During religious persecution periods, when certain beliefs are prohibited, people seek refuge in secret erotic practices. Religious leaders often claim that their religion is pure and free from anything related to sensual pleasure.
Some religions still have traditions about love and romance, and eroticism has always been part of human history since its beginning. These erotic behaviors and desires cannot be suppressed forever because they are intrinsic to being human. Therefore, during times of oppression, people find ways to satisfy those instinctive needs through hidden cultures. This is called 'repression.' In this way, religious repression gives rise to hidden or alternative erotic cultures.
One example can be seen in ancient Greece. The Greek gods were associated with fertility and eros, which was considered natural. But the Catholic Church considered them pagan and sinful. People who worshiped these gods had to hide their religion underground for centuries, but they also maintained their sexual practices, including homosexuality and polytheism. Eventually, Christianity became the dominant religion in Europe, and it tried to convert all other faiths into one. Still, many people continued practicing their original beliefs behind closed doors and found ways to connect sexually within that context.
There were orgiastic rites to honor Dionysus (Bacchus), the god of wine, fertility, and ecstasy. They were so popular that Rome outlawed them, but they persisted until the 4th century AD.
Religious repression gave birth to secret societies in the Middle Ages too.
The Knights Templar, a military order founded by the Crusaders, practiced sodomy and blasphemy. Despite persecution from both the Roman Catholic Church and King Philip IV of France, they continued operating in clandestine meetings until 1307. Another group was the Hashshashin, a Muslim sect active in Persia between the 9th and 12th centuries. They used drugs like hashish to induce visions and achieve spiritual heights while denouncing orthodox Islam. Likewise, the Cathars, a Gnostic religious movement in medieval Europe, believed in free love and rejected marriage as a sinful institution. They were brutally suppressed by the Catholic Church during the Albigensian Crusade in the 13th century.
In modern times, the Mormon church banned polygamy for men and women alike in the late 18th century, which led to hidden polyamorous communities. These groups are still present today in Utah, USA, despite the law against plural marriage being passed. Also, some Japanese Buddhist monks practice tantric sex rituals, including sexual intercourse with female followers. This is not considered immoral because it is part of their belief system. They say this union leads to enlightenment through the union of body and spirit.
These examples show that when religions impose rigid rules on people's lives, they often seek refuge in secret societies or alternative lifestyles. Eroticism has always been part of human history, so repression can never eradicate it entirely. It only pushes it underground where it continues to thrive in hidden cultures.
In what ways does religious repression give rise to hidden or alternative erotic cultures?
Religious repression can lead to the development of hidden or alternative erotic cultures by creating an environment where sexual expression is tabooed and punishable. In such circumstances, people may seek to express their sexuality secretly or find new ways to satisfy their desires that are outside the bounds of traditional norms.