Dear Terry,
I think you know by now what my position is when
it comes to a question of the Church's authority or respecting my
conscience. I prefer to address your question about sex in the context
of what I teach my children.
I explain that sex is an expression of love between 2 people.
Ideally, this is done in a committed relationship. A committed
relationship is defined as one where 2 people have expressed great love
for each other and are trying to build something long-lasting. I do
have a hierarchy to the act of sex. The ideal situation is the
committed relationship. Casual or promiscuous sex is not healthy.
It
cheapens the act itself and can be detrimental to a person's
self-esteem. It disconnects sex from its purpose, to express love.
Heterosexual children are informed that birth control can be faulty and
conception can result and there are consequences that follow. Science
has helped the Church and myself in teaching that a human life is
created at conception. Though I do not see abortion in an absolute
sense (nothing exists as an absolute), I teach that ending a pregnancy
is tantamount to murder. Marriage is not a foregone conclusion to the
birth of a child.
Marriage is for 2 people who love each other.
No
love, no marriage. A single parent is preferred to a marriage that is
forced. The same rules apply for my gay son. Sex in a committed
relationship is ideal.... All children are informed that disease is
transmitted by exchange of fluids and that care should be considered in
this area as well. Sex is an adult activity. It is not permissible in
my home.
My 19 year old daughter has a steady boyfriend. Invariably she
stays the night at his home. My wife and I have expressed our concerns
to our daughter, however, that does not mean she is going to be
compelled to follow what I believe. If something does occur we will
support her at that time.
I know that traditionally speaking sex is allowed within the
confines of marriage.
I'm sorry, I don't believe that these values are
practical in our day and age.
The idea that people have sex in order to
have children, I find rather comical, if not absurd.
We aren't running
farms or populating villages for protection anymore.
Perhaps we have 2
children, but sex is had because it is pleasurable and expressive of
our love for another person.
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