Why are religions so often sexually ascetic?

https://www.reddit.com/r/AskAnthropology/comments/1h25xpz/why_are_religions_so_often_sexually_ascetic/

created by atlanteannewt on 28/11/2024 at 21:15 UTC

292 upvotes, 9 top-level comments (showing 9)

Almost all post-axial age religions seem to hold some degree of sexual asceticism as a virtue. Why does this thought pattern repeat again and again? It is seemingly uncorrelated with utilitarian ethics and pagan/pre-iron age religions seem unconcerned with sex.

Have any thinkers tackled this question?

Comments

Comment by [deleted] at 28/11/2024 at 21:31 UTC

214 upvotes, 4 direct replies

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