why are religious folk against prostitution, legalized and otherwise?

I'm not. I'd much rather see prostitutes undergoing weekly health checks and working from the safety of a brothel than to see women (and men) walking the streets, spreading diseases, and getting themselves killed.

As for what any two or more consenting adults do together -- Not my business, so long as all are willing participants and no one walks away from the encounter having been harmed in any way, shape, or form.

Added: Thank you, Itchy. That's a very nice compliment. :)

As a christian person, I believe that we have free will, and what ever people decide to do is up to them. Sex is not just physical but it emotionally attaches people together. I see it this way, God gave us the ability to show love towards another person in deeper ways and also through it, you can create a new life. So in other words, its sacred and should be something that people cherish, but you can't force people to see it that way or treat it that way. Selling sex for money actually diminishes its worth and goes against the intended purpose God created it for. That is why many conservative religious people are quick to want laws created against prostitution, gay marriage, or pretty much anything that is viewed as sin. I don't want prostitution legal, but even if a law passed making prostitution illegal people will still do it...so there is no point....

It's bad for the community. I'm against it also and I'm not religious. Prostitution comes along with drugs and crime. It's not like a person lives normally and then becomes a prostitute. The poor person has reached a low in life. It's very wrong to take advantage of them or to ignore it like it's just any old job.

Simply: the Bible teaches that sex outside of marriage is a very serious sin (or very seriously immoral act, if you prefer that terminology). Naturally, good citizens of a nation desire laws that prohibit acts that, in their opinion, are very seriously immoral acts!

Don't YOU support laws prohibiting acts that YOU consider seriously immoral? For example: murder, rape, etc? If (for example) someone in your nation considers prostitution to be just as immoral as rape and murder, don't you think that particular someone **ought to** support laws prohibiting such severely immoral acts - even though your morals do not agree with theirs?

Jesus forgave a prostitute and said "go, and sin no more". We must love prostitutes but we must hate the sin of prostitution and try to show these good woman that there is another way.

Because those who control society get much more wealth from prohibiting it and managing it on the black market, than if it were legalized.

If it were legalized, then money from taxes would go to public wealth and society would have control over many other things which come along, and those on power would not be as rich as they are.

You do know very few (perhaps none) prostitutes choose to go into prostitution? They are kidnapped, lied to, conned, and held captive. Have you really not seen this video yet? http://elitedaily.com/news/world/this-video-will-c...

every time you legalize a questionable behavior it becomes even more widespread. Better to keep the guardrails up.

these women have no money and have to sell sex for money

they don't do the action for love, enjoyment, pleasure, whatever those are for the individual

the basis is for money to earn a living

It degrades women. I'm sure many of them have life long sexual diseases that they pass along to those deserving souls that partake.