system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: how religion developed such a loathing of sexuality.
gpt
Before the invention of modern contraceptives and antibiotics, having sex had much more serious consequences. There was no protection against sexually transmitted diseases and random sex would often lead to unwanted children - we all know how well the pull-out method works. So people attempted to limit sexual behavior to ensure a more stable society.

You also have to look at it from a historical perspective. When those religions were created there was much less personal freedom for the individual. Societies were also very *patriarchal*, so some of these sexual limitations tried to enforce that.

But having sex is a very powerful instinct, something that all people want *a lot*. If you are to control something that strong, you've got to scare people off, or to convince them that somehow it's not worth it.