[Greek] πορνεία (porneia), [Latin] fornicatio, [Latin] prostitutio

[Greek] πορνεία (porneia), [Latin] fornicatio, [Latin] prostitutio: unchastity, dishonoring, profaning, immorality, whoredom, idolatry; 26 scriptures

Babylon Marriage Market: painting by Edwin Long (1875)

Background information:

Babylonian Marriage Market: (early precursors of harlotry: prostituting oneself) 

1. Every woman of the land is compelled to sit in the temple of Aphrodite.
2. She does not go home until some stranger puts money in her lap and have intercourse with her.
3. She cannot refuse for that would be a “sin” as the money becomes sacred 
4. The money is given to the temple as a devotion or prayer to the goddess to ensure fertility (financial sexual transaction).
5. After intercourse, she is discharged from her “sacred duty” and now can leave the temple grounds.

Greek Hellenism: This term means fornication, licentiousness, adultery, prostitution, idolatry, and unchastity.

Aristophanes’ Plutus 155: “You speak of male whores; yet some of them are honest, and it’s not money they ask of their patrons.”

Xenophon’s Memorabilia 1.6.12: “For to offer one’s beauty for money to all comers is called prostitution. But we think it is virtuous to become friendly with a lover who is known to be a man of honor.”

Demosthenes’ Against Neara 59.41: “She charged higher fees from those who sought her favors as being now a respectable woman living with her husband.”

Cultic prostitution:

1. Prostitution practiced in service to mother deities (prostituting oneself to idols)
2. Daughters of prominent families practiced prostitution in payment to the fertility gods 
3. Prostitution cults found in Asia Minor, Syria, and Egypt

Extra-marital intercourse:

1. Masters have access to female slaves and concubines
2. Prostitution arises with increased prosperity and commerce
3. Alien women, as 2^nd class citizens, become self-supporting professional “friends” in Greek society (“working women”)
4. Extra-marital intercourse was forbidden to the wife (but not for the husband)
5. Greek tolerance allowed for intercourse between young men and harlots
6. Homosexuality developed and spread throughout Greece
7. Harlots were slaves, musicians, dancers, and singers
8. Harlots of brothels charged higher prices for their services
9. Greek stoicism rejects prostitution. Chastity is best.

Old Testament: This term means prostitution, soliciting, unfaithfulness, idolatry, fornication, and unchastity.

1. Leading into fornication can mean “to whoring after other gods” and “to turning aside from God” (SPIRITUAL HARLOTRY!) [More of this to come in next post]
2. Canaanite cults (Baal and Astarte) enter into the religion of Israel
3. The harlot is a familiar figure in national life
4. Extra-marital sanctions did not apply to men involving relations with alien women
5. Israel patriarchal culture comes into conflict with the matriarchal nature religion of Canaan
6. Any toleration (or promotion) brings the threat of God’s divine judgment
7. God has a metaphorical marriage relationship with Israel
8. Israel, in being unfaithful to God, is likened to a harlot (Nations and institutions can become spiritual harlots)

Harlotry: Spiritual harlotry (whoredom) can also refer to unfaithfulness to God, unchastity, “whoring after other gods”, and turning aside from God.

Hos.4:12: The land gives itself to harlotry, turning away from God

Exo.34:16: They render their wanton worship to their gods

2Chr.21:11: He led the inhabitants of Jerusalem into idolatry and seduced Judah

Hos.1:2: The land prostitutes itself, turning away from the Lord

Eze.16:26: You played the harlot with the Egyptians

Jdg.2:17: They prostituted themselves by following other gods, bowing down to them

Hos.4:18: They play the harlot; in their arrogance they love shame

Conclusion:

Fornication, fornicate, prostitute, prostitution, porn, pornographic

It is very illustrative that this term encompasses more than prostitution and fornication. This term also refers to idolatry, unchastity, and unfaithfulness.

It is quite interesting that Xenophon states that utilizing one’s beautiful attributes for profit is a form of prostitution. (This old fashioned cultural attitude can be a technically true explanation as it pertains to prostitution. One is not wrong in saying this. Yet, as it is with today, many beautiful women can and are utilizing their beautiful attributes (assets) in productive and wholesome ways.

Chastity refers to remaining in a virtuous state in one’s sexual interactions, conduct, behavior, and intentions.

Greek Stoicism, sharing similar characteristics of Christianity, also held that chastity was an admirable trait. Chastity continues to become a time honored admirable quality.

Yet, the “working woman” (harlot) has also become a well known figure throughout human history.

Perhaps mother deity cults developed in response partly to patriarchal cultural attitudes. Could this be one of the earliest appearances of feminism as a response toward a male-dominated culture?

Cultic prostitution perhaps brought a certain status to prostitution.

The Old Testament culture develops the important metaphorical notion that Israel is a bride to God. Therefore, an unfaithful Israel is likened to a harlot.

Harlotry can also be seen as unfaithfulness to God and whoring in prostitution to other gods.

Update: Many in our post-Christian secular culture continues to prostitute themselves in sin, to “worship gods”, and to become like little pagans worshipping: (fame, celebrity, wealth, social media, technology, etc). NEVER DISCOUNT THE PRESENCE OF THE DEVIL when one is being seduced or enchanted by the world. After all, this world is the devil’s domain! What better way to draw someone away from God!

Pope Francis and other Modernists, in their arrogance, claim that Church theology has changed. They are now creating a synodal and worldly Church made in the image of man. They are engaging in syncretism (bringing into the Church worldly values and sin from the world). They are also acting like spiritual harlots.   

In our secular post-Christian culture, homosexuality, abortion, and other sins are now accepted and praised.

Many Church leaders, seeking to destigmatize and normalize the sinful nature of homosexuality, have also played the harlot “prostituting themselves” in accommodating the LGBTQ community’s demand for recognition of their sinful behavior. Now we have “non-liturgical blessings” for same-sex unions!

These Church leaders do this under the guise of tolerance, “compassion”, “walking with them”, and “mercy above all else”. Yet, recognition of sin, repentance, and conversion of heart are ignored or excluded.

“Let it be well recorded that a harlot is a gate which leads to death.” Latin proverb

Next post: prostitution and harlotry: New Testament culture to the present