As people delve into more and more research in the areas of sexual health, a major theme that pops up that affects this is religion. Religion plays a significant role in the marital and sexual behaviour of individuals and hence affects fertility, marital stability and general satisfaction. Religious scriptures and practices provide their own set of rules and regulations of what is acceptable and what is not. Each religion has its own culture and its way of looking at sex. However, if there is one thing that most of the major world religions seem to agree upon, it is that sexual activity outside of a marriage is not acceptable. A few major world religions and their views on sex and marriage have been explored majorly here.
Christianity
According to Christianity, wisdom is the base on which God constructed our universe. To live in this world adequately, we need to have a deep understanding of this basic structure. A part of this is the restriction of sexual activity within the marriage structure. To put it in a nutshell, sex is seen to exist for the following reasons:
- To have children
- Deepening the relationship of a married couple and increasing intimacy
- To be expressed in some ways
Islam
Islam is currently the second most practiced religion in our country, with about 13% of the people practicing it. Marriage is seen to be void if either one is a non-believer or later converts to another religion. Polygamy is legalized, and the practice of sex exists only within this situation. If any sexual activity is found to exist outside of marriage, the involved parties are sentenced to 100 lashes each. No sexual activity is allowed during fasting, menstruation, postpartum bodily changes and haj and umrah. The main purpose of sex is, as one of those mentioned by Christianity, to bear children, and it is believed that one should have as many children as one can because caring for a child is the responsibility of the Almighty.
Jainism
Unlike many other communities, Jainism views marriage as contractual and only purposive of bringing a child into the world that will follow the same dharma prescribed in practice. Sex, hence, is seen as strictly procreational, and celibacy is practiced otherwise. Sex for enjoyment is discouraged even with your spouse, and it is advised to stop such activities after a son has been born in the family.
Sikhism
The Sikhs believe that there is something divine in everyone. Hence, the body must be maintained to be clean and perfect. Family life and having children are concepts that are considered very important, and hence, sex both before and outside of marriage is forbidden. Sex is viewed, much like other religions, to bear children only.
Hinduism
Marriage in Hinduism is considered to be done to fulfill three main purposes: to build a family, to fulfil one’s responsibilities in life and to achieve mutual pleasure as lovers. It is traditionally arranged by the elders of the community or the family, and a choice for an appropriate partner is based on caste and other similar factors. Sex is considered to be a legitimate pleasure as long as it’s bound by marriage. Some even consider it as a distraction on the path of Moksha.
The consequences of such rigid views on sexual activity, especially those for unmarried people, can be that although there is the feeling of a structured and meaningful life, it can be very harmful to certain sects of people. For instance, those who decide not to have kids ever have opened up an eternity of being shamed and judged for their choice, since most religions have proclaimed that the purpose of getting married is to have children. The same goes for those who are unable to have children for numerous reasons. Unmarried people are shamed and discouraged from having sexual life, and hence feel pressured to hide this. The implication is that when a person suffers from a sexual health issue or a dysfunction, they are shamed for experiencing this in the first place. Even if they are not comfortable enough to open up about their issues, they end up shaming and judging themselves into not seeking action because of pre-set cultural norms. Hence, the problem is aggravated and the quality of life of the individual is threatened as a result. It is advised to anybody facing any issues to break out of the social taboo and seek help before it is too late.
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