It looks like the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is ready to declare outright war on whatever believers still inhabit the pews. Their pastoral letter on marriage will be debated formally next month, but a preview is available. I've long since left the Catholic church (I can only take so much), but even if I were a heterosexual whose interests the church purports to protect, I think this would be the final straw for me.
The church is nothing if not consistent on sex (bad in general, good if it's "ordered" toward procreation), but this time out the Bishops seem comfortable squarely placing heterosexual couples who use contraception in the same moral position as same-sex couples. In fact, this letter may be the first time I've heard church officials explicitly employ the same language about married couples using birth control as they use about homosexuality. The letter describes contraception as an "intrinsically evil action." That's very close to the language they use about homosexuality. In fact, I think we're only "intrinsically disordered," without the "evil." The National Catholic Reporter (which is independent of the church) cites surveys showing 96% of married American Catholics use birth control, which is "within a margin of error of complete unanimity."
Is the American church ready to show American heterosexuals the same level of condescension they have previously reserved for us? That's up to them, of course. And I could be wrong about this, since I'm no expert on Catholic theology.
The condescension and theological arrogance of writing -- and thinking -- like this may be the biggest problem the church faces. Pastoral letters and other pronouncements from the Vatican seem to make a conscious effort to come from a world that Catholic believers don't live in, or maybe even recognize. As the bishops pontificate (you should pardon the word) in plummy grandiloquence about "the language of the body" and the "unitive" nature of marriage, you can almost feel the defensiveness from this famously unmarried and theoretically celibate clergy. Be sure to check out the part of the letter where the bishops explain why the Bible's description of Eve as a "helpmate" to Adam not only doesn't mean she was intended to be his inferior, but take their paternalistic case of nerves one step further to argue that the Bible also uses the original word translated as "helpmate" ("ezer") to describe God, himself. You can almost hear them cheering on Catholic women with a hearty but very self-conscious, "You go, girl!"
While the bishops and the Vatican indulge themselves in their pomposity, American Catholics continue their lives in the reality-based world. In addition to those who use contraception (i.e. pretty much everyone), 45% of American Catholics support same-sex marriage - in fact, Catholics have the highest support of any denomination; a full 62% of them support civil unions.
Ironically, that's probably a tribute to the church, itself, which has a history of social involvement, justice and intellectual engagement. Those things have taken a backseat to foolish and pedantic imagined consistencies on sex these days, but perhaps believers are willing to forgive even this and hope that it, too, will pass.
The pastoral letter will probably not change any minds. But
then, it's not really intended to. That, in fact, may be the
biggest problem my former church faces.
8 Comments for “The Hobgoblin of Little Minds”
posted by John on
“In addition to those who use contraception (i.e. pretty much everyone).” LOL, do you really think everyone is hedonistic and fornicating? And supposedly 45% of US Catholics support same-sex marriage? They must be the same brand of “Catholic” as Nancy Pelosi then i.e. Protestant.
Catholics must be opposed to homosexuality because the Church’s social doctrine states that sexual relations serve the purpose of reproduction. Homosexuality, straight away, cannot meet that requirement. Furthermore, Catholicism is opposed to fornication, adultery etc. because it fundamentally devalues the life of the participants. Sex without procreation is materialist and self-serving. One wants sex in order to receive sexual gratification – whether that gratification is gained through one’s own pleasure or contributing to the pleasure of the other person. Ultimately, sex without procreation devalues the spiritual nature of mankind and encourages a way of life based on primitive physical needs, based not of reason but on emotion.
Now, I’m certainly not an expert on Catholic social doctrine, but I believe that this forms part of the basis of what is well-conceived and thorough reasoning on the part of the Church. In addition, I’m sure you can see why the Church could never support homosexuality.
One more quick point. The Catholic Church does a heck of a lot of work on the other issues, all around the world. It may seem like the focus is on sexual matters but that’s simply what the mainstream media chooses to focus on – controversy sells.
How did I get on this forum anyway? One minute I’m researching a libertarian scholar, the next I’m debating about the Catholic Church and homosexualty. One has to love the internet :p
posted by Rodney Hoffman on
I hope it adds one more push to people to stop venerating everything in the Bible and to leave the Roman Catholic Church.
posted by Michael on
I would agree with John on this one. While the position may be disconnected from the reality of day-to-day life of many Catholics, it is at least very consistent and does not make exceptions for the heteros that it is not willing to make for the homosexual world.
Allowing heterosexuals full license to use sex as a self-gratification item instead of a pro-creation mechanism is hypocritical and destroys the credibility of their arguments which utilize “for the sake of the family”.
I only wish the protestant religions and gay rights opponents would be as consistent in their arguments.
posted by BobN on
I believe that this forms part of the basis of what is well-conceived and thorough reasoning on the part of the Church
Which is a polite way of saying that the Church has painted itself into a corner, a very empty corner.
Allowing heterosexuals full license to use sex as a self-gratification item instead of a pro-creation mechanism is hypocritical and destroys the credibility of their arguments which utilize “for the sake of the family”.
Seems to me that satisfying, gratifying sex between spouses does a lot “for the sake of the family”. Nothing worse than two frustrated, crabby people trying to raise kids…
posted by Bobby on
“I hope it adds one more push to people to stop venerating everything in the Bible and to leave the Roman Catholic Church.”
—I doubt it, a lot of people enjoy the experience of going to church no matter what the Pope and the Priests tell them. Church gives a lot of people peace of mind and something to do on sundays. I mean, if religion is bullshit then why do lots of gays go to the MCC? Why do atheists and agnostics attend Unitarian churches? Frankly, I refuse to believe that we’re alone in the universe and that there’s nothing waiting for us when we die, that’s a rather depressing point of view. Ironically, some atheists like Richard Dawkins are trying to push secularism with the same fervor as evangelicals, others read the bible just to find weird verses to mock, or they write entire books about why God doesn’t exist. Their obsession to disprove God makes them very suspect.
posted by Eric on
I fail to understand the level of vitriol directed against this letter.
posted by Jorge on
The Catholic Church’s opposition to contraception within marriage is news to you?
American Catholics have long since learned how to lie. The only people this affects in this country are young Americans who may have returned to the Church. They haven’t learned how to lie yet.
posted by Ass on
http://gaymac.blogspot.com/