I just got to wondering about the Catholic Church’s attitude on something. My understanding of the Church’s stance on sex is all second hand, but it’s pretty much:
Sex within marriage for the purpose of procreation is good and part of the plan. Everything else is out; no sex w/o marriage, no birth control or abortion, no gay sex.
But what is the Church’s view on sex within marriage post-menopause?
I think you already answered it…since it would not be for the sake of creating, then it would be condemned.
Bzzzzzt!
Good guess, but incorrect.
The RCC does not demand that every act of sexual expression lead to procreation. The position is that you must be “open to having children.” If you want to have sex after menopause, have at it. Just don’t do anything that would prevent a late-in-life child (a là Abraham’s wife Sarah).
Tom~
I think the Monty Python folks put it best:
ahem
There are Jews in the world.
There are Buddhists.
There are Hindus and Mormons, and then
There are those that follow Mohammed, but
I’ve never been one of them.
I’m a Roman Catholic,
And have been since before I was born,
And the one thing they say about Catholics is:
They’ll take you as soon as you’re warm.
You don’t have to be a six-footer.
You don’t have to have a great brain.
You don’t have to have any clothes on. You’re
A Catholic the moment Dad came,
Because
Every sperm is sacred.
Every sperm is great.
If a sperm is wasted,
God gets quite irate.
Every sperm is sacred.
Every sperm is great.
If a sperm is wasted,
God gets quite irate.
Let the heathen spill theirs
On the dusty ground.
God shall make them pay for
Each sperm that can’t be found.
Every sperm is wanted.
Every sperm is good.
Every sperm is needed
In your neighbourhood.
Hindu, Taoist, Mormon,
Spill theirs just anywhere,
But God loves those who treat their
Semen with more care.
Every sperm is sacred.
Every sperm is great.
If a sperm is wasted,
God gets quite irate.
Every sperm is sacred.
Every sperm is good.
Every sperm is needed
In your neighbourhood!
Every sperm is useful.
Every sperm is fine.
God needs everybody’s.
Mine! And mine! And mine!
Let the Pagan spill theirs
O’er mountain, hill, and plain.
God shall strike them down for
Each sperm that’s spilt in vain.
Every sperm is sacred.
Every sperm is good.
Every sperm is needed
In your neighbourhood.
Every sperm is sacred.
Every sperm is great.
If a sperm is wasted,
God gets quite iraaaaate!
Steve Pantol
CRC Radio
http://www.crcradio.com
“Waah-Waah, Yea-E-yeah” --James Hetfield
(BTW, what the heck does the question in the OP have to do with fornication?)
Straigh Dope on this, trust me:
If the cause of infertility is natural, then the couple can still have sex, since it is part of the Natural Law of things. Besides, miracles can happen – such as Sarah bearing Isaac in her old age.
Married sex is never called fornication. Fornication is pre-marital sex (or, non-marital sex). Extra-marital sex is adultery.
Peace.