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Fornication, sometimes referred to as premarital sex, is a term which refers to any sexual activity between consenting unmarried partners. Sex between unmarried persons is distinguished from adultery by use of the term 'simple fornication'; whereas relations in which at least one of the parties is married is considered 'adultery'. Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... It has been suggested that premarital sex be merged into this article or section. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wiktionary is a multilingual, Web-based project to create a free content dictionary, available in over 150 languages. ... This article is about sex acts and practices (i. ... Adultery is generally defined as consensual sexual intercourse by a married person with someone other than his or her lawful spouse. ...

The origin of the word derives from Latin. The word fornix means "an archway" or "vault" (in Rome, prostitutes could be solicited there). More directly, fornicatio means "of the archway"; thus a euphemism for prostitution. Not to be confused with Entomology, the study of insects. ... This article or section may contain original research or unverified claims. ... Prostitution is the sale of sexual services (typically manual stimulation, oral sex, sexual intercourse, or anal sex) for cash or other kind of return, generally indiscriminately with many persons. ... A euphemism is an expression intended by the speaker to be less offensive, disturbing, or troubling to the listener than the word or phrase it replaces, or in the case of doublespeak to make it less troublesome for the speaker. ...

Fornication is dealt with differently in various religions, societies and cultures.

Religions

For a broad overview, see Religion and sexuality. This article is primarily about religious attitudes to sexual morality. ...

Abrahamic Faiths

Judaism

Orthodox Judaism restricts sexual activity to a legally permissible marriage between a Jewish man and a Jewish woman. A man and woman are even prohibited from being in a closed room alone together if they are not married (a law called yichud), nor are they allowed to have physical contact (a law referred to as negiah). Yichud (Hebrew:ייחוד) in halacha (Jewish religious laws) refer to forbidden seclusion between a man and a woman, that are not married to each other, in a closed room or a private area. ... Negiah (נגיעה meaning contact or connection or touch in Hebrew) is a notion in Jewish law (Halakha) that restricts (or forbids) physical contact with, or touching of, a member of the opposite sex (particularly in an erotic manner), except for ones spouse, and immediate family such as children younger than...

Sexual relations between a man and a woman who are not married are considered less serious (they are referred to as zenut) than the Biblically prohibited unions such as adultery (a married woman having relations with another man) and incest; the latter are referred to as ervah (literally "nakedness"), have more severe penalties and there are serious restrictions on children of these prohibited unions (mamzerim). Mamzer (Hebrew: ממזר) in Halakha (Jewish religious law) is a product of certain illegitimate relationships between two Jews. ...

Sexual relations is one of the ways the Talmud (Kiddushin 1) specifies for effecting a marriage, though this method is frowned upon by the Rabbis. Children of a Jewish woman are considered Jewish regardless of whether she was married. The first page of the Vilna Edition of the Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Berachot, folio 2a The Talmud (Hebrew: תלמוד) is a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, customs and history. ... Nashim (Women or Wives) is the third order of the Mishnah (also of the Tosefta and Talmud), containing the laws related to women and family life. ...

Conservative, reformed, reconstructist, liberal and alternative followers of Judaism do not have such stringent views on the subject.

Christianity

Sex outside of marriage is considered to be a sin by many Christian denominations. Reactions to it are mixed, ranging from ostracism to acceptance of those who participate in it.

The accepted form marriage (civil marriage), has not always existed as it does today. Historically, Christian churches were not involved in marriage prior to the middle ages and weddings were considered family and community affairs. "The role of the clergy at a medieval wedding was simply to bless the couple. It was not official church policy until the council of Trent in the 15th century that a third party (i.e., a priest), as opposed to the couple themselves, was responsible for performing the wedding."^[1] Marriage is a relationship that plays a key role in the definition of many people who (usually) are in a sexual relationship. ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... A community usually refers to a group of people who interact and share certain things as a group, but it can refer to various collections of living things sharing an environment, plant or animal. ... The Council of Trent is the Nineteenth Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church. ... Roman Catholic priests in clerical clothing. ...

