Sex and Morality:

1
Chapter 9

• Sex and Morality
• Caring for Our Bodies, Ourselves, and Others

2
In This Chapter

• Sex
• Definitions and Attitudes
• Traditional Perspectives on Sex
• Fundamental Christian Teaching about Sex
• Sex in the Christian Tradition
• The Marriage Ideal
• Examining Specific Situations Related to Sexual
  Morality
• Conclusion
• Sex and Morality

3
Human Sexuality

• Human Sexuality
• Not just a physical action
• concerns the innermost being of the human
  person
• Gift from God
• Must be respected
• Fullness of expression
• A psychological, spiritual, and physical reality
• Our sexuality allows us to be fully human
• Relational beings, living with others

4
Sexuality vs. Sex

• Being sexual does not necessarily involve
  physical actions of intimacy
• Everyday actions, gestures demonstrating our
  humanness
• We must not reduce our sexuality to a sex act
• Cheapens what it means to be human
• Respecting sexuality
• Appreciation of our life as a gift from God
• Allows us to live with others as relational
  beings
• Living the true life of a Christian

5
Traditional Perspectives

• Two conflicting views in Christian thought
  regarding sexuality
• Dualistic
• Sacramental
• Both views offer insights into human sexuality
• Important to understand how both describe our
  lives as sexual beings

6
Dualistic View Good and Evil

• Dualism
• Dividing the human into higher and lower
  components and labeling one evil
• Sex as being a bodily act is labeled as an evil
• Animalistic behavior / necessary evil
• Negative understanding of human sexuality
• Important to understand, but incomplete

7
Sacramental View A Holistic View

• Sacrament
• Sign or symbol of Christian relality
• Sacramental view
• Affirms the fullness of human reality as a whole
• More positive than a Dualistic view
• Physical as a doorway into the sacred
• Human body as good not evil
• Sexuality as an expression of our spirituality
• Part of what it is to be human

8
Fundamental Teaching

• God created humanity
• Love as central to our lives
• Human sexuality is good, because God created it
  and its goal is living fully in Gods love
• Sexuality is part of the Good News
• Incarnation Word became flesh
• Scriptural view of sex
• Good but corruptible

9
Sexuality in the Scriptures

• 2 General Principles
• Sexuality is part of Gods good creation
• Because it is part of humanness, sexuality can be
  corrupted and become sinful
• Goodness of creation
• God doesnt make junk
• Bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit
• Corruptibility
• Free will allows us to make our own choices
• We can choose to do good or evil
• Inappropriately using our sexuality
• Removing the context of created goodness
• Becoming selfish or self-centered
• Not living in community with others

10
Sex in the Christian Tradition

• Ideal of Marriage
• Sex linked with the creation of new life, and
  with love, community, and sacramentality
• Church Teaching on Sex in Marriage
• Physical-sexual activity is intimately linked to
  bearing and raising children
• Physical union represents full and complete
  sharing of life in love between two people
• Sexuality finds meaning in relation to community
• Marriage is a sacrament

11
Sex as Language

• Proper understanding
• A love so strong that a man and a woman would
  want to commit themselves totally to each other
  until death
• Within the proper context of marriage
• Alternative understanding
• Intimate sexual expression outside of marriage
• Various reasons, various justifications

12
Recreational Sex

• If it feels good, do it.
• Whatever happens, happens. I am not responsible
  for you you are not responsible for me.
• Recreational Sex
• A view of sexual activity as the pursuit of
  pleasure with no constraints other than mutual
  consent

13
Emotional-Relationship Sex

• If two people feel as though they truly love
  each other, then intimate sex is a natural and
  acceptable way to express those feelings.
• Emotional-Relationship Sex
• A view of sexual activity as being acceptable
  when the two people involved feel love for each
  other

14
Almost-Committed Sex

• If two people are ready enough to make a
  commitment through marriage, then intimate sexual
  activity is acceptable.
• Almost-Committed Sex
• The view that intimate sexual activity is
  acceptable when the two people have expressed a
  degree of commitment to each other, such as
  during engagement

15
Serious Moral Issues

• Misusing the gift of human sexuality results in a
  variety of dangers / problems
• List on page 179
• Using human sexuality properly allows to live
  more in line with what it means to be human

16
Examining Specific Situations

• Viewing human sexuality as a whole represents a
  more positive way of teaching
• Does not mean that the Churchs teaching has
  changed
• Sexual activity outside of marriage is immoral
• Occurs in various ways
• Situations / opportunities encountered daily
• Specific Situations
• Playboy/Playgirl Philosophy
• Obscenity
• Rape
• Homosexuality

17
Playboy/Playgirl Philosophy

• Popular cultures view of human sexuality almost
  endorses a philosophy
• The belief that sex should be engaged in for
  pleasure, with few if any restrictions
• Sex seen as the ultimate good true expression of
  happiness
• Contrasted by many married couples who do not
  rank sexual activity as an important factor
  regarding strengthening their relationships
• Few restrictions
• Identified on page 181

18
What makes something obscene?

• Obscene
• Literally means offstage. An insensitive,
  public portrayal of what should be kept private
  and intimate, such as sex and dying
• Cheapening the experience of sexuality lessens
  what it means to be human
• Various forms of obscenity
• Language
• Movies
• Music
• Writings / drawings

19
Rape When sex becomes violent

• Rape
• Forcing sex on an unwilling partner
• Serious moral evil
• Offense against chastity, justice, and human
  dignity
• Violates a persons sense of self and integrity
• Occurs in various situations or scenarios
• Not just women being raped by men who are
  strangers
• Rape happens to both men and women

20
Sexual Orientation

• A persons sexual orientation identifies the
  gender to which one is attracted
• Homosexuality
• Sexual attraction toward persons of the same sex
• Heterosexuality
• Sexual attraction toward persons of the opposite
  sex