This taboo derives from the ancient Jewish laws and there are lots of references to such matters in the Pentateuch. It is also found in tribal societies living in small communities; sometimes they preferred to marry within the tribe (e.g. instances in the Bible of going back to the country of origin to find brides for the sons), but sometimes it is seen as being better to bring in foreign blood, as later in the time of David and the Kings. It is all about the the knowledge, from experience, that pastoral people have of the importance of cross-breeding and the consequent suspicion of in-breeding: that the latter tends to weaken the stock in various ways. The more ridiculous side of the US Churches leans rather more to the Old Testament than to the New; the same side that believe that the whole of Creation took place in 4004 BC. Anyone who has attended an old-style Southern Baptist Church will recognise the syndrome right away. Andrew Rodger rodgera@audioio.com On 07/04/2015, at 10:33 PM, Irene de Villiers via wrote: > > > On Apr 6, 2015, at 11:27 PM, Pat Brown via wrote: > >> I am not aware that first cousin marriages have ever been illegal in South >> Africa. > > Nor me, but it seems it was socially taboo even for distant cousins. > For example, Cecil John Rhodes was in love with Janey Rhodes my g reat hrandmother - and they met for frequent vacatosn and funl but never married "because they were cousins". But they are really distant cousins vie great grandfathers being brothers ir soe such - nothing close at all. > > But if you want to know who is behind the times even in THIS century, it is the Yanks. > Where I now live in WA state it is illegal for first cousins to marry and in Texas it is not only illegal but is a criminal offense! IN Texas the ban was only made in 2005. Talk about crazy. > Before the USA civil war there was no ban. It has been added a few states at a time since t hen by ridiculous claims written by fools but believed despite real papers to the contrary. Americans can be such terrible sheeple I am afraid. > Here's a map of the stupidity, the dark blueshaded areas see sense, not the rest: > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cousin_marriage_law_in_the_United_States_by_state > > By the way the originator of genetics and evolution was Darwin, and he and his wife were first cousins:-) > Queen Victoria and Prince Albert were first cousins. > > In Europe only Austria Hungary and Spain banned cousin marriage in 19th century. > But the Christian church made it taboo in some places and that has to be where it originates in South Africa as a taboo. > Heres a world map of current first cousin restrictions, again dark blue is marriage allowed, red not, marroon criminal. > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cousin_marriage#/media/File:CousinMarriageWorld.svg > > Namaste, > Irene > > -- > Irene de Villiers, B.Sc AASCA MCSSA D.I.Hom/D.Vet.Hom. > P.O. Box 4703 Spokane WA 99220. > www.Furryboots.info > (Info on Feline health, genetics, nutrition & homeopathy) > "Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt one doing it." > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to SOUTH-AFRICA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message >

WOW! This certainly is an interesting subject. Let's get the record straight. Leviticus Chap. 18 lists the prohibited relationships. It does NOT prohibit a relationship with a first cousin. It is certainly not encouraged in the Jewish religion - for obvious reasons - but it is not forbidden. If you want to read a really interesting book on the subject, try My 15 Grandmothers by Genie Milgrom. Louis Zetler -----Original Message----- From: south-africa-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:south-africa-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Andrew Rodger via Sent: Tuesday, April 07, 2015 4:09 PM To: Irene de Villiers; south-africa@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [SOUTH-AFRICA] FORBIDDEN MARRIAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM [!!!] This taboo derives from the ancient Jewish laws and there are lots of references to such matters in the Pentateuch. It is also found in tribal societies living in small communities; sometimes they preferred to marry within the tribe (e.g. instances in the Bible of going back to the country of origin to find brides for the sons), but sometimes it is seen as being better to bring in foreign blood, as later in the time of David and the Kings. It is all about the the knowledge, from experience, that pastoral people have of the importance of cross-breeding and the consequent suspicion of in-breeding: that the latter tends to weaken the stock in various ways. The more ridiculous side of the US Churches leans rather more to the Old Testament than to the New; the same side that believe that the whole of Creation took place in 4004 BC. Anyone who has attended an old-style Southern Baptist Church will recognise the syndrome right away. Andrew Rodger rodgera@audioio.com On 07/04/2015, at 10:33 PM, Irene de Villiers via wrote: > > > On Apr 6, 2015, at 11:27 PM, Pat Brown via wrote: > >> I am not aware that first cousin marriages have ever been illegal in >> South Africa. > > Nor me, but it seems it was socially taboo even for distant cousins. > For example, Cecil John Rhodes was in love with Janey Rhodes my g reat hrandmother - and they met for frequent vacatosn and funl but never married "because they were cousins". But they are really distant cousins vie great grandfathers being brothers ir soe such - nothing close at all. > > But if you want to know who is behind the times even in THIS century, it is the Yanks. > Where I now live in WA state it is illegal for first cousins to marry and in Texas it is not only illegal but is a criminal offense! IN Texas the ban was only made in 2005. Talk about crazy. > Before the USA civil war there was no ban. It has been added a few states at a time since t hen by ridiculous claims written by fools but believed despite real papers to the contrary. Americans can be such terrible sheeple I am afraid. > Here's a map of the stupidity, the dark blueshaded areas see sense, not the rest: > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cousin_marriage_law_in_the_United_States > _by_state > > By the way the originator of genetics and evolution was Darwin, and > he and his wife were first cousins:-) Queen Victoria and Prince Albert were first cousins. > > In Europe only Austria Hungary and Spain banned cousin marriage in 19th century. > But the Christian church made it taboo in some places and that has to be where it originates in South Africa as a taboo. > Heres a world map of current first cousin restrictions, again dark blue is marriage allowed, red not, marroon criminal. > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cousin_marriage#/media/File:CousinMarria > geWorld.svg > > Namaste, > Irene > > -- > Irene de Villiers, B.Sc AASCA MCSSA D.I.Hom/D.Vet.Hom. > P.O. Box 4703 Spokane WA 99220. > www.Furryboots.info > (Info on Feline health, genetics, nutrition & homeopathy) "Man who say > it cannot be done should not interrupt one doing it." > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > SOUTH-AFRICA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without > the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to SOUTH-AFRICA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message