Religious Ethics and Bodily Pleasure as Moral Language
What is Bodily Pleasure?
The term "bodily pleasure" refers to physical satisfaction derived from sensual experiences such as touching, kissing, hugging, caressing, oral sex, anal sex, masturbation, orgasm, etc. It can be described as the physical sensations felt during intercourse between partners. Religions often regulate bodily pleasures through their moral codes.
Islam prohibits premarital sex and pornography while Christianity condemns homosexuality.
How do Religious Ethics View Bodily Pleasure?
Most religions view bodily pleasure as a natural phenomenon that has both negative and positive implications for human behavior. On one hand, it reinforces human relationships and makes them more harmonious. On the other hand, it can lead to excesses like lustfulness, adultery, promiscuity, rape, prostitution, abuse, exploitation, etc., which are immoral according to religious ethics. Therefore, they prescribe appropriate ways of experiencing pleasure within marriage, without causing harm to oneself or others.
Sex outside Marriage
According to Islamic law, sexual intimacy is permissible only when married because Allah made men and women complementary in marriage. In contrast, Buddhism teaches that sexual desire should be controlled since it is an illusion that leads to suffering. Hinduism views sex as a sacred act but advises against excessive indulgence. Christianity forbids extramarital sex and warns against its temptations by Satan. Judaism considers marriage essential for healthy sexual relations and advocates modesty in dressing and speech.
Intimacy with a Partner
Religious ethics encourage intimate physical contact between couples to strengthen their bond and keep marriages happy.
Catholicism believes that spouses should regularly engage in lovemaking to show affection. It also allows contraception and recommends avoidance of masturbation and pornography. Sikhism stresses the importance of mutual understanding, love, and respect between partners during intercourse to enhance pleasure.
Religious ethics reframe bodily pleasure as moral language by recognizing both its benefits and drawbacks while providing guidelines on how to experience it responsibly within marriage. They consider lustfulness, promiscuity, adultery, exploitation, etc., immoral behaviors that destroy social harmony.
How do religious ethics reframe bodily pleasure as moral language?
Religious ethics typically view the human body as sacred and special because it was created by God for a specific purpose - worshiping Him through physical actions such as prayer, fasting, and service to others. As such, they see any form of excessive indulgence in bodily pleasures, including sexuality, as an affront to this divine design.