Is buying something immoral a separate sin than using it?

[NeedImprovement]

What is sometimes most regrettable when people decide to distort what a pope says to suit their own desires, is that they inadvertently bury the message of God’s love for each one of us.

The Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI’s comments are very easy to interpret in the light of truth and of love. Here is an easy way to apply the reasoning of his quotes cited in post # 14. It can be reduced to 2 very simple cases, which need to remain in proper chronological order based on a principle:

The Principle:
Regarding the acts of male prostitutes (we may also include all acts which mar/impair/distort the marriage act or defy it) , God is saying through his Church, " This is harmful to yourself (yourselves) . You shouldn’t do it ".

Case 1. Someone(s) have already defied/flouted the rules implied in The Principle. So the Church continues, "Well you have gone ahead and done it anyhow; now you are opening your partner and yourself (in that order) to all kinds of physical diseases as well.

Case 2. Someone(s) have already defied/flouted the rules in the same manner implied in Case # 1, only this time a condom(s) is/are used.

To examine these cases, the proper order of love (and justice) must be established. The proper order of love is :

• God,
• neighbor,
• self.

In case #1, God is defied, and neighbor is used as an instrument of self-gratification (this same reasoning can apply also in the case of pornography) ; self is exalted above all as God, subject to no one regardless of the consequences.

In case #2 , God is still defied, the self is still exalted above the others, but this time there is a *consideration in the heart of the self *for one’s neighbor. Call it a point of light, or, as the quotes from the book in post # 14 say - “…a *first step *in the direction of moralization, a first assumption of responsibility, on the way toward recovering an awareness that not everything is allowed, and that one cannot do whatever one wants.”

We could refer it to the example above as a first step in returning to the correct ordering of love.

The Church condones none of the sexual behaviour in Case # 2 however. Furthermore, condoms are not failsafe . So that “first step” is still within a game of russian roulette because no matter how large the magazine or chamber, there will always be at least one “live round” of ammunition in it ; still the possibility of transmitting or contracting a terrible disease.

Another consideration seldom mentioned is whether one is more concerned for self not contracting a disease when using a condom, or whether one is more concerned about not transmitting a disease to another. When justice is factored in, this is a big one : In essence, if one knows one has already contracted a disease, the only real responsible thing left to do is to abstain from all acts that could ever put someone else at risk. Anything less is being reckless with someone else’s life.

When too many outlets of the fickle media, for their own gain, decide to distort what the Holy Father says (what ever happened to responsible journalism…?..) until it becomes an offense against the truth - an additional offence of falsification , it frequently obscures the image of God being a Father who loves us tenderly.

Now let’s see what happens when we apply all of the above to the imagery Jesus gave us of the *prodigal son *:

In the parable, Jesus mentions the son in his dissolution , being reduced to the state of a servant feeding the pigs who was so hungry he longed to eat that same food. Anyone who has ever been within range of a group of pigs or a pig pen knows what an olfactory (ahem) “awakening” that can be. But the point here is that the Father didn’t care whatever that son had been rolling in , he only wanted to get his son back…because he loved him. He loved him to the point that he would go out every day and watch for him - hoping for his return.

But in order for the “return” to happen, the son had to take the “first step” … a step in the right direction. He cannot take that step if the Truth is not made clear for him.

Of course, when the son would finally take that “first step”, he would still be very far away , but what does the parable [Luke 15:20,b ; NAB] say about distance ?..

• " While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion…"
  … We know what happens next …

In my own limited opinion , I believe this can be the greatest offence when we distort the truth : we mar or obscure the image of God - a caring Father Who loves us so tenderly and who dearly wants us to know He does.

:doh2:

(* Another translation of scripture renders this verse “While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was deeply moved…”)

 

[Peepers]

I can see how the press would pounce on that statement primae facia. I mean, what makes a more sensational headline than, “Pope says that it is OK for male prostitutes to use condoms!!!” Even the more responsible among the press are not known for their efforts to understand, or present an even handed view of religion or morality.

 

[JRKH]

That depends on the purpose for which it was bought. For example, take condoms. I saw a science experiment once that used a condom as an exceptionally compliant pressurized air reservoir. In that application, something like a party balloon was unsuitable. Buying condoms for a purpose like that can be perfectly fine, as long as you are not making some allusion to its sexual use and are using it strictly for its physical properties when no equivalently-performing product is available.

Good Point

Peace
James

 

[NeedImprovement]

That depends on the purpose for which it was bought. For example, take condoms. I saw a science experiment once that used a condom as an exceptionally compliant pressurized air reservoir. In that application, something like a party balloon was unsuitable. Buying condoms for a purpose like that can be perfectly fine, as long as you are not making some allusion to its sexual use and are using it strictly for its physical properties when no equivalently-performing product is available.

Good Point

Peace
James

I don’t know if I would concede the entire point in this case . Children are being “taught” very early in their lives now what a condom is and what its use is. To claim it would be perfectly fine, would mean it would have no effect contrary to what the Catholic Church teaches re: contraception ; ergo no negative effect on the Mystical Body of Christ.

If the experiment was performed for the public, or for a select group of spectators such as a class, (which I am assuming because LeafByNiggle’s post says it was “seen” ), then the experiment can no longer be considered solely in and of itself - because it wasn’t done in seclusion . Although that experiment may have had the appearance of being performed under a controlled environment, from a moral perspective, they have failed to consider the most important factor of all : impressionability of the souls of each observer.

Here are only a few potential consequences as they pertain to human impressionability:

• Depending on the age of the observers, the experiment may have introduced a child to a condom for the first time … let your imagination speak here …
• Some adolescents (maybe adults too) who already knew what a condom was and what it was used for, would most likely find the experiment to be extremely humorous. This would serve to initiate a desensitizing effect on people’s consciences. We could also cite the fortuitous term used in the post

party balloon.

…which, I recall some years ago, was a nickname given to a condom - a nickname I often heard mentioned among my own friends. When people laugh at things, they tend to take them less seriously.

• Perhaps the exceptional compliancy of the condom demonstarted during the experiment would convince some who’d been considering its use personally that it would be failsafe ; which might give rise to subsequent use, or even more serious consequences in the event that the condom the individual was using failed.

… Just a few things to …

 

[JRKH]

Needimprovment, Also good points.

Peace
James