The History of Sex and Christianity

The issue of sexuality has become a complicated situation in our society today. There is a constant debate over how and when sexual education should be taught, and children are being given sex education at very young ages. However, as our nation has become more liberal, the true concern is no longer abstinence; instead, people mainly worry about having sex without the fear of receiving a disease. Many studies performed have shown that the older teenagers become, the more likely they are to have sex. By early adulthood, the vast majority of both females and males have had sexual intercourse at least once. The media has a huge influence on how young people today deal with sexuality, which is a major problem. Though discussing sex in public used to be taboo, it has become an everyday occurrence on many popular television shows. Many advertisements look as if they are selling sex rather than tires or hamburgers.

There are mixed views of sex in science and social science. Scientists today view sex in two different ways. Some believe that the act is purely physical, while others believe that it is both physical and spiritual. While some believe that the differences between the sexes are shallow and culture-bound, others believe that the differences are deep and transcendent. Freud believed that everything we do is caused by our unconscious desire for sex. Purity is another thing that is seen in dissimilar ways by different people. Some people believe that one's virginity is not lost until one has actually performed sexual intercourse. Others think that acts such as oral intercourse count as losing one's virginity. An increasing number of people believe that performing sex outside of marriage is good and right.

Though our society has become increasingly liberal in these matters, Christians still believe that the act of sex outside of marriage goes against the will of God. Scripture states that sex is to be enjoyed between a married couple: one man and one woman. Those who do not marry are called to remain celibate. When a man and woman have sex they become one person, so it is easy to see that having sex with multiple partners must be unnatural, unhealthy, and unholy. There are many verses in the Bible that focus on sexual immorality. 1 Corinthians 6:13, 18-20 and Romans 11:12-14, for example, speak directly about this issue. There are also many verses that tell stories that involve sexual immorality, such as "David and Bethsheba" and "Sodom and Gomorrah." We are not placed here for our own enjoyment; we should use our sexual activity, or lack thereof, as a form of praise and service to God.

There are, however, many views that do not coincide with either the media's or the Christian's viewpoint. For Muslims, the most important thing in an unmarried woman is her sexual purity; without it she is considered worthless. It is believed that every man who goes to heaven will receive two virgins to satisfy his sexual pleasures. Hinduism is a religion in which sex is considered a religious experience and sexual purity is important. Buddhists, however, have mixed views on whether sexual purity is important or not. Arab states strongly focus on a woman's virginity; to ensure that they are kept pure, women are not even allowed to date. They must date in secret if they want to marry for love. In East Africa, women undergo genital cutting and when marriage consummation takes place, someone watches to ensure that the girl was a virgin up until that point. In Turkey, girls are required to undergo virginity exams. Underage marriage is accepted and girls who are raped are encouraged to marry their rapist.

The history of sexuality is long and convoluted. Sexual activity used to be unlimited; in fact, it was considered quite normal for men to have sex with boys, women, other men, animals, and inanimate objects. Sexuality was revolutionized when God told the Jews to only have sex with a single spouse. In most other ancient religions, sex was considered good, even an act of worship. In the stories of polytheistic cultures, the gods often had sex with one another. The fact that the Jews did not have sex outside of marriage and that their God never had sex made them an oddity in the ancient world. De-sexualizing religion increased productivity as men channeled their energy into other things. Without this, modern nations such as the United States could never have come into existence. De-sexualizing also elevated the status of women. When men could have sex with anything or anybody, women were just seen as baby-makers, but now they are seen as an equal partner in the sex act. It is fascinating to see how sexuality has changed over the millennia. From 10000 to 3000 BC, women and children were the property of the male, and he could have as many partners as he wished. At about 400 BC, it was a great honor for a woman to become a temple prostitute. During the first 1000 years AD, the Church stated that anybody who had sex outside of marriage would go to hell. Saint Augustine believed that all sex was sinful unless it was done in an attempt to conceive.

There are many consequences to sexual immorality, such as diseases, pregnancy, abortion, feelings of inadequacy, and a loss of self. However, abstinence has its own set of consequences, all of which are good. These include things such as: giving an irreplaceable gift to one's partner in marriage, being obedient to God's command, no diseases or unwanted pregnancies and abortions, and a closer relationship with God. Guidelines should be followed to help one stay abstinent, such as establishing a standard before starting to date. It is also very important to think about the music, movies, and friends that one pays attention to, for these things are all very influencing. The very best thing to do is pray to God and ask him for strength to succeed in abstaining from sex. Lastly, it is important to remember that God forgives mistakes.

Sexuality has changed significantly over the years. The media constantly influences our society, and its message is being imprinted upon minds at younger and younger ages. It is important for Christians to remember that God calls us to abstain from sex until marriage for our own good. In the long run we will be far better off emotionally and spiritually than those who choose to have sex freely. It takes effort to act Christ-like in this way, especially with the heavy influence of the media. However, while sexual immorality can lead to some awful consequences, the consequences of abstaining are all wonderful things that everybody desires. By telling us to abstain God is simply doing what is best for us; all he asks in return is that we obey.

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