...Theology of Sexuality Liberty University Abstract It sells in advertising, it one of the major draws in movies and TV dramas, it is characterized in almost every sense of living in today’s society; the it that is mostly third party spoken of is sex and sexuality. In the Christian faith, the issue of sex and sexuality is normally an abrupt address with little understanding but with many standards of do’s and don’ts. The Bible is not really discreet in the explanation of sex and sexuality as the spokespeople that speak on this subject. Sex is a topic that really matters in this society. It defines the young generation in their dress, it drives the middle age in their outlook, and it now has the elderly generation seeking medical advances to keep it going longer. How can there be an avoidance of such a topic. This paper seeks to explore the theology of sexuality by using support by biblical and theological hermeneutics, as well as ethical or normative stances on the major role that sex and sexuality play in both the person as an individual and in the institution of marriage. Keywords: sex, sexuality, theology, Bible Theology of Sexuality One of the most private and intimate encounters in our society is sex and the display of its affection and passion. When sex or sexuality is spoken of it is normally done within the confines of the two people that are planning to engage or a group of people who have assembled with knowledge of the content of the subject that will...
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...representational based on the themes and basis of the exhibition. The themes of sexuality, identity, guilt, were the most prominent and reoccurring throughout “Bad Conscience”. The audience was most drawn to the nature of human sexuality illustrated though “Bad Conscience”, but from a deeper point of view. There was a contrast between eroticism, innocent sexual undertones and blatant sexual objectification. Leigh Ledare’s ‘Clementine’ was a printed photo that revealed a naked woman in a bed clad in just heels with her legs open. The photograph was scribbled over with oil stick, that concealed the woman’s face and private parts. The press release read “Ledare asked children to draw over a lascivious image of his naked mother lying on a bed” (2014). It was interesting to see that the colors used to scribble weren’t dark and subdued, but in fact the opposite. The usage of pastels, blue and pink were light and airy, not being overpowering or overbearing at all. It reflected the children’s innocence and the thought of their mother being just naked. Had Ledare asked teenagers, the entire mood of ‘Clementine’ would have shifted due to their lack of innocence that young children possess. Based on their knowledge and automatic assumptions of the act the mother was prepared to partake in, the oil colors would have probably been darker and revealed a lot less in the photo. Ledare’s psychological perspective on sexuality was very obvious once analyzed. The play on color made it evident that formal...
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...The Bible is commonly known as being the ultimate authority over the various aspects of human life – healthy sexuality is no exception to this. The Bible has an abundant amount of wisdom to speak to the subject of sex and the Penner’s do quite well to explore this at depth. They begin with the encouraging truth supported by the book title itself, that sex is a gift from God. Giving support to this encouragement, the Penner’s communicate that God places value not only on the sexuality of the individual, but also on the sexual relationship within marriage, elevating it to a high view worthy of being cherished (Penner & Penner, 2003, p. 19). The Penner’s remind the reader that sex was created by God, and that humankind is made in God’s image,...
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...-------------------2 2.0 A Brief Historical Background of Sexuality----------------------------3 3.0 The Biblical Guidelines for Sexual Behaviours-----------------------4 3.1 The Approved Biblical Guidelines (THE DOS’) ----------------4 3.2 The Disapproved Biblical Guidelines (THE DO NOTS’) -----6 4.0 Biblical Purpose of Having Sex – God’s Way-------------------------8 5.0 Biblical Golden Rule for Sexual Behaviour (Matthew 7:12) -------9 5.1 Agenda for Enjoyable, Successful, Wonderful Sex Therapy--9 6.0 Paying the Price for Passion (Dangers for Having Sex Outside Marriage) ---------------------------------------------------------------------12 6.0 Summary ---------------------------------------------------------------------13 7.0 Conclusion -------------------------------------------------------------------14 8.0 Bibliography ----------------------------------------------------------------15 1.0 INTRODUCTION This is a summary of a public presentation made to the Youth Fellowship group of The Church of Christ in Nigeria (COCIN) Gwagwalada, Abuja on the 15th September, 2010. The topic ‘’Biblical guideline for Sexual behaviour” became necessary considering the high lackadaisical attitudes of the youth of this generation regarding the issue of sex. The youths have abused and regarded the value of sexuality unimportant to an extent that they indulge in having sexual intercourse...
