Sexual behavior is an extremely critical social issue that requires extensive concern and address in the society. Although, sex is the motivation to procreation and the source for generations, its control is exceptionally essential. The essence of controlling sex practices in the society is to ensure that the society remains responsible in terms of health, social respect as well as maintenance of economically viable population. There are various forms of sex that people engage in and some of them need adverse advice on effects that go along with these practices. There are some sexual practices that are allowed while others are regarded as offenses. One of the main social elements that define whether certain sexual practices are right or wrong is religion. Different religions have different views over certain sexual practices with them allowing some of them while others are considered offenses. At some point, these religions agree on some sexual behaviors while their views also diverge at other points. For example, Christians and Muslims have different views on certain sexual practices. Ancient cultures also had different stands on sexual behaviors in the society. Two of the keenest ancient cultures on sexual practices are Ancient Hebrews and Greeks.
There are some sexual practices or behaviors that were acceptable among Hebrews and Greeks. Sex between married partners was totally acceptable between the two cultures. Marriage was the basis on which the legality of sexual behaviors was anchored. It was defined by two mature people who are of the opposite sex and have fallen in love with each other with the willingness to commit their lifetime as sexual partners. The two cultures believed that sex was condoned only when the woman was not on menstruation. The two cultures believed the woman to be dirty during menstruation and no man was allowed to have sexual contact with such a woman (Berkowitz, 2012).
Ancient Greeks went an extra mile in allowing sexual practices among people of the same gender. The sexual practice was only allowed to exist between a male and another male. Female gender was not allowed to participate in this sexual provision based on other principles that women were required to undertake on sexual practices in the society. However, this was based on a principle that it must be between adolescents and older men. This was not the case among Hebrews. It was viewed as sexual offense and deserved extensive punishment for the two parties involved in the practice (Terry, 2012).
Also, the two cultures accepted polygamy form of marriage. This is where a man is allowed to marry more than one woman. The practice was more prevalent among Greeks while most Hebrews did not favor the practice (Terry, 2012).
Although, sexual topics are extremely sensitive, these cultures found the topic as an exceptionally relevant topic that needed discussion and evaluation from time to time. This means that the two societies encouraged public talks about the sexual behaviors. The main aim for their address on the issue is to prevent individuals from getting into the prohibited acts that would land them into the jaws of law in the two societies (Terry, 2012).
Women remain critical figures in the society, and their behaviors have to be monitored according across all cultures. Sexual behavior being a core element in any society must be one of the elements that must be closely monitored among women. They are the mothers of generations and they deserve to be treated with all due respect as well as their behaviors are closely monitored to ensure they engage on activities that will uphold their dignity (Terry, 2012).
The sexual behavior for women in these two cultures are well governed with fundamental principles put aside to control their sexual behaviors. Women were allowed to marry only one husband, and she could not have sex with any other person. Failure to this, the women would face the law with the most common punishment being divorce (Berkowitz, 2012).
Their sexual behaviors were controlled dictating that they were not supposed to engage in sex with young boys. However, men in the two societies were allowed to engage in sexual activities with young girls. They even married them, but a woman could not have been allowed to marry a man younger than her (Berkowitz, 2012).
However, women were engaged on sexual activities like sexual guidance and counseling. This means that they were allowed to talk of sex among each other as well as educate young girls on certain sexual relationships embedded to women. They would discuss with them issues on reproduction as well as the relationship with men at a young age. Women were not allowed to discuss with a boy child any sexual topic. Both ancient Greeks and Hebrews did not support women’s sexual advice to their husbands. In this case, they were supposed to undertake orders and instructions as given by their husbands (Terry, 2012).
Sexual activities among children remain a major challenge to the society even today. However, in the past certain cultures like Hebrews and Greeks had defined certain provisions on sexual activities among children or among adults and children (Berkowitz, 2012).
The two cultures did not support sex among children. They viewed the act as abuse of adulthood which is the only gateway to sexual activities. The act was believed to interfere with the growth of the children in terms of social behavior and likelihood of them understanding the activities they were engaging themselves into (Berkowitz, 2012).
However, at some points children were involved in sexual activities. One of the instances that would have allowed involvement of children in sex was only if it were girls who were engaged to adult men. This was mainly practiced among Greeks. In the ancient Greek culture, men were allowed to engage in sexual behavior with a female of their choice. Therefore, they could choose even little girls as their spouses, and no ruling would be passed against their choice. Women were no allowed in any of the cultures to engage in sexual behaviors with young boys. However, at some points in the ancient Greek culture men would also have sex with small boys, and it was not termed as forbidden. However, the age was limited to children above the adolescent stage (Terry, 2012).
