Would this relationship be allowed, biblically?

The only verse I could think about was:

1.Cor 5,1 It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.

It seems like this is something serious, not just because it is fornication, but also because it is with the wife of the father in this text. And I guess it is not the mother of the person that does this, but that his father had divorced and married another woman, so the sin is not incest in this case, but to commit fornication with someone in the same family. And I guess most people would agree it is outrageous to have sex with someone our parents have been or is married to, even if there is no relative connection. This is something people just don't do. So would it be really much of a difference with a man and his adoptive sister?

It is really the only thing I could think of that vaguely had some connections to this problem.

I personally don't think that this is fornication.

My persective is that they should strongly consider how people will view their relationship. But we often like to think that we can handle not caring what other many think of us, in the long run it can be pretty lonely with we have to go it alone.

dayhiker

Nothing wrong with it.

I worry about the adoptive sister though, not knowing anything else. On the other hand, there might be less problems with married life because of her already been living and being parented under the same roof, they would have a lot in common with chore/duties ect.

My opinion: Biblically, yes; socially, doubtful.

LJSGM said:

...there might be less problems with married life because of her already been living and being parented under the same roof, they would have a lot in common with chore/duties ect.

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Apart from societies' opinion... there is alot of wisdom in this thought. Having been raised in the same household is a great advantage for this couple. They would most likely have the same foundation from which to approach life. In my opinion, they would even be far advanced in their readiness to create their own family.

This could be a revolutionary idea, actually.

*Teaberry* said:

I have a young friend who is facing this situation. . . that her adoptive sister and natural brother are developing feelings for each other. The family has always been open about the adoption, and the girl has been raised knowing.

I'm curious myself, would there be any biblical reason this relationship could not happen, since they are not blood relatives, both having always known this?

Your discussion here would be appreciated.

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Its not always about 'blood' relations in scripture.
For example;

You shall not have intercourse with your daughter-in-law; she is your son's wife, and therefore you shall not disgrace her.

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Obviously my daughter in law isnt my blood relation. Even if my son dies, this woman is off limits to me, just as a brothers wife (who also isnt my blood relation) would be (except in one single instance), as she is STILL my daughter in law.
The same concept MAY apply to a 'sister' who is adopted.

I dont have my software up and running just yet after having to purchase a new PC, so I'll have to come back into the discussion when I have more time and resources available, but I can say that blood isnt always the issue where 'incest' is concerned.

Hammster said:

I suppose the principle here would be 'what is adoption?'. You should look at it from the parents point of view. If you adopt, that child becomes your child. And in the U.S. anyway, you even get a new birth certificate with the child's name on it and you listed as the parents. So as a parent of three biological children, and trying to adopt a fourth child, if one of my biological children wanted a relationship with my adoptive child, I would be just as appalled as if two of my biological children wanted a relationship.

If you are just looking at it from a 'they aren't blood relatives' point of view, you are not only missing the point of adoption, you are marginalizing it and making it less than what it is. And that, too, is appalling.

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And we have a winner! God sees adoption as a serious thing. If we cheapen adoption to something less a complete integration into the new family, we cheapen salvation to something less than a complete integration into God's family.

Bellicus, that verse also came to mind, however, what about if you were married to someone and they became family by law after the marriage? Say, your father married your wife's mother and your wife is now your stepsister? And in the same regard, if for some reason your father decided to adopt your wife as his daughter?

When is it wrong and why?

I would say yes - there is a problem. I think there is more to the incest taboo than biology (which itself is not a very good argument, but that's another topic). That's why among the list of people you cannot marry, step-families and in-laws are included.

I'm not sure if I'm the minority view here because I can't be bothered to read the entire thread.