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...Professor Farr 7/27/2013 How does sexuality and religion conflict in society? Sexuality is the way a person perceives oneself through the means of sexual attitude or desires. Human sexuality is socially constructed and sexual desires are imbedded in particular sociological and biological contexts (Tolman & Diamond, 2001) which are in turn influenced by an individual's upbringing and exposure to familial or religious interactions. Whereas religion plays a role of a person attitude and desire towards sex and what is deviant behavior. The article I have chosen “Sexuality& Religion” touch basis on how different religions play a role on human sexuality in sociological concepts. Although this article is primarily based on existing research cause it also has history of sexual beliefs in different religions. This article is informational and I learned a few things about how some religions had different views on human sexuality. Based on Christian beliefs we are taught that sex is immoral and its temptation of the flesh. According to the article early Christians believed the same thing. Through the means of marriage is to encourage monogamy, and place parameters around sexuality. Through the years I have learned sex is a sin and one should wait till they are married. “Sexual abstinence was seen as a central and indispensable means of salvation and was achieved through contemplative withdrawal from the world.” (Sprague Sexuality & Religion). From reading this article I...
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...It is portrayed by Iago as being "spotted with strawberries" (3.3.494). Shakespeare researcher Lynda Boose expresses that the strawberries symbolize blood and that the cloth itself speaks to wedding-bed sheets. The handkerchief is “a visually recognizable reduction of Othello and Desdemona’s wedding-bed sheets, the visual proof of their consummated marriage, the emblem of the symbolic act of generation” (Boose 363). This comes from a historic precedent which originates from the Book of Deuteronomy and was used as evidence in the divorce proceedings of Henry VIII from Catherine of Aragon (Boose 364). The strawberries would look like drops of blood from the audience seating. Along these lines the gathering of people would see the spotted strawberries on the prop, and the understanding would be comprehended from a visual stand point. The physical reality of the prop fortifies Othello's view, however it doesn't affirm his decision. To have the cloth would be to have obvious evidence of constancy generally as a blood-stained bed-sheet would demonstrate culmination to the Elizabethans. The cloth, were it’s a real likeness to the bed-sheet, can be the visual verification that Othello wants. Yet the cloth actually demonstrates nothing. The cloth can't speak to faithfulness in any real sense due to the fact that Iago is controlling the circumstance between Othello and...
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...understanding not only of a twentieth century black woman’s experiences in the antebellum south, but more importantly, a window into the a nineteenth century black woman’s life in slavery. It was necessary for Alice to be created because she presents a parallelism between the past and the present, revealing how they influence each other in areas such as: sexuality, the importance of motherhood, and definition of ones self in a repressive society. Thus, Octavia helps the contemporary reader understand 19th century America and the slave trade in greater detail. The idea of sexuality for Dana is initially one that she feels comfortable with and has control over when she is in twentieth century California. Dana views sexual intercourse as a way of enjoyment and pleasure, much to the contrary of her foremother, Alice, whose sexuality creates pain and agony. In the beginning of the novel when Dana discusses when she first met her husband, Kevin, she talks about their first sexual contact in a way that possessed a certain amount of comfort and pleasure. “Sometime during the early hours of the next morning when we lay together, tired and content in my bed, I realized that I knew less about...
