Unnatural

The Western word defines society in terms of norms and common practices; for instance most of the time the majority actually does rule. Within society, if an act is not common then it is considered unnatural. In context, the word may often switch meaning. The Oxford English Dictionary gives many definitions including the following: “1. Not in accordance or conformity with the physical nature of persons or animals; 2. Not in accordance or agreement with the usual course of nature; 3. At variance with natural feeling or moral standards; excessively cruel or wicked.” Its root word Natural, originates from the latin word naturalis or natura meaning Nature or the “conditions of birth, quality, character, natural order” (Dictionary.com Unabridged). As implied by the prefix un-, meaning not, the word unnatural is often defined as an act that goes against nature. In fact, in the OED, the word unnatural is synonymous with the word Abnormal and Monstrous.

“The said Johne is be the hand of God dum and defe and unnaturale.” The OED offers this quotation as an example of the use of the word in the 1500s, bringing in religion and God into its meaning. This use of the word existed little less than a century ago and today we see the existence of the word under different circumstances. Society today speaks of Unnatural Acts, and uses this to form a government and laws based on the most common act (and so deemed the most natural). Homosexuality, for example, is called unnatural by society and certain subcultures within it. The Vatican has defined the Christian doctrine as follows, “‘every genital act must be within the framework of marriage.’ Premarital sex, masturbation, and homosexuality are specifically condemned.” Further, the Christian doctrine speaks of homosexual sex as unnatural because it is sex that does not lead to procreation, in other words homosexual sex creates no offspring. As I stated above unnatural is defined as something that does not exist in nature. However, when used to define unnatural homosexual acts, it does not carry this meaning. For instance, there are many things that have been developed by society that would not, by definition, be considered natural. Yet, they are not condemned simply because they are a common practice, such as taking drugs to cure illnesses. The negative connotation that the word unnatural carries today in the western word comes from the use of this word to mean not common, abnormal, or strange.
In John Corvino’s Why Shouldn’t Tommy and Jim Have Sex? A Defense of Homosexuality, Corvino explains, “It often seems that when people call homosexuality ‘unnatural’ they really just mean that it’s disgusting” (White, 271). Similarly, we have seen other lifestyles deemed disgusting and unnatural by the popular opinion of a subculture. One example is the spread of Western Ideology with the use of globalization and missionary work taken to countries that are not as advanced in technology. The Sambia of New Guinea are an example of a way of life turned unnatural, disgusting and abnormal. The Sambia culture held the belief on initiating a boy into adulthood by the consumption of semen from an older man. As this became known in the western world it became something shameful, and slowly this way of life has come to an end.
Technology and globalization as well as culture shifts have given a new meaning to the word unnatural, changed it from its root to a negative term not meaning something not occurring from birth, or biology to a word stating deformity or burden by god, and finally to today’s meaning of something out the social norm.




“unnatural.” OxfordEnglishDictionary.com. 2nd edition. 11 Sept. 2008.

"nature." Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House, Inc. 11 Sep. 2008.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/nature<

White, James E. Contemporary Moral Problems. Learning, Inc. Thompson learning.
2006. Belmont, Ca.