Consent is the watchword of modern sexual ethics. It’s the difference between BDSM and abuse. It’s the difference between polyamory and cheating. It’s the difference between rape and… sex. Anything two (or more) able, informed adults give consent to in private is generally considered okay.
It’s simple enough, but some people want to make it more complicated than that.
“That’s not natural” really just means “That makes me uncomfortable.” And I hope we can all agree that an individual’s sense of comfort or discomfort makes for a really lousy moral guide.
Besides, good arguments can be made that polygamy is natural. Discomfort is definitely not a good guide for law or morality. Heart surgery is uncomfortable and looks disgusting to many people, but it can be a very good thing. Sticking up for civil rights can bring a whole lot of discomfort, but it is the right thing to do.
Someone might say, “But that goes against my religious code!” Fine, then don’t do that, and encourage your religious brethren not to do it either. But that has nothing to do with whether a thing should be legal or acceptable in the culture outside your religion.
Couldn’t have written a better answer to Discredited Argument #4 myself.
We hold very highly the rights of heterosexual people to live, love, and create families as they see fit. In time, I hope that consenting adults of any number and gender are given the same level of respect.We've made some progress. Let’s make it happen!
I love this post. I was particularly happy to see that second quote because I had thought about that claim alot as well. My stance is that just because something is uncommon or rare doesn't make it unnatural. People want to use that as an argument against all kinds of things in the world simply because they can't 'wrap' their minds around it, as some say. I don't think anyone should ever even have to prove if their actions are 'natural' or not... because that's like saying only things that happen in nature can be allowed to occur between humans. That takes away free will once again from people. And if you follow that rule anyway, there are a whole bunch of other things that happen in nature that would be considered criminal in human society (like killing and rape, etc). Consent really is the key word here. And in the end every individual own their own body and mind and heart and should be able to decide what to do with themselves... projecting one's personal limitations and boundaries onto other people is what's truly perverted.
ReplyDeleteRecently, the Danish government has been encouraging couples to have children. ( http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-03-06/wierdest-thing-youll-see-today )
ReplyDeleteI am addicted to having children with superior women, and would have many more if the laws against polygamy were changed. (see marriage-equality.blogspot.com ) I happen to be married to a great woman that shares many of the characteristics with the woman in the photo here. You can't imagine how precious my kids are and how it fills my life with joy and fulfillment to have them in my life. Being in my mid-fifties chronologically, I figured out too late that creating and being a good dad to little god-lings is the best thing in life. If the Danish, or the Japanese for that matter, would change their marriage laws and simplify immigration, I'd fill up a large house with culturally and ethnically compatible great people who will help build the future and preserve Western civilization.