@scathach @ug this is the "if it didnt make my genitals feel good, i wouldnt be having it" argument. the necessary condition is not a sufficient condition.
i think its true that sex that feels bad in any way including physically means it should not be undergone typically, just like food that tastes bad shouldnt be eaten. but the involvement of the senses doesnt mean that one cant have sex for a higher purpose, or that sex doesnt have this higher purpose. theres a huge difference between making someone feel good through sex because you love them, and making someone feel good through sex because it makes one feel physical pleasure as well. when i say sex should be an expression of love, not a way of getting pleasure, that doesnt mean one should express love by doing things to someone they DONT like! thats silly! just like the point of kissing isnt to make your mouth feel good, the point of sex isnt to make your penis feel good. why is one easy for people to understand, and not the other?
anyway, sexual intercourse is just one form of physical intimacy, and just one form of expressing love. of the forms of expressing love, it is not a necessary one, and not the best one, either.
since indulgence of the senses is involved in having sex, people who are truly desireless usually stop having sex. the Buddha stopped having sex after he was liberated. when i talk about the purpose of sex being prema, that doenst mean sex is necessary for prema or that sex is close to the best way to develop or show prema.
anyway, kama is an important part of life for most people. most people arent nishkama karma yogins.