sex
From polygamy to incest, confronting the Old Testament’s strange sexual standards
By Jonathan Merritt — April 8, 2016
Some of the Bible's passages are deeply troubling, and despite the wishful thinking of some Christians, are difficult to reason away.
How ABC’s ‘The Muppets’ killed Jim Henson’s vision of making the world a kinder place (COMMENTARY)
By Brandon Ambrosino — October 1, 2015
(RNS) Jim Henson saw himself as a myth-maker who understood the power of stories. The only stories the new Muppets seem to care about are the ones they tell to get what they want.
Why I hate to go to church (COMMENTARY)
By Eliel Cruz — July 17, 2015
(RNS) Sermons are preached as if LGBT people don’t exist, as if we’re just theoretical ideas, as if we weren’t sitting in the pews.
Florida Supreme Court to decide if ‘intercourse’ includes gay sex
By Reuters — February 4, 2015
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Reuters) The Florida Supreme Court will hear arguments on the definition of sexual intercourse in a test of a law requiring HIV-positive people to tell partners of their status.
5 reasons why we want to believe Jesus was married
By David Gibson — November 19, 2014
(RNS) A new claim that Jesus and Mary Magdalene were married (and had kids!) has been widely dismissed by experts. But that won't be the last we'll hear of this theory. Here's why.
After evangelical virgin guys marry, then what?
By Adelle M. Banks — August 20, 2014
(RNS) A University of Washington researcher has found that young evangelical Christian men who took a virginity pledge and had male friends who held them accountable before marriage are suddenly adrift and unable to talk to trusted friends -- and sometimes even their new wives -- about sex.
Gallup: Gay sex, divorce, extramarital sex reach new highs of ‘moral acceptability’
By Kevin Eckstrom — May 30, 2014
WASHINGTON (RNS) The Gallup Poll's annual "moral acceptability" scale has been conducted since 2001 and charts shifting cultural attitudes on a number of hot-button social issues.
‘Kosher Lust’: Rabbi Shmuley Boteach says it’s more important than love
By Lauren Markoe — May 14, 2014
(RNS) Rabbi Shmuley Boteach wants you to forget what your mother, your shrink and your pastor told you. Love is not the answer. It's lust.
New study by sociologist Mark Regnerus suggests religion can predict sexual behavior
By Sarah Pulliam Bailey — April 22, 2014
NASHVILLE (RNS) A new study by Mark Regenerus finds that nearly 50 percent of younger evangelicals had premarital sex, compared to 10 percent of Mormons. Mormons are the least likely religious group to be in a sexually inactive marriage, the research suggests.
COMMENTARY: Allergic to sex? On book pulping and pursed lips
By Peggy Payne — February 17, 2014
(RNS) While the offended Hindu group has many objections to Wendy Doniger’s book, one of the main ones, according to Time magazine, is “the juxtaposition of sex and Hinduism.”
‘Salaam, Love’ counters stereotypes of Muslim men
By Omar Sacirbey — January 31, 2014
(RNS) “Salaam, Love” seeks to counter stereotypes of Muslim men by offering stories of men who bare their emotions, admit mistakes, bask in memories of true love, recall heartbreaks, and reflect on caring for a dying wife.
From ‘Full House’ to ‘Modern Family’: Ten shows that forced us to reimagine the American family
By Jonathan Merritt — September 10, 2013
Ten shows from the 1960s until today that radically reshaped America's definition of family.
Poll: Bad sex a bigger problem for couples than religious differences
By Lauren Markoe — February 13, 2013
(RNS) According to a new poll, unchurched Americans expect to be spending Valentine's Day between the sheets. White mainline Protestants? Not so much.
The 10 best things I was ever told about ‘Christian sex’
By Melissa Otterbein — January 28, 2013
I've heard the most appalling -- and the most beautiful -- messages about sex in the church. Too often, the church is silent and bashful about sex, and when the church has spoken out about sex, many messages I heard have either been shaming or repressive. Here's the 10 best thing I've ever heard about "Christian sex."
‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ moves evangelicals beyond black and white sexuality
By Adelle M. Banks — November 29, 2012
(RNS) Evangelical women may not want their peers to read the steamy novel "Fifty Shades of Grey." But they do want them to talk about the best-seller -- and the detrimental effects they believe it could have on their marriages. By Adelle M. Banks.
