oomis1105: I agree there is no question it is assur. That is not the question. The question asked was “Why?” What makes it a toeiva – that is, what makes it so bad? In this society, where almost everything is accepted and acceptable, it is not difficult to understand that someone would be puzzled as to why it is something so wrong. That is what I was asking about.
Also, why should we care if the secular world legalizes this type of union? That is where the gemara/medrash comes in. It discusses, if I remember correctly from a shiur, why the legalization of toeiva marriage is deleterious to society.
Anyone have any insight regarding this?