Religion and sexuality are as old as time and has been forming a basis of discussion from generation to generation. The topic has characteristically defined the politics and socio-economic issues of the 21st century in a manner that had never been experienced before. Governments all around the world have been forced to rethink their stands on sexuality, and constitutional amendments have taken root with many other decisions still pending in law institutions in courts around the world (Jones, 2013).
Homosexuality, loosely defined as sex between people of the same sex, has divided the modern society straight down the middle and has led to religious conflicts in the United States and around the world. Religious groups ranging from Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, among others, have been forced to come out clear on their stand on modern sexual ideologies that involves their followers. Political institutions have also had to come forward and declare their stand concerning gay and lesbian marriages in the United States and other liberal countries in Europe, Africa, Australia, and Asia (Pilgrim, 2012).
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This hotly contested issue has led to clashes between religious institutions and has put enormous pressure on religious leaders and their followers on decisions to make amidst the constitutional decisions made by the government. Islamic leaders have had to meet occasionally to discuss the issue basing on the fact that Quran does not allow homosexuality and at the same time complying with international preservation of individual human rights advocated by the US and other western countries (Pilgrim, 2012). Judaism, on the other hand, has also suffered under the punks of homosexual laws and beliefs. The religion has struggled in incorporating same-sex marriages in its doctrines to the extent that new Judaist groups have sprung up that are less conservative and have room for new modern issues including homosexuality.
Judaism, as a religion, is centered on Jewish laws that are believed to be handed over to Moses, their leader, by God in Mount Sinai and are legally binding to every individual. The laws have formed the foundational epitome of societal norms and beliefs that are closely followed by the Jewish people all over the world. Judaism being the second largest American religious group, with about 5 to 6 million people identifying themselves as Jews, has been undergoing historical transformations that are closely attributed to the change in Western perception of homosexuality (Drinkwater, 2016). Homosexuality has led to re-composition of individual identities of people in the western world which has forced Judaism to adjust.
Historically, homosexuality and Judaism is unimaginable and is condemned based on the Jewish oral traditions passed from one generation to another. Jewish oral traditions, in which Judaist beliefs were crafted, does not recognize homosexuality as a possibility and calls for punishment of individuals found guilty of homosexual behaviors. Sexuality in Judaism is strictly within the boundaries of reproduction and is seen as a way of passing down Jewish descendants just as their forefather Abraham did in the scriptures (Drinkwater, 2016). Jewish people believe that their existence is traced to the offsprings of Abraham, who himself was named after Israel, the ancestral home of all Jews.
Mixed marriages in Judaism are also discouraged because of the need to pass down the traditions without cultural complications and contaminations. Therefore, Judaism is a collection of beliefs and taboos that not only condemns homosexualactivities but also prohibits ‘sexual contamination,’ and sexuality is mainly preserved for reproduction and continuity.
This hot issue over the past has led to discussions within Judaism and has brought divisions based on reception. The emergence of Modern Orthodox Judaism is seen as a result of the need to incorporate popular and secular western cultures to the original Jewish traditions that form the ultimate foundation of the Judaism (Drinkwater, 2016). Modern Orthodox Judaism is a sect of Judaism that acknowledges the space that the world is making for special sex groups that have been neglected from time to time.
Secular Jews who still follow the Jewish laws and traditions and still belong to synagogues are open for sexual freedoms and are considered liberal in their perception about women. Judaism does not acknowledge the existence of female homosexuality, often referred to as lesbianism, because of lack of tangible sexual activity going on as opposed to male homosexuality that involves penetration and fluid exchange. Judaism is still undergoing major reforms and its future on homosexuality, and same-sex marriages is still under consideration.
Islamic religion, on the other hand, being the third largest religious group in the United States has also been subjected to the modern definitions of sexuality and has resulted ina major paradigm shift in world politics. Over the years, the Islamic religion has been undergoing discussions concerning the position of women in the religion (Pilgrim, 2012). Conservative Judaism, which had been finding ways of incorporating women, started the ordination of female rabbis in the 1980’s. Islam has been fairly firm about the position of women in mosques, and their normal behavioral conduct is still under strong considerations. Historically, the Islamic religion considered women as incomplete and not eligible to go to Heaven. These beliefs have however loosened and have been continually improved through religious tolerance practices in the Islamic world.
