Sex IS NOT a religious event or act. Your feelings about sex may be religious based, or people wouldn’t scream, OH GAWD, OH GAWD during it.
That’s all I have to say about that.
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Why the Hell should I have to press “1” for ENGLISH?
I see it as a religious act, but not in the weirdo, Jesus is watching kind of way that dmp and others see it. I see it as a time to worship my girlfriend's body and soul by showering her with pleasure. A kind of sensual worship. And it's a lot better than church because I actually get a pleasurable return on my investment. I'd definately say it's spiritual on a level, but mostly it's just fun and it works up a good sweat.
Originally Posted by Gaffer
I think that this is a matter of how each individual is looking at or understanding what they mean as "God's Authority".
1. One may see living under/by God's authority only in the context of that husband being a Christian. Therefore, being a Christian, means sexual union is mandatory and expected under any and all situations.............Not!
2. Another may see it as involving a Christian husband, but a Christian husband who is currently living according to God's direction ala the scripture.
3. Another may interpret this as any husband, Christian or not, who is following Godly principle of life as a husband towards his wife.
The last two scripturally are not deserving of being denied sexual union with their spouse. The first example is another "animal" altogether. When a Christian abuses their relationship with God in a selfish, self-centered manner, there is not an uglier creature around. They even make most unconverted human being look godly in comparison.
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Scripture does not tell a Christian women to refrain from sex because her husband is not a Christian,...........but, scripture does tell the Christian husband to love his wife as Christ loved the church. We all should know how Jesus expressed His love to the church. He died for us, and rose up for us, and we now live not for ourselves but in trust and surrender to Him who did all of this on our be-half.
So the right man should be living an Agape-love type of relationship with his wife.......or a in english terms, a committed-to-the-end type of relationship with his wife. Agape love is the greatest expression of love.......Total Committment, total surrender. It's not eroticism, or delight; although those two terms are used in scripture and are not taboo.......as they are also part of the wife-husband relationship..........that God placed in our humanity......Phileo, and Eros........Delight for another, and sexual attraction/interest.
Should a woman cut off her husband's sexual relations with her? I think we need to place, "Jesus" into the scenario in this way. What would Jesus say? This can only be answered by those that know or have read the N.T. and have an abiding relationship with God as Christians.
Jesus would not ask a woman to allow herself to be "used" as a convenience for a man's sexual conquest. That's akin to rape in a sense. Yet, sexual intercourse between husband and wife can be a time of release........as the husband may find solace in the arms of his wife after a very stressful day at work or facing that nasty old working world out there. It mutually goes the other way to, as the wife also finds solace and relief in the sexual union with her husband after a day of caring for the home, and raising the couples progeny and all that entails.
There are many reasons that this union can happen in marriage, but ultimately, it's intended to be a time of total personal, one-on-one intimacy, a time away from everything else, and time to enjoy one another, and in some ways a medicinal balm.
Now, one spouse or the other may not "feel" like being the solace for the other's release or problems via sexual union, and I think this is the area where we might have to bring back that greatest aspect of love, called, "Agape" again. Sometimes we just plain don't want to have sex. We are tired, upset, annoyed, or even angered at our spouse, yet, are we saying "no" to them scripturally, or are we weaponizing our, "no" to them?
The feminist mantra has been that men our singularly minded when it comes to sexual union. This is not true. Though men and women are hard-wired differently, they both find intimacy through the sexual union, and do need it in a marriage setting.
Even the wife may be the one that desires the union and it's the husband who is tired, annoyed, or something, and doesn't want to comply.
Often once the start of the union happens, much of the reasons for not wanting to, fade away.
Sex is often used like a weapon. In the marriage setting, it can be withheld to punish. Both husbands and wives can be the culprits. Is it right? I think not.
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Through marriage, men do learn more about how the sexual union is interpretted by their wives. It also helps them to be more sensitive and also helps them to enjoy the union-time themselves.
