Question by Oolon_Collupid: Ancient Importance of phallic worship?
It seems curious that in many world religions from the past several thousand years, phallic symbols and and sexual rites have often played an important role.
The Egyptians used ritual masturbation. The Greek and Roman religions had orgiastic rites, especially in the worship of Dionysus, Julius Caeser once rode home to Rome in a chariot with a front carved into the shape of a huge phallus to represent his, and the Empire’s virility. In the pagan religions of the north, The maypole dance was once a direct phallic icon to represent spring fertility. Sexual activity also took on other sacred significance.
You also find many similar traits practised by the Incas, Hindus and in Japan they even have Shinto children decorating home made penis statuettes.
Male virility and Female fertility have been an overwhelming component of so much traditional culture, so it only makes it more peculiar that the Monotheistic faiths of Judaism, Christianity and Islam have completely bucked this trend.
Plenty has got in by the back door of course. Christmas and Easter both contain several buried sexual references carried over from older pagan practice (the Holly and the Ivy for instance representing male and female union). Plus historians point to the growth in the Catholic Mother Mary cult being a response to the traditional need for a much older mother earth worship.
But why is it that phallic imagery and overt reference to fertility and sex have gone? Is Monotheism prudish, or repressive of sexual instinct? Is it just that propagation is a low priority in scriptural teaching?
So I’d be interested to hear from people of all faiths, what role does sex play within your religion in the modern world? Is it something not to be discussed, or is this fundamental human activity embraced?
Elaboration would be interesting because to be honest I haven’t a clue what present day Pagans do, only their ancient forebears. What I’m noticing though is a steering clear by Chistians so far. Had a feeling this might Freak the Fundies!
Thanks for the input Misty. Your input is interesting because I’ve been getting this lingering Victorian attitude from Christians towards sexual discussion which I thought may have loosened since. Middle Ages writers on sex show Catholics to have been anything but coy!
Best answer:
Answer by Gypsy
I’m a pagan. Is that answer enough or should I elaborate?
Yes, sexuality is actively embraced by most pagans.
What do you think? Answer below!
I’m Catholic. The reason we don’t see phallic imagery and overt reference to fertility in our faith is because it is the Church instituted by Christ, not born of pagan ritual.
Within our religion sex is a loving, unitive, and procreative act between a husband and wife. It is not a taboo subject but considered to be an act of total love and self-giving. It is meant to be open to life as the heart of the marriage is family.
I’m a kemetic tradition pagan- which means I follow in the Egyptian pantehon.
I love my sex. I use it for magick and for fun. I’m open about it, and I don’t see why so many people aren’t. It’s silly to turn sex- something that is completely natural and normal- and throw it into the closet.
Back then, it was important because people needed fertility to survive. The earth needed to bear fruit, and women needed to bear children- otherwise, we all die. I think in this time of lesser infant mortality rates, and food readily available, we forget this. Not to mention most modern monotheistic religions try to hide something so basic and necessary.
I say long live the phallic symbol. May it come back into more mainstream some day.
We still use the phallic symbol a lot today. Just ask anyone in marketing, advertising and product design about roll-on underarm deodorant bottles…