Editing Human sexuality (section)

==Religious sexual morality==
{{Main|Religion and sexuality}}
In some religions, sexual behavior is regarded as primarily spiritual. In others it is treated as primarily physical. Some hold that sexual behavior is only spiritual within certain kinds of relationships, when used for specific purposes, or when incorporated into religious ritual. In some religions there are no distinctions between the physical and the spiritual, whereas some religions view human sexuality as a way of completing the gap that exists between the spiritual and the physical.<ref>{{cite web|title=Religion and Sexuality|url=http://www.iwgonline.org/sexuality/|publisher=Interfaith Working Group|access-date=3 July 2015}}</ref>

Many religious conservatives, especially those of [[Abrahamic religions]] and [[Christianity]] in particular, tend to view sexuality in terms of behavior (''i.e.'' homosexuality or heterosexuality is what someone does) and certain sexualities such as [[bisexuality]] tend to be ignored as a result of this.{{citation needed|date=February 2016}} These conservatives tend to promote [[celibacy]] for gay people, and may also tend to believe that sexuality can be changed through [[conversion therapy]]<ref name=Tolerance111>{{cite web | title= Two Definitions and Six Interpretations | url=http://www.religioustolerance.org/hom6beli.htm | website=religioustolerance.org | access-date=3 July 2015}}</ref> or [[prayer]] to become an [[ex-gay]]. They may also see homosexuality as a form of mental illness, something that ought to be criminalised, an immoral abomination, caused by ineffective parenting, and view [[same-sex marriage]] as a threat to society.<ref name=Tolerance222>{{cite web|title=Subdividing Two Extreme Belief Systems About Homosexuality into Six Discrete Viewpoints | url=http://www.religioustolerance.org/hom7beli.htm|website=religioustolerance.org | access-date=3 July 2015}}</ref>

On the other hand, most religious liberals define sexuality-related labels in terms of [[sexual attraction]] and self-identification.<ref name=Tolerance111 /> They may also view same-sex activity as morally neutral and as legally acceptable as opposite-sex activity, unrelated to mental illness, genetically or environmentally caused (but not as the result of bad parenting), and fixed. They also tend to be more in favor of same-sex marriage.<ref name=Tolerance222 />

===Judaism===
According to [[Judaism]], sex between man and woman within marriage is sacred and should be enjoyed; celibacy is considered sinful.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>{{page needed|date=February 2016}}

=== Christianity ===
Desire, including sexual desire and lust, are considered immoral and sinful.<ref name="Knust2005">{{cite book|author=Jennifer Wright Knust|title=Abandoned to Lust: Sexual Slander and Ancient Christianity|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2AUEAmdWwuUC&pg=PA1|date=9 November 2005|publisher=Columbia University Press|isbn=978-0-231-51004-2|pages=51, 67, 78}}</ref><ref name="Pagels2011">{{cite book|author=Elaine Pagels|title=Adam, Eve, and the Serpent: Sex and Politics in Early Christianity|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=btufm2vXzpEC&pg=PR17|date=5 October 2011|publisher=Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group|isbn=978-0-307-80735-9|pages=xvii-xix}}</ref><ref name="Wiesner-Hanks2000">{{cite book|last=Wiesner-Hanks|first=Merry E.|title=Christianity and Sexuality in the Early Modern World: Regulating Desire, Reforming Practice|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4v1zuZF-te0C&pg=PA1|year=2000|publisher=Psychology Press|isbn=978-0-415-14434-6|page=10}}</ref> [[Elaine Pagels]] says, "By the beginning of the fifth century, [[Augustine of Hippo|Augustine]] had actually declared that spontaneous sexual desire is the proof of—and penalty for—universal original sin", though that this view goes against "most of his Christian predecessors".<ref name="Pagels2011" /> According to [[Jennifer Wright Knust]], [[Paul the Apostle|Paul]] framed desire a force Christians gained control over whereas non-Christians were "enslaved" by it.<ref name="Knust2005" /> Further, Paul says the bodies of Christians were members of [[Body of Christ|Christ's body]] and thus sexual desire must be eschewed.<ref name="Knust2005" />

====Roman Catholic Church====
The [[Roman Catholic Church]] teaches that sexuality is "noble and worthy"<ref>Second Vatican Council, Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the World of Today, no. 49: AAS 58 (1966), 1070</ref> but that it must be used in accordance with natural law. For this reason, all sexual activity must occur in the context of a marriage between a man and a woman, and must not be divorced from the possibility of conception. Most forms of sex without the possibility of conception are considered intrinsically disordered and sinful, such as the use of contraceptives, [[masturbation]], and homosexual acts.<ref>{{cite web|title=Catechism of the Catholic Church: The Sixth Commandment|url=https://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a6.htm|website=vatican.va|access-date=3 July 2015}}</ref>

