In his debate with Alister McGrath, which was entitled “Poison or Cure? Religious Belief in the Modern World,” (reviewed here) Mr. Hitchens stated,
“every religion that’s ever been is distinguished principally by the idea that we should be disgusted by our own sexuality. Name me a religion that does not play upon that fact.”
I will be glad to name two: biblically based Judaism and Christianity.
Yet, being aware that Mr. Hitchens possesses a rare gift (or curse) for concocting tightly wound combinations of a great number of confused and non-related issues with phantasmagoric results, one can only wonder what he is actually stating or asking.
For instance, what does he mean by “our own sexuality”? If he means do what thou wilt sexually then religion or not, sexuality must be restricted. This as it is self evident.
The Judeo-Christian scripture restricts damaging sexuality but honors and glorifies normative sexuality. God did, after all, invent sexuality.
One can only wonder which, if any, sexual acts Mr. Hitchens opposes.
The Bible is very level headed about sex in the real world and oft describes marital sexual bliss. For example, the entirety of Song of Solomon is, shall we say, “Hot!”
Proverbs 5:18-19 states, “rejoice with the wife of your youth. As a loving deer and a graceful doe, let her breasts satisfy you at all times; and always be enraptured with her love.”
1st Corinthians 7:3-5 seeks to keep both husband and wife sexually fulfilled with each other,
“Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband_Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again.”
For more on the New Atheist’s obsession with sex see my essay Too Sexy for My Theology?
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