Natural law

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billcu1

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Could someone explain natural law to me. I know we are to follow it. Would that be like the natural order of heterosexuality? Two penises don’t come together to create life. I had someone try to tell me there was homosexuality in the animal world. I don’t think there is homosexuality anything like homosexuality that humans experience anyway. Dogs can sometimes “greet” or introduce themselves by humping. It can also be a nervous problem.
 
Natural law (or common law) is a legal concept (the law of nature). Its interpretation is complex, and varies widely among legal jurisdictions.

In some US states, a man and woman who co-habitate for a certain time (in Georgia, it is 10 years) are legally regarded as married (a “common law marriage”).

Some offenses are regarded as “common law crimes” in almost all jurisdictions - such as willful murder.

The United States Declaration of Independence was founded upon an interpretation of common law:
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
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The “self-evident” truths, endowed by their Creator, are elements of common (universal) law.

But ALL law is subject to authoritative interpretation. Common Law is an idea, but is not objectively defined in a common manner.

The legal interpretation of “natural law” is confined to the human species. What other species “naturally do” (such as eating their young) is not included.
 
As for “homosexual” behavior in animals, it happens for allot of reasons, but most often for dominance. I volunteered at a zoo when I was in Highschool, and the Galapagos tortoises ( the really giant ones) there would often “mate” in the mornings, and they were all male. Presumably it was either dominance, and/or just because there were no females. In any case it was most definatly not the way that humans view sexuality. For one thing, the majority of animals don’t get pleasure from sex ( except for dolphins, oddly is what I heard) and it actually can be painful for them, but they’re more or less just submitting to base instinct.
 
Modern Catholic Dictionary by Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J.
NATURAL LAW. As distinct from revealed law, it is “nothing else than the rational creature’s participation in the eternal law” (Summa Theologica, 1a, 2ae, quest. 91, art. 2). As coming from God, the natural law is what God has produced in the world of creation; as coming to human beings, it is what they know (or can know) of what God has created.

It is therefore called natural law because everyone is subject to it from birth (natio), because it contains only those duties which are derivable from human nature itself, and because, absolutely speaking, its essentials can be grasped by the unaided light of human reason.

St. Paul recognizes the existence of a natural law when he describes the moral responsibility of those ancients who did not have the benefit of Mosaic revelation. “Pagans,” he says, “ who never heard of the Law but are led by reason to do what the Law commands, may not actually ‘possess’ the Law, but they can be said to ‘be’ the Law. They can point to the substance of the Law engraved on their hearts – they can call a witness, that is, their own conscience – they have accusation and defense, that is, their own inner mental dialogue” (Romans 2:14-15).
therealpresence.org/cgi-bin/getdefinition.pl
 
OP, I assume you are referring to the natural law written by God in the conscience of every person.

In his encyclical Quanto Conficiamur Moerore of 10 August, 1863, Pius IX addressed the Italian bishops:

“It is known to us and to you that those who are in invincible ignorance of our most holy religion, but who observe carefully the natural law, and the precepts graven by God upon the hearts of all men, and who being disposed to obey God lead an honest and upright life, may, aided by the light of divine grace, attain to eternal life; for God who sees clearly, searches and knows the heart, the disposition, the thoughts and intentions of each, in His supreme mercy and goodness by no means permits that anyone suffer eternal punishment, who has not of his own free will fallen into sin.”

As you can see, natural law may enable a person to “attain to eternal life” if it is truly followed. Do you have difficulty understanding the effect this has on one’s conscience? Maybe the CCC from the Vatican website will help clarify it for you, beginning with the first article.

1776 “Deep within his conscience man discovers a law which he has not laid upon himself but which he must obey. Its voice, ever calling him to love and to do what is good and to avoid evil, sounds in his heart at the right moment. . . .** For man has in his heart a law inscribed by God.** . . . His conscience is man’s most secret core and his sanctuary. There he is alone with God whose voice echoes in his depths.”
 
