doubtingansley:

I have neither supported nor admonished the sex-positive movement. This is genuinely just a discussion. I have not said my opinion anywhere. Let’s keep this academic, people.

I’ve noticed your posts about this topic lately, and I just thought I’d throw my opinions out there, just for kicks.

Before I begin, I would like to apologize if I’ve stated things that have already been stated. Also, I’d like to say that I agree with pretty much all the sex-positive perspectives accept for #4. I shall basically explain why:

I think that sex-positivity can, in some sense, be applied to Christian teaching. Not necessarily sex outside marriage, per say, but the positivity about the act itself and all goodness that stems from it. To view sex as a gift from God, and accept it as a wonderful thing that you can share with your spouse is being positive about the act and still not abusing it. Even the pleasure that stems from it is a gift. 

Now, complete sex-positivity would say “yeah, do it up whenever.” I don’t necessarily agree with that…if you ARE viewing it as a gift, you don’t want to go tossing it around everywhere. If God prefers that we keep it inside marriage, He probably has a reason.  If one disagrees with that, I believe that sexual intercourse should AT LEAST be used in moderation. You’re giving something very important of yourself. 

For instance, if you give your friend a present hoping that he will give you one in return, you may be disappointed if he doesn’t return the favor, no? If you have sex with someone and through that act you are saying, “I love and appreciate you,” but they aren’t necessarily giving the same thing back to you, you can get really hurt. God doesn’t want to see us hurting, so that is why he puts His law in place.  If we have sex within the Sacrament of Marriage (assuming that the two people take their marriage seriously,) it is pretty much guaranteed that they love each other enough that they are both giving of themselves.

Where, then, can sex-positivity be applied? I think that sometimes people view Christians as thinking “Sex is bad, sex is bad, if you want to have sex and you have fun doing it, you’re going to hell.” I don’t know if that is exactly the truth.  God told Adam and Eve to “Go forth and multiply” did he not? Why, then, would God ask His people to do something that was bad? The Devil tempts humans with the desire to have sex when it is inappropriate.  God made the gift desirable, however, so that it is something viewed as good to be shared.  I think that instructing young people about sex is very important.  People (namely teenagers, and I know this because I AM one) tend to have an immature view of the subject.  If it was out in the open more, I think that people wouldn’t feel as uncomfortable when the topic came up. I also think that if it were presented more as a natural, beautiful thing as opposed to a dirty, worldly thing, it would lead society to taking it more seriously and using it in the way God intended.

In a nutshell about why I disagree with #4: I don’t think that sex is a “human right.” It’s a gift from God. Yes, it belongs to us, but if it is a gift, I think we should use it in the way our giver intended.

So those are my thoughts. That’s just me. :) God Bless!