Sexy Gnostics

[Paul Mackin]

> 
> >The Christian Gnostics  (manicheans to the core) believed matter was 
> >evil and therefore sex was to be avoided, getting Christianity off to an
> >anti-sex start. :-)
> 
> Now I should quit while I'm ahead here--especially because on such issues
> I head even further into what is for me _terra incognita_ --but I seem to
> recall that at least one of the Gnostic sects--the Cathars--were a pretty
> fun-loving group.  Although they believed that matter was evil, they
> were, I think, quite fond of sex, abjured monogamy and marriage, and
> pioneered in the field of birth control (was it the old
> orange-peel-as-diaphragm technology or something else?).  I recall from
> some earlier list exchanges that we have some folks here with a good deal
> more facility with Gnosticism than I have . . . does this ring any bells?


I was being a little flippant. The gnostic label was attached to several
dualist thinking groups. They didn't  call themselves that I don't
suppose. I was thinking of the Greco-Roman World rather than the midieval
but thought the Cathars were pretty anti-sex too but will look it up in
the on-line Britannica.

		P.