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Incestis a sexual relationship with an immediate family member, usually a sibling, parent or

child.

Question: "Why did God allow incest in the Bible?"

Answer: There are numerous examples of incest in the Bible. The most commonly thought-of

examples are the sons/daughters of Adam and Eve (Genesis !" Abraham marrying his half-

sister #arah (Genesis $%&'$!" ot and his daughters (Genesis ')!" *oses+ father Amram ,ho

married his aunt ochebed (Exodus &$%!" and avid+s son Amnon ,ith his half-sister Tamar ($

#amuel '0!. 1t is important to note" ho,ever" that in t,o of the above instances (Tamar and ot!

one of the parties involved ,as an un,illing participant in the incest.

1t is important to distinguish bet,een incestuous relationships prior to God commanding against

them (eviticus '2&-'2!" and incest that occurred after God+s commands had been revealed.

3ntil God commanded against it" it ,as not incest. 1t ,as 4ust marrying a close relative. 1t is

undeniable that God allo,ed incest in the early centuries of humanity. 1f Adam and Eve ,ere

indeed the only t,o human beings God created" their sons and daughters ,ould have had noother choice but to marry and reproduce ,ith their siblings and close relatives. The second

generation ,ould have had to marry their cousins" 4ust as after the flood the grandchildren of

5oah ,ould have had to intermarry amongst their cousins. The reason incest is so strongly

discouraged in the ,orld today is the understanding that reproduction bet,een closely related

individuals has a much higher ris6 of causing genetic abnormalities. 1n the early days of

humanity" though" this ,as not a ris6 due to the fact that the human genetic code ,as relatively

free of defects.

1t seems" then" that by the time of *oses" the human genetic code had become polluted enough

that close intermarriage ,as no longer safe. #o" God commanded against sexual relations ,ith

siblings" half-siblings" parents" and aunts/uncles. 1t ,as not until many centuries later that

humanity discovered the genetic reason that incest is unsafe and un,ise. 7hile the idea of

incest is disgusting and abhorrent to us today" as it should be" ,e have to remember ,hy it is

sinful" that is" the genetic problems. #ince this ,as not an issue in the early centuries of

humanity" ,hat occurred bet,een Adam and Eve+s children" Abraham and #arah" and Amram

and ochebed" should not be vie,ed as incest. Again" the 6ey point is that sexual relations

bet,een close relatives must be vie,ed differently pre-a, and post-a,. 1t did not become

8incest9 until God commanded against it.

:ead more&http&//,,,.got;uestions.org/incest-in-the-Bible.html

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Question: "Is it wrong to have a relationship with a close relative?"

Answer: The relationships that God forbade in the >ld Testament a, are listed in eviticus

chapter '2" verses -'2. 1n that passage" ,e are commanded not to marry a parent" a step-

parent" a grandchild (and" understood" a grandparent!" a sibling" a brother or sister of a parent

(i.e." an aunt or uncle!" or a half-sibling. *arriage bet,een cousins is no,here forbidden in the

Bible.

1n the very early days of humanity" there ,ere a limited number of human beings. As a result"

marriage bet,een close relatives ,as often necessary. 1t ,as not until humanity increased

greatly on the earth that people no longer needed to intermarry among relatives. 1n the early

days of humanity" the human genetic code ,as not corrupted to the extent that it is today.

Therefore" it ,as safe for close relatives to marry and have children. There ,as little ris6 of

genetic abnormalities in their children. >nce the human race expanded and" due to sin" the

human genetic code became corrupted too much" God commanded against the marriage ofclose relatives.

#o there is nothing essentially evil about marrying a close relative. The reason ,e should not do

it is that it is unsafe genetically. ?urther" most nations today have strict la,s against marriage

bet,een close relatives. The Bible commands us to obey the la,s of the nation ,e live in

(:omans '0&'-!. *ost la,s recogni=e second cousins as sufficiently separate to allo,

marriage. Any couple that is related and considering marriage should pray ,holeheartedly for

God to give them ,isdom and discretion as to ,hether it is @is ,ill (ames '&!. A couple should

most definitely consult their families about the matter as ,ell.

:ead more&http&//,,,.got;uestions.org/close-relative-relationship.html