indication of how most people who adhere to common perceptions of Christianity would view prostitution – and hence in that context the common Christian would find prostitution morally objectionable – it clearly goes beyond the sexual boundaries permissible only within a heterosexual, married couple.This perception, of course, is valid only for people who would adhere to the most commonly accepted Christian moral viewpoint; indeed, some revisionist theologians have made arguments that prostitution is not explicitly forbidden in Scripture(alluding often to Jesus’ tolerance of such women as well as numerous references to concubinage and harlots in neutral terms within Old Testament verses). The utilitarian perspectiveThis is the perspective that, perhaps, commands the most debate when contemplating the issue of prostitution. Most people in these secular times would prefer to argue that prostitution is not so much morally objectionable because of any commandment from on high proscribing sex for sale, but because it has a variety of adverse effects, both on society as a whole and on the women who ply that trade.Firstly, it is obvious that two of the most obvious reasons for the stigma against prostitution(and rampant fornication, for that matter), ie, unwanted childbirths and venereal diseases are now largely controllable by science. True, we still do not have a cure for AIDS, but we have scientific recourse to minimise the risk of contracting it. Indeed, many writers have noted that if unwanted childbirths or venereal diseases occur, they are largely because the stigma surrounding the act that drives it underground exposes prostitutes to a variety of dangers that would not otherwise exist, such as ill-treatment at the hand of organized crime syndicates filling in the niche market or a lack of access to medical aid both due to fear of prosecution and fear of social stigma. Some of these proponents argue that the common per...
