. What happens if someone is found out about having sex before marriage
- Nowadays, sex is everywhere.
- It appears in books, movies, songs, TV shows, and now even in historical articles.
- Although some countries still impose strict regulations on sex, the fact is that most Western countries have relaxed their attitude towards sex.
Nowadays, sex is everywhere. It appears in books, movies, songs, TV shows, and now even in historical articles. Although some countries still impose strict regulations on sex, the fact is that most Western countries have relaxed their attitudes toward sex.
Today, sex is something to enjoy, not something to be ashamed of. But that's not always the case. In the Middle Ages, sex was accompanied by so many rules and regulations that it was a miracle that we did not disappear.
Married people only
In the Middle Ages, the only person allowed to have sex was the one who exchanged marriage vows. Sexual behavior before these vows, especially in the early Middle Ages, was considered a serious sin. In fact, anyone found having sex before marriage can be beheaded.
Although this seems simple, it is not the case. There are two sets of vows, which caused some confusion. There is an engagement vow, the couple promised to get married one day, and there is a wedding vow, said at the wedding. These vows are equally important once the couple swears that they can have sex without consequence (except Mother Nature’s intentions).
Engagement vows can be broken, but marriage vows cannot, because the medieval church was not the main supporter of divorce. However, engagement vows are not an escape door. People can’t just get married, have sex, and then cancel the wedding. If a couple has sex after being sworn engagement, they will automatically get married in the eyes of the church. However, not everyone is aware of this, so the church court spends a lot of time dealing with couples who don’t realize they are already married.
The only way out to get rid of an unfortunate marriage is sexual incompetence. Since marriage is for giving birth, if the other party cannot give birth, it is the reason for divorce. Some people try to use this as another vulnerability. They claim they can do nothing to their old wives, but they can magically become incompetent again to their new wives.
Catholics quickly became suspicious of these plans and introduced new rules. To confirm the claim of impotence, the couple must be married for at least three years and need witnesses.
Spiritual marriage and holy virginity: the medieval practice of sexless marriage
Sex should have a purpose: childbirth. This means that people only need to have sex when they actively try to have children. It is a serious sin to have sex just for pleasure.
Another serious sin is trying to do anything too risky in the bedroom. Sex is seen as what a man does to a woman. The only gender allowed is that men play active roles while women remain passive. This means that only one sexual position is allowed—the so-called missionary position.
Alternative sexual positions, such as those of females on top, are considered unnatural. Other positions are believed to undermine the natural dominance of men. Strangely, some of the most liberal theologians spend time classifying wrong sexual positions based on their natural degree of sexual positions.
Break the rules of medieval sex
The law does not have sexual behavior that is not bound by Catholicism, and the punishment is often severe. People love to have sex. What’s even more terrible is that the more prohibited things are, the more attractive they are.
Evidence shows that despite all the threats, most people simply ignore the rules because they know that once they work behind closed doors, they can hardly prove anything. Many people in the Middle Ages, especially those in the upper class, had two companions.Usually they have a husband or wife who just got married and had children, and another extramarital affair partner who works with them all the fun and thought to be guilty.
However, today, luckily, most Westerners are free to choose whether to follow them. This is a matter of belief, not a matter of law. Today, our personal life is our property, and what we do in our personal life is our career. However, it is important to remember that while some of these rules seem shocking or interesting today, there are some parts of the world that still apply these types of rules. Checking these rules reminds us not to take the freedom we enjoy today for granted.
Luohua News Agency
