"Sinful" Sex Addiction: The Newest Way to Demonize Sexuality

[marmar]

via AlterNet:



"Sinful" Sex Addiction: The Newest Way to Demonize Sexuality

By Dr. Susan Block, CounterPunch. Posted April 21, 2009.

Sex addiction has emerged as the 21st century version of sin -- the latest way to guilt people about sex.



Addictions. Gotta love 'em. Gotta hate 'em too, sometimes. But first, we gotta love 'em, or we wouldn't have 'em in the first place. Addictions are the spices of our lives. Of course, too much spice spoils the enchilada. But remember, without a little salsa, it's all just beans and dead meat.

Granted, addiction can certainly be a destructive force, wreaking havoc on your world, but it can also be the source of tremendous creative energy in human life. Sometimes, the only way to truly master something is to become passionately, obsessively addicted to it. Without the driving vigor of our addictions, we surrender to mediocrity, bureaucracy, and (shudder) mere functionality. The world's greatest artists, many of our greatest statesmen, certainly our greatest lovers, and even some of our greatest scientists have been notoriously addictive personalities, all living and dying in overheated pursuits of pleasure, power, knowledge and love.

Our addictions give us a taste of paradise. It may be a temporary paradise, and it may be an artificial paradise, a dangerous, even doomed paradise, but the pursuit of paradise, ecstasy, bliss, nirvana, heaven-on-earth -- also known as “the pursuit of happiness,” as written into the U.S. Declaration of Independence -- is one of the great natural drives of humanity, maybe even of all so-called intelligent life on earth.

The Seven Deadly Addictions

Everybody's addicted to something, even if it's the philosophy of not getting addicted to anything. Some of us channel our addictive drives into stuff that society deems safe or constructive. For instance, work is a socially acceptable addiction, even though the heroes of our culture, the work-driven businessmen and traders, are more likely to die young of a heart attack (or jump out the window when the stocks crash) than the pot-smoking slackers among us. Shopping is another socially sanctioned narcotic, until all your credit cards are maxed out, and suddenly your favorite shopping outlets stop loving you back. Then there are prescription drugs, an all-American addiction with soothing celebrity-studded ads to make those mysterious little pills easier to swallow, and you don't even have to worry about your credit cards if you've got the right insurance. ...................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.alternet.org/sex/137549/%22sinful%22_sex_addiction%3A_the_newest_way_to_demonize_sexuality/

[ixion]

1. I get really tired of hearing the word 'sinful'

because it's always applied by a sanctimonious group of people who have no problem whatsoever torturing others, or locking up pot smokers, or killing innocent civilians, and then pompously talk about others committing one type of 'sin' or another.

It's ridiculous, and the small-minded cretins who spew that dribble are really more of the problem than the solution, IMO.

[ejpoeta]

2. that's because whatever WE do is sinful.... but what THEY do is

righteous. see!! I was watching the Seven Deadly Sins on the history channel and found it quite interesting how the seven deadly sins came about and how many of them are natural normal things. like gluttony.... we NEED to eat to live. LUST... ummm.... it is an innate urge in all living things because without it there would be no more of the species. HELLO!! the sex drive is as normal a thing as breathing is. Our bodies have an urge to have sex to further the species. Just because we have the means to NOT have kids doesn't mean that our bodies don't still feel the need to have sex. Ususally it's when the church gets involved that things become 'sins'. but this list apparently has been around longer than that and the church, as they like to do, co-opted it and made it their own. From the thing on the history channel i learned that these seven deadly sins are seen as gateway sins that lead to other things. It was interesting, but infuriating to watch at the same time. I was never aware that depression fit into the seven deadly sins as sloth... and a lot of this stuff required exorcisms. because it was the devil that did it...

[bemildred]

3. Global economic crisis hits German sex industry

Is this what they mean by "cheap sex"?

BERLIN (Reuters) - It did not take long for the world financial crisis to affect the world's oldest profession in Germany.

In one of the few countries where prostitution is legal, and unusually transparent, the industry has responded with an economic stimulus package of its own: modern marketing tools, rebates and gimmicks to boost falling demand.

Some brothels have cut prices or added free promotions while others have introduced all-inclusive flat-rate fees. Free shuttle buses, discounts for seniors and taxi drivers, as well as "day passes" are among marketing strategies designed to keep business going.

"Times are tough for us too," said Karin Ahrens, who manages the "Yes, Sir" brothel in Hanover. She told Reuters revenue had dropped by 30 percent at her establishment while turnover had fallen by as much as 50 percent at other clubs.

http://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUSTRE53K00G20090421

[Demeter]

4. I'm Sorry, Sex Without Love Is Sick--We Call It Prostitution, Because That's What It Is

No amount of mental jiggering can justify defeating and destroying the pair bond. The pair bonding is the process by which the species survives and thrives, and the society grows whole and healthy. It is the essence of "family".

