Disclaimer: The subject of this post is human sexuality in the context of Christian belief. It is intended for mature audiences. If you are under the age of 18 you should have your parents read it and judge if it is appropriate for you to read. Parents, lighten up about this with your teens because quite frankly I am trying to undo a lot of Christian mistakes in informing and educating people about sex. You have been warned and encouraged, enter at your own risk. Also, I am by no means a sexual expert, just a guy who has been married to the same woman for 25 plus years and a pastor who has for what ever reason been exposed to a lot of sexual issues during his ministry. If you don’t find your answer here, keep searching there is probably someone out there that has it.
Today I am asking a simple question: Does sexual activity have a healing properties? This is not a simple question to ask from a Biblical point of view because if I were to give an educated opinion there is not much said about the subject for the Bible. Sexual activity between spouses is encouraged and is talked about in terms of love, intimacy and even emotional and mental satisfaction. But then it is in these last two items that perhaps healing might be possible for one’s mind and heart. Peace and emotional rest are indeed the atmosphere needed for healing so if sex provides those things them perhaps there is something to be said for sexual healing.
Medical science is all over the place on this issue. One thing that seems to be confirmed over and over is that sexual activity provides some form of pain relief. There are indeed documented cases of people who are allergic to most pain killers but find some relief from pain in sexual arousal. It is not a permanent escape from pain though and freedom from pain does not mean someone is receiving healing on the backside of it. It also speaks very much against the headache excuse for not having sex because often sex relieves tension pain.
But it does not stop there. Medical research has concluded in various studies that it can reduce heart disease, increase immunity but mostly the results are about mental and emotional health that an intimate sexual life can bring. The one thing that has been concluded by medical science is that repressed sexual desire is not good for health particularly in the area of mental health. Abstinence does have a downside.
Eastern religions of course sing the praises of sexuality for health and healing from all manner of disease and ailments. The talk of how the energy from sexuality brings healing from an eastern point of view are legion. The spiritual aspects of sexuality are more difficult to scientifically engage. To be sure most Christians run from such ideas because of the eastern roots but I have always submitted to people who no religion can dwell in a complete realm of falsehood. Something in all the mess of eastern thought on sexuality might very well have some truth to it. However, I am not knowledgeable enough to say what it would be specifically.
For myself I can only say that in my experience I am much more energized have the right frame of mind and at peace more when my sex life is solid than when it is sporadic and lacking in tenderness. I would even say I have had moments when I have not felt well but after a sexual encounter with my wife felt much better. I cannot deny that sex simple makes us feel well and often better than we felt before we had it. Sometimes it is not so much the sex but the laying naked in each others arms that has an even better effect on emotional and mental well-being. There is something to be said for the intimacy of nudity with one’s spouse that make one feel much calmer and with a better view of the world.
In the end, I would imagine there is some general truth to the idea of sexual healing. The specifics of how this works however I would imagine are as individual as the couple themselves. I however wonder more what you think?
IMHO