Marriage today is an intricate mix of past values and contemporary changes.
For in the West, and particularly in the United States, we find a vast array of sexual choices available to individuals that only fifteen years ago would have been considered scandalous. Yet, still, most people cling to the elusive ideals of traditional marriage. According to traditional Judeo-Christian precepts, all sexual expression must be contained within a duly sanctified marriage between a man and a woman. Further, it has to assume that conception might occur. As such, procreation, up until recently, has been considered the only purpose of sex, and sexual activity that did not contribute to this end was called unnatural.