1. Discuss religion\'s role in heterosexuality. Using lecture and text material,
ID: 3462815 • Letter: 1
Question
1. Discuss religion's role in heterosexuality. Using lecture and text material, give historical views of heterosexual sex in religion, views on premarital sex, quality of sex, and information on the role of religion in marriage, affairs, and divorce. What role does religion play in education of sexuality currently in the United States? Finally, discuss the relationship between religion and non- mainstream heterosexuality in celibacy and polygamy 2. Describe the relationship between religion and LGBT concerns. Which religious groups are most accepting? What is the role of religion in prejudice against LGBT individuals and groups? How does this differ across religious beliefs and orientations? How is this currently changing in the US and around the world? Where do you see this going in the next 100 years? 9Explanation / Answer
1. Generally speaking, it is seen that all major religious traditions promote a heterosexist society where control on sexuality and sexual practices is deemed as crucial to the continuity and development of a particular religious belief and practices. This is found to be particularly true for the Semitic religions of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, as well as Eastern religions like Buddhism and Hinduism. The former together account for 90 percent of American religious affiliates (Sherkat 1999, 2001). What is interesting is that religious doctrines not only determine the norms of appropriate choice of partner form the opposite sex, but they also regulate the boundary of permissible and non-permissible actions within heterosexual relationships. By formulating a strong set of codes of sexuality for the members, the different Religious communities tend to organise their members into a uniform social order. In other words, sexuality across the ages and civilisation should has been deeply ingrained in religious discourses and it has become the direct means of organising the life of the members in line with the religious doctrines. Thus, one sees the references to the destruction of the Biblical town of Sodom and Gomorrah as historical metaphors in the Christian and in Jewish texts ( the New Testament and the Torah respectively) that testify to the prevalence of a strong religious prohibition against homosexuality . Moreover, in the context of heterosexual relationships, there is a taboo about premarital sex and it is not seen as a morally supportive lifestyle by the orthodox religious communities.
This is because sex and sexual practices are seen as vital conduits to procreation and continuity of the heriditary lineage. All those practices and sexual relationships which fall outside the parameter of procreation and a strict social obligation towards family are deemed as extremely hedonistic and therefore ‘ heathen’ as they transform sex as a purely pleasurable act which threatens the moral fabric of society.
Different religions have different codes of sexual morality, which regulate sexual activity or assign normative values to certain sexually charged actions or thoughts.
The views of religions and religious believers range widely, from giving sex and sexuality a rather negative connotation to believing that sex is the highest expression of the divine. Some religions distinguish between sexual activities that are practiced for biological reproduction which are allowed only in formal marital relationships and at a certain age, and other activities practiced for sexual pleasure, as immoral.
In the early Christian Church, the Book of Genesis: the Garden of Eden was seen as a normative ideal state to which Christians were to strive and ithe readings of the Book of Genesis along with the Gospels led to an understanding of virginity or chastity as the ideal state of existence which was regarded as the the perfect state in the historical Paradise as well as in the anticipated Heaven. In this context, non- mainstream heterosexuality such as in the form of celibacy provide an alternative view which seems to contradict the religious doctrine about the virtues of a married life. However, celibacy which may be defined as a voluntary religious vow not to marry or engage in sexual activity, is seen in Catholicism as a virtue and an ideal state of self-control in the pursuit of personal growth and spiritual empowerment. Although, other religions like Islam, Judaism, Eastern religions like Daoism in China, Shintoism in Japan prohibit it. While celibacy represents the other pole of heteronormative practice, it is still within the conduit of permissible lifestyle in the Christian world unlike other sexual practices such as premarital sex, or homosexuality a scelibacy is historically linked to the monastic tradition of religious priests and nuns. Moreover, celibacy represents an extreme form of sexual and therfore personal control through restriction of carnality and it is thus governed by a different set of religious norms.
In general, it is found that Religious institutions have been a primary source of social laws and rules in the ancient societies and they eventually came to provide a way to interpret and follow ethical codes pertaining to relational aspects of life such as those pertaining to sex, marriage and even divorce. Thus for instance, religions like Islam today are known for the highly elaborate system of norms pertaining to not only permissible form such of matrimonial ties but also for an equally elaborate system of the termination of marital relationships through negotiations between the spouses and a religious leader as the arbitrator.
Given the intricate linkages between religion and sexuality, it is but obvious that much of the contemporary issues about sex education can evoke a greater popular attention if they are addressed by the religious institutions themselves. Within the United States, it is seen that the language and the topics covered by educational trainers in sex education have a highly religious undertone as the focus is geared towards ‘prevention’ ( which is another form of control) of sexual acts by colluding them in problematic issues like teenage pregnancy, the risk of sexually transmitted disease rather than addressing the more social and personal implications of sexual intercourse such as those pertaining to pleasure, desire or conflicts of mutual consensus, sexual violence, etc.
Related Questions
Navigate
Integrity-first tutoring: explanations and feedback only — we do not complete graded work. Learn more.