====Anglicanism====
The [[Anglicanism|Anglican Church]] teaches that human sexuality is a gift from a loving God designed to be between a man and a woman in a monogamous lifetime union of marriage. It also views singleness and dedicated celibacy as Christ-like. It states that people with same sex attraction are loved by God and are welcomed as full members of the [[Body of Christ]], while the Church leadership has a variety of views in regard to homosexual expression and ordination. Some expressions of sexuality are considered sinful including "promiscuity, prostitution, incest, pornography, paedophilia, predatory sexual behaviour, and sadomasochism (all of which may be heterosexual and homosexual), adultery, violence against wives, and female circumcision". The Church is concerned with pressures on young people to engage sexually and encourages abstinence.<ref>{{cite web|title=Section I.10 - Human Sexuality|url=https://www.anglicancommunion.org/resources/document-library/lambeth-conference/1998/section-i-called-to-full-humanity/section-i10-human-sexuality|website=anglicancommunion.org|access-date=4 January 2020}}</ref>

====Evangelicalism====
In matters of sexuality, several [[Evangelical]] churches promote the [[virginity pledge]] among young Evangelical Christians, who are invited to commit themselves during a public ceremony to [[sexual abstinence]] until [[Christian marriage]].<ref>John DeLamater, Rebecca F. Plante, ''Handbook of the Sociology of Sexualities'', Springer, USA, 2015, p. 351</ref> This pledge is often symbolized by a [[purity ring]].<ref>Kathleen J. Fitzgerald, Kandice L. Grossman, ''Sociology of Sexualities'', SAGE Publications, USA, 2017, p. 166</ref>

In evangelical churches, young adults and unmarried couples are encouraged to marry early in order to live a sexuality according to the will of God.<ref>Noah Manskar, [https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/religion/2014/08/12/southern-baptists-double-marriage/13894197/ Baptists encourage marrying younger], tennessean.com, USA, August 12, 2014</ref>

Although some churches are discreet on the subject, other evangelical churches in [[United States]] and [[Switzerland]] speak of a satisfying sexuality as a gift from God and a component of a harmonious [[Christian marriage]], in messages during [[Worship service (evangelicalism)|worship services]] or conferences.<ref>Timothy J. Demy Ph.D., Paul R. Shockley Ph.D., ''Evangelical America: An Encyclopedia of Contemporary American Religious Culture'', ABC-CLIO, USA, 2017, p. 371</ref><ref>Emma Green, [https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2014/11/the-warrior-wives-of-evangelical-christianity/382365/ The Warrior Wives of Evangelical Christianity], theatlantic.com, USA, November 9, 2014</ref> Many evangelical books and websites are specialized on the subject.<ref>Kelsy Burke, ''Christians Under Covers: Evangelicals and Sexual Pleasure on the Internet'', University of California Press, USA, 2016, p. 31, 66</ref>

The [[Christianity and homosexuality#Evangelical churches|perceptions of homosexuality in the Evangelical Churches]] are varied. They range from [[Liberal Christianity|liberal]] through [[Moderate evangelical theology|moderate]] to [[Christian fundamentalism|conservative]].<ref>Jeffrey S. Siker, ''Homosexuality and Religion: An Encyclopedia'', Greenwood Publishing Group, USA, 2007, p. 112</ref><ref>William Henard, Adam Greenway, ''Evangelicals Engaging Emergent'', B&H Publishing Group, USA, 2009, p. 20</ref>

==== Eastern Orthodox Church ====
{{Empty section|date=March 2021}}

===Islam===
{{Main|Sex in Islam}}
In [[Islam]], sexual desire is considered to be a natural urge that should not be suppressed, although the concept of free sex is not accepted; these urges should be fulfilled responsibly. Marriage is considered to be a good deed; it does not hinder spiritual wayfaring. The term used for marriage within the [[Quran]] is ''nikah''{{citation needed|date=March 2021}}, which literally means sexual intercourse. Although Islamic sexuality is restrained via [[Islamic sexual jurisprudence]], it emphasizes sexual pleasure within marriage. It is acceptable for a man to have more than one wife, but he must take care of those wives physically, mentally, emotionally, financially, and spiritually.<ref>{{cite book | author = Stearns, Peter N. | title = Major Patterns of Change and Continuity: World History in Brief }}{{full citation needed|date=February 2016}}</ref>{{full citation needed|date=February 2016}} Muslims believe that sexual intercourse is an act of worship that fulfils emotional and physical needs, and that producing children is one way in which humans can contribute to God's creation, and Islam discourages celibacy once an individual is married.

