I'm pretty much on the side of marry who you want to marry - it doesn't affect me (unless you are trying to marry the person to whom I am already married and you do not want to take 1/3 of the household chores) or my life, so if everyone is consenting and of age - go to it.

you do not want to take 1/3 of the household chores

I told Hubby he could have another wife if she slept on the couch and did the chores. He said if he ever was in the market for one he'd use that as a criteria.

so if everyone is consenting and of age - go to it.

The "consenting" is important, as this prevents the slippery slope from leading to man/box turtle marriages.

The "consenting" is important, as this prevents the slippery slope from leading to man/box turtle marriages.

Oh sure, that's fine for now, but just wait until Science creates a genetically modified talking box turtle. What then? Won't somebody please think of the half-human-half-box-turtle children???

I think they'd be AWESOME!

Strongly discouraging, sure, and encouraging termination in the case of detectable problems, okay. But legally forbidding it or forcing termination? Sounds dangerous to me.

Yeah. I think it's wrong but if it's illegal for siblings to have kids I assume that's to protect the health of the child. Why not therefore make it illegal to smoke while pregnant? Why not make pre-natal care mandatory?

Won't somebody please think of the half-human-half-box-turtle children???

yah, my mind wandered while I was working out today. I thought, am I saying inter-species marriage is wrong? What about Spock's parents? So I decided any being with the capability of informed consent has the right to marry any other being with the same capability.

My true feeling on marriage is that it is a spiritual contract and as such the state should not be involved at all.

wait until Science creates a genetically modified talking box turtle.

Then that'll be the SciFi Channel movie of the week! A courtroom drama, as the box turtle sues for her right to self-determination! Staring William Shatner, representing the State in its attempt to prevent the marriage, and Keanu Reeves as the turtle's attorney....

They could never make that movie. There wouldn't be able to build the sets fast enough, what with all of the scenery chewing of Shatner and Reeves (they fight crime!)

My true feeling on marriage is that it is a spiritual contract and as such the state should not be involved at all.

Hmm. Don't know how I feel about that one. It's legal rights that my partner and I are getting 'married' for. (We're not thinking about any kind of blessing-type ceremony until we can decide what a Jewish atheist and a practising Christian are supposed to do for that.) Right now we just want to make sure that we can have next-of-kin rights and the related stuff. And I get that there are ways whereby that could happen without our cultural concept of marriage being involved, but the minute you start talking about legal rights, you're talking about the state to at least some extent.