Psychopathia sexualis : with especial reference to antipathic sexual instinct a medico-forensic study / by R. v. Krafft-Ebing ... The only authorised English translation of the tenth German edition.

  • Richard von Krafft-Ebing
Date:
1899
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Psychopathia sexualis : with especial reference to antipathic sexual instinct a medico-forensic study / by R. v. Krafft-Ebing ... The only authorised English translation of the tenth German edition. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    are replete with remarkable records of temptations. The religious feasts of the ancients often degenerated into orgies, or into mystic cults of a voluptuous character. Even the meetings of certain modern sects dissolve them- selves simply into obscene practices. On the contrary we find that the sexual instinct, when disappointed and unappeased, frequently seeks and finds a substitute in religion. Even where psycho-pathological conditions are diag- nosed beyond dispute, this relation between religious and sexual feelings can easily be established. The cause of re- ligious insanity is often to be found in sexual aberration. In psychosis a motley mixture of religious and sexual delu- sions is observable, viz., in female lunatics who imagine that they are or will be the mother of God, and especially in persons slaves to masturbation. The cruel, sensual acts of chastisement, violation, emasculation and even crucifix- ion perpetrated upon self by religious maniacs, bear out this assertion.1 • Any attempt to explain the psychological relations be- tween religion and love must needs meet with difficulties, for analogous instances are met with in great numbers. Sexual inclinations and religious leanings (if consid- ered as psychological factors), are composed of two ele- ments. Schleiermocker recognised the primary feeling of de- St. Catharine of Genoa often burned with such intense inward fire that in order to cool herself she would throw herself upon the ground crying, Love, love, I can endure it no longer . At the same time she felt a peculiar inclination to her confessor. One day lifting his hand to her nose she noticed a peculiar odour which penetrated to her heart a heavenly perfume that would awaken the dead . St. Armelle and St. Elizabeth were troubled with a similar long- ing for the Infant Jesus. The temptations of St. Anthony, of Padua, nre known to the world. Of significance is an old Protestant prayer: Oh! that I had found thee, bless'd Emanuel; that thou wert with me in my bed, to bring delight to body and soul. Come and be mine. My heart shall be thy resting place. 1 Cf. Friedreich, Diagnostik der psych. Krankheiten, p. 247 etc.; Neumann, Lehrb. d. Psychiatric, p. 80.
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