Growing up in a conservative Christian church, I was taught that the gospel was one, complete, and indestructible whole — particularly as it applied to human sexuality. But it’s not that simple.


The idea that is still taught in some churches today is that the Christian sexual ethic came to earth fully formed, straight from heaven, about 2,000 years ago. Throughout all that time, there was exactly one way for Christians to express their sexuality — by staying abstinent until they got married to a person of the opposite gender. And then, you could have at it all you wanted.


But what I wasn’t taught in Sunday School is that the Bible’s teachings on sex have been interpreted in many different ways. I didn’t know that the early Christians actually started practicing celibacy because they were convinced the end of the world was near. No one told me that marriage wasn’t always defined and controlled by the church. And that even within marriage, sex wasn’t always something that Christians were taught to enjoy and cherish.


And the truth is that the standards on what it means to be a sexual person and live a Christian life have changed.

Here are 4 facts to prove it.

1. For the first 1,000 years of Christianity (that’s at least HALF of its existence, people), many Christians wouldn’t have considered getting married in a church.


Marriages in the West were originally just economic alliances made between two families, with both the church and the state staying out of the proceedings. This meant that weddings didn’t require the presence of a priest.


The church got involved in regulating marriage much later on, as its influence began to increase in Western Europe. It wasn’t until 1215 that the Church formally put a claim on marriage and hashed out rules about what made children legitimate.


2. To be a truly devoted Christian during the earliest days of the church, you needed to stop having sex altogether.


Early Christians’ belief that Jesus’ second coming was imminent created an environment that exalted celibacy over marriage. It was a radical departure from Jewish teachings that the disciples would have been familiar with. But it makes sense — what was the point of getting tied up with worldly responsibilities, like taking care of a spouse, children and a household, when the end of the world was near?


St. Paul, a celibate Christian leader who wrote most of the New Testament, thought of practicing celibacy as taking the higher road towards God, since it allows Christians to concentrate wholly on things of the spirit.

The second coming didn’t happen, but the emphasis on celibacy stayed. Couples in the second century were expected to stop having sex altogether after producing several children.


3. The Church developed some rules about sex that would seem strange.

In medieval times, the church became deeply involved with controlling people’s sex lives. Virginity and monogamy were still prized, while homosexuality could be punished by death. The church also had very specific requirements for what type of sex married couples could have. Since all sex was supposed to be for the purposes of procreation, certain positions were banned (no sex standing up, the woman shouldn’t be on top, no doggy style, oral, anal, or masturbation). And then there were restrictions on what days of the week people could have sex (not on fast days, or feast days for a saint, or on Sundays, for example).

Sex was also discouraged when a woman was menstruating, pregnant, or breastfeeding, (which considering there was no birth control, could have been a good deal of the time). All of these prohibitions meant that on average, sex between married couples was only legal about once per week, if that.

4. Jesus had very little to say about sex.
Other than a some heavy admonishments against lust and against divorce, the Jesus of the Bible didn’t have a lot to say about issues of sexuality. (My guess is that he was too busy hanging out with the poor and healing the sick to care. Just a guess). He also had nothing at all to say about homosexuality or sexual identity as we understand it today.

Most of the instruction about sex comes from Christian leaders who started spreading the religion after Jesus’ death.

http://www.naijanewspapers.com.ng/2017/08/4-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about.html

[img]https://4.bp..com/-74ZK0uo5Vv0/WaJnDvxMMEI/AAAAAAAAFQ0/e1VEYcdDD2Mej9DPIGoZ3Gh6OAsv69DOwCLcBGAs/s640/sex.jpeg[/img]

Interesting.

To say Religion has not tampered with all spheres of our lives is a lie.

Noted.

True talk

And I bet, even till today, most Christians still see it wrong (uncomfortable) to have a talk on sex...........................
IT IS WELL

I think Jesus, In his ministry, decided to focus on what was important in attaining salvation.

He spoke clear that he wasn't here to judge but to heal the sick and make way for salvation

But we humans have taken religion to a whole new level to the extent of thinking its a sin for married couples to enjoy their bodies in whatever way dey deem fit.


Even young Christians who aren't married know that sex before marriage is a sin, yet we commit it a lot ..


In conclusion, my opinion on the subject matter is that we Christians should stop behaving like the early Jews.

