Religious marriages have been influenced by various factors including cultural, social, political, economical and traditional norms that shape their practices. These norms determine how individuals in a marriage interact with each other. In this paper, I will examine how negotiation, refusal, and consent are ethically framed in religious marital contexts by looking at how these aspects affect intercourse between couples.
Negotiation refers to the process through which two people come to an agreement regarding the type of relationship they want to establish. Religions such as Islam and Judaism advocate for negotiations before marriage where prospective partners discuss topics such as expectations about finances and children. Negotiations may also take place after marriage and involve issues such as sharing responsibilities and parenting styles.
Some religions such as Christianity view negotiation during marriage as unethical, arguing that it undermines God's authority in marriage. On the contrary, negotiation is encouraged in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism since couples are expected to share responsibilities equally in marriage.
Refusing sexual requests by one partner can be justified if it is based on medical or health reasons, but most religions see refusal as immoral unless it is within a mutually agreed period of abstinence.
Islam allows men to deny women sex in case of anger, fatigue, sickness, travel, and absence.
The Quran prohibits spouses from denying themselves sex without cause. Similarly, Christianity views rejection of sexual advances as sinful, although exceptions are allowed in cases of illness, exhaustion, fasting, and pregnancy. Sikhs also encourage frequent sex while Buddhists allow refusals when a couple decides to practice celibacy.
Consent is critical in marriages because it enables both parties to agree to engage in a particular act with complete understanding of its consequences. In religious contexts, consent involves agreement between two people who choose to engage in sexual intercourse freely.
The Bible requires partners to give their full consent before engaging in any form of sexual activity to avoid incest, rape, or adultery. In Islam, consent is required for all sexual acts to ensure that neither party feels coerced into having sex against their will. On the other hand, some religions such as Judaism require spouses to negotiate the frequency of sex before marriage to prevent conflict later. Hinduism considers lack of negotiation before marriage as a sign of selfishness since couples should discuss their needs openly.
Negotiation, refusal, and consent are ethically framed differently in religious marital contexts based on cultural beliefs, social norms, and traditional values. Negotiations occur before or during marriage, depending on religion. Refusing requests can be justified in specific circumstances but not always. Consent is crucial in ensuring mutual agreement regarding sexual activities. Thus, religious marriages must consider these aspects to have harmonious relationships.