That's what makes the GOP adulterers so hypocritical.

"Addiction" to one person is called love, and as long as it is mutual, it is functional.

Functioning on an "Addiction High" is not what built anything good--regardless of the "expert's" opinion. It just means that the people around the addict are destroyed.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

7. we call it prostitution only when money changes hands. when we do it for mutual pleasure

we call it that

[Demeter]

8. I Refer to the Second Definition

1. the act or practice of engaging in sexual intercourse for money.
2. base or unworthy use, as of talent or ability.


http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/prostitution


throw in the Heinlein definition of sin posted below, and it's completely covered.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

9. so you think a one night stand is sinful? i think your attempt to control

other people's bodies is far more sinful and unnatural

[Demeter]

16. I Think It Is Stupid

And I Control myself. Maybe you ought to consider doing the same. That's advice.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

24. its bad and stupid advice from someone who clearly does not understand

that the rules for their body and mind doesnt apply to mine

[Aethertek]

27. "And I Control myself. Maybe you ought to consider doing the same."

Can't get laid huh?
So because you can't get any loving you don't want anyone else to have any fun. (How republican of you)

The twisted sexual repression that permeates most authoritarian societies (crazy religious wackos)
I believe is the single most causal effect for truly twisted sexual expression (misogyny, rape,sexual torture).

You should try auto erotica, might loosen ya up some & then maybe you won't be so judgmental about another's sexual expression.

[FiveGoodMen]

14. You're entitled to that opinion, but you express it as dogma.

Many species don't pair bond.

Some of them are our closest relatives.

[Demeter]

17. You Know, Science Isn't Dogma, and It Isn't Opinion, Either

It's an organized body of data collected, verified and re-verified, and constantly subjected to close scrutiny.

And the data so far is NOT supporting your arguments.

[FiveGoodMen]

18. What data doesn't support what argument?

And what's the least bit scientific in your response?

[La Lioness Priyanka]

25. what data? is it correlational or causational? does it show directionality?

what variable were used? could you please expound on this.

[snake in the grass]

22. While sex in a loving relationship...

...is more fulfilling for the individuals involved, sex without love is far from sick. It's a shame that in this day and age many U.S. citizens are still so immature and repressed on the subject.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

23. again, this is a judgement call. i find sex equally fulfulling under both conditions.

why do people so easily judge what should be right for other people? its not your body or your mind or your psyche. (not really addressed to snake in the grass but in general)

[snake in the grass]

26. People like to judge others...

...to confirm their own beliefs. While I did speak for myself, I would never judge anybody according to their sexuality. I will say, though, that the previous posts about casual sex being "sick" were sick in themselves.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

5. sexuality is a part of our biological makeup

as is sex drive. To ascribe "sinfulness" to it is a bit extreme, I think, but something our society has done with different types of sexual drives. That being said, though sex may be a component, rape and exploitation of innocents is not about sex. It is about power. Now the misuse of power is something one could term "sinful", if that term is defined as having a negative impact on all concerned.

[HillWilliam]

6. Robert Anson Heinlein opined

"All sin lies in hurting other people. All other 'sins' are invented nonsense. Hurting yourself isn't sinful. It's just stupid."

Yeah. I'm with that.

[Stuckinthebush]

10. My ex is a sex addict. Powerful stuff

Sad really. You can be addicted to anything. Her addiction cost her many valuable things - time, family, love...

Sex isn't bad, but you can be addicted to it. You seek it out everywhere at any cost. That's when it becomes a problem.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

11. yes, i do believe its possible to be addicted to sex. i also think its possible to be addicted to

food and many are knowing that its killing them. however, i do ascribe morality to this.

[Fearless]

12. Everything in moderation. That's all. Even sin...

:evilgrin:

[Uncle Joe]

13. "She's so fine there's no telling no where the money went."

"Addicted to Love."

Thanks for the music, Robert Palmer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAzF8iJ0gMw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0U5JfGYx4c

[theblasmo]

28. Sorry...

it's "Simply Irresistible".

[Uncle Joe]

29. Thanks, I realized that after it became too late to edit.

On edit P.S. That money line always sticks in my head when I think of that song.:)

[katty]

15. we can be addicted to anything-sex is just one of so many other

imbalanced patterns of behavior that humans so often fall into, harmful to self/others or basically benign.

[kimmerspixelated]

19. I agree sex addiction destroys- a lot!

especially marriages...but we can't really say much-because we're all addicted to the DU aren't we?...The diff is, for me I never let it interfere with family life.

[FiveGoodMen]

20. From News Radio:

John Ritter: "I'm a sex addict."

Dave Foley: "I'm from Wisconsin. Is that the same as gettin' a lot?"

[burning rain]

21. There's something to be said for sex addiction programs.

They're good places to hook up.