Most world religions have sought to address the moral issues that arise from people's sexuality in society and in human interactions. Each major religion has developed moral codes covering issues of sexuality, morality, ethics etc., which have sought to guide people's sexual activities and practices. The influence of religion on sexuality is especially apparent in the long debated issue of gay marriage versus civil union. When it comes to Judaism it is said that sex is sacred between man and women, within marriage, and should be enjoyed. Celibacy is sinful Actually, the Jewish do not believe that sex is shameful, sinful, or obscene, although the Jewish faith emphasizes that sexual desire should be controlled and channeled only to be satisfied at the proper time, place, and manner, between husband and wife, out of mutual love and desire for one another. This means that all sexual contact is permissible only within marriage because it is believed that all sexual contact leads to intercourse; therefore sex requires commitment and responsibility. The primary purpose of sex according to the Jewish is to reinforce the marital bond and to procreate making any sexual act permissible as long as it does not involve ejaculation outside the vagina. Sex is the right of the woman, not the man and it is should only be experienced in times of joy because it is a selfish personal satisfaction that must be pleasurable for both parties. Men cannot force women to have sex, and women cannot take away sex as punishment because it is an offense to use sex to manipulate or as a weapon. Finally, sex cannot be experienced while intoxicated or quarreling.
Traditionally, Christianity has viewed human sexuality as primarily though not exclusively aimed at reproduction and as tainted by concupiscence after the Fall. Saint Paul spoke of the flesh as at war with the spirit and struggled to control it, though he saw the body itself as holy and a temple of the Holy Spirit (I Cor 6:19). He stated that a celibate lifestyle was preferable for serving God undistracted, which was later cited as a reason for priests having to give up sex and marriage. Saint Augustine believed that sex was only justified in marriage with a view toward procreation, and that when aimed exclusively at pleasure it was tainted by sin. Saint Augustine speaks of the three goods of marriage, the good of fidelity (fidei), of offspring (prolis), and of the sacramental bond (sacramenti).
The Bible states within the first commandment to procreate, but the
misconception about sex being shameful or sinful is contradicted. In the
book of Genesis 2:24-25,
it states that a husband must stick to his wife and they shall become
one f
lesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not
ashamed. The becoming one flesh is the sexual act which according to
this, does not lead into shame. On the other hand, both husband and wife
are supposed to be submissive sexually to their partner, no longer
having authority over their own bodies, and cannot deny each other sex
in order to refrain from satisfying in temptation from out the marriage
since fidelity (faithfulness to a sexual partner) is important. The
bible may permit sexual activity within a marriage between man and
women; it is a sin to engage in homosexuality, bestiality (sexual
relations with animals), incest (sexual relations within the immediate
family structure), fornication (sex outside marriage), adultery
(cheating on husband or wife), rape, and viewing pornography. It is
believed that those who are sexually immoral are separated from God and
will not share in God’s inheritance upon death. To engage in any of
these sinful sexual activities in the past, punishment was death.
The Catholic Church teaches that sexuality is "noble and worthy" but that it must be used in accordance with natural law. For this reason, all sexual activity must occur in the context of a marriage between a man and a woman and must not be divorced from the possibility of conception. All forms of sex not open to conception are considered intrinsically disordered and sinful, such as any sex with contraceptives, autosexual activity (e.g. masturbation), and homosexual acts. Recent currents of Catholic thought, such as John Paul II's Theology of the Body, have placed special emphasis on the dignity and beauty of human sexuality, calling it a special gift of God that is preserved and respected by reserving it for marriage. Sex is sanctified by the rebirth of Christ. It helps us to grow and create bonds of love.
Within the Islamic faith, sexual desire is considered to be a natural urge that should not be suppressed, although, the concept of free sex is not accepted; therefore these urges should be fulfilled responsibly. Marriage is considered to be a good deed and it does not hinder spiritual wayfaring. The term used for marriage within the Quran is “nikah” which literally means sexual intercourse. Although, Islam was sexually restrained, the Islamic faith emphasized sexual pleasure within marriage. It is acceptable for a man to have more than one wife, but he must take care of that wife physically, mentally, emotionally, financially, and spiritually. They oppose celibacy and monasticism (withdrawing from society to devote one’s self to prayer, solitude, and contemplation).
The views on sexuality in Hinduism emphasizes that sex is only appropriate between husband and wife in which satisfying sexual urges through sexual pleasure is an important duty of marriage. Any sex before marriage is considered to in
terfere
with their intellectual development, especially between birth and the
age of 25 which is said to be brahmacharya; therefore, this should be
avoided. Kama (sensual pleasures) is one of the four purusharthas or aims of life (dharma, artha, kama, and moksha). One of the sacred texts which happen to be popular within Western culture, the “Kama Sutra,”
was created by the Hindus as manual for love making in marriage. This
text emphasizes pleasure being the aim of intercourse and even goes in
depth about homosexual desires which are believed to be the same as
heterosexual desires. Even within Hindu temples (places of worship)
there were depictions of sexuality within the sculptures. Such temples
are at Khajuraho and Konarak,
but due to colonialism, Hindus became more rigid in their views about
sexuality, and then internalized Victorian ideals of heterosexual monogamy.
Buddhism emphasizes the “Middle Way” which is never reaching the extremes. According to this religion, moderation in everything is key to enlightenment or nirvana; therefore, human sexuality should fall in the middle on a continuum from extreme Puritanism
to extreme permissiveness. Buddhist also emphasize kama which is a sign
that their basis o
f belief uses Hinduism as their foundation. But all
in all, Buddhism does not have an specific rules to break that has
horrible consequences as other religions do because Buddhist do not
believe in sin, there is only the skilled and unskilled the feeling of
pleasure is neither.