That seems a pretty fair assessment on the Catholic treatment of sexual ethics.
This comment struck me, however: "The Catholic Church teaches mortal sin and hell are a big freaking deal, unless it's inconvenient."
When it comes to sexual ethics, that could be said about most of American Christianity, liberal or conservative.
Luke 16:18, Matthew 19:9, Mark 10:11: "And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her."
Scripture is clear: remarry while your first spouse is still alive and you're committing perpetual and unrepentant adultery. What's the penalty for adultery? Hell. (1 Cor 6:9)
This standard might be expected from the higher administration of a Church, but are you aware of any denomination that specifically excludes remarried couples from its congregation?
You're giving deceptive, partial quotes. Mt 19:9 arguable allows for divorce and remarriage in the case of infidelity, while 1 Cor 7 arguably allows for divorce and remarriage in the case of desertion.
You're correct. I wasn't being deceptive on purpose. There is an exclusion for infidelity.
That does beg the question, though: do pastors inquire as to the nature of the reasons for the divorce of any parishioner who wishes to become a member? The attitude about this seems to be to look the other way.
Catholic annulments just seem to be a more formal way of ignoring it, if you will. Wave a magic wand and voila! Your first marriage never existed!
I can appreciate your contempt for Romes multiplication of qualifications for annulment but...
It's not exactly like "waving a magic wand". Again, you are only partially right. The marriage must be "declared invalid by a competent tribunal or dissolved by the proper authority" (Canon 1085). So in fact- it is sometimes dissolved by waving a bunch of magic wands :)
Besides, they are actually pretty serious as to who qualifies for dissolution. For example:
On the part of the woman it is necessary that she have a vagina capable of receiving the male organ. It is not necessary that she have a uterus, ovaries, and fallopian tubes. In fact,a woman fitted with an artificial vagina prior to marriage is not considered impotent, provided it is constructed of natural, human material (Canon 1084.
That seems a pretty fair assessment on the Catholic treatment of sexual ethics.
ReplyDeleteThis comment struck me, however: "The Catholic Church teaches mortal sin and hell are a big freaking deal, unless it's inconvenient."
When it comes to sexual ethics, that could be said about most of American Christianity, liberal or conservative.
Luke 16:18, Matthew 19:9, Mark 10:11: "And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her."
Scripture is clear: remarry while your first spouse is still alive and you're committing perpetual and unrepentant adultery. What's the penalty for adultery? Hell. (1 Cor 6:9)
This standard might be expected from the higher administration of a Church, but are you aware of any denomination that specifically excludes remarried couples from its congregation?
I'm not.
You're giving deceptive, partial quotes. Mt 19:9 arguable allows for divorce and remarriage in the case of infidelity, while 1 Cor 7 arguably allows for divorce and remarriage in the case of desertion.
ReplyDeleteYou're correct. I wasn't being deceptive on purpose. There is an exclusion for infidelity.
ReplyDeleteThat does beg the question, though: do pastors inquire as to the nature of the reasons for the divorce of any parishioner who wishes to become a member? The attitude about this seems to be to look the other way.
Catholic annulments just seem to be a more formal way of ignoring it, if you will. Wave a magic wand and voila! Your first marriage never existed!
Well James,
ReplyDeleteI can appreciate your contempt for Romes multiplication of qualifications for annulment but...
It's not exactly like "waving a magic wand". Again, you are only partially right.
The marriage must be "declared invalid by a competent tribunal or dissolved by the proper authority" (Canon 1085).
So in fact- it is sometimes dissolved by waving a bunch of magic wands :)
Besides, they are actually pretty serious as to who qualifies for dissolution. For example:
On the part of the woman it is necessary that she have a vagina capable of receiving the male organ. It is not necessary that she have a uterus, ovaries, and fallopian tubes. In fact,a woman fitted with an artificial vagina prior to marriage is not considered impotent, provided it is constructed of natural, human material (Canon 1084.