However, homosexuality is strictly forbidden in Islam, and some Muslim lawyers have suggested that gay people should be put to death.<ref>{{cite web|title=Islam: beliefs about love and sex|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/rs/relationships/isloveandsexrev1.shtml|publisher=GCSE BBC Bitesize|access-date=3 July 2015}}</ref> On the other hand, some have argued that Islam has an open and playful approach to sex<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/sex/10031095/Sex-What-Muslim-women-really-want-in-the-bedroom.html], Article titled "Sex: What Muslim women really want in the bedroom", by Shelina Janmohamed, ''The Telegraph'', 2 May 2013, accessed on 23 September 2015.</ref> so long as it is within marriage, free of lewdness, fornication and adultery.

For many Muslims, sex with reference to the Quran indicates that—bar anal intercourse and adultery—a Muslim marital home bonded by ''[[Nikah]]'' marital contract between husband and his wife (or wives) should enjoy and even indulge, within the privacy of their marital home, in limitless scope of [[heterosexual]] sexual acts within a [[monogamous]] or [[polygamous]] marriage.<ref>[https://lifeinsideislam.wordpress.com/2015/10/22/sex-in-reference-to-the-quran/ Sex in reference to Quran] by A Taha, Accessed on 22 October 2015{{unreliable source?|date=October 2015}}</ref>

===Hinduism===
[[Hinduism]] emphasizes that sex is only appropriate between husband and wife, in which satisfying sexual urges through sexual pleasure is an important duty of marriage. Any sex before marriage is considered to interfere with intellectual development, especially between birth and the age of 25, which is said to be brahmacharya and this should be avoided. [[Kama]] (sensual pleasures) is one of the four purusharthas or aims of life (dharma, artha, kama, and moksha).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/rs/relationships/hiloveandsexrev1.shtml |title=GCSE Bitesize: Hindu views |publisher=BBC |access-date=30 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140131225017/http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/rs/relationships/hiloveandsexrev1.shtml |archive-date=31 January 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Hindu ''[[Kama Sutra]]'' deals partially with sexual intercourse; it is not exclusively a sexual or religious work.<ref>[http://indrasinha.com/kama-sutra/ Common misconceptions about ''Kama Sutra''.] "The ''Kama Sutra'' is neither exclusively a sex manual nor, as also commonly used art, a sacred or religious work. It is certainly not a [[Tantra|tantric]] text.

In opening with a discussion of the three aims of ancient Hindu life—[[dharma]], [[artha]] and [[kama]]—[[Vātsyāyana|Vatsyayana's]] purpose is to set kama, or enjoyment of the senses, in context. Thus dharma or virtuous living is the highest aim, artha, the amassing of wealth is next, and kama is the least of three." —[[Indra Sinha]].</ref><ref>{{Cite book | last = Carroll| first = Janell| title = Sexuality Now: Embracing Diversity| publisher = [[Cengage Learning]]| year = 2009| page = 7| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=5f8mQx7ULs4C&pg=PA7| isbn = 978-0-495-60274-3}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book | last = Devi| first = Chandi| title = From Om to Orgasm: The Tantra Primer for Living in Bliss| publisher = [[AuthorHouse]]| year = 2008| page = 288| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=gIqhh84DGToC&pg=PA288| isbn = 978-1-4343-4960-6}}</ref>

===Sikhism===
[[Sikhism]] views [[chastity]] as important, as Sikhs believe that the divine spark of ''[[Waheguru]]'' is present inside every individual's body, therefore it is important for one to keep clean and pure. Sexual activity is limited to married couples, and extramarital sex is forbidden. Marriage is seen as a commitment to ''Waheguru'' and should be viewed as part of spiritual companionship, rather than just sexual intercourse, and [[monogamy]] is deeply emphasised in Sikhism. Any other way of living is discouraged, including celibacy and homosexuality. However, in comparison to other religions, the issue of sexuality in Sikhism is not considered one of paramount importance.<ref>{{cite web|title=Sikhism: beliefs about love and sex|url=https://ahcaf.com/sikhism-beliefs-about-love-and-sex/|publisher=GCSE BBC Bitesize|access-date=3 July 2015}}</ref>