Marital debt duty to have sex

  • Thread starter Thread starter chasingcars
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
A loving spouse should not expect her/his partner to slave away for unnecessary things. If she wants it so badly, get a job instead of forcing the poor guy to do it for her.
 
Again, no one is saying its ever ok to force one’s spouse in having sex. That would be gravely sinful, to do so physically or through some sort of psychological gaming.

The issue is: when is it ok for me to refuse my wife sex. Now, I happen to think, for many reasons sex is extremely important. So I am utterly surprised that people are arguing its okay for them to refuse sex with their spouse for no other reason than they want to watch a football game or read a book (those two examples are what started this current round of disagreement). But, I did state very early on, that it is a matter of prudential judgement as to what consititutes a reasonable cause for refusal. So if you don’t have any pangs of conscience for treating your wife/husband that way, I do not have any explicit church teaching to state otherwise.
 
Is it a better analogy? since a spouse isn’t obligated to buy another unnecessary things?
yes because one spouse thinks its unnecessary but the other spouse says it is necessary. Nobody insisting on being bought unnecessary things admits “I know this is unnecessary, but…”

same with the sex requests at issue here - one spouse views it as necessary, other doesn’t.
 
Again, no one is saying its ever ok to force one’s spouse in having sex. That would be gravely sinful, to do so physically or through some sort of psychological gaming.
I know. But I’m merely inviting people to speculate why we agree rape is wrong, but forcing your kids to eat isn’t. To point out that analogies like the one you gave cannot be compared to sex at all.
So I am utterly surprised that people are arguing its okay for them to refuse sex with their spouse for no other reason than they want to watch a football game or read a book
Because we feel like not being interested at the moment is a reasonable request. Since most spouses wouldn’t want to have sex with someone that personally doesn’t want to, it would be a reasonable scenario.

Now earlier you gave an example of a guy coming back and the couple having sex. In that scenario, she basically changes her mind and now wants to have sex. So that’s different from what I’m describing, where the wife-after his advances-still says ‘I’m still not feeling it’.
 
A just reason being ‘I don’t want to have kids at the moment, just like how we have agreed on this earlier before you changed your mind’
 
same with the sex requests at issue here - one spouse views it as necessary, other doesn’t.
Fine, except one of those beliefs is potentially wrong and stupid. Someone who thinks they need a gold plated toilet seat or they’ll just die is acting like an idiot. Ditto someone who thinks that having sex on some particular night is “necessary.”
 
Last edited:
Nope. I don’t want to have kids at the moment isn’t actually a just reason. Not even a just reason for NFP itself— a just reason goes beyond that. “I just don’t want to” isn’t a reason.

Plus you wouldn’t even having kids “at the moment” not almost a year later, IF you actually conceived.

I think this issue has gotten very clouded by the idea that women have “autonomy” over their bodies— when that is simply not true in marriage. St Paul says it himself, neither he husband nor the wife does.
 
Last edited:
Not free to refuse without a just reason.
I can’t keep pulling this thread, but we’re just going to have to disagree on whether “I don’t feel like it right now” is a just reason. And yes, I acknowledge that that is an exception that basically swallows the rule.
 
I still don’t see how this analogy is supposed to contradict my point though.

In both cases, the spouse who thinks they ‘have to have it’ are probably being really childish
 
I know. But I’m merely inviting people to speculate why we agree rape is wrong, but forcing your kids to eat isn’t. To point out that analogies like the one you gave cannot be compared to sex at all.
I think that is rather absurd and trying Certainly rape is a form of extreme torture. So is forcibly making people drink water until they are sick. The analogy I gave is very simple. We have responsibilities to our kids we cannot ignore without sin, we have responsibilities to our wives that we cannot ignore without sin. Because either or both actions can be used in extremely immoral ways does not affect the ana
Because we feel like not being interested at the moment is a reasonable request. Since most spouses wouldn’t want to have sex with someone that personally doesn’t want to, it would be a reasonable scenario.
And I find that to be very dangerous thinking. Off the top of my head, I think it is likely around 50% of the time my wife and I have sex that one of us initiates it (ie requests) and the other did not even have it on their mind. In earlier days of the marriage this was not the case. Well, guess what, my wife brings it up, I have a duty to respond in a way that she thinks is wonderful, and 99% (if not 100%) that’s how it ends up being for both of us.
 
You would be pregnant. You would have that kid soon. Along with being pregnant, a lot of women would experience unpleasant effects. For some unlucky women, they would experience severe health issues.

For a lot of husbands and also wives, it would mean finances would take a hit.
Not even a just reason for NFP itself— a just reason goes beyond that.
Well duh. I am referring to sex. Where the just reason is already addressed and hence, they have decided that they don’t want to have kids at the moment.
 
And I find that to be very dangerous thinking. Off the top of my head, I think it is likely around 50% of the time my wife and I have sex that one of us initiates it (ie requests) and the other did not even have it on their mind.
There’s a world of difference between “I hadn’t thought of it, but now that you mention it, sure.” and “I’ve considered and I’m really not in the mood right now.”
 
I think this issue has gotten very clouded by the idea that women have “autonomy” over their bodies— when that is simply not true in marriage. St Paul says it himself, neither he husband nor the wife does.
I do think people on both sides are struggling with this. People who insist on the marital debt may also refuse to accept reasonable requests because they are against feminism and autonomy reminds them of that. Perhaps.

But also that verse you are referring to cannot be taken simply. We do have autonomy, technically. Or else rape wouldn’t be seen as wrong, since the ‘husband owns her body’.
 
What do you mean “before you changed your mind”? If what you mean is, “we both agreed and just because you are a little h?&n* tonight” then certainly yes that is reasonable. If what you mean is, two years ago we agreed to postpone having a baby, and I don’t care what you think now? No, that is not reasonable. Both spouses need to agree to not have kids. But I will add, before I am completely made to be a Neanderthal, both spouses need to agree to have kids also. So it would be doubly important for the requesting spouse to let it go and have the conversation about kids later and come to a common understanding.
 
“I don’t feel like it right now” is not only a just reason, it’s a practical reason. If a man doesn’t feel like it, sex is nearly impossible…think about it, people. Anatomy and physiology anyone??
Sorry, not even remotely true. I can speak from lots of experience here. I might not feel like having sex, but my wife is more than capable (with very little effort) to make the anatomy functional. Its a matter of the mind, not the genital function.
 
And I find that to be very dangerous thinking. Off the top of my head, I think it is likely around 50% of the time my wife and I have sex that one of us initiates it (ie requests) and the other did not even have it on their mind.
Again, different scenario.

There’s a difference between someone not being turned on and then finding out ‘oh! Now I want to do this’ vs ‘nah I still don’t feel it, please stop doing xyz’.

There’s is a huuuuggeee difference between someone who wasn’t interested but now is, and someone who doesn’t want to have sex.
 
With a woman, if she doesn’t feel like, it’s going to be uncomfortable or even painful. Anatomy and physiology again.
Again, I stated very clearly, multiple times, illness is a reasonable cause for refusal always. If sex is uncomfortable or even painful, that should be worked on a treated, but while the condition exists, it certainly falls under the category of illness.
 
If what you mean is, “we both agreed and just because you are a little h?&n* tonight”
That’s what I meant. I strongly believe couples need to ‘revisit’ Nfp and discuss if they should still postpone or not.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top