Proper age of consent

It's not really an established piece of culture compared to centuries long practices in Asia and Africa though (relatively speaking).

It was a 300-hundred-year-old practice.

On impulse, i was quick to click "no!". Who isn't disgusted by the sensationalist image of a child being taken advantage of by an older man (or indeed woman). That said, a more considered response would have to separate the issues:

A marriage is a long term commitment with the potential to devastate someone's life (no joke there - i've seen it in consenting adults). This is precisely the sort of thing that should be denied to 12 year olds. The age of 18 might seem arbitrary and inflexible, but as far as marriage goes, no younger!

Sex on the other hand, is, well, an entirely different issue to us non-Christians. 12 year olds will have sex and the law should not generally interfere. No criminal prosecution should ever be brought in a sex case where both parties are consenting and neither is pressing for conviction (whatever the age, and however irate the parents get).

See the bold text. I know someone who was married at 16 and is now very happy years later. Are you saying that this should not be allowed? On which grounds would you deny her the life that she wants?

Well done, you know one person who defies a general truth, I know that a 1/3 of children have divorced parents.

Just over 180 years at best, considering the US was founded in 1772. Nothing compared to the 1000+ years of Asia and Africa

Besides on reflection the case of Southern USA it was a law. I wouldn't place it in the same league as cultural practices that just 'happen'.

It makes no difference if it "defies a general truth" or not. The point is that people have the right to decide for themselves. Some people are too young at 16 and should not get married, some people are mature enough to make the decision. No one has the right to say that you can't.

What is your point with divorce? That's an issue even with people who get married when they are older.

Ah, you mean the people who lived there didn't practice it before the US was founded?

No, it wasn't. Blacks were legally allowed to vote. And not allowing blacks to vote (or do anything else) was a large part of Southern culture. A vast majority of Southerners supported it.

Black people only became emancipated in the early 19th century, so no, southerners didn't prevent black people from voting certainly no earlier than 1776 (especially being as Americans didn't have representation before independence anyway....).

Fair enough, although I would argue that that culture was then illegal within it's own country. Marriage and sex at 12 in some areas of the middle east isn't.

Btw, going back to the original point, you do know the age of consent in most european countries is 14 and in Spain it's 13? Or that in Mexico it's 12? Are they exempt from this attack on middle eastern countries?

You know full well I was referring to not granting blacks any rights and treating them as sub-human. That WAS a part of Southern culture, and I don't understand how you can deny it.

Many of the countries with an age of 14 or 15 still make it a crime for someone over 21 to sleep with 14-15 year olds. And I still fail to see your point. Just because European countries have nothing against pedophilia makes it ok? How many people on this poll voted yes?

And how do we decide which 16-year-olds are too young and which aren't?

See the bold text. I know someone who was married at 16 and is now very happy years later. Are you saying that this should not be allowed? On which grounds would you deny her the life that she wants?

Would they really have been any less happy if they had to wait another two years to get married?

Racism was universal in Southern culture. So who are we to judge it, right? You wouldn't condemn that racism if you lived half a century ago?

Why should we shelter 12-year-olds or 8-year-olds?

Everyone who said "yes and I'm agnostic/atheist" is a girl. Curious...

No they aint/

Based on..?