Religions Influence on Human Sexuality(Multi part Blog)

This was a paper that I wrote in college for my Family Studies class, otherwise known as sex ed.

Christianity

Throughout history and the present, religion has had an impact on the sexuality of humankind. From premarital sex, abortion, and homosexuality to the very positions that are acceptable for sex to be performed, religion has had an impact on how humans have acted towards sex and towards their own bodies. Through articles and stories found on the internet, I have compiled information on a few different religions from around the world and the past, and how those religions have dealt with the sexual aspect of being human.

Throughout history and the present religion has had an impact on how we as humans have dealt with our sexuality. Some religions embrace sexuality, while others deny all sex except for procreation. Through information gathered on the internet I have found that religion had an impact on sexuality before us as humans even knew what sexuality was. As religion and people change, the views towards sexuality will continue to change.

Adam and Eve

When Eve tempted Adam into eating of the forbidden fruit from the tree of knowledge and they gained the knowledge that they were naked and covered themselves with the leaves of a fig tree, they were made aware of their sexuality. Their sexuality had existed but they had not know that they were wrong to walk around naked until they had eaten of the tree of knowledge. Eve and Adam were cast from the Garden of Eden, then Eve with painful childbirth and unequal status. Eve was also told that despite the pain of childbirth " your desire shall be for your husband"(Haffner, 1997) Adam was punished for his sin with having to grow food from the earth with his own sweat and labor. The first sex act described in the bible comes after the departure from Eden:" And Adam knew Eve his wife ("to know," Hebrew yada, being a euphemism for sexual intercourse)," and she conceived, and bare Cain." (The Earthly Paradise/Royal Library of London).

Adultery as referred to by the Ten Commandments does not refer to a married man who has sex with unmarried women, but to a married man who has sex with a virgin who is already betrothed or another man's wife. Married woman who had sex with anyone but her husband was considered guilty of adultery, which was a sin punishable by death. In the Bible procreation was the only reason to have sex while the religion of the ancient Egyptians was full of tales of their god's sexuality. (That will be tomorrows blog topic)

References
And Adam Knew Eve, 5-10
http://www.hobrad.com/anda.htm