What's Up With Sex?

[St. SteVen]

One partner for life?

What you get you are stuck with.

Was she raised in the church? Probably thinks sex is evil. Isn't that what we were taught?

I'm not advocating sexual promiscuity, but what can we make of this?

In the church we destroy sex with our religious views.

Discuss.

]

 

[Oneoff]

One partner for life?

What you get you are stuck with.

Was she raised in the church? Probably thinks sex is evil. Isn't that what we were taught?

I'm not advocating sexual promiscuity, but what can we make of this?

In the church we destroy sex with our religious views.

Discuss.

]

I was raised so protectively that I came to view the subject of sex very fundamentally.
I believed that sex prior to marriage was sinful and married as a 'virgin'.
But it didn't stop there because I also believed that sex other than for the sincere intent of procreation was also sinful.
But surely 'man' is created with such an irresistible sexual urge in order to ensure that the 'species' doesn't become extinct and fo fulfil Gods command to be fruitful and multiply,
It wasn't long before that irresistible urge won the battle !!

 

[Angelina]

That is how God made man and woman in the beginning.
Genesis 2:
23 Then the man said,“This at last is bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.”
24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

What are you advocating? What can we make of what?

@St. SteVen - People of the world will have many sexual partners during their lifetime. They may even be faithful to one partner eventually. Do you think christians are missing out somehow? The bible says: in Romans 6:6 "knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin;"

Crucifiying the flesh and all it's lusts mean we have to die to our old self (our old man) It's part of being a new creation in Christ. Born Again if you will...Having one partner for life is not a prison sentence if you love and respect each other and God is the center of every part of your existence...

 

[Oneoff]

That is how God made man and woman in the beginning.
Genesis 2:
23 Then the man said,“This at last is bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.”
24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

What are you advocating? What can we make of what?

@St. SteVen - People of the world will have many sexual partners during their lifetime. They may even be faithful to one partner eventually. Do you think christians are missing out somehow? The bible says: in Romans 6:6 "knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin;"

Crucifiying the flesh and all it's lusts mean we have to die to our old self (our old man) It's part of being a new creation in Christ. Born Again if you will...Having one partner for life is not a prison sentence if you love and respect each other...

That is how God made man and woman in the beginning.
Genesis 2:
23 Then the man said,“This at last is bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.”
24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

What are you advocating? What can we make of what?

@St. SteVen - People of the world will have many sexual partners during their lifetime. They may even be faithful to one partner eventually. Do you think christians are missing out somehow? The bible says: in Romans 6:6 "knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin;"

Crucifiying the flesh and all it's lusts mean we have to die to our old self (our old man) It's part of being a new creation in Christ. Born Again if you will...Having one partner for life is not a prison sentence if you love and respect each other and God is the center of every part of your existence...

Next question ...." Is contraception sinful?"
I believe that the Catholic Church once held it to be so.

 

[quietthinker]

You think I'd make myself vulnerable in an environment such as this forum? Not on your life. I share my sins, my struggles and my shortcomings in environments I can trust and feel safe in. There are plenty who are happy to consign me to hell or some other parallel for having a different view to theirs.......so wisdom tells me that some cards are left close to my chest.

On the other hand I could put my best foot forward and play that ubiquitous game of saying all the 'right' things, but frankly, personally I have a good sniffer for that stuff and it leaves me with a poor impression.....so I refuse to.

 

[Oneoff]

I have an incredibly open mind, why not let me see your views by PM?

 

[Wrangler]

In the church we destroy sex with our religious views.

Another thread highlighting your weakness in the faith.

God invented sex. Praise God.

Sexual desire is not a sin. Lust is a sin. CS Lewis wrote how odd it would be for an auditorium to be filled as being watched a man eating a ham sandwich. Being hungry is not a sin. Excess is the hallmark of all the 7 Deadly Sins. This is why gluttony is a sin.

 

[St. SteVen]

I was raised so protectively that I came to view the subject of sex very fundamentally.
I believed that sex prior to marriage was sinful and married as a 'virgin'.
But it didn't stop there because I also believed that sex other than for the sincere intent of procreation was also sinful.
But surely 'man' is created with such an irresistible sexual urge in order to ensure that the 'species' doesn't become extinct and fo fulfil Gods command to be fruitful and multiply,
It wasn't long before that irresistible urge won the battle !!

How do you feel about that now?
Do you wish that the environment you were raised in hadn't been so puritanical?

It seems to me that God intended sex to be enjoyable. But in the church, we over-reacted to promiscuity to the point of making sex bad. I see this as a severe disservice. I wonder how many marriages were destroyed as a result.

]

 

[St. SteVen]

What are you advocating? What can we make of what?

I thought I was clear in the OP. I wrote this:

I'm not advocating sexual promiscuity, but what can we make of this?

In the church we destroy sex with our religious views.

Additionally, I know many wonderful Christian couples who are remarried for one reason or another.
They are branded in the church. Looked down on as if they are less than they should be.

There is also the issue in the church, especially for females, that sex is bad. This can have devastating effects on intimacy with their husband,

Also the wide-spread problem of sexual abuse of children that have to recover as adults.

Plenty to discuss, I suppose.

]

 

[St. SteVen]

Next question ...." Is contraception sinful?"
I believe that the Catholic Church once held it to be so.

