intro to sexual ethics

what is sexual ethics?

  • homosexuality

  • consent

  • transsexuality

  • marriage

  • pornography

  • prostitution

  • love

  • lust

  • procreation

  • pleasure

  • contraception

  • bi-sexuality

  • cohabitation

  • rape

  • monogamy

  • polygamy

  • celibacy

  • how men n women should treat each other

  • age

historical views of sex

  • Greek philosophers saw sex as weakening the mind

  • eg: Plato believed that humans should refrain from the physical

    • should lead quiet contemplative life

    • this way, the soul, imprisoned in the body, is freed to move to a new form

  • others saw no point in controlling sexual desire

    • saw physical pleasure as the supreme good and pursued it

  • eg: ancient Israelites had a more positive attitude to sex n reproduction

  • certain rules recognising the importance of sex in marriage

  • newly-married men excused from military service for 1 year to allow the couple to enjoy each other

modern sexual ethics

  • the media, parliament, law n moral philosophy are now just as influential as religion in matters of sex n sexuality

  • no shame/harm seen in the physical pleasure of sex

  • monogamy, faithfulness n commitment are not assumed

  • mutual consent is the most important concept rather than marriage

  • adultery is legal but seen by many as immoral

    • others are not concerned about the morality as long as it’s consensual

  • western paradox: encouragement sexual freedom but rise in sexual crime, teen pregnancy, STIs and abortion rates

Christianity n sexuality: OT

  • as you would imagine, the OT is very much a reflection of its time

    • doesn’t contain a particular view on sex n relationships

  • ancient Greek sexual ethics seemingly oppose what we find acceptable today

    • eg relationships between adults n adolescents

  • separation between pure pleasures of the mind and the corrupting pleasures of the body

  • fertility a theme throughout the OT » man’s status measured by land owned and children had

  • fidelity and monogamy not considered essential » Jacob had 2 wives

Genesis

  • God created Adam and Eve, intending them to have sexual relations n reproduce

  • prior to the Fall, they had intercourse » God’s purpose for them was to have sex and enjoy it

  • after sin emerges, the situation and place of sexual relations changes

  • pain of childbirth = consequence of sex

  • sexual desire = lust

  • husband ruling over wife = sexual dominance

  • sex no longer good in its own right, it has a purpose - reproduction

  • roles - male-dominated now

other OT views

  • women unequal to men

  • incest accepted

  • adulterous relationship between David n Bathsheba led to death of her husband Uriah

  • homosexuality