Sex, sacred?

It is very obvious that sex is a key function for any species. Sex for reproduction... as ultimate function, but since reproduction and survival is linked to number of occasions that sex happen, let's say that sex is the motor.

Looking at the Nature, with capital letter, we see different approaches to sex. Anything... from 1st mate being your mate for the rest of your life... to sex with as many mates as possible, as often as possible. In mammals, supposedly the superior dominant branch on Earth (let aside the microscopic world) it's just about the same. At some point, we think, the man, with his aggressive and supposedly intelligent mind, decided that some order and regulation was needed... very likely to ensure that one individual heritage was passed on to his children... and not anybody's that could have had sex with his mate. So marriage, in different version, was born. Marriage is definitely a social convention. It is public, it intends to show to the other members of the clan the union between the 2 individuals as to prevent other individuals from trying to mate them and it also provides a public view of who is inheriting whatever is to be inherited. Surnames probably have a similar function. And this is pretty common in all human settlements.

At some point, religion came to work and ... in many cases, declared that the sex was a sacred thing. Such a natural thing... was elevated and considered something to be protected, to be regulated and to be saved. Yes... more than sex, it was all what it involved that was protected, and above it all, the reproductive consequence of sex. But still... sex was not allowed in the streets, it had to be practiced (preferably) in the intimacy of the bedroom, it was also surrounded (in the civilised world) with a whole set of elements that made it special (special seductive clothes, special flowers and decoration, special fragrances, special gifts, special occassions... everything special). So... what was so special about sex? I don't know, but it is clear that the amount of effort put into making sex a very special, very high, very difficult, almost misterious... is significant. It definitely makes it more "valuable" (maybe more desirable, too)... and people is also willing to do more things (for it). Ok... maybe it's not only sex that they look for, maybe there is also love... but that sex is an important driver, I think is clear.

Today there is this trend to banalize sex. Practice it, the sooner, the better. The more promiscuous, the more knowledgeable. The more you practice... the happier you will be. Oh... well... this is maybe at the other end of the balance... but between the sex-for-reproduction-only and the sex-with-all-at-all times there is a wide field to play... and I think most of people are still, happily, in the area where sex is a desirable part of love, which is the ideal... but since this one is a bit elusive, sex can provide some fun while we seek our perfect match. But this fun is not forever... and we should not miss the main target when seeking. Some people take some more time to find out...

My point today was that the sacralization of sex had a purpose that we should not miss when we downgrade it to a more common need.