God’s purpose for sexuality

1. God’s purpose for sexuality Procreation, love, and justice

2. We are created … • Human • Male and female • Gendered • Sexual • Social • Heterosexual and homosexual

3. Sex and gender • Biological sex (xy, xx, xxy and so forth) • Gender (masculine, feminine, typical male and female social roles)

4. Sexual orientation • Types of sexual desire – the object of sexual desire or eros • Whom do you love? • Sexual orientation may be as specific as orientation toward a single person or type of person • Sexual orientation commonly refers to whether a person is emotionally, physically, and psychologically attracted to their own or to the other gender

5. Sex and society • We enact our sexuality • Publically • Through gender roles (mother, father, son, daughter) • Through the ways we communicate our own way of being male or female • Through the ways we communicate our own way of being heterosexual or homosexual • Privately • Through our relationships in family and household

6. Natural purpose for sexual difference • There is a natural purpose for sexual difference • Reproduction • Sexual reproduction (as opposed to asexual reproduction) evolved very early in the history of our planet • Sexual reproduction gives organisms very strong evolutionary advantages (relating to genetic similarity and difference – variety in a population enhances survival odds for the whole even if it does not enhance survival odds for the individual)

7. Natural law and sexuality • In Church teaching, we consider God’s purpose for creating sexual difference • God did not have to evolve sexual difference (life on earth did not have to include fixed sexual reproductive features) • God did not have to evolve sexual reproduction (life on earth could have remained asexual or multisexual) • WHY WOULD GOD create life to include these features and characteristics?

8. God created them … • Male and female • We look to the wisdom of the ancient Israelites and their stories about the creation of the world • God created us to share our sexuality with a partner • In an intimate union • So that we will not be lonely or alone • To share in God’s creating power

9. Sexuality is a gift • Our sexuality (sex, gender, orientation, desire for love and companionship, our power to reproduce) is a gift from God who creates us • In our sexuality – rightly exercised – we experience something of the joy and happiness of God’s eternal love for us

10. The result of our sexuality • The results of our sexuality is also a gift • Children • Loving companionship & communion with one’s spouse • Family and community life • Family is more than just mother / father / child • In Church teaching “family” also includes the extended family: grandparents / aunts / uncles / cousins

11. Gifts and responsibility • In Church teaching, we seldom speak of rights • All good things come to us from God as a gift and we do not deserve them and should not expect or demand them • We have a responsibility to receive God’s gifts with humble gratitude, reverence, and awe

12. Life is a gift from God • We do not so much have a “right to life” as we have the “gift of life” • We have a responsibility to receive God’s gift of life with humble gratitude, reverence, and awe • This is true of our own life and of every other person’s life • Our DUTY is to RECEIVE and REVERE God’s gift of life (for God did not HAVE to give life to anyone)

13. An “ethic of life” • In Catholic teaching, we hold an “ethic of life” • This means we receive and revere God’s gift of life for ALL people with awe • We uphold the value of God’s gift of life for all people (perhaps even, for all creation) • The lives of all are Gifts of God to them and to us • Our duty is never to stand in the way of God’s gifts of life

14. Ways we “get in the way” • According to Church teaching, we sinfully “get in the way” of God’s gift of life to ourselves and others when we: • Prevent conception during intercourse • Use in vitro fertilization and certain other technologies relating to conception • Clone • Abort • Apply the death penalty or torture • Euthanize or assist a suicide

15. Quantity AND Quality of Life • Because of our ethic of life, we have a duty to uphold the value of life as God’s gift at all times • Upholding the value of life as God’s gift requires us to uphold the quality of life at all times for all people

16. Upholding the quality of life • We fail to uphold the quality of life for all people at all times when we • Oppose universal health care • Oppose universal access to education • Pollute and contaminate the environment • Hoard food or water which are necessary for life • Support capital punishment and torture in most cases

17. Sexual ethics

18. Less than ideal – immoral or sinful – sexual activity Reproduction without sexual intercourse In vitro fertilization Surrogate parenthood Cloning Genetic engineering Adultery Pre-marital sex Extra-marital sex Polygamy “Without God” Non-vaginal sex Using artificial contraception After voluntary sterilization (vasectomy or tubal ligation) Withdrawal Masturbation Rape Sexual abuse Recreational sex “Make-up” sex Coercive sex For lust alone

19. A consistent ethic of life • A “seamless garment” • The “both/and” approach to life issues • Both the mother and the unborn child • Both the victims of crime and the victimizers • Both the soldier and the combatant • Both the terrorized and the terrorist • What are the reasons for just punishment and lethal use of force?

20. Lethal use of force • Never justified with respect to the powerless (infants, children, the aged) • Justified only when life is immediately endangered and no other means of arrest or apprehension are available • Justified only when a criminal is so likely to reoffend that they remain a real and credible threat even in the most restrictive incarceration

21. Capital punishment • Catholic opposition to capital punishment rests on two key values • Restorative justice is impossible after the decease of the criminal (they are no longer afforded the opportunity to repent and reconcile) – mercy and reconciliation • We can not justly take the life of a person who has been rendered defenseless and unable to commit further, proportionate, future harm (incarcerated for life, disarmed, pacified) – just defense for society

22. Euthanasia • Catholic opposition to euthanasia • Death is not to be feared, but not to be hastened; extraordinary measures do not need to be taken • Lingering death is not a reason to hasten death • We have a duty to provide palliative care (unusually high doses of morphine, e.g.) • We have a duty to provide ordinary means of care (food, hydration, oxygen, and bodily comfort)

23. Assisted suicide • Catholic opposition to assisted suicide • Some people choose suicide only because they are depressed; while their primary illness can still be treated effectively • Our duty is to provide hope, care, and compassion to those who are in the final stages of life; not to cure them, not to kill them, but to assist them in their return to God