Marriage Limitations

Recently, the circus surrounding the polygamist compound/ranch in west Texas has become big news. The issue of polygamy has been raised. Reportedly, girls as young as thirteen were forced to marry. People, rightly, are shocked by this charge.

This brings me to the issue of marriage, in general. I do not have much taste for the culture wars that many Christians revel in. However, I am annoyed by the charge of those who support the idea of homosexual marriage, that heterosexuals can marry anyone they want. That is simply not true.

We have numerous laws and mores in this country governing who can and cannot be married.

As is the case with polygamy, a person cannot be married to more than one person. I cannot decide that I want to marry another woman while still married to my current wife. (I do not know why anyone would want more than one wife. I have not figured the first one out yet.)

Again, as the Texas case shows, age is a prohibition in marriage. A couple of fourteen year olds cannot decide to get married. Some states offer marriage with parental consent.

There are limits on marriage to close relatives. Brothers and sisters cannot marry. In some state, close cousins cannot marry.

The thing is, if marriage is defined as anything other than one man and one woman, there is no end to what marriage can be defined as. Could I marry my motorcycle?

Opening Pandora's box can lead to things we really do not want.