Consenting adults?

[keyplus90]

We talk about a good number of things and cover them up with a phrase "Consenting adults". So why not this then?

http://www.independen...s-ruling-7640247.html

Or we have not gone that far yet?

[NOX]

Personally although it's not something I would ever indulge in if that's what this couple wish then I think they ought to be left alone. As the article states many developed countries either have no laws against incest or they have amended their laws in modern times. I generally think what consenting adults do is their own affair.

[DTCwordfan]

Been like that down here in Cornwall for centuries. We say "Incest, Put your family to the Test" or "Incest, Keep it in the Family"

Seriously though, increased mobility of society is leading to cross-breeding within families becoming less of an issue than in the past - it is now highly likely that folk will breed outside their immediate community. However, any basic knowledge of genetics, and Mendel's work, and it is pretty obvious that incest has a high chance of problem off-spring. Therefore it should continue to be illegal.

[China Doll]

I think it's becoming more of a problem with siblings and/or parents being reunited having never known each other or seperated at a young age. I imagine your emotions must be all over the place and I think it would be easy for them to be misplaced, I actually think this needs to be managed better as it's becoming more and mroe common and I wonder if more mental health support is needed for these reunions because of the emotions that run so high. I guess if you've had a particularly awful childhood in conjuntion with it all then it must be a real mind ***k (for want of a better word) for some people. I don't know what the answer is or really have a strong opinion, I just feel massively sorry for all the people involved.

In terms of incest within family groups that have never been seperated, well, I've come across that quite a few times now, and my thoughts have always been that these are not normal relationships as they generally do not start from the default postiion of a loving and healthy family life, (because of my work I'm going to have a particularly jaded view of this I imagine). So while I'm generally of the opinion of what goes on between consenting adults is up to them, in these instances I have personally never seen someone who was not in a vulnerable position to begin with in regards to this type of incestous relationship.

[Jonathan-Joe]

No, greater cross-breeding within society does not reduce the risks associated with children of an incestuous relationship.
Genes are paired with one coming from the father, the other from the mother. For a child of unrelated parents, a gene which would give rise to a weakness or defect usually has no effect, because the other in the pair is dominant over it. Problems arise with a child of an incestuous relationship because a defective gene of a grandparent could be passed via the father and via the mother making a pair formed of two identical, defective genes. With no “healthy” gene in the pair, the defect will be expressed. Whether the grandparent’s genes came from a small or wide pool is not relevant. The chances that a particular pair may be formed of two identical, defective genes is small but with so many pairs in DNA, the chance that are a few is significant.

[DTCwordfan]

JJ true in what you say when it comes to direct intra-family contract, - however, there is/was also a higher risk of genetic defects in small communities that do not breed outside their immediate environment where, say, two or three families become "well and truly mingled" - and, seriously, plenty of that down here.

[andy-hughes]

The difficulty here is overcoming a natural feeling of discomfort, in order to try and reach a rational point of view.

On that basis, although I do applaud the need for society to allow consenting adults to behave as they wish, that must be tempered with consideration for subsequne offspring, because science indicates that offspring from incestuous unions carry an increased risk of genentic issues - as perfectly described by Jonathan-Joe in his post.

Sometimes, society needs to be proteted from itself - just because someone is able to do something does not automatically provide him with a right to do something - the old 'Shout "Fire!" in a crowded theatre' argument comes to mind.

[keyplus90]

Where I personally agree with "consenting adults" scenarion but I still believe that there are certain things that can never be allowed in any civilised society. Otherwise there will be no difference left between human and animal although even few aninmal have few do's and dont's.

[B00]

fine, if they want to do it- let 'em fill their boots.

However I do have a problem with them having children. Their selfishness in their regard to genetics has resulted in 2 disabled children.

[Old_Geezer]

Therein lies the problem. When the only ones you affect is yourselves then society should allow you the most freedom in can and not push its nose into others affairs. But when others are affected adversely then they need the State to speak up for them, even when, in this case, the individuals being protected are those who would not be born. It's not a case of keeping up with the times, it's a case of what risks does society, and that means us all, feel is acceptable/moral.

[keyplus90]

Fender - You would see that among people from a certain area in Pakistan and you would always here these things from Bradford, Manchester and Birmingham. Although Newspaper has associated this with Islam, where it has nothing to do with religion at all. These people have problem that they do not trust people from outside their families. No one at all.