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...Maria Cruz P1 Rough Draft Homosexuality is an extremely controversial topic. There is an incredibly large amount of available arguments regarding this subject, making it disputable. One available argument is the ‘stop saying gay marriage’ debate. Some people are really flustered by the fact that we say ‘gay marriage’ instead of just ‘marriage’. I completely understand this viewpoint, because the specificity of the term seems to imply that there is something different and special about two people of the same sex getting married. Although the word ‘special’ can be described as a good thing in certain cases, it has a negative connotation when we’re talking about homosexuality. Marriage is something shared by two people who love each other. Why we have to put so much emphasis on the gender, race, and color of these two people is ridiculous. Before I get off topic, I’d like to say that those who are a bit too bothered by the term ‘gay marriage’ or ‘same-sex marriage’ might also be a little over-sensitive towards the topic. I, not being a heterosexual person, am not offended by the term. I do believe that for a change in society, we must stop using them, though. Another debate relevant to homosexuality would be the one about schools not teaching positive messages about homosexuality to students. The reasoning behind this argument is due to the brain’s sponge-like resemblance. Humans, especially during their younger years, tend to absorb information at very impressive rates...
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...were both completed in 1811. The same model depicted in La Grande Baigneuse can also be found right across the room in Ingres’s Le Bain Turc, also known as The Turkish Bath. The brightness of the room was all controlled by artificial light rather than some natural sunlight from outside, such as the case with the neoclassical room. Furthermore, although the model in the piece is unidentifiable because her back is turned towards the viewer, she clearly just finished taking a bath. In order for the viewer to appreciate the sensuality of Ingres’ female bather, the viewer must understand the palette, view and lighting, 3-D effects, composition, subject and style of this genre painting. The palette utilized for the work exemplifies female sexuality through the cool colors in the room. The cool pristine local color of white on her gives the impression of a soft, supple skin. In addition, adding white to the pure hue on the bather’s body creates an illusion of delicate, smooth light reflecting off of her skin. The tone is lighter starting from the head and gradually gets darker past the torso into her feet. Along with cool tones, the red sandals and red designs on her turban compliment the murky green metallic drapes and light green floor. Noticeably, the left side of the painting has strong dark tones contrasting...
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...delicious meal in the end. In Perrault’s version, the male and female are depicted in a very particular way, which is ultimately a reflection of the culture and society of the time. Given this society, and the status of women, it is clear that Perrault is criticizing the gender representation through. While Little Red Riding Hood is a classic tale, it holds a more valuable meaning than society realizes. The story of Little Red Riding Hood has a particular depiction of both men and women. In the story, men are depicted as a “metaphor, a stand-in for male seducers who lure young women into their beds.” (Tater 5). This depiction, while true, is not complete. The wolf is in fact luring Red into the bed with him, after she has taken her clothes off, and although it is not explicitly stated, the action of a girl removing her clothing and climbing into bed with a man implies a sense of sexuality. Additionally, though, the male is depicted as duplicitous and dominant. In several instances throughout the story, the wolf clearly tricks Red and her grandmother into believing something that is not true. The wolf, in need of getting to Grandmother’s house before Red, decides to have a sort of competition with her, thus tricking her into thinking he is a friend. “Well, well, I think I shall go and see her too. I’ll take the path over here, and you take the path over there, and we’ll see who gets there first.” (Perrault 12) . In turning the way to Grandmother’s...
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...focuses on how gender sensitive issues shape the societal culture. She supports this thought by saying, "When I was seven, eight, nine, fifteen, sixteen years old, I would read in bed with a flashlight under the covers, hiding my self-imposed insomnia from my mother.... My sister, Hilda, who slept in the same bed with me, would threaten to tell my mother unless I told her a story.... (Anzaldúa, 65)." As an activist and writer, Anzaldúa tries to teach her readers of the antagonism they will encounter in society and the cultural challenges they will face. As a woman in a traditional society, her myths help her overcome the various challenges surrounding gender. Anzaldúa further highlights the changes of society by modern cultures, causing her myths to push her to do what she believes as important in regards to her sexuality. Joschka further enhances the aspect of sexuality in her work General Introduction: Feminist Discourses and the Study of Religion where she states, “Female-male miscommunication has been interpreted in a number of ways… as a by-product of different socialization patterns and different gender cultures, occurring in the interaction between speakers who are ostensibly social equals” (Joschka, 35). This highlights the principle of female versus male interaction as far as sexuality and gender rights are concerned. The myths explain the unfortunate circumstances caused by sexual inclination among genders. These myths further explore the unjustified existence of...