Natural law isn’t just about procreation in the ordered way is it? It includes not murdering another human I think.
What about eating animals? Some people would say its not natural to them to eat animals and some people have no problem eating animals. We know we could survive not eating animals, but because most people do, it seems natural?
 
simpleas said:
Natural law isn’t just about procreation in the ordered way is it?
What about eating animals? Some people would say its not natural to them to eat animals and some people have no problem eating animals. We know we could survive not eating animals, but because most people do, it seems natural?
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I believe the natural law as mentioned in Romans 2:14-16 refers to personal morality, rather than a focus on dietary laws or things of immaterial moral consequence.

Someone just sent me a comical reference to eating … enjoy!

Lets eat**,** Grandma!
versus
Lets eat Grandma!
 
So called “natural law” is a pure social catholic construct based on catholic ideology, nothing more. It has nothing to do with actual Nature itself.

Mother Nature is perfectly fine with same sex activities of its children. “She” is neutral.

As for animals, read about same sex behavior in wikipedia. It summarizes well the scientific knowledge of animal kingdom in that regard we have now. Especially pay attention to mammals, say, bonobos.

Animals do not use sex solely for procreation, there is a great number of reasons for sexual activity among animals known to scientists , and no, it’s not only about domination and hierarchy (like in human’;s prison) animals do form stable same- sex couples as well although not often and only certain kinds of animals.
 
Natasha_Roxwell said:
So called “natural law” is a pure social catholic construct based on catholic ideology, nothing more. It has nothing to do with actual Nature itself…
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At first glance, it seems as though you are unaware of the insult you have bestowed on our Catholic faith, by demeaning our teachings to nothing more than ideology. Hopefully, you will realize your error in not following the forum rules, and be more respectful in your future posts. 🙂
 
DavidFilmer said:
Natural law (or common law) is a legal concept (the law of nature). Its interpretation is complex, and varies widely among legal jurisdictions.

In some US states, a man and woman who co-habitate for a certain time (in Georgia, it is 10 years) are legally regarded as married (a “common law marriage”).

Some offenses are regarded as “common law crimes” in almost all jurisdictions - such as willful murder.

The United States Declaration of Independence was founded upon an interpretation of common law:

The “self-evident” truths, endowed by their Creator, are elements of common (universal) law.

But ALL law is subject to authoritative interpretation. Common Law is an idea, but is not objectively defined in a common manner.

The legal interpretation of “natural law” is confined to the human species. What other species “naturally do” (such as eating their young) is not included.
Click to expand...
Oh I see. The law of Torts. Old chancellery courts of equity. Ok. I thought we were talking about things observed in the natural world. The tort of “Criminal Conversation” was done away with in my state long ago. That was when women didn’t have rights and there was alienation of affection. Most torts nowadays are “personal injury”.

I see now.
 
Sirach2 said:
I believe the natural law as mentioned in Romans 2:14-16 refers to personal morality, rather than a focus on dietary laws or things of immaterial moral consequence.

Someone just sent me a comical reference to eating … enjoy!

Lets eat**,** Grandma!
versus
Lets eat Grandma!
Click to expand...
Yes it is comical that. 😃

I wasn’t referring to focusing on dietary laws, as our faith doesn’t have any. I was thinking on how people view something as natural vs un-natural to them.
 
catybug said:
As for “homosexual” behavior in animals, it happens for allot of reasons, but most often for dominance. I volunteered at a zoo when I was in Highschool, and the Galapagos tortoises ( the really giant ones) there would often “mate” in the mornings, and they were all male. Presumably it was either dominance, and/or just because there were no females. In any case it was most definatly not the way that humans view sexuality. For one thing, the majority of animals don’t get pleasure from sex ( except for dolphins, oddly is what I heard) and it actually can be painful for them, but they’re more or less just submitting to base instinct.
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Alpha male dominance is not about homosexuality though it is achieved through same-sex acts for males. Do you know of any female counterparts? More reasonable theories for the continuation of homosexuality in both human and non-human species is that homosexuality serves as a positive check on population and of increased survival of offspring of the mating pairs of the species. See “gay uncle” or kin selection theory.
 
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