I was raised Catholic and while I still practice it, I am most definitely a “Cafeteria Catholic” since that’s what works for me. My question is this: WHY of all the sins, especially the so-called “mortal sins” that send the sinner to hell unless he/she goes to confession first, are the SEXUAL SINS considered the “mortal sins” especially when the Bible says that there is no sin greater than any other? Why did the Catholic Church latch onto any sexual fantasy or practice outside of marriage as well as any unapproved sexual practice WITHIN the confines of marriage and make these the dreaded “mortal sins” of our times? Was this an easier way for the Catholic Church to control its members, as we are ALL SEXUAL BEINGS then it was simply easier to control us since it’s nigh impossible to NOT HAVE ILLICIT SEXUAL DESIRES, especially when the Catholic Church gives such a narrow definition about what is and is not acceptable and sinful? I know that St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas had a lot of influence in these areas, but I don’t know why these two particular saints obsessed over sexuality in the way that they allegedly did. Any thoughts that are NOT peppered with anti-Catholic or religious bias? As always i am asking for a clear discussion and responses from everybody here, and that’s what I usually get. I look forward to hearing some thoughtful responses from everybody.
Thomas just built on the ideas that Augustine started.
Augustine was a libertine in his youth, even siring a kid out of wedlock, and when he got religion, he was very upset with his own behavior. That was why he put such a premium on chastity. Since he was a major source of theological thought on numerous topics, his thoughts on sex got passed down and expanded upon with his thoughts on other sins, on grace, on salvation, etc.
Do you have an example? Aside from coitus interruptus, multiple partners, (and, probably, sadism), I can’t think of any practices that are prohibited by church teachings.
ETA: Sexual sins really are not considered worse than other sins. The early church, for example, had special rules regarding murder, adultery (betraying one’s spouse), and apostasy, but did not single out fornication for special notice.
Sex isn’t a mortal sin in the Catholic church. Certain sexual sins (like other sins) can be mortal if they’re of a grave matter, committed with full knowledge, and complete consent. Those are the three things that together, make a sin mortal. Those aren’t just sexual things, though. All sorts of sins can be mortal. Not paying an employee what you owe him can be a mortal sin in the Catholic Church.
As to why some sins are mortal and others aren’t, the Catholic position is that all sins offend God and hurt our relationship with him, but some sins (the mortal sins) are a deliberate rejection of God, while others, especially those committed in ignorance or through carelessness (the venial sins) are a result of our flawed nature falling short of what God wants us to do.
Sodomy, even between spouses? Marital rape, I guess (although most people probably would agree with the Catholic church there)? Mutual masturbation?
I was also taught that a mortal sin builds upon itself, widening the gap between man and God. An individual might recover, on his own, from a venial sin, but cannot recover without assistance from a mortal one. A mortal sin induces cover-ups, excuses, rationalization, and further sin, in a cascade of badness that is out of the control of the individual sinner. It’s a “gift that keeps on giving.”
I don’t know if this is official doctrine…but it was what I was taught.
I’m not at all religious, but I will say this: even in this day and age, the most evil act commonly done by otherwise decent people is creating children they can’t care for because they lack the emotional and/or financial resources to properly do so. I’ve never had to fight the temptation to hit someone, let alone murder them, but I’ve had to fight the temptation to risk making a baby. In societies where the resources were stretched a thousand times thinner than they are in the Western world today, and where there is no access to reliable birth control? I can see why you’d consider casual baby-making–or the risk of it–a mortal sin.
Then go to a motel. Yeesh.
Many, (not all), theologians would hold that every incident of sodomy or mutual masturbation that ended in ejaculation would fall into the category of coitus interruptus, but I know of no prohibition against either act, in and of themselves. Given that the topic would appear to be sexual acts in which both spouses agreed to participate, rape would be outside those bounds.
One of my earlier memories of pre-Vatican II Catholic sex education* was being told that sexual intercourse between a married couple outside the woman’s fertile period was sinful. Only a venial sin, mind you — your milk bottle only got a few spots — but sinful nonetheless. Since procreation was deemed at the time to be the be-all-and-end-all of sex, I suppose it made a strange kind of sense.
Somewhere along the line that outlook changed (a process that doubtless involved a good deal of wailing and gnashing of teeth), and non-procreative sex became acceptable as a means of strengthening the couple’s marital bond.
I suppose a hot&sweaty quickie-against-the-wall is still verboten, though.
*Yes, I know, the phrase “military intelligence” occurred to me too.
Last I heard during my catechism classes (admittedly back in the 1970s), ANY sexual act between a husband and wife MUST NOT involve artificial birth control and if it does then according to the Catholic Church then YES that is a mortal sin. Now we could argue that such a teaching does not stop married Catholic couples from practicing birth control, but that’s another discussion entirely. The fact is the Catholic Church considers any sex that is not expressly for procreative purposes within the confines of a marriage to be a mortal sin. This includes mutual masturbation, oral, anal, whatever. While all those things are allowed as foreplay, according to the Catholic Church a sex act MUST END UP being for procreative purposes ONLY. So yes, I do have examples.
To all other posters here, even sexually fantasizing about or pretending to be “other people” between two spouses is a mortal sin, because in effect the couple would be lusting after other people that they are not married to
Masturbation (although specifically outside the context of marriage) is explicitly condemned in the current catechism.
Sodomy was condemned by the Catechism of Pius X:
And also Aquinas:
As I understand it even thinking of sex was a sin, but not a mortal one. Just sexual actions out side of marriage. The thoughts and actions must be with one’s spouse. I think it goes back to Paul’s writings about even looking at a woman (not one’s wife) in a sexual way was sinful. Impure thoughts!
The Holy Mother Church usually is about 200 years behind the times. That’s moving fast, for her.
The interesting thing to me is how so many people stay Catholic and simply ignore the culturally stagnant parts of the catechism. To me, this is one of the most obvious differences between Catholicism and Protestantism. In Protestantism, if you don’t like the rules you switch denominations until you find one compatible with your values. In Catholicism you just pipe down.
There’s an advantage to the latter, in that you are more likely to get to know people who are much different than yourself than in a more self-selected group. I know this has happened to me.
I know several out gay couples in my parish – devout, practicing Catholics who are at least as respected and loved as anyone else. I’m quite sure that the congregation’s sexual practices are parallel to those in the larger community. How is this reconciled with the Church’s teachings?
It isn’t. That’s the beauty of it. I can’t get enough of moral ambiguity I guess.
I don’t believe there is one Catholic or believer in general who cannot be called a Cafeteria X. They all pick the parts they like and ignore what they don’t
The Catholic obsession with sex is just about 300 years old. Before that, no one cared much where you put their sweaty bits as long as you were a bit circumspect about it.
Back then, it was all about heresy and doctrine. People killed and hated other people based on nuances of interpretations of Bible texts. It did have in common with the obsession about sex, though, in that heresy, like sexual desire, is a sin everyone committs or is scared of committing. As said upthread; most normal people have no urge to murder or steal. But many, many of us have the, all to human urge, to be opinionated.
I don’t think he is talking about mutual masturbation within marriage.
I don’t know how old you are, but I think whoever told you that was mistaken.
Intercourse outside the fertile period is the whole point of the rhythm method, and that has been defined as OK by the Roman church since at least 1853.
IANACatholic, but several of my relatives are, including a bishop.
Regards,
Shodan
Maybe the way YOU do it.
Why would you think that? Assuming that it’s between a married couple and that it’s penis-in-vagina, the Catholic Church would have no objection whatsoever to such an act. It’s not like there’s a rule that it has to be in a bed, or anything.
Only if you do it right.