A few days ago I wrote about polygamy after hearing of a sect leader in the US who had several wives who were not even adult. Of course I thought a bit more about the connections of sex and religion and the concept of polygamy. I noticed that there seems to be always extremes about this topic.
Look at all those religions or religious groups that advocate polygamy. It is usually the women who are subordinate to the husbands. You can find the marriage of several women to one man in cultures and societies where men are dominating. They were the ones who made the rules, they were the ones to write the scriptures and thus they were the ones who decided that women are the weak gender and need to obey men. Islam is again and again criticized for the fact that women are not treated equally to men, that they are suppressed and mistreated. Also in Hinduism there are many points where you can see this male dominance.
In many religions, sects and groups with certain belief, this view on women leads to extremes. Either sex becomes very important and they try to have as much as possible, mostly with as many people as possible, or they fully neglect it, stop having sex and don’t even think about getting in touch with women.
I have met a lot of people who formerly have been in sects and many who were still. Look at ISKCON, the International Society of Krishna Consciousness with its headquarters in Vrindavan. They believe sex is a sin. They can marry but even then they are only allowed to have sex for one purpose: for having a child. Not at any other time. If you have sex merely for pleasure, it is a sin. There are others, like the Brahma Kumaris sect, who also say any sexual action or even thought is a sin. It is dirty, it is sinful and obviously against God’s wish. The Sadhus in Hinduism and the Catholic priests, the monks of different religions, so many have announced that they go in celibacy for the rest of their lives.
On the other hand there are movements where sex is the main topic and everything is about sex! In some, or maybe most, it is allowed only for men to have sex with several women and not for women to have several men. There are some philosophies though, like what is now called Tantra in the west, in which people live their whole lives around sex. When such ideas are spread, additionally with a religious thought behind them and an organization above, the groups turn to sects and the way is open to abuse again.
It is usually either a lot of sex or no sex at all. They go into extremes, sometimes because they believe women are dirty, sinful and not God-like and other times because they believe women are divine and a lot of sex gives them a lasting divine experience. Why don’t we just get into balance? Why is it one extreme or the other? See sex as a natural part of life, don’t make it bigger than it is and don’t neglect it. It won’t work. Women and men are equally made by God and sometimes drawn towards each other. It is normal and natural. Don’t use God or religion to deny nature.
Related posts
Come out of your System, Sect or Religion to see what is wrong with it – 21 Sep 11
Sect Adhyatmik Ishwariya Vishwa Vidyalaya accused of Kidnapping minor Girls – 8 Sep 11
Sects use Religion as Excuse to abuse Children – 9 Aug 11
Do not steal the Childhood of your Children by raising them in a Sect – 22 Jul 11
Blind Followers do not know what they are Doing – 28 Feb 11
ISKCON and Rape, Murder, Child Abuse and Prostitution in Vrindavan – 25 Feb 11
Why the Sect ISKCON annoys Locals, Strangers and finally also Devotees – 24 Feb 11
You know that you are in a Sect? – 6 Jul 08
Sects are just too funny! In Finland there is one sect where sex is a sin but Paul’s “holy kiss” is practiced as long tongue kisses between the men and women of the sect. Hihi!
Balance is the key… once we bring into harmony
Did anyone else realize that sects sounds curiously just like sex? Haha.Anyways, I believe that sex is an area of personal desire and expression. People should be allowed to engage in any sexual way that they desire… AS LONG AS no one tells them how they need to live sexually and they don’t force sex upon anyone else. We should all be free to enjoy sex in whatever way feels natural and good to us… with respect for others and the way that they desire to engage in sexuality.
I too find it very strange that all these sects have to go to extremes. What is wrong with following nature and having a little balance in your life? It is not healthy to only eat one type of food. We need balance.