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...William Faulkner published As I Lay Dying in 1930, highlighting the issues of women oppression during this time. Women were not seen as equals to men, but rather a commodity for men to use and capitalize for their own advantage. Specifically, female sexuality was used as a benefit for men which resulted in a sense obligation and even regret for women. The two female characters, Addie Bundren and her daughter Dewey Dell, represent the oppressed women and pressures that come along with female sexuality. Faulkner presents female sexuality as an obligation for women in order to critique how men exploit women. Faulkner criticizes the way advantageously men use their sexuality in order to exploit female sexuality to gain a better economic standing. For men, sex is only a means to benefit themselves. Sex is seen as obligation for women through Addie’s relationship to Anse. It is obvious that Addie does not love Anse and considers ‘love’ to be just a word. Addie is used by Anse in order to have sex, and have babies to create more work hands out in the field. Addie understands her role is to manage the house and have babies. After she has a child with the minister, she gave Anse Dewey Dell and Vardaman to “negative Jewel” (1923). Addie had an obligation to have sex with Anse and give him more children in order to make up for her sexual relationship with another man. Faulkner presents that for Anse, the betrayal was not in sleeping with another man, but by losing an opportunity with...
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...Carter, women posses a quality that no one can compete with. This quality is her sexuality and beauty. According to Carter, men are simple and powerless when it comes to women’s beauty. Their carnal desires and passions come out and weaken them which turns them into something animalistic giving the woman the upper hand as the human. Women can then use this and control their desirability yielding it against men to defeat them in times of danger or need. In the beginning of “The Company of Wolves”, Carter centers on the male’s similarity to wolves. Carter paints an image for her readers by using phrases such as “starveling ribs, slavering jaws, and lolling tongue” (625, Carter). These phrases are all used to stress the starvation or more the desperation of wolves hunting for prey. When the “slavering jaws” (625), “lolling tongue” (625), starveling ribs are put together a beast is created in that every ounce of their being is concentrated to finding something that will satisfy their hunger. Every detail including the wolf’s grizzly features is meant to help the reader picture the sometimes excessive masculinity the beast inside men. However even this masculinity, which is usually related to power and dominance is be easily undertaken by the feminine nature of a beautiful, young woman. Throughout the story the young girl begins to transition to womanhood. And this womanhood enables her to bed the beast of a man who is to have her virginity. The girl in the red shawl is introduced...
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...HUMAN SEXUALITY AND SEX I. Definition Human sexuality is the expression of sexual sensation and related intimacy between human beings. Psychologically, sexuality is the means to express the fullness of love between a man and a woman. Biologically, it is the means through which a child is conceived and the lineage is passed on to the next generation. And it involves the body, mind, and spirit. There are a great many forms of human sexuality, comprising a broad range of behaviors, and sexual expression varies across cultures and historical periods. Yet the basic principles of human sexuality are universal and integral to what it means to be human. Sex is related to the very purpose of human existence: love, procreation, and family. Sexuality has social ramifications; therefore most societies set limits, through social norms and taboos, moral and religious guidelines, and legal constraints on what is permissible sexual behavior. DID YOU KNOW? Human sexual activity is more than a physical activity; it impacts the minds and hearts as well as the bodies of the participants. People may experiment with a range of sexual activities during their lives, though they tend to engage in only a few of these regularly. However, most societies have defined some sexual activities as inappropriate (wrong person, wrong activity, wrong place, wrong time, and so forth).The most widespread sexual norm historically, and the norm promoted nearly universally by the world's religions, is that...
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...One may come to realize that the world of advertising has a close connection with sexuality and sexual images. Why wouldn’t someone include attractive pictures of barely clothed men and women to attract attention to their product? Well-known trademarks from Victoria’s Secret to Pepsi have incorporated these images to help promote their brand and merchandises. Sex in advertising and sexual messages to help promote and sell a product has maintained a presence in advertising since the very beginning. It has increased in helping businesses promote merchandise and help sell a new product. Through thoughtful reasoning and ethics these tactics and ideas have increased sales for all these companies. Why and how does this unrelated addition to an advertisement...
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