Simple way to understand Church teachings on Sex

[JRKH]

I read in one of your previous posts that your wife has Alzheimer’s disease. You have my sympathy, and I’ll pray for you. No one is trying to diminish the admirable (indeed heroic:thumbsup charity that you are showing your wife by discussing the unitive aspect of sex.

I never felt anyone was trying to diminsh me. And thank you for your prayers.

Also, “the only thing that changes in a Christian marriage after the wedding is the physical aspect” is wrong. In the sacrament of matrimony, the Holy Spirit forms an unbreakable bond between the man and woman, making them an image of the union between Christ and His Church.

It is that unbreakable, total self giving, bond, that sex, the marital act, expresses and renews.

I’m not an expert on the Church’s teaching of human sexuality. I’ve never made any in depth study of the Church’s teaching, and I’m not married, so this is not something I’ve lived as a married woman. I’m sure there are other people out there who are experts (and who are married) who can explain it better than I can.

Well since you are not married, perhaps you will allow that someone who has been married just might have an insight that you do not. Especially as regards to how “united” a couple can be even before the wedding. I do not set myself up as any expert because I am not. But I have been in two marriages in my life, one bad (annuled) and one good (beyond wonderful).

No one is trying to deny the undeniable fact that sex is for procreation. This fact has been sadly forgotten our society, and you are right to point that out. But the Church teaches that they are not only for that purpose. Indeed, we might rightly ask, if human sexuality is no different than animals, why are human women able to have orgasms, unlike most other aimals? It serves no procreative purpose.

The purpose of orgasms is simple - in the male it is the natural ejaculatory process which is present in most other animals. In the female the pleasure derived from the stimulation prepares her to receive the male. Orgasm in the male is required but it is not required in the female for the sex act to be completed. In short the purpose of such stimulation and pleasure is to promote the desire to complete the sex act for the purpose of bringing sperm from the male into the female for the purpose of fertilizing the egg (if present).

The Church does teach that the sexual act is for procreation. You are right about that! No one is denying that, in fact, that message is sorely needed in this world. However, the Church does not teach that the sole purpose of procreation. That is where your original post was incorrect.

Yes - well I wish this thread had taken a more helpful and consilatory path than it did.

I’m sure other people who have studied the Church’s teachings on human sexuality, especially those who have read Pope John Paul II’s Theology of the Body, could explain it far better than I can. I turn the floor over to them.

Yes many hundreds of pages have been written on the subject. But that doesn’t necessarily help when one is trying to explain to a non-believer and trying to use simple terms.

Like I said - I’m about done

Peace
James

 

[JRKH]

I fail to see the distinction you are trying to make about the physical acts of sex and how my comments are off topic.

See the other two posts for explanation as to why fornication and adultery are not by their very nature unitive.

I cannot explain it any better that I have.

I’m done - I give up.:manvspc:

Peace
James