Acceptance Quote by Merlin Stone
“Yet rather than calling the earliest religions, which embraced such an open acceptance of all human sexuality, 'fertility cults,' we might consider the religions of today as strange in that they seem to associate shame and even sin with the very process of conceiving new human life. Perhaps centuries from now scholars and historians will be classifying them as 'sterility cults.”
About This Quote
Source Article: "The Myth of Fertility Cults" in The New York Times, 1975
The author argues that modern religions shame sexuality and reproduction, contrasting them with ancient religions that celebrated these aspects, suggesting future scholars may label contemporary faiths as 'sterility cults.'
In simple terms: Modern religions stigmatize sex and birth compared to ancient openness.
Key Takeaway
Question religious attitudes toward sexuality.
Themes
religion
sexuality
culture
history
Mood
critical
thought‑provoking
Type
analytical
historical
When to use this quote
- marriage counseling
- sex education
- interfaith dialogues
Key Concepts
theology
social critique
anthropology
Questions to Reflect On
- How do societies reconcile ancient and modern views?
- What reforms could reduce sexual shame?
A Different Perspective
Changing deeply held beliefs is challenging.
