Why is marriage a good thing in religion?

Question

Whats wrong (in the eyes of religion i mean) with loving everyone, and fornicating with anyone that you love?

Shouldn't we be loving everyone? So what harm is there in giving numerous people sexual pleasure?

I am not wishing to be offensive, vulgar or anything else before anyone starts. I am genuinely intrigued by religious laws and do not know the answer. If anyone could explain then I would be MOST grateful.

(If you are just going to give generic religious responses without answering the specific question, please don't bother wasting my time)

Gui - I am not confusing love with lust at all.

Carla - i'm not condoning cheating on a partner, i'm asking about the religious reasons

Genderbiased - so are you saying that God wants this for economic reasons?

Curiosity - why would the children not know the fathers name? the children could still see their father could they not? and why would there necessary be children as a result?

Lazytime - I asked about the reasons why religion is against it. Plus diseases don't automatically spread through sex. what if both partners were clean? and they both saw the kids whenever they pleased? Just because someone sleeps with other people doesn't automatically mean that the children will never see their parents

Answer 1

It's not. Religions always need enemies (the mob at the gate) to keep people in fear and the money flowing. Throw in a fear of progress and you have a volatile mix. The simple fact is homosexual marriage exists already. Legal recognition is a long way off. When fear and ignorance reign, religion thrives.

Answer 2

Let me first explain that my personal view is that there is nothing wrong with having sex as long as you are old enough and practice safely, as well as discreetly.

Tradition, not religion is the basis of marriage. Since humans have been able to keep written records there is a record of marriage.

Marriage is making a commitment to another person. The commitment varies by culture but it is basically to be bound to the other person for life. There are of course many other details involved but it can be narrowed down that you will love one other person above any others, and so make a commitment.

Depending on why you are committing to the other person you have various levels of benefits. By being with that significant other you always have a friend, a partner, a team mate, a person to talk to. You have a sense of security in that you know you will go home to that person,and that person will come home to you.

Current traditions have one man and one woman as a married couple. In the past there has been many example of people having more than one spouse. Due to religious influence the laws have come about that you may only have one spouse. This also has its pros and cons. (Personally I do not think I could handle more than one wife.)

This is a large subject, but the answer lies within yourself. Just follow the rules: With harm to none, do as you will.

Answer 3

Religion is against it for a very simple reason. God says no. God says every man should have a (1) woman, vica versa. God says no sleeping around, no sex before marriage etc. and that's why.

Now, why not do it aside from blindly adhearing to the bible?

Assume New Zealand was wiped of people
Then people were put back
The people on the North Island were all "Nuclear Families"
The people on the south island were polygamists, gays, extended families and single parents etc...
The stats show undeniably that nuclear families are the most successful socio-economic unit.
If this scenario were to play out, the north island would have enough money to buy out and control the south island in 10 years. Society needs to reign in this kind of behaviour for the overall benefit of society.

* I am not even suggesting god exists. None the less if you take the mean averages of different socio-economic units, like I said, it speaks for itself. Better economics is a litmus test for the overall performance, success and quality of life of a society. God didn't say it, the numbers said it. If you want to believe in the bible, then I suppose that yes, you would likely draw the conclusion that god wants what is best for people and therefore had predetermined these things and that is why he promoted marriage. None the less I reiterate my first statement that religious people don't like it because god says no, not because of any other well thought out reason. But having said that they can easily see the success of countries that have followed this rule like Engalnd or the USA and can also see the poverty in polygamist countries like Pakistan. The countries that do not adhear to the traditonal western marriage stlye simply do not succeed and that is evidence enough for most religious (Christian) people, they do not need to see the numbers.

Answer 4

Marriage is societal construct that keeps the sex drive under wraps. It seems to be coming undone lately as it's become acceptable to dissolve a marriage. I have heard from a coworker how open marriages do not work. It makes sense to me that it's difficult to maintain an emotional bond with a spouse you've witnessed sleeping with other partners. It sort of kills the whole idea that what two people have is a precious thing. But if there's no marriage, then people are free to sleep with whomever. Just my two cents, I do not mean to sound preachy. I hope you find the answers you're looking for.

