Has a third option been edited throughout history for religious gain?

[bi_scott]

I have just written this post on my blog and I would REALLY love to hear people's thoughts as it interests me to hear what people have to say:

http://fluidsexuality.wordpress.com/

Please comment on my blog too if you can!

[LoveLion]

I think this is a very interesting story. Iv not herd it before (and not really surprised due to the nature of it). Im guessing its not one of the usual Sunday sermon stories at a church. I really like it though and Im glad something as simple and beautiful as that has lasted. (especially the part about them taking off all their clothes lol :bigrin: )

It got me thinking. I recently did an essay on the themes of "Coming of age: in modern literature, and in my research I came across some very interesting articles about ancient Greece. Classical Greece is as many know, the base and beginning of Western society. In ancient Greece it was not considered wrong at all for two men to love each other and engage in sexual activity. The beauty of men and the male from was one of the most sacred images to them. In fact while researching "Coming of age" I found numerous articles that explained how in ancient Greece when a boy began to develop into a man, he would be placed with an adult member of society or "mentor" who would guide him through comming of age and teach him what he needed to know as a man. Things like hunting, duty to state and home, and yes sex. It was accepted and expected that the older mentor would have sex with the boy to help him explore his newly developed sexual nature. Many would see this as "sick" in todays society but you have to remember that this was a common part of Greek society. Personally I think this was a great idea. Most young men (and women) struggle through puberty due to the extremely narrow and taboo nature of sex in todays society. Kids are tought that sexual feelings are dirty, sexual exploration and expression (masturbating, experimenting, etc) is a sin, and above all else sexual or romantic feelings towards a member of your own gender is a crime against man and God. The idea of a experienced member of society leading a young teen through the sexual and non-sexual aspects and trails of puberty seems like a wonderful and very supportive thing. And the same goes for young women too. If I could magically make this socially acceptable , I would in a instance.

I find it interesting that such a developed and respected culture that was much mroe advanced then most that came after it, and one that once the original uninfluenced basis for wester society found it totally acceptable for two men to engage in a romantic and/or sexual relationship. Maybe thats the way its supposed to be, and somewhere along the progression of western society we lost that.

Just my thoughts in the topic

[Mrs. Taz]

the Love that they are speaking of is a brotherly love he took his cloth off to give it to him to show this brotherly love.one laying his head on the others chest is also the brotherly love. also you have to remember we go by the new testament not the old.you also have to remember when some people see or talk to eachother for the first time something clicks and they love eachother as a brother or sister and feel like they have known eachother for years even though they have just met.when they parted it was a sad time, they felt something missing in their lives, like we do when a family member passes away or moves away when we are used to comunicating with them all the time and now we can not.hmm, supassing the love of woman, thats one that I will have to think about how to explain to you, im not sure at this time how to explain to where people/you would understand it.I hope I was able to help some though.

[bi_scott]

Love Lion - I think that is awesome. I love this, in the Greek society. If you think about it the mentor was not helping this exploration of sex to be less of an issue because contexually it happened all the time, it was the norm - their friends would have done it etc and so this norm fostered deep relationships and probably a deeper understanding and respect.

Mrs Tax - thanks for this. You are offering one of the explanations to this in fact scholars have disagreed on this over time. Some scholars believe it is what you are referring to. Other scholars believe that there was an romantic desire that did not lead to anything sexual, i.e their love was greater than that of a women. Others believe that there was a sexual elememt to it and that the de-robing referres to this. Theologically, we dont know because you can use the bible to explain whatever it is that you personally believe, if you take texts out of context which I understand that I am doing. I am just highlighting a possibility.

[Mrs. Taz]

your very welcome :) Just sharing with you what I know from my teaching :)(what I was taught)

[LouiseBrookslover]

The small child asked. The old man told. That’s the way it was in the beginning. All wondered what meaning was out there, but it was not for the small and innocent to derive meaning, but those who evoked wisdom by their age, by their power over resources, by their stature within a tribe. All were commonly ignorant, both the powerful and the powerless, and both needed a myth to explain the cosmos, but only the powerful was in the position to provide this myth, and the ability to sustain the myth. When one power takes over from the other, the seams in the Bible become evident. Ultimately, the Bible is an attempt to understand and to control.