Is beastiality immoral?

[Brian Schuh]

Yes.

1) It can hurt the animal
2) You cannot gain consent
3) Disease

First off, unless you are a vegetarian, your argument about an animal's consent holds no water. We as humans do all kinds of things, including slaughter to animals without their consent. An animal psychologist can tell if the animal enjoys or doesn't enjoy the sex. As in Ohio, animal cruelty carries 90 days in jail whereas bestiality carries no time. It is obvious when an animal feels violated, and it doesn't take an animal psychologist or a rocket scientist.

Now about disease, you might have a good point. As it is believed that syphlus came from having sex with sheep.

 

[dgirl1986]

First off, unless you are a vegetarian, your argument about an animal's consent holds no water. We as humans do all kinds of things, including slaughter to animals without their consent. An animal psychologist can tell if the animal enjoys or doesn't enjoy the sex. As in Ohio, animal cruelty carries 90 days in jail whereas bestiality carries no time. It is obvious when an animal feels violated, and it doesn't take an animal psychologist or a rocket scientist.

Now about disease, you might have a good point. As it is believed that syphlus came from having sex with sheep.

I am actually becoming a vegetarian and switching to cruelty free products. Either way, my point of consent stills stands. You cannot ask an animal if they want to have sex. That is where the issue of consent comes in.

 

[Yohanan ben Yaaqov]

I suppose that morality and immorality are in the eyes of the beholder. However, considering that this thread is in the “Religious Debates” category, and has been around for nearly five years with 182 posts, I am surprised that no one has yet mentioned Vayyiq’ra/Leviticus 18:23 and 20:15, 16.


Vayyiq’ra 18:23 states:

וּבְכָל־בְּהֵמָה לֹא־תִתֵּן שְׁכָבְתְךָ לְטָמְאָה־בָהּ וְאִשָּׁה לֹא־תַעֲמֹד לִפְנֵי בְּהֵמָה לְרִבְעָהּ תֶּבֶל הוּא׃
Uv’ḵal-b’hémah loʾ-tittén sh’ḵav’t’ḵa l’tam’ah-vah v’ishah loʾ-taʿămod lif’néy b’hémah l’riv’ah tevel huʾ:​

“And you will not put your emission of semen in any animal to defile yourself by it, and a woman will not stand before an animal for copulation, it is a perversion.”


Vayyiq’ra 20:15 states:

וְאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יִתֵּן שְׁכָבְתּוֹ בִּבְהֵמָה מוֹת יוּמָת וְאֶת־הַבְּהֵמָה תַּהֲרֹגוּ׃
V’iysh ʾăsher yittén sh’ḵav’to biv’hémah mot yumat v’et-hab’hémah tahărogu:​

“And a man who puts his emission of semen in an animal will certainly die, and the animal will be slain.”


Vayyiq’ra 20:16 states:

וְאִשָּׁה אֲשֶׁר תִּקְרַב אֶל־כָּל־בְּהֵמָה לְרִבְעָה אֹתָהּ וְהָרַגְתָּ אֶת־הָאִשָּׁה וְאֶת־הַבְּהֵמָה מוֹת יוּמָתוּ דְּמֵיהֶם בָּם׃
V’ishah ʾăsher tiq’rav ʾel-kal-b’hémah l’riv’ah ʾotah v’harag’ta ʾet-ʾishah v’et-b’hémah mot yumatu d’méyhem bam:​

“And if a woman comes close to any animal for it to copulate with her, you will slay them, the woman and the animal; they shall certainly die, their blood is upon them.”


So regardless of whether or not anyone considers it moral or immoral, God forbids it. And this is not only binding upon Jews, but because unlawful sex acts are forbidden as part of the Sheva Mitz’vot b’néy Noaḥ (7 commandments of the children of Noah), it is binding upon gentiles as well.

 

[Tumah]

So regardless of whether or not anyone considers it moral or immoral, God forbids it. And this is not only binding upon Jews, but because unlawful sex acts are forbidden as part of the Sheva Mitz’vot b’néy Noaḥ (7 commandments of the children of Noah), it is binding upon gentiles as well.

This thread is about whether or not its immoral, not whether or not its prohibited.

 

[Yohanan ben Yaaqov]

This thread is about whether or not its immoral, not whether or not its prohibited.

Morality and immorality are very ambiguous terms. Morality concerns making a distinction between what is good and what is evil; between what is right and what is wrong. What exactly is the benchmark for that decision? In my opinion Torah is the benchmark. If Torah says “you will do this” obviously that is good and right; if Torah says “you will not do that” it is obviously evil and wrong.

So considering that sex with animals is a negative Mitz’vah, God calls it a perversion, and it carries the death penalty it is safe to say that it is immoral. Wouldn’t you agree?

 

[Tumah]

Morality and immorality are very ambiguous terms. Morality concerns making a distinction between what is good and what is evil; between what is right and what is wrong. What exactly is the benchmark for that decision? In my opinion Torah is the benchmark. If Torah says “you will do this” obviously that is good and right; if Torah says “you will not do that” it is obviously evil and wrong.

So considering that sex with animals is a negative Mitz’vah, God calls it a perversion, and it carries the death penalty it is safe to say that it is immoral. Wouldn’t you agree?

Is not eating the Passover sacrifice immoral?
What about for a non-Jew?