Answer 5

Why don't you ask a priest.

I attended a church school where I was taught that the sacraments are there to help us through the variuos stages of life. Monogamy is very important for the security of children despite the claptrap spouted by vocal minorities and men who believe that women exist to service men sexually (If the pill did not exist this question would not arise). I think that a community should help a couple to focus upon why they are having a relationship in the first place (i.e. to care for one another and to care for their children who will one day take a place in society).
Ask yourself the question if a friends partner were having an affair, when they should be caring for the kids would you tell them. Neglected children suffer - and then does society?

Answer 6

You say you are not confusing love with lust but you ask what is wrong with fornicating with everyone you love. Does that mean you want to have sexual relations with you family (assuming you love your family), how about your pet(s) you do love your pet(s) don’t you? How about that new CD you just purchase, you just love it, don’t you; or that new PS2/xbox/whatever video game?

The point is there are many types of “love” and only one results in sexual relations. On the other hand we have “lust” which is wholly separate from love and falls within the purview of your question.

As to your original question, “Why is marriage a good thing in religion?” it is because marriage is the foundation of a moral society. It promotes trust, responsibility, and procreation and yes even sexual desire. Ergo, loving everyone and giving “giving numerous people sexual pleasure” falls in the realm of lust which is anathema to marriage and a sin unto God.

Answer 7

Pair-bonding, as it is described in anthropology, is a human habit, not a habit only in the context of religion.

Many people find that happiness comes with security, friendship, and trust. So they look for those aspects in their relationships and most importantly their sexual relationships.

Nothing comes without a cost. You can say, "Why shouldn't we give numerous people sexual pleasure?" Well, what would the cost be? Would it be that you don't get to know them that well, that you don't have an intimate friendship with them? Would it be that while you're off doing that someone else is lonely?

It's hard enough for 2 people to meet each others needs in the context of a relationship. I can only imagine it would be MORE difficult if 1 or both of them were out pursuing other additional relationships, no matter how shallow.

Answer 8

In this culture the definition of "love" has been distorted. If you believe that you are just another animal with no higher calling than just to fulfill what ever urge you may have at the moment then it's unlikely anything I say may make a difference. If you believe that you are created by God for a special purpose, do you think it is just getting as much as you can?
Love
1If I speak in the tongues[a] of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames,[b] but have not love, I gain nothing.
4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.




One of the main reasons that there is so much heartache, crimes of passion, divorce and children from broken homes is because we "don't love".

Answer 9

Sleeping with numerous people is never a wise idea. AIDS is spread this way not to mention all the sexually transmitted diseases. Also it can lead to unintended pregnancies. This in turns leads to abortion, children growing up without fathers in their lives, not knowing who their fathers are, and a good chance of living in poverty.

Sex within the confines of marriage is always best because it greatly diminishes the chance for diseases, abortion, etc. There is also the personal, emotional and psychological effect sexual intimacy has generally on women.

Answer 10

Religion is more than just believing in someone or in an entity-it is a way of life. If a person was to go around sleeping with anyone they desire, it would result in illegitimate children who don't know the name of their father, as well as unecessary abortions.

Being married gives a couple a strong relationship to begin with and any children born will be born within such a relationship and with the rights they deserve.

Answer 11

This is really a good question.

Most Christians believe (I think) that God sanctifies marriage. But, if marriage is sanctified, if families are sanctified, and are the perfect social unit, then why in the world does the Christian wedding service end with "til death do we part" or "As long as we both shall live"? Why do Christians insist that the holy bonds of matrimony dissolve when the spouses die?

When I was raised Protestant, I was told that when we get to heaven, we don't recognize anyone. If we have children and one of them dies before we do, then that's the last we will ever see of them. It caused a lot of us to lose our faith, or almost lose it.