Just as Judaism, Islamic religion recognizes marriage as holy and ordained by God. Sexual desires are allowable within marriages and are mainly meant for reproductive purposes (Sullins, 2010). Sex outside marriage is considered a sin and it is condemned in both religions because it goes against their traditional teachings.
Homosexuality, in the Islamic religion, has been debated by many stakeholders ranging from religious societies to political setups. The Muslim world considers homosexuality as a western civilization act that is more of an alternative lifestyle rather than a scientific sexual orientation. Quran, the source of Islamic teachings, speaks against all forms of homosexual behavior and uses the illustration of the punishment of people of Lot and saving of the family of Prophet Lot. It suggests the same measurebe taken against homosexual acts in the modern society.
Opposed to Orthodox Judaism that allows incorporation of some modern issues into the original traditional Jewish teachings and writings, the Quran does not have any space for such acts and considers them evil and contrary to the teachings of Allah (Pilgrim, 2012). The Islamic religion does not believe the notion that western philanthropists use in championing for LGBT rights that people are born with homosexual tendencies. The Quran suggests that such tendenciesare associated with many other acts of sin such as adultery and theft. It calls for people to make individual decisions basing on God’s consent and that the holy book should be respected because it represents the voice and the teachings of Allah through his prophets.
The Muslim religion has a strong position when it comes to homosexuality, and it denounces the idea that homosexuality is biological and genetic. The Islam religion, just as Judaism considers the act as totally unusual and irrational and that those people who get involved in such acts are risking the punishment of God. The Islamic religion also condemns the use of birth control devices such as the use of IUD and other biological birth control mechanisms. This is because the religion champions sex as a reproductive tool that is practiced between male and female for a common natural course (Sullins, 2010). Judaism does not have a clear stand when it comes to the use of birth control devices, but most rabbis in various synagogues in the United States and Australia have positive reviews of using such devices during the onset of a medical condition that may threaten the life of the woman. Roman Catholic is another religion that does not advocate the use of birth control devices such as the use of condoms. The pope and other Catholic religious leaders are against the action and are joined by their Islamic counterparts in condemning the act of delaying reproduction
Judaism and Islamic religions are epitomes or modern religious beliefs that with time have been subjected to external political pressure to accommodate change. In the United States, churches, and all other religious groups are being subjected to debates about sexuality and how special sexual groups can be accommodated. The westernization of homosexuality, for instance, has been one of the major reasons for the uprising of radicalized Muslim groups in the Middle East and Northern Africa. Recent Paris attacks are attributed to the ideological Muslim stand of ISIS and categorization of France as one of the countries that are tolerant to homosexuality and sexual promiscuities (Sullins, 2010).
References
Drinkwater, G. (2016). Judaism and Sexuality. The Wiley Blackwell Encyclopedia of Gender and Sexuality Studies, 1-7. doi:10.1002/9781118663219.wbegss639
The Journal is very elaborative in showing the Judaism perspective of sexuality and the position of women. It uses empirical evidence to support its arguments which transition smoothly throughout the journal.
Jones, T. W. (2013). Religion, gender and sexuality in everyday life. Culture, Health & Sexuality,15 (10), 1253-1255. doi:10.1080/13691058.2013.831526
This journal is more general and open-ended and it gives various perspectives about sexuality without limiting in a specific religion. It’s useful in learning how gender and sexuality are practiced in different religious groups in the United States and all over the world.
Pilgrim, A. N. (2012). Sexuality Politics in Islam. Islam in the West, 121-137. doi:10.1057/9781137025067_9
This publication is more directed to the influence of western definitions of sexuality in comparison to Muslim definitions. The paradigm shift of politics in Islam countries is also elaborated.
Sullins, D. P. (2010). American Catholics and Same-Sex “Marriage. “Catholic Social Science Review,15 , 97-123. doi:10.5840/cssr2010157
This Journal is very helpful in understanding the interpretation of catholic teachings in relation to sexuality. It gives the stand of Catholic Church in the issue of same-sex marriages and addresses the issue about birth control devices.
