Actor/evocative photographer Leonard Nimoy; devout Muslim and Egypt’s first TV sexologist Dr. Heba Kotb; founder of the Gay Christina Network Justin Lee; and Jewish pin-up girl Jamie Sneider, are just a few of the intriguing subjects featured in SEX + RELIGION, a new documentary series beginning on VisionTV starting September 20 @ 11pm ET/8pm PT.
What do they have in common? Their work stands at the nexus of sex and religion, historically odd bedfellows. Hosted by Canadian broadcast journalist and writer, Laurie Brown, SEX + RELIGION asks rabbis, priests, philosophers, prostitutes and polygamists, to shed light onto what role, if any, sex plays in the pursuit of spiritual enlightenment. The series’ subject matter includes erotic art, virginity, polygamy, pornography, contraception, prostitution, same-sex relationships and sexual fantasies.
“Art is about illumination,” says Leonard Nimoy whose photographs of female bodies superimposed with the Hebrew letter Shin represents his interpretation of Shekhina, the female representation of God. Simultaneously erotic, beautiful, and spiritually meaningful, Nimoy explains they were inspired by the ecstatic prayer he witnessed as a youth while attending synagogue services with his Father. “The Torah is loaded with sexuality,” Nimoy says. “It’s not to be viewed in terms of sin, but rather as part of the human condition.”
Episodes travel from “Father-Daughter Purity Balls” in the deep Southern US to the Arab Quarter in Paris where they perform hymenoplasty surgery; from the streets of Las Vegas with Hookers4Jesus to Centennial Park, Arizona, a Fundamentalist Mormon community that believes in polygamy.
Yet another episode visits Chad Hardy, the now-excommunicated sixth generation Mormon and former missionary, who set out to “open shirts, open minds” with his “Men On A Mission” calendar, his powerful and headline-making project showcasing handsome men in the service of God that involved a much deeper story than the eye-candy; one that could possibly reshape perceptions, and encourage a broader acceptance of human and religious diversity.
The first episode of Sex & Religion features devout Muslim and Egypt’s first sexologist Dr. Heba Kotb, host of the sexual advice show Big Talk, plus Florida pastor Paul Wirth’s 30 Day Sex Challenge. To Have or Have Not? That is the question. Tune in to find out.
Sex + Religion was created and co-produced by Gemini-Award Winning Riddle Films (Jason Charters and Liam Romalis) and Creative Anarchy Inc. (Robert Sandler).
SEX + RELIGION
DEBUTS ON VISIONTV MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 20
11pm ET/8pm PT
WHERE TO FIND VISIONTV:
Across Canada: BellTV 261 – Shaw Direct 394 or check your local listings
