Contemporary moral issues

1. Contemporary moral issues

2. Quote - “If you are what you should be, you will set the whole world on fire!” ―St. Catherine of Siena Random acts of Kindness - perform daily substantial good deeds and reflect on the quote and your experience in a blog post due next Thursday.   SGP Quote and task

3. involves more than the act of sex. • means using our bodies to show love to others. • Physical expression of feelings. • Is one aspect of our humanity that affects all our relationships. Human sexuality

4. Merely biological?   • For physical pleasure and procreation • A game between men and women? • For entertainment and fun • Romantic love? • As long as we love the other person, sexual activity is good What is the essence of sexuality?

5. Merely biological? • We are more than physical beings, so sexuality involves more than just the physical aspects. • A game between men and women? • Humans are not meant to be used, but loved • Romantic love • Can lead to idolizing the partner • What is love? Sexuality

6. It is part of our nature • we are created male and female • It is good, but can be abused and corrupted • It is primarily about relationship - “to know” • Sex is a communion that goes beyond just the physical • Includes spiritual, emotional, intellectual, and more. • It has two basic functions - reproduction and unity • It changes relationships • It needs to be regulated • natural drive can be satisfied in damaging ways Theology of sexuality and sex

7. Is sex viewed as biological or entertainment in high school? College? What is the connection between sex and love? Is love enough? Love is not easily identified - infatuation; different meanings of “I love you” Love flourishes outside of sexual relationships How is sex viewed?

8. Read Article 42 - Sexuality - Sharing in God’s life-giving power – pg. 205-208 in textbook. Add to your notes on sexuality Homework

9. All are called to be in loving relationship • We most closely reflect the divine image in relationship (pg. 207) • Marriage is one important expression of loving relationship • However, not all are called to marriage. • We need love, not sex to thrive as human beings • Our value as humans does not depend on who or how much we date, nor should our happiness Sexuality

10. Moral virtue of sexual integrity – authentically using the gift of sexuality Appreciating the gift of sexuality and resisting the temptation to use it in ways that hurt oneself or others Gift of the Holy Spirit Required of all people - being true to one’s state in life. Chastity

11. Lust - intense and uncontrolled desire for sexual pleasure Purity of heart - perceiving the human body - ours and others’ - as a temple of the Holy Spirit and manifestation of divine beauty. Modesty - discretion in what we wear, listen to, watch, talk about to not unnecessarily arouse sexual desire. Related concepts

12. Difficult to change habits - actions now set the foundation for life Instant gratification vs. long term happiness love vs. lust loving vs. using Chastity is freedom - free from worry about pregnancy, STDs, emotional wounds, regret, abandonment , coercion. Discipline of a chaste life

13. Video: http://youtu.be/IlJFvxad1_A • Jason Evert - extra credit • Attend Talk and write a one page reflection • Read his book “Pure Manhood” or his wife’s book “Pure Womanhood” and write a one page reflection

14. Is marriage important? Dating & marriage - what is the point of dating? Is living together necessary to test if marriage is right? Cohabitation Discussion

15. Sends the message that marriage is not important • Cohabiting Couples tend to be less satisfied with marriage and more likely to divorce (50% more likely) • Differing views on purpose of cohabitation • Women - see it as a step toward marriage • Men - see it as a way to test a relationship or avoid/postpone commitment Cohabitation

16. Benefits of marriage w/o any promises • Constant sense of vulnerability • Tend to slide into it without a conversation • Tend to have lower standards for a live in than a spouse. • Done for convenience (save money, test the relationship) goes against sacrificing for love • Committing (love) vs. testing (using) • Growing emotional involvement - lives become tangled • Sense of loss still present if there is a breakup • What if children come along? Marriage without the commitment

17. Marriage vows promised to spouse, community, and God, as well as grace of the Sacrament, do not guarantee a perfect marriage, but they set the framework for a healthy, loving, lifelong relationship.  

18. My dear friends, you have come together in this church so that the Lord may seal and strengthen your love in the presence of the Church’s minister and this community. Christ abundantly blesses this love. He has already consecrated you in baptism and now he enriches and strengthens you by a special sacrament so that you may assume the duties of marriage in mutual and lasting fidelity. And so, in the presence of the Church, I ask you to state your intentions. Marriage Rite

19. (Name) and (Name), have you come here freely and without reservation to give yourselves to each other in marriage? Will you love and honor each other as man and wife for the rest of your lives? Will you accept children lovingly from God and bring them up according to the law of Christ and his Church? Statement of Intention

20. The groom says: I, (Name), take you, (Name), to be my wife. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life. The bride says: I, (Name), take you, (Name), to be my husband. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life. Consent

21. (Name), take this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. The Ring

22. Read Article 45 (page 217-222) Homework

23. If an accident or illness affected your spouse, what would you do? Video’s on marriage: commitment through hardship: http://www.faithit.com/a-powerful-story-of-love-and-commitment-you-wont-forget/#.UmaF1wZu8vM.facebook Jefferson Bethke, rapping for marriage: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4OK9DmLpCY&list=TLib0h6KXUgB26lCGfAwW_5UxnHLx6gYwy Commitment to marriage

24. Unique expression reserved for a unique relationship - powerful and life-changing • Nuptial - intimate, loving communion - complete sharing of self with other openly and honestly • sexual intercourse is the most intense expression of this communion • Physical, emotional and spiritual union • Release of oxytocin • Generative - open to new life; gift of being co-creators • Act of self-giving is meant to be life giving.   Purpose of sexual intercourse

25. What should be done when things go wrong? Indissolubility of marriage Annulment - Sacramental bond never existed – lack of free consent or proper intent. Separation – necessary at times, goal should be reconciliation Divorce – civil divorce does not end a Sacramental Marriage When difficulty arises

26. It can happen that one of the spouses is the innocent victim of a divorce decreed by civil law; this spouse therefore has not contravened the moral law. There is a considerable difference between a spouse who has sincerely tried to be faithful to the sacrament of marriage and is unjustly abandoned, and one who through his own grave fault destroys a canonically valid marriage Gravity of Divorce

27. Purpose of sex is procreation and union • indicates a deeper spiritual complementarity • sex consummates and expresses the one-life unity of man and woman • Anything that violates this goes against our nature as humans • adultery, fornication, divorce, pornography, widespread contraception, etc. natural law

28. Act - intrinsically disordered - fail to observe the design of sex • Inclination - objectively disordered – • attraction is toward a use of sex that is contrary to its purpose. • Not morally culpable unless acted upon. • Person - always good and to be authentically loved • Should not reduce the human person to their sexual inclinations • Courage - responding with truth and love • Church needs to do more to support those with same sex attraction. homosexuality - act, inclination, person

29. All sexual acts outside of marriage go against the nature and purpose of sex Read paragraphs from catechism & take notes in your notebook.

30. Anything that violates the nuptial and generative meaning of sex goes against our nature as humans • Fornication – carnal union between unmarried man and woman • Prostitution – • Reduces person to an instrument of pleasure • Culpability of prostitute can be lessened by destitution, blackmail, or social pressure. • Rape – deeply wounds the respect, freedom, and physical and moral integrity to which every person has the right. – Intrinsically evil. Other issues

31. Offense against chastity as it perverts the act of sex meant to be an intimate self giving • Injures the dignity of participants & viewers • People are made object of base pleasure and profit • Harmful effects • Objectifies women, can lead to ill treatment • Encourages lustful thoughts and actions • Addiction, unrealistic expectations of women and sex Pornography