It all started with just one law in Eden, now how many laws can we count guiding and regulating our lives?

There is no end once a law is started, it will generate a Web of laws to entangle the self with

I didn't go yo church
This rain self

well thank God for BEDC

God is good

Noted

.

The marriages in the bible were traditional. The wedding at Cana was traditional. The old testament wedding g were traditional. The weddings in the new testament are traditional. Church weddings came in, as you said, less than 1000 years ago.

The other day I was saying that lady that got pregnant after traditional wedding and before church wedding was certified to. People came for me here on nairaland. The church refused to do wedding for her. Why?

Bible says, therefore, a man shall leave his father and mother. Which part of the wedding ceremonies do the parents permit you to leave and follow your spouse, TRADITIONAL.

The blessings Bible regards for marriage is your parents, not the priest. Church weddings is just an addition.

But then, people don't study the word with an open heart. We have carried doctrines above and beyond. Our hearts are rigid. Anyone that doesn't agree with us is saying nonsense.

As for me, I'll likely do church wedding because of my wife. But I'll recognise the traditional and court. And I can have sex after them. I believe God's hand is on the marriage already.


As far as I'm concerned also, any sexual act between couples is allowed. If me and my wife like, she can handcuff me to the bed.

The basic reason for sex should be to procreate. All other reasons are secondary and to some extent not religious. There was a man in the Bible tho I've forgotten his name, he had sex with his brother's widow and poured his semen on the floor.God killed him. That should be enough reason to show that sex shouldn't be all about fun.

Religion and God are manmade!

very good

I hear you

And I keep wondering what even made sex outside marriage a sin... Every other sin seem to be some kind of harm against a neighbor or against God, but sex, mutual pleasure for two consenting adults... I keep wondering

@ princeSammyz...
Sin either comes from doing something bad against a fellow man or disobeying God's law. Mutual sex between two unmarried partners is a sin because the two parties are disobeying God.
Sex was meant to be enjoyed only in marriage that is why God made certain laws to control man's sexual behavior outside marriage. The first law was that Anyone caught committing adultery(sleeping with any person's spouse with mutual agreement and enjoyment) should both be stoned to death.
The 2nd law was that Any man caught sleeping with a woman forcefully(rape) should be stoned to death.
The 3rd law law that really concern singles is was that when 2 unmarried people are caught having sex(fornication), the man involved should be forced to pay the girls bride Price and marry her without any option of divorce in future... See Deutronomy 22.
These laws showed that God designed sex to be officially enjoyed within the bounds of marriage. So disobeying God is what makes the act a sin.

Ok

hy

Ok, we've read it, NEXT!.

What's your point op? Jesus outlined that fornication is a sin, he ruled out divorce and against lust, those are the most important things that revolves around sex. When those are taking into consideration a sheep knws the way by it but only a goat would not see clear writing but seeking more.

What's the source for these things you say as it's certainly not the bible, celibacy according to the bible was under personal steps. The bible never stated that all the disciples were celibate.

Ok

So sex is not a sin? One can do it anyhow once married? B it toilet, kitchen, staircase, roof?

So what exactly are u trying to prove here? I still can't get your point.

.

Truth is, Christianity is one of the most corrupted religion.
The Bible, over a long period, has undergone series of additions and subtractions.
This is why even those who practice it are a bit confused.
In addition to christ, some equally involves
Mary,
some Angels,
others candles,
some papas/GOs,
oil,
handkerchief,
some tell ladies to cover, some say no need.
In the past, they preached only repentance and rapture,
today, they emphasise more on material prosperity.
Once upon a time, sex outside marriage was a huge sin,
today, it means nothing, not as earlier painted.
I stopped practicing the religion because
the more i saw, the less i understood.
Lol

And we will just believe all these manufactured rules they have made for us. The church in the 1000s to 1800s was full of conspiracy and stuff and half of the rules we r following were just manufactured to keep sheep in line.

princeSammyz:
And I keep wondering what even made sex outside marriage a sin... Every other sin seem to be some kind of harm against a neighbor or against God, but sex, mutual pleasure for two consenting adults... I keep wondering

The problem is not that extramarital sex is a sin(at least no one is forced to play by the rule),
the problem is some hypocritical sanctimonious people who
believe they are better than others because they are
christians, yet they practise everything those "of the world" do
including fornication.

Errrmmm... dunno what to say