Why does God hate sex?

[CurtC]

The answer could be found studying the mindset of the people who made up this particular version of a god.

I think it's deeper than that. Throughout history, many different concepts of God have been dreamed up, and the ones we're left with today are the versions that could propagate themselves. It's like biological evolution - try everything and keep what works, although in this case religion "works" for itself, but to the detriment of its hosts (us).

Darrell Ray has written a book called The God Virus, in which he talks about how religions use guilt to trap people. They take something that people are going to do anyway (masturbation, pre-marital sex, etc.), and tell them they're not supposed to do those things. This causes guilt when the people inevitably do them, and the religion then sets itself up as the way to absolve you of this false guilt.

This strategy has worked really well to propagate religion.

 

[Radrook]

Yeah, if you'd actually read more than the title of my post, you'd realise that I was talking about exactly that.

Why? There are practical social reasons. Sex outside wedlock produces children unprotected by the llaws of heredity. It encourages irresponsibility of those who only want a good time but are unwilling to answer for the consequences by mannng up. It increases the likelihood of STD incidences. It tends to disrupt family unity via the creation of jealosies.

 

[arthwollipot]

Sex outside wedlock produces children unprotected by the llaws of heredity.

Irrelevant in these days of reliable contraception.

It encourages irresponsibility of those who only want a good time but are unwilling to answer for the consequences by mannng up.

Irrelevant in these days of reliable contraception

It increases the likelihood of STD incidences.

Since reliable contraception also decreases the likelyhood of STI, this also is irrelevant.

It tends to disrupt family unity via the creation of jealosies.

Ah. Now we're actually getting somewhere.

What is the source of jealousy? Why do we get jealous?

 

[Robo Sapien]

I'll tell you why God discourages frivalous sex.. because he already has enough prayers to ignore without people crying out "oh god!" when they're getting busy.

 

[NeilC]

Irrelevant in these days of reliable contraception.

Irrelevant in these days of reliable contraception

Since reliable contraception also decreases the likelyhood of STI, this also is irrelevant.

Ah. Now we're actually getting somewhere.

What is the source of jealousy? Why do we get jealous?

Reliable contraception wasn't around during the formation of the religious dogma. Also all those things still happen despite the availability of contraception.

 

[arthwollipot]

Reliable contraception wasn't around during the formation of the religious dogma. Also all those things still happen despite the availability of contraception.

True, and true - but it would still be interesting to consider the rate of population growth/sexually transmitted infection with the rate of religious affiliation. There was a statistic that was published not so long ago that showed that the rate of teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection was higher amongst groups who had been given abstinence-only education, as compared to those who had been educated about contraception.

 

[Mark6]

This is also, as I understand it, the Jewish attitude.

Orthdox Jew: Rabbi, does God approve of dancing?
Rabbi: No, it is immoral and sinful.
Orthdox Jew: What about sex?
Rabbi: That's a mitzvah! Not only God approves, he requires it!
Orthdox Jew: In any position?
Rabbi: Can you be a little more specific?
Orthdox Jew: Well, missionary position?
Rabbi: Sure!
Orthdox Jew: Doggie style?
Rabbi: No problem.
Orthdox Jew: Sitting up in a chair?
Rabbi: Do not see why not.
Orthdox Jew: How about standing up?
Rabbi: Umm... no. Can lead to dancing.

 

[NeilC]

True, and true - but it would still be interesting to consider the rate of population growth/sexually transmitted infection with the rate of religious affiliation. There was a statistic that was published not so long ago that showed that the rate of teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection was higher amongst groups who had been given abstinence-only education, as compared to those who had been educated about contraception.

If true then the supposed anti-sex view doesn't work. But that doesn't mean it doesn't exist for the reasons stated.

Anyway god doesn't hate sex. He just doesn't want christians do have it, because they're rubbish at it ;-)

 

[Sledge]

It would be possible for this god to create another god to diddle with, surely.

Maybe the idea hasn't occurred to him. After all, if the Bible is right, God isn't exactly the sharpest tool in the box.

 

[Trent Wray]

Give god a break! It's merely one of those "no means yes" things.

Hasn't anyone ever heard of foreplay?

Jesus ...

