A deep sense of guilt!? WHY!?

When you consider the brief history of man, change, progress and development has always moved glacially. But think of all that we have achieved in the last century alone. The world today is vastly different from anything one could have possibly imagined just a century ago.

Case in Point:
Attitudes towards sex at the turn of the 20th century!
http://www.themediadesk.com/newfiles2/youngbride.htm

Crazy!? Yes! Unbelievable!? Not really!

It was only 115 short years ago, but thankfully, mankind has come a long long way in the last century or so. I am leaning towards the belief that this may be an extreme example of ignorance and stupidity, even for that day and age. I could be wrong however, and it may well have been very typical for that period. I hope not, but thankfully, men and women survived it, and here we are today!

Frankly, I have no desire to go back in time and research the subject. There is plenty to look at even today. While attitudes towards sex are slowly changing world-wide, most of the change is concentrated in some areas, mostly in the developed world. And some parts of the developed world are more liberated, sexually and otherwise, more progressive if you will, than others.

For all the image of Americans across the globe, most of it derived from Hollywood, Europe is a lot more progressive than America. (Any arguments!? Two words. Nude beaches.) And even in America, some parts are more forward-leaning than others. It is accepted as fact that the NorthEast, New York for example, is a more progressive state, than the Bible Belt, Alabama for example.

You don't have to be extra-ordinarily astute to notice that the more progressive a people are, the less influence organized religion carries with them. Some might think that this is a coincidence, but this is no fluke.

One of the common themes across most if not all major organized religions is that sex is perverse, dirty and ungodly. Something to be indulged in, only to procreate, in secret, in the dark. Something you don't talk about. Something to feel guilty about.

We each have our own opinions on the subject of sex. And to each his own. Live and let die, as the Bond movie title says.

For today, the big question is, what place does organized religion have in sexuality?


Disclaimer:
I'm no hater of spirituality, but spirituality and organized religion are not one and the same. In the interest of full disclosure, I was born Hindu, but I claim no religion today. In other words, personally I'm spiritual, but I belong to no one religious faith.