Summary: Religious Expression Of Sexuality In Religion

December 12, 2013
Religious Expression of Nudity and Sexuality The concept of sexuality in religion has always been discussed in private or public. It has some taboo clinched with it which made it secretive and also lucrative. The story of Adam and Eve, who took the fruits from the tree of knowledge, told us how they used fig leaves to cover their genitals. Nudity, other than being a form of art to some people, is also an exclusively common practice in worship for God. Different religions evolved in different time of the history but they have some common features irrespective of geographical features; almost all the religions address nudity as an explicit expression of sexuality which is not for public demonstration. The more we move
Aileen Goodson mentioned in his research on nudity in Indian subcontinent that “The gymnosophists praised nudity as a method of building endurance, as did the Greeks. Another reason given for nudity was that it promoted ‘independent thought and self-assurance’...."(Goodson 2). Mahavira, the founder of this Jain religion emphasized on nudity for the monks as a part of their oath or vow to give up desire for worldly wealth or achievement. He also justified this practice by using it as a method to become free from bonds and
In religious histories and mythologies, couple of times women encountered attack of men and was bound to hand over their virginity. There were events, in which women used their vulnerability as their strength and nudity became their weapon. In Indian mythology, there was a scene where Devi Draupadi was raped by men and another God Dopdi Mejhen was about to grab her. She came forward rather hiding herself, and presented her blood stained naked body to the mane who wished to get her. Her bold naked impression of vulnerability of women’s asset terrified Dopdi thoush she was unarmed. So the nudity of the Devi Draupadi is shown as the graceful strength of women which can counter the harsh cruel desire of men breaking their confidence. Liz Wilson, in her journal, addressed this act of Draupadi as a naked protest to the conventional Indian attitude toward women’s nudity. She wrote “Refusing to cover herself, she uses her ravaged body as a weapon by which to censure the man who has sanctioned the use of gang rape as a weapon against her” (Wilson