What is the Pagan view of Sex?

Generally speaking we’re in favor. As we are of all natural and pleasurable activities, such as feasting (which we do after every ritual and sometimes instead), drinking (though we have our share of 12-steppers) and generally having a good time.

But What About Sex in Ritual?

In specifically Wiccan ceremonies the priestess and priest bless what is in effect communion wine in a way that is symbolically sexual. (The priest puts his ritual knife into a cup the priestess holds.) This is to celebrate the “marriage” of Mother Earth and Father Sun to create life, and we associate this with the way we humans create the new lives among us.

In a few closed, traditional groups, people may (after belonging for several years) use sexual intercourse as part of a third degree ritual — but this is done in private, and then is more often done symbolically ("in token") than actually. This practice gives us a lot more notoriety than we deserve.

But Don't You Have Equal Numbers of Men and Women? What For?

Wiccans put much emphasis on balance, and theoretically our groups consist of equal numbers of men and women (though circumstances don’t usually cooperate), and the ritual leaders are, whenever possible, a man and a woman. To balance things in the divine realm, Wiccans emphasize the Goddess, partly to redress the imbalance of the Christian era, and partly because we follow an earth religion focussed on Mother Nature. Gender equality is taken for granted — even, in the case of most Wiccan groups, weighted slightly in favor of the feminine.

Does This Mean Wiccans are Exclusively Straight?

Although the Wiccan ceremony features a heterosexual model, this has to do with the Facts of Life and is not necessarily a model for sexual practices. (See the paper on Wicca and Homosexuality.) Besides, the polytheistic Pagan scene is varied in the particulars of religion, lifestyles and other matters, and this certainly extends to gays and lesbians, bi-sexuals, trans-gendered people and those who enjoy consensual alternative practices. (Our inclusivity, incidentally, emphatically includes race, ethnicity, former — and sometimes concurrent — religious affiliation, etc.) We feel there isn’t any One Right Way for much of anything. (There are some Wrong Ways, of course, and we adhere to social norms in the matter of sexual age-of-consent.)

That Takes Care of Sex — What About Drugs?

Some Pagans use drugs recreationally as in the general population, and probably a few groups and individuals use hallucinogens for ritual purposes, but they would be relatively rare. Many groups forbid the use of drugs at rituals.

And Rock and Roll?

We tend to prefer simple chants for our purposes, but appreciate good drummers.

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