Christian Relationships

1. Christian Relationships Sexuality

2. Sexuality • Sexuality is integral to being human and to being made in God’s image. It touches every facet of our life and is immensely the powerful energy behind all our relationships. Christian tradition affirms the goodness and life-giving nature of sexuality, as well as the great value of the human body.

3. Sexuality continued… • Sexuality is celebrated throughout both the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament – Genesis and the creation story, Proverbs and the Song of Songs • (Proverbs 5:18-19) and Saint Paul’s Letter to the Corinthians (6:19-20) • Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body.

4. Valuing Our Sexual Person • feeling comfortable in our own skin • problems arise when we get a distorted image of our body through the media – TV, movies, advertising, marketing of products, health clubs playing on our dissatisfaction with what and who we are and fashion. • many people are obsessed with perfection and will do practically anything to achieve the “ideal” body. • may lead to eating and other disorders such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia, or excessive exercise – hyper-gymnasia. • need to take care of our bodies through proper nutrition, rest and recreation

5. What are we as Catholic’s called too? Chastity • Refers to a sense of purity of relationships. This purity is grounded in expressions of true love that are rooted in unmistakable Christian values. In terms of sexual intercourse, chastity means only having intercourse in marriage with one’s spouse. A married couple having sexual intercourse with one another is practicing chastity! Chastity means sexual self-control in accordance with what we believe is God’s plan for everyone.

6. What are we as Catholic’s called too? Celibacy • The commitment not to participate in sexual activity and is usually associated with religious orders. Abstinence • The ability to refrain from ANY sexual activity.

7. When is sex welcome in a relationship in the Catholic Church? • According to the Catholic Church, the purpose of sexual intercourse is two-fold: • Unitive • Procreative • This means that ONLY when these 2 factors are equally welcome into a sexual relationship will that relationship be welcome by the Church.

8. When Sexuality is Distorted Rape • condemned by society because it is essentially violent, brutal and dehumanizing • may not be recognized as rape – on a date with an acquaintance with or without the use of drugs (Date Rape) • rape is about power and domination not about sexual relationship and can leave long-term emotional scars,

9. When Sexuality is Distorted continued… Lust • the desire to use another person as a “non-person • we treat others as objects which is a distortion of their humanity • focuses exclusively on self-gratification

10. When Sexuality is Distorted continued… Pornography • reduces sexuality to depersonalized, secondhand experience of genital sex • cheapens and dehumanizes sex leaving its users empty and deprived of a real relationship • pornography is a form of deception, ultimately degrading and misleading • frequently involves acts of violence, especially against women • may involve illegal forms such as child pornography

11. When Sexuality is Distorted continued… Selling Through Sex • marketing products using sexuality to sell products • distorted abuse of sexuality equating commercial products with sex appeal • manipulates the consumer by taking advantage of the powerful and common desire to feel sexually attractive.