but this has nothing to do with religion it has to do with science and history. The royal families of Europe were all about inbreeding and look how they turned out.

1

There are isolated situations where you are dealing with blended families, not being related other than thru marriage, they start to like each other.. a lot and fall for one another. That is one thing. But siblings that are biologically related, I don't feel or believe this is good. Other than the well known long term health risks with mentally deformities being passed thru the genes. I have heard of 1st cousins get married and have no issues but then again, it all depends on the people involved.

1

Definitely immoral. Many times the younger child doesn't understand what is happening and then they feel guilty if/when they feel pleasure. They may also may have been threatened so they will not tell.

If they are consenting adults then society still condemns it for health reasons for any progeny produced as a result of their actions. Inbreeding is generally frowned upon for just that reason.

1

Although sex between any two consenting adult is legal in Canada, I believe it is immoral for more then the obvious biological wrongness but, also because when it occurs it often involve elements of mental manipulation and control of one of the participants.

1

The health avenue could still be in play because even when safer sex practices are used there is still the possibility of conception- slight as it may be- because there is a failure rate for every contraceptive method. I question the idea of consensual incest in general, since many instances of incest are in truth cases of abuse. In the hypothetical consensual scenario I don't know if immoral is the exact appropriate term, but I still find the concept of incest to be abhorrent. Regardless of the alleged consent it strikes me as an abnormal and potentially harmful act. What would drive two individuals to engage in incest? Though consensual, is it a maladaptive behavior resulting from isolation, prior abuse, or illness? I think practically it would be hard to find many instances of a healthy incestuous relationship.

1

If we believe that incest is a normal behaviour, where is the difference between human an animals, we don't need religion for this, it's common sense.

Lobo Level 1 Oct 13, 2017

This is entirely off subject, but I view common sense as a negative. The sense of the common person has lead to religion. Don't get me wrong I know what you're saying, and I understand what you mean. I just thought I would toss that out to you.

2

can i vote for weird

LMAO - I'll put you down for a write-in for weird.......Done got it

5

As atheists, we understand that society at large - the community as it were - dictate morality. Individuals do not. And as a society, we've deemed it "wrong"... and that is not arbitrary. In fact it's actually illegal in most states.

I like the way you put that. I'm preparing my response, now so I may incorporate what you said in my response. I was heading in that direction, but you worded it better.

1

I would say it's immoral for the same reason eating feces is immoral.
You just don't do it. Sure some people are into it, but fuck it's gross.
So I suppose my reasoning is that it is ingrained in us.

1

I picked moral because no matter what my personal view is, which we are all entitled to, it is none of my business.

1

Morals should be based off of rational thinking of facts, as well as the aim to see the least amount of suffering when, unfortunately, in a turn of events cannot be avoided. Based on this, if there is consent between siblings and they are of mature age, there really is no reasoning with the immorality of incest. It seems that many atheists are afraid to admit this. But it is what it is. I'd assume the reason why I don't practice incest myself is because I have seen my siblings grow since they were small. My relation with them has never been sexual to begin with, and there hasn't been a reason as I slowly see them grow as part of my immediate family.

1

I think it's fine if it's between two CONSENTING ADULTS and no children are conceived from it.
Some people may find it gross but they're not the ones participating.
I bet the people who have the biggest problem with this are also against homosexuality and same sex marriage.

I imagine you're right about what you said about women not agreeing, but that is the difference between what is legal and what is actually practiced.

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