this, nor any Pope for that matter). Concubines, harems, slaves, the Upstairs
Maid, the list goes on and on of the relationships that the rich were able to
legally enjoy, while the middle class and the poor had to make do with
prostitutes and the risk of legal prosecution. Just remember who had to wear
the red “A” in the scarlet letter.
But for atheists, as long as it’s legal, just enjoy. The “red light district” of
Amsterdam and the brothels of Nevada are not forbidden fruit. Two (or
more) consenting adults, one getting the personal service they want and the
other getting cash is just fine. Hire that gentleman for the evening, take that
girl out for a night on the town (or on the bed), and feel good about helping
the local economy. Sex without strings… just a bill at the end. What is there
not to enjoy? (Don’t forget the condom though…)
Here, I must acknowledge that I doubt that much prostitution would exist if
we lived in a fairer economic environment, but since that particular rant of
mine is outside the scope of an atheist blog, I will just mention it in passing.
But people who engage in prostitution should be legally protected, as they
are still one of societies’ most abused victims. Only legalization will change
this.
4. Virginity Is No Big Deal
A lot of religions are concerned about virginity, or at least a woman's
virginity. Probably the most famous requirement is from the Hebrews who
said in their Scriptures (Deuteronomy 22:13-12) that a husband might later
claim that his wife was not a virgin on their wedding night, and if the wife’s
father can’t prove that she was, then she will be stoned to death. (You won’t
find this quote on many Jewish web sites, however, and even Wikipedia’s
entry on “virginity” reflects current political correctness. You always have to
wonder who is doing the Wikipedia entries, especially for religious issues, as
believers have a vested interest in how their religion is portrayed.)
One of Rome’s oldest and most sacred religious tenets was that of the Vestal
Virgins, who were deemed to be essential to Rome’s continuance and as an
institution were considered to have been established during the time of
Rome’s semi-mythical early years. They were considered to be imbued with
magical powers. They served for 30 years and breaking the vow of chastity
would lead to death by being buried alive.
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