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Originally Posted by politicophile
Incest is a difficult case because the harm is rather diffuse. If you and your sibling have children together, those children have a significantly increased chance of receiving double recessive genes that you got from your parents. In some cases, this can cause your children to have severe genetic diseases.
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That isn't absolutely true--in some cases, it does increase the chance, but in others, not at all. Genetics is a tricky business. Making sweeping laws like these in this day and age, when genetic testing is prevalent and parents can find out BEFORE birth whether or not their child is likely to suffer from any defect, is outmoded and restrictive. Also, in some cases, a person marrying a complete genetic stranger can have similar problems. Should we restrict complete strangers from marrying? How about mothers who know they will pass on haemophilia to their sons? Carriers for cystic fibrosis? Genetics is a huge can of worms, and telling people they cannot marry because of it smacks of eugenics.
Personally, I have no problem with what consenting adults do. People have a right to live their own lives. I have no right to interfere. Live and let live.