Why were Adam and Eve allowed to procreate incestuously, it's unnatural?

Question

or is it?

I ask this question because I recently read this question:

"Why are some people gay, it's unnatural?
no one is born that way, it is wrong, full stop. God created Adam and Eve, not Steve.

God has forbade it therefore it is wrong, that is why I think it is wrong, simple. I am not homophobic, I don't mind watching the Graham Norton show but if God has said it is wrong it must be wrong!


God created Adam and Eve who had 2 daughters and 2 sons, so there "

So, I'm curious. I'm asking monotheists- Is incest natural or unnatural? Was it natural and the rules changed or did we condition ourselves to believe it's repugnant?

Also: I read of a trial completed where women were asked to rate which sweaty T-shirt, which had been worn by unknown men, smelt more attractive/least offensive. The results were that women rated the T-shirt scent of men who displayed different immune system genes to their own more highly. Does this suggest incest is unnatural?

I'm working on the assumption that Adam and Eve had sexual relations with their children. This is what I mean by 'procreate incestuously'

No, I'm not gay- but apparently I could choose to be, and that would be considered bad by some.

I'm really wanting to know why homosexuality which is often labelled as being unnatural is any more unnatural than sleeping with your brothers, sisters, or children- which is how the first humans in the world's monotheistic religions are said to have participated in.

Answer 1

It's just a story. It is fiction that is loosely derived from other myths. There are many such myths in history.

If you want real answers to how man came about, look to science.

Answer 2

I think that incest may have been natural during the first centuries of human life (brother-sister marriages, I mean). Let me explain.

I believe that a brother-sister relationship is something that is held sacred by God, just like a husband-wife relationship. God does not want us to compromise our immediate family relationships by intermarriage between siblings.

However, think back to early days on Earth. If you read Genesis, in the Bible, you will find that humans back then lived over nine hundred years. They also had something like a hundred kids each. Thus, back then, marrying a sibling left dozens and dozens of brother-sister relationships to fill that role in a person's life. The size of the family allowed such marriages to happen and not be relationally unhealthy.

Another point to consider is that back then, humans had just fallen (eaten the forbidden fruit) and had near-perfect bodies. They didn't have to worry about sharing defects that would show up in their kids (remember, they were so healthy they lived almost a millenium!). Nowadays, however, we have evolved significantly downward, diseases and handicaps have evolved up, and a brother-sister marriage can be physically unhealthy as well, which explains the results of the study you mentioned.

In summary, it was natural, but it no longer is, for physical and relational reasons.


EDIT: 'working on the assumption that Adam and Eve has sex with their children.' Why? This makes no sense. If you are going by the Genesis account (where we get Adam and Eve from in the first place), there is no basis for this assumption. It say that 'Adam knew his wife,' and that they had lots of kids. That's it. From there, the kids obviously had to intermarry to continue to procreate, but there is absolutely no reason to think that Adam and Eve ever 'knew' anyone but each other.

Answer 3

Adam and Eve didn't have an incestual relationship with their own children,no. But...they lived many years (900 or so) and had MANY children. Back then incest was okay. Cain and Abel only had their sisters available so that was the only way to multiply. But back then the genes were still in a pure form since they were the very first. There were no mutations, no contaminations...they were genetically sound. It wasn't until after people branched off in many directions that God said - okay, we have enough people now that are distant relatives that incest with your sister or something is no longer necessary , so don't do it!!

Answer 4

Adam and Eve did not have relations with their children, for one thing, that would have been adultery. As far as the children marrying, the gene pool was still pure. Incest became forbidden because of the problem of recessive traits being passed along. It is repulsive today to consider it but at that time it was acceptable. It was acceptable in royal families up until a few hundred years ago.

