Wilson's argument -- the argument you defend -- is a fallacy. It even has a name: The slippery-slope fallacy. (Though there are conceptual slippery-slope arguments too that are very different.)<br><br>Even if you put the argument in the form of a conditional -- If it's OK for any two consenting adults of either gender to marry, then it is OK for any three or more consenting adults of any gender
to marry -- you still need an argument for the conditional. On the face of it, it seems pretty easy to distinguish the cases: Does he have one wife, or more than one? You say you see "the point" but I don't see the point, or the connection between a gay marriage between two consenting adults and a polygamous relationship.<br>
<br>Unless the connection is that the government should stay out of the marriage business, which would be fine, and polygamy would be fine, too, if it weren't for fact that some adults will exploit the circumstances and marry tweens. Fact. That is why government is in the marriage business. We need to protect the young and vulnerable, and thus we need laws against certain types of unions.<br>
<br>Here the defense is an appeal to the harm principle: One can make a law to protect citizens from harm (including harms to their interests). If there is no good reason to think that something will lead to a harm, the law should stay out of it. That protects us against pedophiles but allows for gay marriage.<br>
<br><div class="gmail_quote">On Fri, Mar 1, 2013 at 1:48 PM, Paul Rumelhart <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:godshatter@yahoo.com" target="_blank">godshatter@yahoo.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div><div style="font-size:12pt;font-family:times new roman,new york,times,serif">I think the general argument would run something like this: "if it's OK for any two consenting adults of either gender to marry, then why isn't it OK for any three or more consenting adults of any gender to marry?"<br>
<br>If that's what he's thinking, I can kind of see his point. Of course, I'm personally fine with gay marriage, and would have no problems with polygamy either. I'd be happiest if the government got out of the marriage racket to begin with, frankly.<br>
<br>Paul<br><div><br></div> <div style="font-family:times new roman,new york,times,serif;font-size:12pt"> <div style="font-family:times new roman,new york,times,serif;font-size:12pt"> <div dir="ltr"> <font face="Arial"> <hr size="1">
<b><span style="font-weight:bold">From:</span></b> Joe Campbell
<<a href="mailto:philosopher.joe@gmail.com" target="_blank">philosopher.joe@gmail.com</a>><br> <b><span style="font-weight:bold">To:</span></b> Art Deco <<a href="mailto:art.deco.studios@gmail.com" target="_blank">art.deco.studios@gmail.com</a>> <br>
<b><span style="font-weight:bold">Cc:</span></b> <a href="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com" target="_blank">vision2020@moscow.com</a> <br> <b><span style="font-weight:bold">Sent:</span></b> Friday, March 1, 2013 11:39 AM<br> <b><span style="font-weight:bold">Subject:</span></b> Re: [Vision2020] Huh? Say WHAT!?<br>
</font> </div><div><div class="h5"> <br>
<div>Well, if he argued that polygamy and gay marriage are similar, then that is just another fallacious argument. It is like arguing that we can give every adult the right to vote because that would lead to some folks voting more than once. We would be powerless to avoid that! <br>
<br><div>On Fri, Mar 1, 2013 at 11:11 AM, Art Deco <span dir="ltr"><<a rel="nofollow" href="mailto:art.deco.studios@gmail.com" target="_blank">art.deco.studios@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div dir="ltr"><div><div>Cultmaster Wilson is hopelessly floundering as he is swept out to sea on the tide of reality and oncoming change. But that's what happens to those that allege total faith in some "inerrant" ancient texts. Foolhardiness begets misery for others.<br>
<br></div>It's too bad that the Cultmaster is not a Mormon so that he could have a "new" vision from some alleged God correcting his current views.<br><br></div>w.<br></div><div><br><br>
<div><div><div>
On Fri, Mar 1, 2013 at 1:45 PM, Tom Hansen <span dir="ltr"><<a rel="nofollow" href="mailto:thansen@moscow.com" target="_blank">thansen@moscow.com</a>></span> wrote:<br></div></div><blockquote style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div><div>
<div><div><span>"</span><span>I argued at length that <i style="margin:0px;padding:0px">all</i> the arguments employed to advance same sex marriage can be, are being, and will be used to advance polygamy also. In short, gay marriage greases the skids for polygamy."</span></div>
<div><span><br></span></div><div><span>- Doug Wilson (March 1, 2013)</span></div><div><span style="font-size:15px;line-height:19px;white-space:nowrap"><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.dougwils.com/Sex-and-Culture/a-century-of-sinkholes.html" target="_blank">http://www.dougwils.com/Sex-and-Culture/a-century-of-sinkholes.html</a></span><span><br>
</span><br><div>Seeya round town, Moscow, because . . .</div><div><br></div><div>"Moscow Cares" (the most fun you can have with your pants on)</div><div><a href="http://www.MoscowCares.com" target="_blank">http://www.MoscowCares.com</a></div>
<div> </div><div><div>Tom Hansen</div><div>Moscow, Idaho</div><div><br></div><div>"<span style="font-size:medium">There's room at the top they are telling you still</span><span style="font-size:medium"> </span></div>
<span style="font-size:medium">But first you must learn how to smile as you kill </span><br style="font-size:medium"><span style="font-size:medium">If you want to be like the folks on the hill."</span></div><div><font size="3"><span><br>
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=======================================================<span><font color="#888888"><br></font></span></blockquote></div><span><font color="#888888"><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>Art Deco (Wayne A. Fox)<br>
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