why is sex considered bad/dirty/unclean/wrong by most mainstream religions?

Question

I mean its a basic human function, ancient peoples had no problems with it.. priests used to screw in temples to get closer to god. So whats going on with views nowadays, even images of people having sex (porn) are considered dirty and something to be hidden... why? isnt this a really unhealthy way to behave about the core act of humanities survival?

okay unclean not uncle, its cut a load of my text for some reason

also why is adultury a sin? why is monogomy seen to be a spiritual way (when biologically speaking men are designed to be more prolific), why is pornography (over 18 consentual) seen to be wrong? (by a lot of you)

and in respone to da chet (below) who seems to be a bit dogmatic about outside maritial sex being destructive, i say this... animals dont marry and in most cases they seem a hell of a lot happier than most humans

Answer 1

they just don't want us to have real fun bro

Answer 2

I have two theories. One is that sex is a powerful thing. Nobody could deny this. If it wasn't powerful, people wouldn't get so obsessed with it. As religion can be seen as a method of social control, then one thing it absolutely HAS to do is to control sex in some way. If it didn't control sex, then people would be more interested in having sex than going to church (well, wouldn't you be?) and the last thing the church wants is a conflict of loyalties in the congregation!

My other theory is that if a couple has sex in the religion-approved way (ie. between married people, solely for the purpose of procreation) they will have children, who can then be indoctrinated into the religion by their parents. But if a couple has children outside of marriage, perhaps the father will be absent, or (shock!) of a different religion and without strong (religious) family values, the child may run the risk of growing up religion-free. This is bad because the church would then have to rely on recruiting adults, who are much harder to brainwash than children are.

You're right that sex was a part of some ancient religions, but what was to stop people getting too involved in the sex and forgetting about the religious part of it? Perhaps this is what happened, as those religions are no longer around to any significant degree. Well, their believers are certainly not the most numerous anyway! Probably better to repress sex then, rather than celebrate it.

So to sum up: portraying sex as bad leads to increased loyalty to the religion.

Answer 3

Sex within marriage--wonderful. Extramarital sex-- wrong. Marriage was instituted to really support sexual relations between a man and a woman so that they could produce children and make more humans. The Bible and other Holy Books condemn extramarital sex because this goes against the laws of nature, the laws of God, and the laws of ourselves. When two people who do not have a true commitment to one another have sex they are refusing each other security, personal worth, and love. Sex outside of marriage is a purely physical drive which only takes, instead of giving. It is selfish and impulsive, and destructive. It plays with emotions and often leaves one or both partners with undesirable souvenirs, be they disease, or even unplanned pregnancy. When a child who lacks both parents comes into the world, it loses out on living life to its fullest, emotionally. It sees the world where every person is an independant being, self-sufficient, and whole. This is a gross deception, as we can see from how things are today. It breaks down the whole family system and society. Sex outside of marriage causes people to distrust one another. As a reault, love in general and care for each others as humans is virtually nonexistant. A simple act between people can mean grave consequences for society when it is multiplied. It is the exact opposite of God's purpose for the earth and for humanity. That's why most religions, excluding those whose gods held more human sentiments and imperfection, and were no more gods than they were idolized and immortalized people, view extramarital sex as wrong.

I agree with you that the animals seem to be having a better time sleeping with any other animal they please, but you need to understand the fact that according to the Bible (which those who look down on extramarital relations who are Christian use as their foundation), man was to subject all the animals to him, meaning that we are created on a higher plane, much like angels are created on a higher plane than us, and Christ on a higher plane than the angels. Animals may feel emotion and have sexual desire, and even enjoy it, but they do not have such a hold on what their lives mean, or even full emotional and mental intelligence as a human to really suffer from any of the things that humans do when they live life contrary to how we were created. Animals actually are living their lives the way they were supposed to. Humans, however, are trying to live like animals.

I'm sorry if I sound dogmatic, it is just that so many people don't think of the reasons why something is the way it is before they pin a label on it.

Answer 4

My Religion also welcomes it. As a Wiccan I can use the energy for healing, fertility of the land, protection etc. We recognize that this is human nature. Why society has deemed this act dirty or nasty........well we see what issues are being made in our lives that were never even thought about when we were growing up. People that get to much power tend to get large egos and then start dictating what we should or should not do. I don't believe that porn should be on tv or anything but I also don't believe that we should think of it as a diry deed either.
Light and Love!

Answer 5

It is only unclean when accompanied by a spirit of lust. If it is done in the marriage bed then it not considered unclean because of the sanctity of the marriage. If it is about animal instinct sex then it is not sanctified. It can lead to sexual addiction and then it become an idol that is put above God and all else. The mindset is the important thing in walking with God, in sex and everything else. Be very careful of religion, but not of the Father God, the Holy Spirit of God, and Jesus the son of God. This is about reality, not religion.

