“I believe that the reason religions seek to control, limit, and even prevent sexual pleasure is because it is an independent means of accessing spiritual states such as a sense of oneness with the universe. They also fear the independence that these experiences bring because they give people direct access to the Divine. They fear women’s sexuality because it is held to be polymorphous and wild. Women are associated with the body, sometimes referred to as “the flesh.” This was the result of an ascetic and world-denying approach to spirituality and religion that arose in the early part of the Axial Age (the era when individual prophets founded several new religions).” ReligionWomenSexualityControl Book:Changing Paths Source: Changing Paths
“If religion or spirituality makes us more disconnected from other people, less compassionate, less rational, then it is harmful. If on the other hand, it enables us to feel more love and compassion for others, and be better able to cope with the sorrowful aspects of life, then it is helpful.” ReasonReligionSpiritualityCompassion Book:Changing Paths Source: Changing Paths