Within, man, there is a sort of biological "conquest" push that goes with their biological desire to have sexual union. It may be part of God's way to encourage the florishing of the human race, yet it still is to be exercised under the rules of a monogomous, marriage union. There is a mutual submission during the sexual union, that man does struggle with more than the woman in my opinion. This may be a result of cultural, conditioning.
Agreed, the woman is the receiver and the man is the initiator or one that enters. Yet the woman holds much power and sway as her biological make up exudes and causes the sexual interest in the male. She trully wields a power to make or break a moment in time in a marriage via her approach to what the sexual union is intended to be. Is it just for making babies? Hardly! Is it a casual thing? No! Is it a "thing" to be withheld to get something, or to punish?
"Casual" is the mantra word for those who don't see or respect the sexual union of man and women under the umbrella of marriage. They see it all as biological, and as an individual fullfilling of a "need" and nothing more. To casually say that she doesn't care if I don't form a relationship with her after intercourse is an absolute, "cop-out", and an indication of moral vacuum, and shallow substance as a human being/man. Women may have a more lasting effect of intercourse outside of marriage than most men, but never the less, they have also ignored the the whole premise of what the sexual union is for.
As long as people ignore or avoid facing accountability with their Creator, they will self-define every act they do in society......both with what they do by themselves and what they do intimately with others. With no God, all things can be redefined to the convenience of #1, or oneself.
Yes, God wants us to give to each other in marriage. Even on the marriage bed. With that comes the responsibility of each partner to understand and exercise sensitivity and also at times, refrain from sexual union when its going to be done with the wrong motives. Sexual union does involve receiving something for ourselves, but it also involves giving something of ourselves too. It's not a singular, act of selfishness. It supposed to be a time of mutual gratification.........sharing receiving/giving.
Sometimes we will "feel" used, but there maybe a role being missed here, as the giving part of the act may have to take precedent over the desire/hope/expectation to receive, as our "other half" is in great need of intimacy, and release from stress. That's the Agape love, part of the marriage relationship when defined during times of sexual union.
Last edited by eighballsidepocket; 02-21-2007 at 01:37 PM.
Regards, Eightballsidepocket
"Nothing should be said anonymously behind a P.C., that can't be respectfully said in person"
I've been married to the same woman for 37 years, sex is great, but I wouldn't say its a "religious experience".
Besides, I think religion is over rated.
If ya can't prove it, don't say it.
Bikes, babes, and beer, it don't get no better than that.
Regards, Eightballsidepocket
"Nothing should be said anonymously behind a P.C., that can't be respectfully said in person"
EightBall -
This is for you:
“… the greatest detractor from high performance is fear: fear that you are not prepared, fear that you are in over your head, fear that you are not worthy, and ultimately, fear of failure. If you can eliminate that fear—not through arrogance or just wishing difficulties away, but through hard work and preparation—you will put yourself in an incredibly powerful position to take on the challenges you face" - Pete Carroll.
I think women feel hurt more often by casual sex because men have at least part of their needs/deeper desires fulfilled when they are accepted in the act of sex. The women's fulfillment doesn't begin until afterward. Casual sex denies women the chance for that.
I guess you're going to have to define casual.
Blessed be Your name, when the sun's shining down on me, when the world's "all as it should be," blessed be Your name!
Blessed be Your name on the road marked with suffering, though there's pain in the offering, blessed be Your name!
Every blessing You pour out I'll turn back to praise. When the darkness closes in, Lord, still I will say...
Blessed be the name of the Lord!
Blessed be Your name!
Blessed be Your name, when the sun's shining down on me, when the world's "all as it should be," blessed be Your name!
Blessed be Your name on the road marked with suffering, though there's pain in the offering, blessed be Your name!
Every blessing You pour out I'll turn back to praise. When the darkness closes in, Lord, still I will say...
Blessed be the name of the Lord!
Blessed be Your name!