That's a great question. Glad you joined the discussion.

Seems to me that contraception should be a personal decision. The church shouldn't police the marriage bed.

On the other hand, are we thwarting God's intentions for sex?

There was a time when a large family was needed to help with the work. And families were extended to several generations. Our modern society doesn't work that way. Too many children can be a burden.

So, is contraception sinful? Good question.

]

 

[St. SteVen]

You think I'd make myself vulnerable in an environment such as this forum? Not on your life. I share my sins, my struggles and my shortcomings in environments I can trust and feel safe in. There are plenty who are happy to consign me to hell or some other parallel for having a different view to theirs.......so wisdom tells me that some cards are left close to my chest.

On the other hand I could put my best foot forward and play that ubiquitous game of saying all the 'right' things, but frankly, personally I have a good sniffer for that stuff and it leaves me with a poor impression.....so I refuse to.

That seems like a good example of what the church has done to us. A shaming culture surrounds that which we should be able to discuss discretely.

We don't need to share personal stuff to discuss sex in general. And specifically what the church has done with it.

]

 

[St. SteVen]

God invented sex.

For what purpose?

Only for procreation?

]

 

[St. SteVen]

You think I'd make myself vulnerable in an environment such as this forum?

No need for vulnerability in a general discussion of sex. (unless you are comfortable)

Has the church dealt appropriately with the subject of sex?

Seems that in an attempt to prevent promiscuity, they have thrown the marriage bed out with the bath water.

]

 

[JohnDB]

One partner for life?

What you get you are stuck with.

Was she raised in the church? Probably thinks sex is evil. Isn't that what we were taught?

I'm not advocating sexual promiscuity, but what can we make of this?

In the church we destroy sex with our religious views.

Discuss.

]

Where physical intimacy is part of the human experience and is pleasurable....it's not the sum total or the end result of "doing things right"

It's a very small part.

And those that prioritize this single activity have issues with narcissism.

Building, creating positive relationships with various groups and creating groups is a much more rewarding experience than sex.

People been having sex for tens of thousands of years. Just like breathing, walking or evacuating bodily waste....however...

Some people wish to destroy all the good work by increasing sexual perversion.

 

[amadeus]

How do you feel about that now?
Do you wish that the environment you were raised in hadn't been so puritanical?

It seems to me that God intended sex to be enjoyable. But in the church, we over-reacted to promiscuity to the point of making sex bad. I see this as a severe disservice. I wonder how many marriages were destroyed as a result.

]

Ge 1:31

And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

As for being content with one wife, Jesus also confirms what someone has already cited here from Gen 2:

Mt 19:4	And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,
Mt 19:5	And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?
Mt 19:6	Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

And then as to what happens in the marriage bed, consider what is written here:

Heb 13:4

Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.

 

[Jericho]

One partner for life?

I believe that is God's intent but sometimes it doesn't work out that way.

Was she raised in the church? Probably thinks sex is evil. Isn't that what we were taught?

Is it? We are taught that sex outside of the sacrament is evil, not sex itself.

In the church we destroy sex with our religious views.

How so?

 

[St. SteVen]

St. SteVen said:
In the church we destroy sex with our religious views.

How so?

Especially for females.
How a girls dresses is seen as "suggestive" if too much skin is showing.
If this attracts the wrong kind of attention it is her doing, and her fault.
She is bad, rather than the perpetrator.

The modern solution is to cover up with leggings. (yoga pants) Which is even more suggestive, but follows the less skin rule.

A shirt fit tightly on the breasts is deemed fine unless it has a low neckline. (follows the less skin rule)

Males can go topless at the beach, no problem. No skin rules for men, except for genital exposure.

]

 

[Jericho]

How a girls dresses is seen as "suggestive" if too much skin is showing.
If this attracts the wrong kind of attention it is her doing, and her fault.
She is bad, rather than the perpetrator.

There's nothing wrong with modesty. Some denominations are more strict in that area than others. I'm not sure how this is a negative.

Males can go topless at the beach, no problem. No skin rules for men, except for genital exposure.

There's a pretty big difference there, don't you think?

 

[ScottA]

One partner for life?

What you get you are stuck with.

Was she raised in the church? Probably thinks sex is evil. Isn't that what we were taught?

I'm not advocating sexual promiscuity, but what can we make of this?

In the church we destroy sex with our religious views.

Discuss.

]

It's all parables.

Regarding sex, beginning with gender: Gender is a parable demonstration of mankind (humanity) being taken out of or removed from the presence of God. Marriage then is its own parable image of those matching spiritually being rejoined or returned to God, literally as One.

The fact that sex is or can be immensely enjoyable perhaps makes the issue confusing, because, well, more would seem to be better. Only as an image revelation from God, He has clarified the actual and only means by which the foreshadowing act of sex is attained. In which case, the number, is One. Hence, the narrow way leading unto life, versus the wide way leading to destruction.

Thank God for forgiveness!

 

[Wynona]

One partner for life?

What you get you are stuck with.

Was she raised in the church? Probably thinks sex is evil. Isn't that what we were taught?

I'm not advocating sexual promiscuity, but what can we make of this?

In the church we destroy sex with our religious views.

Discuss.

]

I think you're thinking of purity culture. Sex is a good thing.

There are plenty of deeply religious and conservative women who believe in prioritizing and enjoying married sex, however.