Some translations of the New Testament forbid fornication: "Fornicators, idolaters, adulterers,... will not inherit the kingdom of God". The original Koine Greek word translated as fornication is porneia. The Greek term is used by some churches to include any form of sexual misconduct and there is some debate as to the precise meaning of the word, which in Classical Greek refers specifically to prostitution and is etymologically the same root as in the English "pornography"; in a religious sense it is generally accepted to refer to any form of sexual immorality. John 21:1 Jesus Appears to His Disciples--Alessandro Mantovani: the Vatican, Rome. ... Koine redirects here. ... Whore redirects here. ...

Roman Catholic

The Catechism of the Catholic Church [3] lists fornication as one of the "Offenses Against Chastity" and calls it "an intrinsically and gravely disordered action" because "use of the sexual faculty, for whatever reason, outside of marriage is essentially contrary to its purpose."^[2] The Catechism of the Catholic Church, or CCC, is an official exposition of the teachings of the Catholic Church, first published in French in 1992 by the authority of Pope John Paul II.[1] Subsequently, in 1997, a Latin text was issued which is now the official text of reference... Allegory of chastity by Hans Memling. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Islam

Main article: Zina (sex)

In the Qur'an, sex before marriage is strictly prohibited. Islam stresses that sexual relations should be restricted to the institution of marriage in order for the creation of the family; and secondly as a means to protect the family, certain relations should be considered prohibited for marriage. Fornication and adultery are both included in the Arabic word 'Zina'. Belonging primarily to the same category of crimes, entailing the same social implications and having the same effects on the spiritual personality of a human being, both, in principle, have been given the same status by the Qur'an. Zina (زنا) is an Arabic term for extramarital or premarital sex. ... The Qurān [1] (Arabic: ‎ , literally the recitation; also called The Noble Quran; also transliterated as Quran, Koran, and Al-Quran), is the central religious text of Islam. ...

Dharmic Faiths

Hinduism

Hinduism has historically not approved of fornication. Due to the recent impact of the western culture, however, many Hindus do not follow tradition, especially among young people, and in the larger cities. {{Hinduism small} Hinduism (Sanskrit/Devanagari: , , also known as , ) is a religion that originated on the Indian subcontinent. ...

Alternative Hindu schools of thought such as the Tantric branches of Hinduism, the Hindu practices native to India that predates centuries of conservative Islamic and Victorian English influences, is markedly less reserved, teaching that enlightenment can be approached through divine sex.^{[citation needed]} Divine sex is one path whereby one can approach Moksha (Nirvana), a oneness with a higher spiritual level. As such, the Tantric practices, through writings such as the Kama Sutra seek not to repress sexuality, but to perfect it. By perfecting the act of divine sex, including masturbation, as seen depicted at the 10th century Hindu temple of Khajuraho, one clears the mind of earthly desires, leaving the soul on a higher level devoid of such worries, filled with bliss, and relaxed.^{[citation needed]} Tantric can refer to: Tantric yoga, also known as tantra The Louisville, KY hard rock band Tantric This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... {{Hinduism small} Hinduism (Sanskrit/Devanagari: , , also known as , ) is a religion that originated on the Indian subcontinent. ... Moksha - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Modern translated version of the original Sanskrit. ... Sculpture from a temple at Khajuraho Hermit monk performing auparashtika on a princely visitor. ...

Buddhism

In the Buddhist tradition, under the Five Precepts and the Eightfold Path, one should neither be attached to nor crave sensual pleasure. The third of the Five Precepts is "To refrain from sexual misconduct". For most Buddhist laypeople, sex outside of marriage is not "sexual misconduct", especially when compared to, say, adultery or any sexual activity which can bring suffering to another human being. Each may need to consider whether, for them, sexual contact is a distraction or means of avoidance of their own spiritual practice or development. To provide a complete focus onto spiritual practice, fully ordained Buddhist monks may, depending on the tradition, be bound by hundreds of further detailed rules or vows that may include a ban on sexual relations. Vajrayana or Tantric Buddhism, on the other hand, teaches that sexual intercourse can be actively used to approach higher spiritual development. A mandala used in Vajrayana Buddhist practices. ...

