Let’s Talk About Sex Attitudes, Baby

Published July 1, 2014
Updated February 12, 2018

Sex Attitudes: Christianity

Sex Attitudes Catholic Gays

Christianity generally rejects any form of sexuality that does not lead to procreation, including homosexuality. Source: Blogspot

If Greco-Roman sexual attitudes were promiscuous compared to today’s mainstream practices, Christianity, especially Catholicism, might well be seen as the other extreme, condoning sexual relations only as a means for procreation and using sacred texts to tamp down lustful feelings. In many ways Catholic prohibitions applied to sex mirrored Judaic law. In respect to various sexual proclivities, especially adultery, incest, male homosexuality and bestiality, Christians turn to the Bible, particularly passages of Leviticus, as proof that such aspects of human sexuality are considered sins and are therefore immoral.

Sex Attitudes: Bestiality

Sex Attitudes Zoophilia

Carving depicting zoophilia on rock engraved at Kedareshwara Temple, Belligavi. Source: Wikimedia

Meanwhile, bestiality probably dates back to prehistoric times. Depictions of humans and animals in sexual congress appear in rock art in Europe beginning around the onset of the Neolithic era, when the domestication of animals began. Bestiality is a common theme in mythology and folklore through the classical period and into the Middle Ages. Today, the Internet has brought practitioners of many paraphilias, including zoophilia, together and some have begun to advocate for the legalization of bestiality, which remains illegal in most countries.

Sex Attitudes: Fellatio

Sex Attitudes Egypt Fellatio

Fellatio dates back at least to ancient Egypt. Source: Antinopolis

In 2000, Salon writer Annie Auguste wrote a very frank and personal account exploring the history of a particular sexual act—fellatio—in the context of an interview with French writer Thierry Leguay, who had published a book about its history. While it may also date back to prehistoric times, the first clear references to fellatio are from ancient Egypt and may stem from the famous myth of Osiris and Iris: Osiris was killed by his brother and cut into pieces. His sister Isis put the pieces together but the final product was missing a penis. An artificial penis was made out of clay, the legend goes, and Isis “blew” life back into Osiris by sucking it. Another point Leguay makes in the interview is that human beings may well be the only creatures in the animal kingdom that perform fellatio.

author
All That's Interesting
author
A New York-based publisher established in 2010, All That's Interesting brings together subject-level experts in history, true crime, and science to share stories that illuminate our world.
editor
John Kuroski
editor
John Kuroski is the editorial director of All That's Interesting. He graduated from New York University with a degree in history, earning a place in the Phi Alpha Theta honor society for history students. An editor at All That's Interesting since 2015, his areas of interest include modern history and true crime.