Strict religions such as Mormons ranked highest on the scale of sexual guilt. Their average score was 8.19 out of 10. They were followed closely behind by Jehovah's Witness, Pentecostal, Seventh Day Adventist, and Baptist.
Great article. The last four paragraphs rock. The first point is of no surprise to any who have moved on from a restrictive religion:
The finding dispelled conventional wisdom that feelings of guilt can continue to trouble people after the religion has faded.
'We did think that religion would have residual effects in people after they left but our data did not show this. That was a very pleasant surprise. The vast majority seem to shake it off and get on with their sexual lives pretty well,' Darrel told alternet.org.
And then onto the religion/guilt/religion reinforcement loop:
He added: 'Our data shows that people feel very guilty about their sexual behaviour when they are religious, but that does not stop them: it just makes them feel bad.
'Of course, they have to return to their religion to get forgiveness. It's like the church gives you the disease, then offers you a fake cure.'
Religeous people also may suffer from the false sense of being watched while they are otherwise engaged in intimacy.
I know of old school Mormons that even wore their garments during intimacy as well as slept in seperate beds (like we saw in the 60's with the Dick Van Dyke Show) - perhaps attempting to "avoid the very appearance of evil" - at least from the Mormon God's heavenly voyeristic vantage point.
Notice where children in religious families tend to get their sex education.
Oh for shame, how the mortals put the blame on us gods, for they say evils come from us, but it is they, rather, who by their own recklessness win sorrow beyond what is given... Zeus (1178 BC)
I believe there was another study done a few years ago, by some university in the states - and mentioned on this board -, that delineated between the sex lives of married religious people and non religious married people.
If I recall correctly, Mormons were high on the list as were southern baptists of sexual satisfaction.
I'm not sure what value there is in pointing out that when religious people fail, they feel guilty. What is the point? You needed a study to determine that?
