Is this cohabitation?

[CuriousInIL]

Again, the point is NOT the definition of a word. The point is instruction in Catholic morality. In Catholic morality, it is unacceptable for unrelated persons of the opposite sex to share a residence. Whatever term you would like to use to describe that is fine, so long as the meaning remains intact.

Would you like to suggest a term to convey the meaning “unrelated persons of the opposite sex sharing a single residence”?

My point is that there are at least 2 questions in the OP. The first is also the title and is “Is this cohabitation?”. To me, one can’t appropriately answer that without an agreed definition of the word.
The second question is whether the arrangement is appropriate. That, I have not dealt with because so many have said (here and in other similar threads) it is cohabitation (without reference to a definition) and once so labeled it is of course wrong.

I have no beef with what you have said which IMO is all about #2. I am a definition stickler and so have always and only been on #1.

I hope that’s clear. I’m not debating your points nor do I want to invent a word to accept your definition. If I did, I think I’d suggest “upotossasr” or "tarf."

 

[Chris_Etzel]

Greetings!

I live in an apartment with my brother (and another housemate). I don’t have a room; I sleep in the living room on a couch.

My girlfriend was considering coming here next year. She would take another room upstairs adjacent to my brother. I would continue to sleep in the living room. The main reason for doing this would be to save a significant amount of money. We realized that this could give scandal and could be viewed as cohabitation, even though people would know that we don’t share a room, that the apartment isn’t ours, and that we share it with (at least) my brother.

So, would that setup be inappropriate?

If so, would it be appropriate for her to stay with my brother if I slept elsewhere? (I haven’t actually had any real housing for years and just need a place to store some stuff.)

Thanks!

I had that same setup when I was younger.

There are two big problems:

1. A woman you’re sexually attracted to living in the same apartment.
2. A woman who might be sexually attractive to others, living in an apartment with your brother and another male roommate while you find another place to stay.

Everybody is a saint until you throw a beautiful woman into a room full of single guys.

It’s really a no-win for you. You’re better off getting your own place while she stays where she is until you two are ready to marry.

 

[Spirithound]

The situation is fraught with potential problems, and scandal is still one of them (two unmarried adults of the opposite sex sharing a dwelling place).

Do you think there would be less chance of scandal since there would be one woman and two men (but not the OP)? No casual observer would be able to tell who the woman is romantically involved with (because there are two men, and she’s not involved with either), and a more studied observer would understand that there is no sexual activity going on because the woman’s boyfriend (the OP) is not living there. ?

 

[surfinpure]

Do you think there would be less chance of scandal since there would be one woman and two men (but not the OP)? No casual observer would be able to tell who the woman is romantically involved with (because there are two men, and she’s not involved with either), and a more studied observer would understand that there is no sexual activity going on because the woman’s boyfriend (the OP) is not living there. ?

Less chance, perhaps, but I believe co-ed housing is still scandalous. Don’t know of any official Church teaching on that subject.

 

[stephe1987]

Co-ed housing is ridiculous. I know they’re trying to “accomodate the LGBT students” but why mix young men and women like that? College kids are already driven by hormones/lust, and rooming with someone you’re sexually attracted to will not help the situation. Are they trying to increase the spread of STD’s? Recent statistics say that ~2/3 of sexually active people between 15-24 have or have had an STD. Those numbers will increase as promiscuity increases.

Also, since contraception is not 100%, abortions will increase and we’ll end up like Russia. The average Russian woman has had eight abortions. Well, with each abortion there is a greater and greater chance that you cannot carry a child to term. So they’re having massive fertility problems over there.

I’d also like to add that “accomodating LGBT students” will have no end. Soon there will be co-ed restrooms. These people need counselling (especially the transgendered ones… not being sure if you’re “supposed to be” a guy or a girl is a serious identity crisis), not to brush the problem under the rug and pretend like nothing is wrong.