Why isn’t the Church straightforward about that? I often hear Catholics (and I am Catholic too – I came into the Church at Easter 2008) say that sex is a beautiful gift from God that is perfectly fine for married people. But everyone knows the truth is it is only considered fine if you’re married, trying to have a baby, and don’t enjoy the act. Why not 'fess up to this? I mean, people find that out sooner or later anyway.
I am married, and I still feel guilty over sex because I do enjoy it. I always feel like I am going to burn in hell for committing such a horrible sin.
Why isn’t the Church straightforward about that? I often hear Catholics (and I am Catholic too – I came into the Church at Easter 2008) say that sex is a beautiful gift from God that is perfectly fine for married people. But everyone knows the truth is it is only considered fine if you’re married, trying to have a baby, and don’t enjoy the act. Why not 'fess up to this? I mean, people find that out sooner or later anyway.
Your description here makes it sound as though you think the “proper” Christian understanding of sex is that it is a biohazard that can only be “handled safely” when kept within the sealed laboratory of marriage by people who are protected within his-and-hers matching HazMat suits. But a better analogy is that sex is like fire. Within the proper confines of a fireplace or a campground fire circle, it can provide beauty, light, heat, utility, and enjoyment. Outside of the proper confines, it can burn down your house or destroy great swaths of land, killing all in its path.
usagi1962:
I am married, and I still feel guilty over sex because I do enjoy it. I always feel like I am going to burn in hell for committing such a horrible sin.
The Church teaches that marital relations between a man and a woman are beautiful, that the purpose is not solely for procreation, and that it is not sinful to enjoy them. If you are unable to believe that, perhaps you should contact the Pastoral Solutions Institute, a Catholic counseling apostolate, for more personalized assistance.
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