tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23020174.post6201189090163522155..comments2023-12-02T05:36:17.832-05:00Comments on Sexuality and Religion: What's the Connection?: Part 2 - The Marriage Message: “Marriage could be . . .”Debra W. Haffnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03018331891805010135noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23020174.post-14691364893442178952010-03-26T08:41:26.178-04:002010-03-26T08:41:26.178-04:00There are bound to be some gender "roles"...There are bound to be some gender "roles" grounded in our biology. That's not, I believe, that the roles are in our biology, but the gender <i>certainly</i> is, and roles spring from that. One obvious one is motherhood. But so much comes from ancient societies who wrote scriptures that eventually turned into the Bible, and many religions take their cue from those. Obviously, they can't hold for ever, because society changes, and its needs and obligations change with it. Marriage should now be open to same- and opposite-sex couples alike, although I personally would not wish to get married and have the state snooping into more and more of my affairs, as if it didn't do so enough already. There are many gay men, like me, who prefer not to be married, and, while I'm not in a relationship, I know those who are who remain happy to stay that way, continue their relationship on an unofficial basis, and they get on fine.<br /><br />I'm afraid this throwback to what ancient societies thought prudent for their survival is still affecting us. We stop believing in Santa Claus, but never in the gods (or the God) that must have seemed to answer so many question back then. Such beliefs are no longer needed as explanatory frameworks for us to discover why things work. There still are mysteries, yes, but that doesn't mean (a) that they're created by gods or (b) that we'll never solve them. Potentially, we'll solve anything, as long as we survive overpopulation, pollution and the depletion of nonrenewable resources. I say "potentially", because it ain't a given, but, in theory, in principle, science will find some explanation, even if it has to revise some of the detail along the way (science is, after all, always a work in progress).<br /><br />So let's end this obsession among religionists with what people do with their naughty bits and concentrate on bringing about a society in which people love and get along. All religion has done in this regard is create barriers and obstacles. It's stubborn and seeks to control.<br /><br />While I have no problem with believe <i>per se</i>, or spirituality, I do have a problem with organised religion. Once something becomes organised, it tends towards ever more control until it becomes fascistic.Andy Armitagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12213759012659482379noreply@blogger.com