Has sodomy ever been historically viewed as an acceptable, socially valid practice as an expression of love?

Question

How did past societies view homosexuality? Was it merely tolorated or embraced? Please provide authentic documentation if you choose to answer. I've heard enough opinion and speculation.

Answer 1

yes.. i believe in Roman times BEFORE the bible was even officially written being gay was fine... heck so was being with animals... in the coliseum things like this were presented all the time.

Answer 2

I'll answer your question, but in the future you should refrain from using "sodomy" to describe homosexual relationships, as it holds a rather negative connotation and perpetuates a stereotype that all gay men do together is have anal sex.

Anyway:

The ancient Greeks and Romans tolerated and, in some cases, encouraged homosexual relations. In particular, I'm thinking of the Spartans, whose soldiers were encouraged to take other soldiers as lovers, with the assumption that they would fight harder to protect them on the battlefield. Alexander the Great also had a long-term male lover named Hephaestion, whom he knew since both were boys under the tutelage of Aristotle.

Various Native American tribes had berdache, or "two-spirit people," who did not adhere to typical gender roles. Berdache were men who wore women's clothes, did women's work, and in some cases even incised their thighs once a month to simulate menstruation. They were often believed to have special medicine powers and were held in high regard, prized specifically because they weren't like everyone else (which is very different from the way our culture handles nonconformity).

Among the samurai, there was a tradition of adult males taking younger males under their wings -- and into their beds. Finally, in some Oceanic societies (such as the Etoro of New Guinea), it is believed that young men must ingest the semen (life force) of older males in order to reach maturity. Although Etoro men are expected to take wives and reproduce, they are also expected to engage in ritualized homosexual behaviors for the benefit of the next generation of men.

Here is an excellent online resource for you: http://www.androphile.org/preview/Culture/ViewByCulture.htm

Answer 3

In the Roman empire, statesmen often fostered younger men and customarily had relations with them. There is dispute as to whether the patron actually penetrated the young man. I was taught they did not.
In the Greek empire, the citystate of Sparta separated boys from their mothers around 6 or 8 and trained them to be soldiers. Soldiers were encouraged to take male lovers because they would fight harder, both to appear courageous in their lover's eyes and to protect him. The Spartans were arguably the fiercest, most disciplined fighters in history.