Answer 6

Sex is an act of love between a man & a woman. God gave them desires for each other. Then they made babies.

It is only dirty if it is idolatry or adultary. And also if one hasn't showered.

The priests of God did not do this in the temples to get closer to God.

Porn is evil because it is adultary or adolatry from the heart.


Added later after reading your ?s: Idolatry & adultary is a sin against God's 10 commandments. When a person sins against God, the sin makes them dirty. Once one recognizes that they have sinned in this area, they need an atonement for ones sins. Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission on sins.

People would have the spotless animal be an atonement for the sins of the people. The High Priest would offer it up to God to atone for their sins. Jesus Christ was & is the Lamb of God who shed His own blood for the remission of our sins. All mankind, because all have sinned & fall short of God's Glory.

Answer 7

I don't know any mainstream Christain religions that teach sex is dirty. Quite the contrary. We are commanded by God to be fruitfull and multiply. Go read the Songs of Solomon in the Old Testement. It's entirely devoted to sex.

You are confusing fornication with making love.

Put down the Davinci Code and pick up a bible sometime.

Answer 8

Er heres the truth....

Sex for pleasure and desire gives massive power to women over guys and relgions are about old men wanting power over the masses...


Example... girls can get pole dance jobs with little training simply for being female... guys will hand over all their money, do what ever they are told, car keys, etc just for a few minutes of seeing their breasts.

How often do guys have to by girls drinks, meals, cinema tickets, theatre tickets very expensive shiny metal and rocks...


Get the idea... Far more power then a guy in a frock...

Relgious folk don't like that so they want girls power removed by getting her pregnant and controlled in a marraige . As once stuck with a kid that power is massively reduced then she needs a guy to look after her...



So they make out sex is unclean, dirty, immoral a sin etc...

total lies.

Likewise saying its all about AIDS deseases, unwanted pregnancies etc...

More rubbish... you just need sex ed and contraception good contraception and good sex ed...

Who is anti sex ed and contraception? the ones saying sex is dirty.


Likewise these old men could not get said girls unless they hand over lots of money or are repressed into thinking the less fun they have the more they please the master... now that is perversion.

And decent master serves the people not the other way around and wants them happy.

But if people were happy they would need no master and the immans and priests etc would have no power over people.

Who needs heaven when you have it on earth?

They talk about it wrecking marriages... rubbish...


If the marriages were that good anyone outside would be considered boring as they would not measure up to your partner.


And what about all the single folk... all the sex leads to finding a good long term partner.

Porn as said empowers females... Example travelling up in aus and places... guys have to get borning low pay jobs... girls just have to undress and get a shed load of money that would be more then us guys get in a week.

So relgious folk ingrained these ideas in their society and relgions and taught people not to think or question but to accept it to give them power.

Look how terrified they are of folk enjoysing sex and aggressive to it.

Answer 9

I can't speak for "most mainstream religions"; I'm an unconventional Christian in practice, but very "catholic" in my theology.

This bad/dirty/unclean/wrong idea is a misunderstanding of basic Christian doctrine. Sex itself is a gift:beautiful, loving, and gracious, as well as a lot of fun. It was God's idea in the first place, after all!

It is the MISUSE of that gift that we decry. Human beings are not meant to be used as toys or objects and then discarded. Such actions are abusive to both body and soul. Porn, for example, is reducing another human being to an image for your lust, not the loving acting out of a covenant between two people.

What is laudable about turning people into objects? What is praiseworthy about taking advantage of others, and using them for your own selfish pleasures? What is so great about abusing men, women, and children for the sake of one's libido?

THAT, is what we consider bad/dirty/unclean/wrong. The terrible misuse of a holy gift, meant to be expressed between two people who love and cherish each other.

A red corvette is a beautiful thing, until it is driven through a schoolyard full of children. That is misuse, not "denying you your fun".

Answer 10

it's not unclean if you are married, but if you aren't, you have sex then you decide you don;t want to marry that person when you do get married you might think, "I am missing something" so you go out and have an affair. A little extreme, I know, but I've heard stories. That is why I'm waiting.

Oh yeah... It also takes your thoughts away from God... It's basically like an idol.

Answer 11

It's a control tactic. People with a religious mindset have a lot of fear, including the fear of losing their mates to someone else. They push sexual rules because they don't want their mates to stray.

As you said, sex is "the core act" of human life, and that goes for religious people, too. They don't want to lose their nookie.

Personally, I think that if all the sexual rules and punishments were taken away from religion, most women in relationships with religious men would be gone within a year or two.