Is marriage to a deceased spouse's sibling an incestuous union to you?

[The Mikado]

Was just thinking about this old, old debate.  Your sister-in-law ceases to be your sister-in-law upon your wife's death, but, nonetheless, she was your sister.  Thoughts?

[minionofmidas]

She was (sort of) "your sister"? Far more traditional societies think she was sort of your wife in the first place.

And a lot of them actually made this a requirement, of course. Though more typically if she were to be widowed. Including the ancient Hebrews, of course, but the custom was exceedingly widespread the world over. It makes sense - if you assume a single woman can't survive. As traditional societies had to assume.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

No, not at all.

[tpfkaw]

Pretty creepy, but I'd only consider blood relations to be incest.

[Mechaman]

Was just thinking about this old, old debate.  Your sister-in-law ceases to be your sister-in-law upon your wife's death, but, nonetheless, she was your sister.  Thoughts?

You have to remember that, in-law relationships be damned, she was your wife's sister.  That means she probably shared some of the same characteristics as your wife: her smile, her eyes, her physique, her intellect, etc. etc. etc..  On a very mental and physical level this makes sense, especially if you are a Single Target Sexuality individual.

Example:



With that said I wouldn't consider it to be "incest".  Not even close.
Not saying you should marry your dead wife's sister, but that considering that most siblings share quite a bit of characteristics I wouldn't find it creepy if a guy married his late wife's sister.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

If one considers only biology, the main reason to consider certain relationships to be incestuous is that it hinders genetic diversity.  So it would be better for you to marry someone else.  That said, none of the Abrahmic religions bar this particular union.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

That's idiotic viewpoint.

[John Dibble]

It's fine. I don't find it creepy, just odd.

[Ebowed]

As with any situation involving consenting adults, I don't really care.

[phk]

Only if they are cousins.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Nope. I don't even have a problem with step-siblings getting married. I knew of a guy in high school who was f**king his step-sister when she came back from college and was completely unshocked unlike some kids (of course this is also because I heard that she was hot, never saw her though.)

[Associate Justice PiT]

     No, not at all. Given the functional purpose of the incest distinction to discourage sexual relations with your close biological relations, I don't see any reason to consider relationships with in-laws incestuous.

[dead0man]

nope

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

If there are no blood links, how on earth can it be considered "incestous"?

[Mr. Taft Republican]

Its fine.

[King]

Hmm... I'm not sure.  Let me consult the skull.



Skull says you must die.  Sorry.

[Antonio the Sixth]

No. Regardless of moral considerations, incest is a biological term.

[angus]

Was just thinking about this old, old debate.  Your sister-in-law ceases to be your sister-in-law upon your wife's death, but, nonetheless, she was your sister.  Thoughts?

If you're a Navajo, you'd be expected to marry your deceased wife's sister. 

anyway, it's fine.  (I actually voted "creepy, but fine" because I've met my wife's sister.)

[The Mikado]

As with any situation involving consenting adults, I don't really care.

Does this include literal incest?  (Like full sibling, or even parental incest if the child is over the consent age?)  Or polygamy, for that matter?  Polygamy would open up such a can of legal worms: wills would be so much more complicated.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

No. Regardless of moral considerations, incest is a biological term.

What moral considerations?

[Antonio the Sixth]

No. Regardless of moral considerations, incest is a biological term.

What moral considerations?

Anyone is entitled to think marrying the daughter of your wife is a bad thing. That doesn't make it an incest though.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

No. Regardless of moral considerations, incest is a biological term.

What moral considerations?

Anyone is entitled to think marrying the daughter of your wife is a bad thing. That doesn't make it an incest though.

We're talking about a "sister" of your wife, not "daughter".

[Antonio the Sixth]

No. Regardless of moral considerations, incest is a biological term.

What moral considerations?

Anyone is entitled to think marrying the daughter of your wife is a bad thing. That doesn't make it an incest though.

We're talking about a "sister" of your wife, not "daughter".

That's even less of an incest then.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Anyone is entitled to think marrying the daughter of your wife is a bad thing. That doesn't make it an incest though.

We're talking about a "sister" of your wife, not "daughter".

That's even less of an incest then.

Since you think it less than nothing, does that make it an anti-incest?

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

On the "moral" side, I also don't see anything wrong in marrying deceased spouse's sibling.