Editing Religion and sexuality (section)

===Modern Paganism===
Most [[Neopaganism|Neopagan religions]] have the theme of fertility (both physical and creative/spiritual) as central to their practices, and as such encourage what they view as a healthy sex life, consensual sex between adults, regardless of gender.

[[Heathenry (new religious movement)|Heathenry]], a [[Modern Paganism|modern Germanic Pagan movement]], includes several pro-LGBT groups. Some groups legitimize openness toward LGBT practitioners by reference to the gender-bending actions of [[Thor]] and [[Odin]] in [[Norse mythology]].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/908932432|title=Contemporary pagan and native faith movements in Europe : colonialist and nationalist impulses|date=2015|others=Kathryn Rountree, European Association of Social Anthropologists|isbn=978-1-78238-647-6|location=New York|pages=64–84|oclc=908932432}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/908932432|title=Contemporary pagan and native faith movements in Europe : colonialist and nationalist impulses|date=2015|others=Kathryn Rountree, European Association of Social Anthropologists|isbn=978-1-78238-647-6|location=New York|oclc=908932432}}</ref> There are, for instance, homosexual and [[transgender]] members of [[The Troth]], a prominent U.S. Heathen organisation.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Rountree|first=Kathryn|year=2015|title=Contemporary Pagan and Native Faith Movements|url=https://www.stantonkeble.com/downloads/NATIVE-FAITH-MOVEMENTS.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211023234304/https://www.stantonkeble.com/downloads/NATIVE-FAITH-MOVEMENTS.pdf |archive-date=2021-10-23 |url-status=live|journal=Association of European Anthropologists|volume=26}}</ref> Many Heathen groups in Northern Europe perform [[same-sex marriage]]s,<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/42330378|title=Magical religion and modern witchcraft|date=1996|publisher=State University of New York Press|others=James R. Lewis|isbn=0-585-03650-0|location=Albany, N.Y.|pages=193–236|oclc=42330378}}</ref> and a group of self-described "Homo-Heathens" marched in the 2008 [[Stockholm Pride]] carrying a statue of the Norse god [[Freyr]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Schnurbein|first=Stefanie v.|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/964730476|title=Norse Revival : transformations of Germanic neopaganism|date=2017|isbn=978-1-60846-737-2|location=Chicago, IL|oclc=964730476}}</ref> Research found a greater proportion of LGBT practitioners within Heathenry (21%) than wider society, although noted that the percentage was lower than in other forms of modern Paganism.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Cragle|first=Joshua Marcus|date=2017-06-11|title=Contemporary Germanic/Norse Paganism and Recent Survey Data|url=https://www.equinoxpub.com/journals/index.php/POM/article/view/30714|journal=Pomegranate: The International Journal of Pagan Studies|volume=19|issue=1|pages=77–116|doi=10.1558/pome.30714|issn=1528-0268}}</ref>

[[Wicca]], like other religions, has adherents with a broad spectrum of views, ranging from conservative to liberal. It is a largely nondogmatic religion and has no prohibitions against sexual intercourse outside of marriage or relationships between members of the same sex. The religion's ethics are largely summed up by the [[Wiccan Rede]]: "An it harm none, do as thou wilt", which is interpreted by many as allowing and endorsing responsible sexual relationships of all varieties. Specifically in the Wiccan tradition of modern witchcraft, one of the widely accepted pieces of [[Craft]] liturgy, the [[Charge of the Goddess]] instructs that "...all acts of love and pleasure are [the Goddess'] rituals",<ref>{{cite web | title =Alternative Sexuality | publisher =Tangled Moon Coven |date=2006-08-08 | url =http://www.tangledmoon.org/sexuality.htm | access-date = 2006-12-30 }}</ref> giving validity to all forms of sexual activity for Wiccan practitioners.

In the [[Gardnerian]] and [[Alexandrian Wicca|Alexandrian]] forms of Wicca, the "[[Great Rite]]" is a sex ritual much like the [[hieros gamos]], performed by a priest and priestess who are believed to embody the Wiccan God and Goddess. The Great Rite is almost always performed figuratively using the athame and chalice as symbols of the penis and vagina. The literal form of the ritual is always performed by consenting adults, by a couple who are already lovers and in private. The Great Rite is not seen as an opportunity for casual sex.<ref>{{cite journal | title =Sex, Wicca and the Great Rite | journal =The Blade & Chalice | volume = Spring 1993 | issue = 3 }}</ref>