Are ‘kissing cousins’ OK to marry?

[Binney]

Associate director of the medical genetics clinic at the University of Washington, said that laws prohibiting cousins from marrying are “a form of genetic discrimination.”

Are ‘kissing cousins’ OK to marry? msnbc.msn.com/id/7392714/

 

[Timidity]

Never mind a director of anything–there’s only two sources that matter–God and the Church.

God says it’s okay. (Exodus, chapter 18 or there-about)

The Church says it’s okay for all but first cousins, and even then it’s okay with permission. (Canon Code of 1983)

Everything else is personal bias.

 

[Island_Oak]

If this is a real concern for you I’d consult with a doctor familiar with the medical research on this and heed the inevitable recommendations to avoid close familial intermarriage. Don’t rest with the opinion of a lone researcher or study–there should be plenty of information on this topic. Most civil and religious prohibitions–even from ancient times arose from the recognition that certain birth defects and deficits were more common with these pairings.

…and with billions of people on the planet, are you sure the ‘only one’ for you is first cousin BillyBob?

 

[geezerbob]

Timidity, please read my post in the other thread if you think it is all personal bias.

 

[Timidity]

geezerbob:

Timidity, please read my post in the other thread if you think it is all personal bias.

No need. We’re discussing a moral issue. God and the Church are the final arbitrators of such things… no one else.

 

[nike248]

Timidity:

Never mind a director of anything–there’s only two sources that matter–God and the Church.

God says it’s okay. (Exodus, chapter 18 or there-about)

The Church says it’s okay for all but first cousins, and even then it’s okay with permission. (Canon Code of 1983)

Everything else is personal bias.

Actually, the Church says it’s not okay to marry within the third line of cousins. It’s one of the commandments of the Church. As far as I know, there’s 6 commandments of the Church. I first found out about them last Friday at a Latin Mass. Although, I think these were old school books, so…

 

[Timidity]

nike248:

Actually, the Church says it’s not okay to marry within the third line of cousins. It’s one of the commandments of the Church. As far as I know, there’s 6 commandments of the Church. I first found out about them last Friday at a Latin Mass. Although, I think these were old school books, so…

You don’t know what you’re talking about. Please allow me to educate you.

The old commandment was not to marry within the third degree of kindred. This does not mean third cousins. Under the old way of reckoning degrees of relationship, second cousins were related by the third degree. This means that dispensation was needed to marry your first cousin, first cousin once removed, or second cousin.

The 1983 cannon law changed the requirement to four degrees (but allowing dispensations for third or fourth degree). It also changed the method of calculating degrees so that, by the modern method, first cousins are related by four degrees in the collateral line. So under the modern law first cousins once removed and second cousins no longer need dispensation, though first cousins and uncle/niece (or aunt/nephew) marriages do.