 

[JWideman]

To be fair, most of that isn't really in the bible. There's a total of TWO scriptures that MAY condemn masturbation. We can't really be sure, because nobody has ever figured out what exactly the word "pornea" means. Some might say the part about Onan has it covered, but such misses the point entirely. More on that in a bit.
"Showing skin" is also not quite condemned. Many scriptures actually seem to encourage it, ESPECIALLY male (full frontal even) nudity. The closest we can get to actual condemnation is the story of Adam and Eve. However, that is VERY open to interpretation. Being naked or seeing someone naked is, at best, only a sin in certain specific circumstances. Maybe.
Birth control? There is exactly one reference to birth control and it wasn't the act of birth control itself that was condemned. Onan's sin wasn't birth control and it sure as hell wasn't masturbation - it had nothing to do with sex at all. Rather, it was about deceit. Onan was going to lose a lot if his brother's wife gave birth, as he stood to inherit from his father. By pulling out, she wouldn't get pregnant but still claim that Onan had done his part and would therefore be blameless.
As for homosexuality, that gets us back to the difficulty of translating a dead language from a dead culture. Every passage used in modern times to condemn homosexuality means something different depending on context and nobody today really knows what the context at the time was. There's pretty much exactly one passage that is relatively clear* and it's surrounded by passages talking about how much God hates cotton-polyester blends, shellfish, etc. In other words, it no longer counts.
And then there are the clearly homosexual couples like David and Jonathon, Ruth and Naomi. Jesus' best friend was a prostitute and yet he never displayed any sexual interest in women. The Song of Solomon appears to be a gay love poem.
The only two things god really hates in regard to sex is incest and adultery. And it seems incest is okay sometimes.

*It's actually as clear as mud.

 

[shadron]

Why? There are practical social reasons. Sex outside wedlock produces children unprotected by the llaws of heredity. It encourages irresponsibility of those who only want a good time but are unwilling to answer for the consequences by mannng up. It increases the likelihood of STD incidences. It tends to disrupt family unity via the creation of jealosies.

Makes you wonder what we did for the preceding 198,000 years, without any sexual guidance, laws of heredity, and irresponsible guys not manning up, doesn't it? And STDs and jealousy, of course. Society has only our best interests at heart, isn't that so?

Yes, I agree that society is, on the main, a good thing. I also think that laws which may seem right and proper at the time tend to ossify with age, particularly when the law-maintainers loose sight of the reasons and just follow the forms, especially when the maintainers find they can advance themselves over the rabble by a little judicious over-stepping and rigidity.

But I am glad we're recognizing societal needs here and not appealing to the "needs" of a god or religion. Society is bad enough about useless traditions; religion makes it much worse.

 

[Darth Rotor]

T
The Song of Solomon appears to be a gay love poem.

Not seeing that.

Otherwise, your post provoked some thought. Thanks.

DR

 

[I Ratant]

If my catholic upbringing is right, it may be because he only got the chance to get some once... and i guess virgin Mary wasn´t that good ...

But hey, you can tell he become more relaxed just right after that, compare the old testament god vs, new testament

.
Yup..
The Hairy Thunderer became the Cosmic Muffin.

 

[I Ratant]

Is it not interesting that sexual repression seems to be a common thread in many different religions?

.
Although recent news shows us it's only for the bleevers.. the preachers can get laid all the time, with lots of folks.. both sexes.
And that's one of the major perks that makes preaching such an attractive vocation.

 

[Marquis de Carabas]

Have you considered, arth, that God just might not like having sex with you?

 

[Psi Baba]

No, no, it's all a misunderstanding. God hates sects.

 

[Elizabeth I]

This is also, as I understand it, the Jewish attitude.

It's my understanding that that's not entirely true among the Hasidim. I read an article somewhere about some young (married) couples that have discovered oral sex and are having a real conflict between what they have been taught and what feels good.

 

[I Ratant]

Originally Posted by Radrook
Sex outside wedlock produces children unprotected by the llaws of heredity.

Irrelevant in these days of reliable contraception

..

.
It produces herds of children with no resident male, and many in that herd have no responsible mother.
The problem passes from generation to generation, leaving charities and the state to handle the unwanted children.
A state approved sterilization program, reversible upon a legal marriage will lessen the social burden.

 

[I Ratant]

It's my understanding that that's not entirely true among the Hasidim. I read an article somewhere about some young (married) couples that have discovered oral sex and are having a real conflict between what they have been taught and what feels good.

.
I recall reading this in "PLAYBOY" prolly 40 years ago, and wondering about the religion that could produce an Oyzer Dovidl.

http://books.google.com/books?id=z6...=0CBQQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=oyzer dovidl&f=false