Okay so during and after the time of Jesus, it was okay for people to marry their relatives. People married their half sister or brother. Even in the 1500s royal families still married their relatives in England. So then how did the the law of not being able to marry close family members come about? Is it something that people eventually saw as wrong and decided to stop? Was it because of genetic diseases? This could also deal with sociology. Is there just a huge population that now more countries are not allowing marriage between relatives?

Answer 1

Well, I wonder what all this has to do with Christianity?

Christianity does not have anything to do with marriage. Marriage is based on customs, which sometimes evolve to law.
So, I am wondering what your question is.

Answer 2

Be sure to check all the reference notes at this site. It will give you a good place to start in your research.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marriage

Answer 3

Marriage has to do a lot with religion, Bob. Religion is a big part of cultural customs and traditions.

Answer 4

LOL, Matt, I beg to differ. Historically, marriage has been a legal union, sometimes to join two families for power purposes; sometimes to legalize the union and children from that union. Religion has only become an important part of many marriages in relatively "modern" times. Check that site I posted. Very interesting history.

Answer 5

But still, is it not fair to say that those cultures still had a strong religious influence? Religions are very deeply intertwined into cultures.