Does Catholicism elevate or reduce the meaning of sex?

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Its unusual that heaven without sex would not be heaven for you. Muslim 72ish 🙂
 
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SuperJude said:
Catholic teaching isn’t anti-sex. It’s pro-sex to the point of seeing it as a deep spiritual union between man and wife. Yet as I look into that deep spiritual meaning, I can’t help but to feel that the Church’s teaching reduces the nature of sex. All of it’s spiritual importance, at least of any lasting significance, seems to be in that it’s a symbol of man’s union to God.
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The Church’s position on pretty much everything in this world is that good things are good because they bring you into a closer union with God. Bad things are bad because they take you further away from God.

I don’t see why sex would be an exception to this. I also don’t see why sex would need some other spiritual meaning other than bringing us closer to God.
 
BlackFriar said:
Its unusual that heaven without sex would not be heaven for you.
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And I said that … where … ?

There will be no sunsets in Heaven - does that also mean I shouldn’t enjoy sunsets now?
 
God gave us sex as a foretaste of the unity and infinite joy we will have with Him in heaven.

Here’s what the Catholic Church REALLY teaches about sex.
  • it was designed by God, therefore it is a great good.
  • it was designed to provide a “unity” and a fruitfulness analogous in a very imperfect way to heaven.
  • we need to cooperate with God’s design for conjugal union, as perfectly as our will allows us. This means “totality of union”. Intellect, will, body, passions/appetites…and our reproductive system. No “splitting of the gift”.
  • it should be done with the most perfect intention…love, which means happy self-gift.
  • Our desire should be perfect: to give God glory by loving our spouse so well and totally that we bring her the highest happiness, that is, a closeness to God.
  • We should approach marital intimacy with a spirit of happy self-gift, so focused on bringing our spouse to the heights of happiness, that were we not to receive reciprocity…we wouldn’t even notice it!! And if we did notice it, we would laugh it off in a spirit of happy self gift and generosity to God and to our spouse.
That’s how beautiful the Church’s teaching on marital intimacy is
 
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I see no reason to try and enjoy them more now as I wont be worried about losing them compared to what awaits.

In any case why wont there be sunsets in the new heaven and the new earth?
 
Rev 21:1234:
And the city hath no need of the sun, nor of the moon, to shine in it. For the glory of God hath enlightened it, and the Lamb is the lamp thereof.
 
SuperJude said:
I’m a new Catholic and still trying to wrap my head around the theology of the body. All the books and videos point out that Catholic teaching isn’t anti-sex. It’s pro-sex to the point of seeing it as a deep spiritual union between man and wife. Yet as I look into that deep spiritual meaning, I can’t help but to feel that the Church’s teaching reduces the nature of sex. All of it’s spiritual importance, at least of any lasting significance, seems to be in that it’s a symbol of man’s union to God. I understand how that is indeed profound, but it still reduces the spiritual meaning of sex to just a temporary icon of something else to come. In and of itself, sex then is just a physical means to bonding and procreation for married couples. I’m having trouble making peace with the spirituality of sex being only a temporary icon. If I’m misunderstanding any part, or if there’s another angle or aspect that I’m missing, please let me know.
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Are you planning on replying to any of the posts here? Anyway, how is the meaning of sex compromised by its temporary nature? Are you assuming that sex would continue to be part of the next life?
 
Correct, we have no need of the pleasure of these things compared to the warmth and light we have from God.
It doesnt mean there is no sun nor moon does it 🙂.

This is exactly the point I am making re sex.
Yet Jesus said there is no marriage or procreation in heaven as well.
 
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The Church both recognizes and respects the absolute sanctity, importance and divine origin of procreation. Pro-CREATION - to cooperate with God in the very act of creation.
 
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