Neopaganism

Reconstructive

Polytheistic reconstructionist pagans place emphasis on reconstructing historically accurate forms of paganism. Due to this, beliefs vary considerably depending on the form of polytheism being reconstructed. Polytheistic Reconstructionism, often simply called Reconstructionism, is the practice of re-establishing and practicing ancient religions in the modern world. ...

Wicca

The Charge of the Goddess is an instruction of unknown antiquity that is recognized by many Wiccans. One part of it reads: "All acts of pleasure are my rituals." As such, the Wiccans consider pleasurable sexual activity not only normal, and healthy, but also sacred, as well as charged magically. Sex magic is considered one of the more potent branches of thelema, with sex being key to the Great Rite, itself. The Council of American Witches issued a statement about their religion during their Spring Witchmeet of 1974, held in Minneapolis, MN. It says, in part: The Charge of the Goddess is a traditional inspirational text sometimes used in Neopaganism and Wicca. ... The pentagram within a circle, a symbol of faith used by many Wiccans, sometimes called a pentacle. ... In wicca, the Great Rite is ritualistic sexual intercourse. ...

"We value sexuality as pleasure, as the symbol and embodiment of Life, and as one of the sources of energies used in magickal practices and religious worship."

Atheism

Since atheism is not strictly a religion but a philosophical position, there is no specific "atheist standpoint" on the matter of fornication; however, many atheists subscribe to a libertarian position on sex, believing in general that people have a right to decide sexual morality on their own terms as long as it is handled responsibly. Likewise, a great many agnostics and deists take the same position. The 18th-century French author Baron dHolbach was one of the first self-described atheists. ... See also Libertarianism and Libertarian Party Libertarian,is a term for person who has made a conscious and principled commitment, evidenced by a statement or Pledge, to forswear violating others rights and usually living in voluntary communities: thus in law no longer subject to government supervision. ... The term agnosticism and the related agnostic were coined by Thomas Henry Huxley in 1869. ... Deism is belief in a God or first cause based on reason, rather than on faith or revelation, and thus a form of theism in opposition to fideism. ...

Secular Humanism

Most secular humanists believe that, in the overwhelming majority of cases, sexual intercourse does no harm in this world. Secular humanism therefore considers most sex acts as morally irrelevant and up to the individual.

Laws

The laws on fornication have historically been tied with religion, however in many countries there have been attempts to secularise constitutions, and laws differ greatly from country to country. Most Western countries and some Muslim countries like Turkey & Azerbaijan have no laws against fornification if both parties are above 18 years of age. For alternative meanings for The West in the United States, see the U.S. West and American West. ...

United States of America

Historically, in the context of the laws of states of the United States, fornication is generally defined as (vaginal) sexual intercourse between two unmarried persons of opposite sex and has been a crime. Most of these laws were either repealed, are not enforced, or were struck down by the courts as unconstitutional. See also State of New Jersey v. Saunders, 381 A.2d 333 (N.J. 1977), Martin v. Ziherl 607 S.E.2d 367 (Va. 2005). // Balancing scales are symbolic of how law mediates peoples interests For other senses of this word, see Law (disambiguation). ... The vagina, (from Latin, literally sheath or scabbard ) is the tubular tract leading from the uterus to the exterior of the body in female placental mammals and marsupials, or to the cloaca in female birds, monotremes, and some reptiles. ... Sexual intercourse, also called coitus, or simply, to have sex is the human form of copulation. ... Case law (precedential law) is the body of judge-made law and legal decisions that interprets prior case law, statutes and other legal authority -- including doctrinal writings by legal scholars such as the Corpus Juris Secundum, Halsburys Laws of England or the doctinal writings found in the Recueil Dalloz... Holding Plaintiffs lawsuit for the intentional transmission of herpes was not barred by the judicial rule against recovering for injuries suffered while engaging in illegal conduct, because Virginias criminal prohibition against sexual intercourse between unmarried individuals violated the Fourteenth Amendment. ... Case law (precedential law) is the body of judge-made law and legal decisions that interprets prior case law, statutes and other legal authority -- including doctrinal writings by legal scholars such as the Corpus Juris Secundum, Halsburys Laws of England or the doctinal writings found in the Recueil Dalloz...

