Both: What do you think causes people to develop sexual paraphilias?

submitted by worried19 from self.GCdebatesQT

sorted by:
top
newinsightfulfun
you are viewing a single comment's thread.

view the rest of the comments →

[–]Porcelain_QuetzalTabby without Ears 3 insightful - 6 fun3 insightful - 5 fun4 insightful - 6 fun -  (2 children)

Sure. I grew up on a catholic household on the 90s/ 2000s in Germany. Early in my life my parents joined a catholic cult called regnum christ and I went through their kids organization NET and ECYD and went to their private school for a bit. Given that the cult has papal approval I assumed that it would at least be a decent indicator of general catholic upbringing.

I got confronted with hell at an early age and it took me till recently to get rid of the fear programmed into me. This has greatly impacted my sexuality in general and definetly colors my perspective and I'm grateful for yours.

Roman Catholicism is very pro-sex & pro-sexual pleasure so long as sex & sexual pleasure occur in the context of heterosexual marriage and is done with procreation in mind.

I agree, but I don't consider this stance sex positive. To use a bad analogy - cuz im bad at good ones - it's comparable to beeing salad positive but only Caesar salad in a glass bowl without dressing. Also if you do it any other way you're gonna be roasted alive forever and make your best friend really sad.

Both Judaism and Islam seem similarly restrictive to me. I assume our bar for sex positive is set in a different place.

[–]MarkTwainiac 7 insightful - 1 fun7 insightful - 0 fun8 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Thanks for sharing that info. Your upbringing sounds awful. I'd always heard that Regnum Christi was a weird Catholic sect/cult founded & led by a controversial cleric known for sex abuse who was widely criticized both within & outside RC circles.

I got confronted with hell at an early age too. I spent many a sleepless night as a young child worrying about the fate of all my loved ones who were unbaptised & not Catholics. I also worried a great deal about all the babies who died at birth that Catholics originally said went to Limbo, but who were written out of existence & the afterlife when the Catholic Church decided in the late 60s to relegate the idea of Limbo to the dustbin.

I am glad you were able to get rid of the fear programmed into you. For me, my siblings & other survivors of mid-20th century Catholic upbringings, it's still an ongoing process. Which is why we call ourselves recovering Catholics rather than lapsed ones. I have known many people raised Catholic who after not believing or practicing for decades reverted back to the superstitious beliefs of childhood upbringing when facing a major tragedy, a serious medical crisis or death. In my living will and all my medical forms about my wishes for end-of-life care, I say I am a "deathbed Catholic." Which means that just to be on the safe side, please when I am at risk of dying call a priest & get me last rites. Just in case the hogwash I had rammed down my throat as a kid is true after all.

I agree, but I don't consider this stance sex positive. To use a bad analogy - cuz im bad at good ones - it's comparable to beeing salad positive but only Caesar salad in a glass bowl without dressing. Also if you do it any other way you're gonna be roasted alive forever and make your best friend really sad.

But I never used the term "sex positive." You claimed that "most religions are explicitly anti sex." In response, I simply said

The Roman Catholicism I was raised in was/is definitely not "explicitly anti sex"! Roman Catholicism is very pro-sex & pro-sexual pleasure so long as sex & sexual pleasure occur in the context of heterosexual marriage and is done with procreation in mind. (Or for the pleasure of pedophilic & sex abusing male clergy operating on the DL.)

Neither Judaism or Islam seem "anti sex" to me, either. They are pro-sex, so long as it's sex that gives males pleasure & allows them to father children & perpetuate male supremacy.

I wouldn't use the term "sex positive" in discussions of religion or any other topic. "Sex positive" has negative connotations in my mind, as it's used to justify porn, prostitution & sex trafficking & slavery.

But the more important point you are overlooking here is that for all the many fucked up things that Catholicism teaches kids & taught people like you & me in times of yore, it remains a fact that redemption & forgiveness are at the core of RC dogma. According to Catholic teachings, no matter what you or I do or did, we will NOT be "roasted alive forever" so long as we confess our "sins" and repent prior to death.

[–]Porcelain_QuetzalTabby without Ears 4 insightful - 6 fun4 insightful - 5 fun5 insightful - 6 fun -  (0 children)

Thanks for your response. I'm honestly happy, that you're able to find a way to deal with the damaging religous programming you have had to endure and sincerely hope you find happiness despite it.

I injected my own opinion into your comment and am sorry I did so. Im writing from my phone and have to memorize stuff and this happens sometimes. I personally wouldn't call the catholic stance pro sex either. For the reasons outlined before. It's to restrictive and controlling.

Regarding forgiveness. I'm not necessarily overlooking it as much as intentionally not considering it. The version of the catechism I had to memorize during my upbringing was quite specific that this "forgiveness" s is only granted to those that earnestly repent as in regret the sins they've committed and make an active commitment to improve in the future. Same with complete absolutions. Since these "sins" are controlling basic human instincts, especially in the case of homosexuality requiring a "sinner" to repent from them is cruel at best. So while I agree that redemption and forgiveness are core parts of catholic dogma the forgiveness of the rcc isn't as universal or loving as they like to portray outwards and imo just another way to control their members.