Iruka-Senpai
07-10-2007, 02:18 AM
Has anyone ever noticed that the views on human nature as far as sex and procreation go seem different from many civilizations today. I mean amongst all different ancient cultures and moralities. Like, it seems that one can learn all about the belief systems of the ancient world merely by finding sexual guidelines.
......Maybe I should explain. today since our sexuality is totally based on scientific documents, most advanced societies today have the same laws on sexuality, but in the ancient world even nations that were similar and right next to eachother had very different views on sexuality. Here's a sort of chart of civilizations that I found to have interesting beliefs and customs:
!. Mayans: Mayans generally waited until marrigae to have sex and prohibited homo/bisexuality(and....masturbation). Instead, prostitutes were used as release for men who couldn't.....wait. They were called care mothers or some weired shit like that.
2.Greece: In ancient Greece, the ideals behind sexual intercourse were very divided due to the democratic style of rule and seperation. Prostitutes were used in worship amongst certain Aphrodite cults. Homosexuality was tolerated, but wasn't a cultural thing unless it was between a young boy and an older man.
3. Ancient Israel: Sex in Ancient Israel has been a topic argued amongst religious scholars for a long time so I'll just type my views on the Israelites. Sex was used for two purposes-procreation and romance. Generally, a man or women would have one spouse or lover that he or she cited as thier spiritual and romantic partner while having other spouses for the sake of creating babies. It was customary to wait until marriage, but premarital sex was tolerated so long as it was not for impure reason and if the father of the female's household gave his consent and was paid a dowry. Prostitution, homosexuality, masturbation and any act that was for reasons other than procreation or matrimony were prohibited.
4. Japan(Pre-Edo Period): This a harder one. I'm not sure if I got my facts right, but here goes.Generally, feudal japan maintained a very organized sexuality. Before the 1500s, due to war amongst the shoguns, Japanese people would wait until marriage and sex acts that interfered with procreation or romance were outlawed both for religious reasons and for the sake of making sure a generation of soldiers and workers were always ready to go to war. It wasn't until the Tokugawa era, when Japan became united, that the Japanese explored new ideas. During this time, Japan was mixture of traditional,pornographic and free-love style forms of sexuality.
The thing that I find different about the Ancient World's view on our bodies is simply the diversity, even amongst those with similar beliefs. Certain Japanese eras had the same view on sex as ancient Israelites, but with more attention paid to documentation and rituals. Most of the Greeks used sex as acts of worship rather than passion,but they used prostitutes for spiritual reasons just as much as the Mayans did yet the Mayans used sex for fertility more than anything else. While today, Most nations' majorities have the same ideas on sexuality as the other. Did the ancient people have diverse sexual views due to religion, geography, or war.? Or did they base their ideas on their own scientific observations and didn't pass these views on to other cultures?
......Maybe I should explain. today since our sexuality is totally based on scientific documents, most advanced societies today have the same laws on sexuality, but in the ancient world even nations that were similar and right next to eachother had very different views on sexuality. Here's a sort of chart of civilizations that I found to have interesting beliefs and customs:
!. Mayans: Mayans generally waited until marrigae to have sex and prohibited homo/bisexuality(and....masturbation). Instead, prostitutes were used as release for men who couldn't.....wait. They were called care mothers or some weired shit like that.
2.Greece: In ancient Greece, the ideals behind sexual intercourse were very divided due to the democratic style of rule and seperation. Prostitutes were used in worship amongst certain Aphrodite cults. Homosexuality was tolerated, but wasn't a cultural thing unless it was between a young boy and an older man.
3. Ancient Israel: Sex in Ancient Israel has been a topic argued amongst religious scholars for a long time so I'll just type my views on the Israelites. Sex was used for two purposes-procreation and romance. Generally, a man or women would have one spouse or lover that he or she cited as thier spiritual and romantic partner while having other spouses for the sake of creating babies. It was customary to wait until marriage, but premarital sex was tolerated so long as it was not for impure reason and if the father of the female's household gave his consent and was paid a dowry. Prostitution, homosexuality, masturbation and any act that was for reasons other than procreation or matrimony were prohibited.
4. Japan(Pre-Edo Period): This a harder one. I'm not sure if I got my facts right, but here goes.Generally, feudal japan maintained a very organized sexuality. Before the 1500s, due to war amongst the shoguns, Japanese people would wait until marriage and sex acts that interfered with procreation or romance were outlawed both for religious reasons and for the sake of making sure a generation of soldiers and workers were always ready to go to war. It wasn't until the Tokugawa era, when Japan became united, that the Japanese explored new ideas. During this time, Japan was mixture of traditional,pornographic and free-love style forms of sexuality.
The thing that I find different about the Ancient World's view on our bodies is simply the diversity, even amongst those with similar beliefs. Certain Japanese eras had the same view on sex as ancient Israelites, but with more attention paid to documentation and rituals. Most of the Greeks used sex as acts of worship rather than passion,but they used prostitutes for spiritual reasons just as much as the Mayans did yet the Mayans used sex for fertility more than anything else. While today, Most nations' majorities have the same ideas on sexuality as the other. Did the ancient people have diverse sexual views due to religion, geography, or war.? Or did they base their ideas on their own scientific observations and didn't pass these views on to other cultures?