What the Bible Really Does (and Doesn't Say) about Sex: The How, When, Why, and With Whom of Scriptural Prohibitions and Permissions - Softcover

O'Neil, Matt

4.29

7 ratings by Goodreads

9781634310529: What the Bible Really Does (and Doesn't Say) about Sex: The How, When, Why, and With Whom of Scriptural Prohibitions and Permissions

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1634310527 ISBN 13: 9781634310529

Publisher: Pitchstone Publishing, 2015

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A biblically based counter to the arguments made by the Christian right in debates over gay marriage, women's rights, contraception, and abortion People are constantly judged for their sexual choices, their frequency of sexual activity, their selection of partners, and their decisions regarding birth control, and much of this judgment stems from the element of culture perhaps most preoccupied with sex: religion. What the Bible Really Does (and Doesn't Say) about Sex addresses this often unhealthy and troublesome relationship between sex and religion. Focusing principally on Christianity, it examines the arguments religious moralizers and sanctimonious politicians make to condone or condemn certain sexual practices and lifestyles. But do they even get it right? What does scripture really say about the how, when, why, and with whom of sex? Is homosexuality really an abomination? Is abortion murder? Is premarital sex a sin? The answers may surprise you: the Bible does not always make the claims those who wave it passionately in the air say it does. In fact, the Bible often says nothing at all about many of the practices and lifestyles the faithful argue so vociferously for, or against. By setting the biblical record straight, this book offers highly compelling arguments for those who want to keep religion off their bodies and out of their bedrooms. It also reminds puritanical crusaders that, before they thump their Bible on street corners or in campaign speeches, they should perhaps read and understand it first.

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About the Author:

Matthew O’Neil is an activist, theologian, and teacher. He has an MA in theology from Saint Michael’s College, and he is a certified Humanist chaplain and celebrant. He is the author of You Say That I Am: Jesus and the Messianic Problem and writes for the Danthropology blog through the Patheos network. He lives in Saint Albans, Vermont.

Review:

"Sex, marriage and the treatment of women are topics the Christian right seems obsessed with controlling, yet Christians as a whole cannot agree on how the Bible defines such subjects morally. Thankfully Matthew O'Neil is able to break down the smut filled Bible and manages to explains the real world consequences of the Christian right's obsession." - Dan Arel, Author of Parenting Without God.

"Matthew O'Neil's second book gives a fresh perspective on one of the most controversial topics of our time: sexual taboos in the west and their origins in Christianity. [The book] demonstrates exactly how modern issues with sexuality, in some cultures, are directly linked to ancient archetypes...This book is a must-read for anyone interested in hearing a new voice on religion and sexuality." - David G. McAfee, author of Mom, Dad, I'm an Atheist: the Guide to Coming Out as a Non-believer

"O'Neil has compiled what may be the best examination of sexuality from the Biblical perspective I have read. Without surprise, his research shows the lack of symbiosis between conservative religion and sexual liberation, but also details the inherent mythological hypocrisies between the carnal and the supernatural. A must-read for anyone, though the religious should wear protection." - Joshua Kelly, author of Oh Your God: the Evil Idea That is Religion

"Hot topics such as abortion and equal rights are presented in an evidence-based, rational manner. Not only does O'Neil address his concerns regarding the real-time effects of religious belief concerning these topic and many others, he explains what the bible actually says for those looking to familiarize themselves...a must read for those with secular concerns and a thirst for knowledge." - J. D. Brucker, author of Improbable: Issues with the God Hypothesis

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