There were no instances in which sex among children would have been condoned. Both Greeks and Hebrews did not support sex among children in any way. Children were well educated on sexual activities and their effects at an early age. Among Hebrews, boys were educated by elderly men while girls were educated by their mothers. The same was applicable among Greeks but depending on a situation any parent was supposed to advise the child (Berkowitz, 2012).
Sex between partners of the same sex was also a critical issue among Greeks and Hebrews. In this case, the two ancient cultures take variant directions. Most of the culture of Hebrews was based on the Hebrew bible which dictates the values that the community was supposed to uphold. One of the key elements that the bible analyzes are sexual behaviors among human beings. In this case, the bible talks of sex between people of the same sex with a lot of criticism (Terry, 2012). This means that the culture did not support these sexual activities.
However, that was not the case among Greeks. In the ancient Greek culture, sex between people of the same sex was allowed but under conditions. The culture allowed sex between two male partners while it was entirely against sex between women. The culture had a definition that sex between men had sexual sense while sex between women did not have any sense as none of them would satisfy their sexual desires under this kind of sexual practice (Terry, 2012).
Despite the law being a bit lenient to men in the ancient Greek culture, the practice was not prevalent in the society. Members of the society had respect for self-dignity, and they felt that this form of practice was not meant for them and they should not uphold the practice (Terry, 2012).
Rules governing sexual behaviors among Greeks and Hebrews came from different sources. Most of the rules and regulations were based on religious beliefs of the society. This means that the religion of a certain culture dictated the direction that sexual behaviors were supposed to take. For example, among Hebrews there were extremely many priests who undertook the role of spreading the idea of good morals in the society (Berkowitz, 2012).
One of the main ideas that these priests thought of involving in their discussion was based on sexual behaviors. Therefore, they defined some rules on how sex should be undertaken in the society without being disrespectful to the law, as well as defiling norms of the culture. To make the rules understandable and within reach of every individual, they put the information in the most fundamental literature among Hebrews which is the bible. They outlined the kind of behaviors that they would condone as well as the once that were not allowed and their consequences. Since then, it has been the role of the elderly men and women in the society to ensure these rules are followed, and there is no instance in which one would go unpunished if he or she went against these provisions. Elderly people in the society were called to decide on a case in case it was discovered among some members of the community (Berkowitz, 2012).
Among Greeks, the rules were established by leaders who reigned during those early days. They had a clear understanding of the social evils that would go along with the society allowing the existence of irresponsible sexual behaviors in the society. These leaders were men, and it may the justification to the sexual favors that men get against women. They were the main enforcers of the rules as they punished individuals who were engaged in sexual behaviors that were against the norms of the community. Members of the society were also entrusted enforcement as they were also allowed to resolve an issue if it elapsed (Terry, 2012).
Involvement in the unacceptable form of sexual behavior called for several punishments based on provisions as per the law in each of the two cultures. Among Hebrews, one of the critical punishments was divorce. This occurred if any member of a couple engaged into sexual behavior that was primarily against the provisions of the Hebrew culture. According to their bible some of the sexual behaviors were linked to satanic influence and the bible dictated that every satanic feature must be abolished. Therefore, engagement in activities like homosexuality would have led to death of the victim. Also, the ancient Greek believed that satanic powers deserve abolishment. Therefore, any member of the community who would have engaged in this form of activity deserves to die (Berkowitz, 2012).
For sexual activities like rape severe actions were taken against individuals who engaged in the activity. In most cases, men are the rapists. Both Hebrews and Greeks believed that the man was supposed to be denied any other chance for sexual desire that would drive him to raping another man or a woman. Therefore, the two cultures supported castration of these individuals (Berkowitz, 2012).
As an extremely significant social issue in the society, sex among human beings need be controlled. Different groups and cultures define sexual behaviors differently. The prevalence of any of the behaviors in the society means that the society has a problem. As a result of this, different societies have defined different sexual behaviors which affect different individuals in the society at variant angles. There are behaviors that are allowed among men, children and women in the society as well as a long list of others that are prohibited among these members of the society. Once a rule is enacted it must be followed accordingly failure to which punishments will be imposed. Different cultures have different people formulating and enforcing rules as it is the case among Hebrews and Greeks. Punishments differ depending on the provision that has been violated.
References
Berkowitz, E. (2012). Sex and punishment: four thousand years of judging desire. Berkeley, CA: Counterpoint Press.
Terry, K. (2012). Sexual offenses and offenders: theory, practice, and policy, 2nd ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth
