My daughter asked a question

[rekaburb]

My daughter asked me this.
If we all came from Adam and Eve and we are brothers and sisters why do we get married. The bible says you should not have sex with your brother or sister.
rek.

 

[ZiSunka]

In those days, all genes were fresh and new, and none had any anomolies that could cause disease. So marrying your sibling wasn't a problem, genetically speaking.

But now, there are many genetic diseases that run in families, and they need two bad genes to cause the disease. Brothers and sisters are more likely to have the same bad gene as strangers are, so marrying your brother is forbidden to protect your children from having one of those diseases!

 

[Markthepunk]

Well, actually by this time, we're all upteenth cousins, heh.

 

[rekaburb]

Originally posted by lambslove
In those days, all genes were fresh and new, and none had any anomolies that could cause disease. So marrying your sibling wasn't a problem, genetically speaking.

But now, there are many genetic diseases that run in families, and they need two bad genes to cause the disease. Brothers and sisters are more likely to have the same bad gene as strangers are, so marrying your brother is forbidden to protect your children from having one of those diseases! [/QUOTE

She is not happy with your answer. We question you.
Is your answer factual or opinion.
rek. & K

 

[seebs]

This question is a lot easier for those of us who think the creation story is myth and allegory, of course.

My answer would be that the creation story didn't *literally* happen, any more than the earth literally has four corners, or God literally stopped the sun from moving around the earth; some of the stories were written down to the level of our understanding. Today, we know that the earth moves around the sun, not the other way around, and that the earth is a sphere, and that it is almost certain that humanity gradually arose from other hominids, until the point at which God changed us from animals into people. (Some hypothesise that this refers to the point at which people suddenly started doing ceremonial burials and making musical instruments, which I'm told showed up around the same time.)

 

[ZiSunka]

Originally posted by rekaburb

Originally posted by lambslove
In those days, all genes were fresh and new, and none had any anomolies that could cause disease. So marrying your sibling wasn't a problem, genetically speaking.

But now, there are many genetic diseases that run in families, and they need two bad genes to cause the disease. Brothers and sisters are more likely to have the same bad gene as strangers are, so marrying your brother is forbidden to protect your children from having one of those diseases! [/QUOTE

She is not happy with your answer. We question you.
Is your answer factual or opinion.
rek. & K

Well, then check it out. What answer was she hoping for?

I doubt if you will find that my answer is incorrect or inaccurate.

 

[debs]

Hi Rek, I just think its great that your daughter is asking such deep questions..(her age?). My advise if bible doesnt go there is to say "i dont know" (cause its the truth).

 

[rekaburb]

Hi Rek, I just think its great that your daughter is asking such deep questions..(her age?). My advise if bible doesnt go there is to say "i dont know" (cause its the truth).

This is the answer that I have given to her because there are things that biblically we cannot explain. I did not specify a biblical answer to the forum because I quoted her. She wants to post the question and she knows this is a Christian forum and expects a biblical answer.
There are some biblical things that we just can't explain and I feel that is the best answer. By the way she is 12.
Thanks for all your answers.
Praise Jesus
rek.

 

[ZiSunka]

Oh, you want a Biblical answer.

Well, then, "because God said so." That should be enough for any Christian of any age.

 

[Thunderchild]

MarkThePunk ... not "umpteenth" - in current world, it would be unusual for any individual to find anyone as far removed as 8th cousin.

 

[Thunderchild]

Lot was a righteous man, and had children by his two daughters.
Abraham was a holy man, and Sarah (his wife) was his half sister.

No record of any wrong being imputed for incest prior to Moses.

 

[Tinker Grey]

Originally posted by lambslove
Well, then, "because God said so." That should be enough for any Christian of any age.

I disagree to a point.

When we are children (physical or spiritual), the answer "cuz I said so" is sufficient (at least when worded in such a way as to not be dismissive.) As our physical children grow (as did we), we expect them to ask more and more difficult questions and we expect that they should be able to handle more and more sophisticated answers.

I believe that God expects us to grow up and not always be asking for a bottle. I think that we should ask God why he did such and such. I think we should ask God why his actions should be considered just, or loving, or merciful.

God, being God, might actually choose to give us an answer. He might also choose to say "cuz I said so." And you are right, if God says that, it should be enough. HOWEVER, that does not mean that is wrong to ever ask the question again or that it was wrong to ask in the first place.

But, you never know until you ask.

Tinker

 

[GraftMeIn]

What great questions she asks! If you read through the entire bible you'll noticed that the laws about marriage changed as the world became more populated. The thing to remember is that God was in control of the situation, so when all there were, was brothers and sisters he most likely blessed them with normal children, but when the world became more popluated, He saw a need to change the laws concerning this, he may have also placed some type of curse on those who still practiced it and wouldn't listen to him. hope that helps a little

 

[Josh]

rek, tell your daughter the incest laws were made later, so the early humans were not contradicting any incest laws