This really does go to far. They will be wanting a “Catholic Joy of Sex” next. Well, okay, perhaps such thing might not be such a silly idea–in fact, some would argue that we already have it in JPII’s magnum opus “The Theology of the Body” (perhaps someone should bring out an illustrated edition??).
Anyway, if you haven’t caught up with it, here is the offending article at none other than the National Catholic Reporter, entitled “Toward a Catholic Kama Sutra”. The author is one Gordon J. Hilsman, who apparently is a clinical pastoral educator in Tacoma, Wash., and author of “Intimate Spirituality: The Catholic Way of Love and Sex”. He has a website too: www.intimatespirituality.com. His basic argument is that if it is “loving”, it is okay, because “being loving” is what Christianity is all about.
Here’s a taste of the article:
But for our age a widely diverse community of dedicated and educated Catholics committed to formulation of something like a Catholic Kama Sutra may determine that some of the ways in which intimate relationships feed the human spirit reflect the presence of God as clearly as any other religious experience when they are no longer a priori considered to be “bad in all circumstances.”
Sexual intercourse outside of sanctified committed relationship serves as an example. If not condemned morally carte blanche, some uncommitted sexual loving would emerge as spiritually transformational. Not a few solid Catholic marriages, perhaps even a majority, were enlivened by full and loving sexual expression before the wedding.
There is a good reason why only the Hindus have produced a work like “Karma Sutra”. It images the fact that sexuality is an essential aspect in the nature of their gods. Ancient middle eastern pagan rites of temple prostitution were predicated on the same idea. Monotheists such as Jews, Christians and Muslims, tend to disagree.
However, of course, the project to rescue Eros from the Catholic rubbish bin and show its true relation to Agape is not one that I have any argument with. But I would humbly submit that we already have such a work in Papa Benny’s own book “Deus Caritas Est”. The problem with Dr Hilsman’s approach is that it isn’t “Catholic”.
I was surprised to see the article on the Cathnews site, but not at all surprised to see it at the National Catholic Reporter. This is what passes for “Theology of the Body” amongst the American Catholic chattering classes – oops, sorry, the “dedicated and educated” classes.
No matter what the initial starting point, these arguments always lead to the same conclusion: getting your kit of with whoever you fancy – oops, sorry, whoever you “love”.
The basic assumption here is that love could never call us to do anything against our own desires. Unfortunately for these “Catholics”, this assumption is completely falsified by the Cross. The Cross of that Jesus guy. Remember Him?
Oh, yeah … Seventh Heaven! >:) Uh, boy … :)
Karma means something like fate, right, a deserved fate?
The book about sex positions is the “Kama Sutra” NO R. I don’t know what these words mean, though.
In a way this is innocent nonsense. Of course it is guilty nonsense, no doubt about it. But, still, no one could say such things who had walked down all the roads this leads to. Once you sign up with the Empress Jadis she stops giving you Turkish delight and you find yourself in a dungeon. I, who walked down just a few of them, learned this by the age of 20.
Of course, God made sex and God made pleasure, and He is the author of all the other good things one might find mixed in with an illicit relationship. So, especially at first, one might still experience some echoes of the divine. But keep on walking down that road and eventually its the muck and the mire.
Susan Peterson
Well, to be honest, I had to learn it all over again about 20 years later later in a much slower and more subtle and ultimately much more painful process.
Alas.
Hospodi pomiluy!
(Lord have mercy, in Church Slavonic, spelling questionable.)
Susan Peterson
Good on ya, Susan. We ALL pray that prayer!