Sexual Practices and
Norms
By Jacob Lambers, Michelle
Tezak, Brittani Conley, Marcela
Castanon
Purpose of Sexual Activity
Judaism
• Core aspect of Jewish law is the love of the body
- sex in general is not viewed in a negative way
- greatest way possible to love your body (Wiki)
• Sexual relations outside marriage are forbidden
• Condemns homosexual practices
– however reform branch allows such activity
• Restriction = relations with menstruating woman
• Restrictions aimed at decency
• Full purpose is to reproduce and be abundant
- Genesis 1:28
• Used to have concubines but do not anymore due to the
sanctity of marriage
God blessed them, saying to them, “Be fertile and multiply; fill
the Earth and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the
sea, the birds of the air, and all the living things that move on
the Earth.” Genesis 1:28
Christianity
• Enjoy company of women through
marriage
• Not allowed to have sex until marriage
• Must repent for sexual desires/temptations
• Sin was transmitted by Adam & Eve’s
sexual reproduction
• God found within deepest desires (sex)
only when married
Islam
• Enjoy company of women and sex
• It is a man’s right to sexual satisfaction (woman
can’t refuse husband’s sexual demands)
• The pleasure of sex leads to union with God
• “She should not refuse to share his bed
[meaning that she should not deny him sexual
access when he desires it-Trans.]” (Ruthven
100)
Fornication
Voluntary sexual intercourse between two unmarried persons, or
two persons not married to each other
Judaism
• Sexual relations outside of heterosexual
marriage is prohibited
• Male homosexuality is a grave sin
-Female homosexuality also forbidden,
but less serious (because no penetration)
• Biblical and rabbinic law condemn
homosexual practices
Christianity
• Unjust fornicators won’t inherit the
Kingdom of God
- First Corinthians 6:9-11
• If one can’t exercise self control then one
should marry
• Women betrothed to one husband are to
be presented to Christ as a chaste virgin
Islam
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Surah 4:15-16
Women guilty of lewdness
- prison (receive same punishment for adultery)
Guilty men must be punished but if they repent they can be left alone
Punishment for men and women
- severely beaten with a whip or rod 100 times
- they should not be showed compassion
Those guilty of fornication can only marry one who’s also guilty of it or an
unbeliever; forbidden to believers
Those who wrongfully accuse and can’t produce 4 witnesses to support
allegations will be whipped 80 times
– if accuse spouse w/ only own evidence, must bear witness 4 times with an oath
by Allah that it’s truth, and if it’s a lie then they invoke the curse of Allah on
themselves
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If a woman bears witness 4 times w/ oath by Allah that her husband is lying
then no punishment for her; but she invokes the wrath of Allah upon herself
if her accuser is telling the truth
Celibacy
Abstention from sexual intercourse
Judaism
• Sex is for reproductive purposes
• The purpose of creation is for Jews to
enter the world, get married, have children
and be spiritual
• Practice celibacy before marriage
• Celibacy can lead one closer to God if one
removes oneself from the physical aspects
of life
Christianity
• Because sex is viewed only as a means of
reproduction, celibacy is required before
marriage
• Catholic priests are celibate for their entire
lives
- do not marry (married to God), therefore
no reason to have sex
Islam
• Celibate during the month of Ramadan
- Holy month
- Deprive themselves of pleasure during
the day
• Because sex is viewed as pleasure very
few Muslims exercise celibacy
• Sex during marriage is encouraged
Adultery
Voluntary sexual intercourse between a married person and someone other than
his or her lawful spouse.
Judaism
• God can overlook most sins, except for lewdness
• Neither a man nor a woman should have any
promiscuous relations outside of marriage
• If the woman is married, it is considered a more severe
transgression
• Traditionally, according to the Torah a man may have
more than one wife, while a woman has one husband. (a
woman builds a home; a woman cannot build 2 homes)
- Double standard
• Jewish law does not forgive
• Children (innocent victims) pay for their parent’s
wrongdoings
Christianity
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God will judge the immoral and the adulterous
No fornicator has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God
“You Shall Not Commit Adultery.” Exodus 20:14
- Number 7 of the Ten Commandments
Adultery can be an act, a thought, or a divorce & remarriage
Three types:
-(the act) A married woman is bound by the law to her husband as
long as he lives; but if he dies, then she is free from that law. If she lives
with another man while her husband is alive, she will be called an
adulteress
-(the thought) One is told not to commit adultery but anyone who looks
at a woman and wants to possess her is guilty of it within his own heart
-(divorce and remarriage) If a man divorces his wife, for any cause
other than her unfaithfulness, then he is guilty of making her commit
adultery if she marries again; and the man who marries her commits
adultery also
"Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin anymore"
(John 8:11).
Islam
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Known as Zina
It is a shameful deed and an evil, opening the road to other evils
One of most heinous and deadly sins
One should not commit adultery, anyone who does shall meet the
price of sin--doubled shall be the chastisement for him on the
Resurrection Day
Strictly enforced under Sharia law
The penalty of it does not depend on the caste, race, religion or
social status of the person with whom it is committed
One needs 4 witnesses until they are stoned to death
It corrodes the purity of one’s soul and hence destroys one’s faith
It exposes the person to the wrath of Allah, thus resulting in eternal
damnation
Woman being prepared for stoning to
death