Answer 5

I have heard many theories. One, that Adam and Eve contained all the variety of DNA for humanity within them, thus making incest less of a problem. Their kids married each other, still having none of the health problems associated with incest. The laws about incest didn't come until Moses, thousands of years later. God's laws are meant to protect us and others, and we all know today why incest is bad. Genetic problems occur.
Two, when you read the account of creation, in one place it says "male and female He created them" and that was before the part where He created specifically Adam. One could view that as God created mankind, and then followed the line of Adam. Cain went off to the land of Nod to find a wife, it seems to make sense.

Homosexuality does have physical problems associated with its practice (at least in men). Also emotional. God intended us to be in male and female partnerships, anything outside of that, including adulterous hetero affairs, causes problems. I think that we can all see the multitudes of problems our society suffers from these non traditional sexual habits. Outside of God's design, sexuality leads to destruction.

Answer 6

We cannot judge what God ordained as Holy and call it "unnatural". It is a fact that well beyond the Cain and Abel the Jews practiced Jew-to-Jew unions. They were considered a holy nation. So, to mix unholy men/women into the bloodline was considered and offense to God and disobedient.

The OT teachings are a teaching to all peoples that God is holy and pure. If any man joins himself to God, through the Son -- Jesus, he must become pure by repentence of sins, belief on the Lord Jesus and confession of his faith with his own mouth. Then, like Adam & Eve, the bloodline of Christ remains untainted.

On the topic of Gay/Lesbian sexual habits, they cannot procreate (have children) unless they involve a donor. This is what should be called "unnatural". By design, we are to procreate man-to-woman. The reason Gay\Lesbian lifestyles are wrong to God is because it goes against what he designed, just as lying, stealing and other sins. God designed to be one with Him -- Holy unto the Lord.

Answer 7

Adam and Eve weren't brother and sister, so that's not incest.
Just as Moses created divorce and God 'allowed' it so that adultery and murder wouldn't abound among the Isrealites, so the offspring of Adam and Eve were 'allowed' to, as there was no other way to populate the Earth.

incest isn't a natural thing. even biological science makes claims that the pheremones given off by one's own family members will be repulsive more to one than one of another: nature's way of saying "no". even now adays, if you are prone to incest, you will be declared as having a psychological disorder. I doubt Adam and Eve's children were really attracted to one another. likely, they were told "pick a wife, young men" and of course went with that.

btw, Adam and Eve had more than 2 sons and two daughters. according to the Hebrew Bible, they had approximately 72 children; Cain, Abel, Seth and Cain's unnamed wife are the only mentioned offspring in the Bible, as they are the only ones relevant to the senario, however, it is hinted that Adam and Eve had more children as Cain said "someone will kill me" and that "he went off to other lands", and a land is defined by its ownership.

homophobia is defined as the IRRATIONAL AND PERSISTANT FEAR OR HATRED TOWARD HOMOSEXUALS. Technically, a person who doesn't fear or hate the people, but homosexuality itself, is not a homophobe.

Answer 8

Disturbing little thought here. If you believe that Adam and Eve were the first two humans (which I do) then you also believe that EVERY TIME you have sex, you are techically commiting incest with a distant relative.

Answer 9

first Adam and Eve had many sons and daughters and only named 3 sons Cain, Able, and Seth

Gen 5:4 And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years: and he begot sons and daughters:

second the law that said not to marry relative was not given till Moses. in the beginning there was not choose all you has was your sister or close relative.

Answer 10

Well first you HAVE to know that Adam was not Eve's brother. I suppose, however, that your question is less about Adam and Eve and more about their kids and the obvious interrelationary sex they MUST have had in order to create the entire human race.

Incest doesn't work because it creates genetically defective kids. Because related parties create babies less likely to survive than non-related parties. . . it is unnatural. Survival of the fittest. . . the brother/sister offspring dies. . . the brother/sister have no surviving heirs. . . their line dies. . . end of story.

Answer 11

Hold on there a moment, Homer. As I recall Eve was created from Adam's rib so how is it she is not related to Adam? Hmmm?