I know this is a bit sick but...?

Question

As a society we have recently grown to be more liberal and accepting of things like homosexuality, mixed race relationships, pre-marital sex etc- all of which used to be taboos- but do you think in the future, some of the sexual taboos of today, like incest, could cease to be considered wrong?

Hope this doesn't offend anyone! It's not some right winged anti-liberal argument, just someone at work said something along these lines and it's really made me wonder...

To clarify, I meant consensual sex- rape is a whole different issue.

And a few people seem to think my friend was presenting the case in a right-winged bigoted way- but he was actually joking- I should have been clear about that, although obviously none of you know him I somehow feel bad for making him sound like a d**k! Lol.

Answer 1

Yes, I do. Already, polygamists have taken up the cause of legalizing their marriages in line with homosexuals. Here's a quote from the MSNBC article I listed as a source below:

"Polygamy rights is the next civil-rights battle," says Mark Henkel, who, as founder of the Christian evangelical polygamy organization TruthBearer.org, is at the forefront of the movement.

This is just the first article that came up when I looked up the words polygamists, marriage, and right. There are plenty others.

In Sweden, where marriage between homosexuals has become law, incest abounds. It's so bad, even the United Nations has addressed it (link below) as early as 1993! Although it hasn't been legalized (yet, at the very least), it's become, as you put it, less "taboo."

Holland has some issues, too. I found it more difficult to find articles about it on Holland since so many people (apparantly) have the last name "Holland." Oh, well. I hope what I did find is helpful to you! God Bless!

Answer 2

I think the most likely thing to change is notions of monogamy.

I don't know what other model it might be - maybe people with serious partners but open relationships, or a family with two mums and two dads who all have sex, or maybe people will give up on partners altogether and just live in tribes, having random sex with whoever they want.

There are all sorts of ways that attitudes to sex and the makeup of the family could change. However I don't think there are any really specific sexual practices like fetishes that are taboo now but won't be in the future, I think we are too liberal nowadays.

I think incest is inherently going to be seen as wrong, because it is obviously genetically a bad idea. Just maybe, however, with advances in contraception we will be able to keep sex entirely distinct from childbirth, thus removing the logical reason why incest is a bad idea, and thus making it acceptable. Probably not though.

Answer 3

If society is prepared to tolerate and even elevate the unnatural relationship between homosexuals and the abusive actions that they perform, why prohibit incest between adult siblings? The latter is a natural act carried out between a man and woman to consummate their inherent affection. Those Christians who only pick out the bits of Leviticus that they like are now reverting to science and warning about the terrible offspring. Data on this subject is materially skewed. Due to the illegal nature of sibling incest, most data that exists has been gathered from poor uneducated families who have been unable to cover their tracks. When two people of low intelligence breed, the incidence of moron or cretin production will always be higher than average.
I understand that sibling incest is not a crime in France and wait for the English speaking world to find enlightenment.
Inter-generational incest is a different question as the younger party may well be subjected to pressure and abuse.
As for bestiality; not until the beasts are able to have their say.

Answer 4

NO. It is something I would not worry about. We don't accept incest because of its physical consequences--the products of incest (children) could turn out to be deformed or retarded. In a lot of states they do blood tests before marriage to prevent this. It's not really even about morality as such, it's about preventing medical anomalies.

As far as homosexuality--it doesn't hurt anyone if it is between consenting adults (and ALL sex should be between consenting adults anyway). Mixed race relationships do not hurt anyone or cause genetic anomalies either. In actuality, it is actually probably genetically SUPERIOR, as you are further mixing the gene pool.

This person at work sounds like he/she is using that tired right-wing argument though. Perhaps they need to lay off the Rush Limbaugh or 700 club broadcasts...

Answer 5

I think your possibly right.

Some countries do very little to stop incest, everyone knows it goes on and it's just not spoken about.

Look back in history and you'll see lots of Incest, the greeks, the romans, etc.

The UK has made massive leaps in the last 15years towards a greater freedom regarding sex, you can watch soft porn on mainstream tv every night of the week.

Advertising is much more sexual, kids are more aware, there is less of a taboo about being gay, it's fashoinable for girls to have 'try' with another girl and it's a much more relaxed subject for everyone.

Who knows what will be acceptable in years to come.

Answer 6

Reading the answers so far, most people have focused on incest, but the question said things "like incest". It does seem that as we get to understand more about the world we live in prejudices about certain things have decreased we do seem to be living in a live and let live world but this is only set by the standards that we set for ourselves. Lets looks at TV comedy, it does seem now that to make people laugh there needs to be some kind of nudity or sexual innuendo. BBC 3 for example. But because we see it on TV and are able to laugh at it that does not mean we except it as normal behaviour. I feel that there are many things that the media would have us believe that we accept as normal but at the grass roots we do not accept them. Laughing at and knowing about and even understanding somethings does not mean that we have to accept them as normal so there for will remain criminal.

Answer 7

No, I really don't think that would happen. Back in the 60's when the civil rights movement was just getting going, people used to make that same argument against allow inter-racial marriage. (Well, if this is allowed then why can't I marry my dog or my own kid)

Its just bigotry, I hope you won't listen to it. There is a big difference between sexual relationships involving two adults and non-consensual sex with a minor or animal. The person making this argument is basically saying homosexuals, etc. are animals. Do you believe that?

Answer 8

I can't see that incest would become acceptable in any case. People would always come up with the medical side effects argument to supplement the moral issues of the subject. I believe that sexuality in general will continue to become more liberal but I don't think it would ever go in that direction.

Answer 9

I don't care how wild humans act, twenty years down the road incest will still be considered wrong. People do a lot of things, but that is just not natural. God made us humans, not animals! We have a conscious that lets us decide right from wrong. I could understand if we did not know any better, but we do. And that is where the line is drawn, and in my opinion should forever stay that way.

Answer 10

being educated should not mean that we have the right to behave in whichever way we feel like it means being more responsible for our acts of omission and commission, we are the ones who will shape the future society as its the kind of work and deed we do which will be closely observed by our kids and this is what they will follow rather than the empty goody goody words that we may to try to stuff into their mind...if we want the society to change to better we should try collectively rather than expecting some kind of change overnite through some alien means......after all its our world and its our responsibility to make it a better place to live in....