With respect to fornication between same-sex persons, or sodomy, the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Lawrence v. Texas rendered the states' remaining laws unconstitutional. François Elluin, Sodomites provoking the wrath of God, from Le pot pourri de Loth (1781). ... Holding A Texas law prohibiting homosexual sodomy violated the liberty under the Fourteenth Amendment of adults to engage in private intimate conduct. ...

Some states though, continue to enforce laws on fornication and adultery.^[3]

In recent years the rightness or wrongness of premarital sex has become a politically divisive issue in the United States, since the moral prohibition of premarital sex is the cornerstone of abstinence-only sex education, a program advocated by President George W. Bush and many conservative members of Congress. The policy is opposed by groups such as Planned Parenthood and many liberal and progressive members of Congress, and the debate over abstinence-only education has brought the issue of premarital sex to the forefront of the Culture Wars. Sex education is a broad term used to describe education about human sexual anatomy, sexual reproduction, sexual intercourse, and other aspects of human sexual behavior. ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the 43rd and current President of the United States, inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ... Conservatism is a political philosophy that usually favors traditional values and strong foreign defense. ... A congress is a gathering of people, especially a gathering for a political purpose. ... Planned Parenthood is the collective name of organizations worldwide who are members of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF). ... Look up liberal on Wiktionary, the free dictionary Liberal may refer to: Politics: Liberalism American liberalism, a political trend in the USA Political progressivism, a political ideology that is for change, often associated with liberal movements Liberty, the condition of being free from control or restrictions Liberal Party, members of... Progressivism is a term that refers to a broad school of contemporary international social and political philosophies. ... The term culture war has been used to describe ideologically-driven and often strident confrontations typical of American public culture and politics since at least the 1980s. ...

Islamic Countries

Fornication is a crime in many Muslim countries, and is often harshly punished. However, there are some exceptions. In Pakistan, for example, occasionally a charge is filed in order to prevent the accused from leaving the judistriction (for instance it is often used against drug smugglers, against whom it may not be possible to show a prima facie case for trial, but a charge of fornication, which requires a lower threshold, can be filed in the interim as the investigation unfolds.) In certain countries where parts of Islamic law are enforced, such as Iran and Saudi Arabia, fornication of unmarried persons is punishable by lashings. This is in contrast to adultery, whereas if one of the convicted were married, their punishment would be death by stoning. Historically speaking, corporal punishment for sexual crimes are part of law enforcement in the Abrahamic faiths when comprehensively carried out. A Muslim (Arabic: مسلم, Turkish: Müslüman, Persian and Urdu: مسلمان, Bosnian: Musliman) is an adherent of Islam. ... Look up prima facie in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Corporal punishment is the deliberate infliction of pain intended to correct behavior or to punish. ...

See also

• Free love
• Illegitimacy

The term free love has been used since at least the nineteenth century to describe a social movement that rejects marriage, which is seen as a form of social bondage, especially for women. ... // Illegitimacy is a term that was once in common use for the status of being born to parents who were not validly married to one another. ...

External links

• Social Determinants of Attitudes Towards Women's Premarital Sexuality Among Female Turkish University Students
• Sexuality, the Modern World, and the Catholic Church
• Sex, Children, Nature

References