Gratification In Sexual Activity

[Guest hank]

+IhS+


I have been wondering:

If sex is solely procreative, why did the Creator make it pleasureful? To me it seems unnecessary, and could be used as an argument for evolution (I mean, the aspect of pleasure in human sexuality could point to a sort of impluse-driven, animalistic facet of human nature).

Furthermore, if it is so great a sin, why did God endow mankind with temptation as a part of his genetic constitution? I mean, if these desires are part of human nature, and God is the author of our biology, then why would he construct us in such a way that we would be tempted to disobey him? To be clear, I'm not talking about temptations in our minds; rather, I mean the physical pleasure that results from the stimulation of reproductive organs. Why is that there?

My shortsighted human reasoning would lead me to think that if God did not intend it to be used as a means for physical gratification, he would not have endowed us with such capacities.

What's a boy to think?

Thanks for any help you have to offer.

[Laudate_Dominum]

Hank,

Thank you for your questions. I will do my best to give a summary answer.
[quote]If sex is solely procreative, why did the Creator make it pleasureful? [/quote]
The Church does not teach that sex is solely procreative. The two primary aspects of human sexuality are the procreative and the unitive dimensions. Sex is pleasurable because it is intended to create a deep bond between spouses and because the gift of self which is exchanged is a profound union of love which appropriately involves ecstatic pleasure to such a degree that spouses are drawn out of themselves in an experience of ravishing delight and bliss. The physical sensations should be a part of a total gift of self which includes a psychological and spiritual dimension of the unity and pleasure. It is a part of the totality of spousal love which is a small foretaste of heaven. Within the Sacrament of Marriage sexual love is holy and is an essential part of the union between spouses which is actually an efficacious channel of grace, a participation in the Divine Life.

[quote]To me it seems unnecessary, and could be used as an argument for evolution (I mean, the aspect of pleasure in human sexuality could point to a sort of impluse-driven, animalistic facet of human nature).[/quote]
In itself the sexual urge and sexual pleasure is hardly an argument. Some have interpretted these things in light of an evolutionary based anthropology. For example Freud asserted that all of man's strivings are ultimately reducible to a pleasure principle. He attempted to ground his theories on somewhat Darwinist principles. It really depends on what the foundations of your anthropology are. If you assume some sort of biological reductionism it makes sense to see sexuality as nothing more than animalistic. But the Catholic understanding of sexuality is founded on the fact that man was created in the image and likeness of God. Therefore it is possible to interpret human sexuality in a way that in fact reveals something of the mystery of God in whose image we are made.
Certainly there are aspects of human nature on many levels (physical, psychological, emotional) that are common to, or at least resemble that of the beasts, but man is still a personal being with a transcendent dignity and therefore things such as sexuality cannot rightly be understood outside of the personal and spiritual dimensions. With this in mind the Catholic approach makes more sense because it takes into account all of these dimensions. The procreative dimension relates largely to the physical side of things and the unitive opens up the depths of the spiritual dimension (although these aspects permeate all because man is a unity).

[quote]Furthermore, if it is so great a sin, why did God endow mankind with temptation as a part of his genetic constitution?[/quote]
Sex is not a sin, neither is the pleasure associated with it. Disordered sexual acts are sinful, such as fornication, adultery, sodomy, etc. But sex is in fact one of the holiest and most sacred of human acts. It is linked with the creation of new human persons and the total gift of persons to one another in spousal love. Further the Church teaches that our nature is fallen and that one of the effects of original sin is concupiscence. This means that the original integrity of our nature has been disrupted and therefore we experience things such as the war against the passions.
The Pope refers to sexual concipiscence as an interior seperation from the nuptial meaning of the body. This means that we have a selfish tendency (because of sin) which clouds our ability to perceive and properly respond to the true meaning of our bodies and our sexuality. Instead of viewing sex as an expression of a total gift of self we have a tendency to use instead of give. Our passions should be ordered toward love and be subordinate to love. This happens as we grow spiritually and increase our capacity to love and simultaneously learn self-mastery, by the grace of God. We are created to love and be loved. Without love our existence can only be a confusing mystery. The fact of temptation is actually an occassion to love and triumph over the darkness that has come upon creation. Christ came to reveal the love of God and to give us an example of total, self-giving love. It is through Christ that we can truly understand, and be empowered to live, the full meaning of our sexuality and personhood.

[quote]if these desires are part of human nature, and God is the author of our biology, then why would he construct us in such a way that we would be tempted to disobey him? To be clear, I'm not talking about temptations in our minds; rather, I mean the physical pleasure that results from the stimulation of reproductive organs. Why is that there?[/quote]
Our sexuality points to the fact that we are created for love and for perfect bliss. This is what being with God face to face will be, perfect love and perfect happiness beyond our loftiest dreams. Our sexual faculty is a concrete sign and foretaste of the love and bliss of the perfect union with the Source of all love. But when this image is distorted and used in a way which contradicts its meaning it becomes a false-sign and an abomination, a mockery of our dignity and the goodness of sexuality which should never be seperated from love. Our lives are a striving and a battle. We are in a fallen world and are called to strive against the forces of darkness and reach for the highest good which is found in Christ. Christ was like us in all things but sin and was tempted that He might be our example in the fight. Ultimately He gave the total gift of Himself in a perfect act of love. When we experience sexual temptation it is an occassion to say yes to love and the truth of human dignity.

[quote]My shortsighted human reasoning would lead me to think that if God did not intend it to be used as a means for physical gratification, he would not have endowed us with such capacities. [/quote]
When the pleasure aspect is sought in isolation, meaning outside the context of the total gift (involving the whole person in a real and binding commitment to the beloved) the resulting act is in fact a mockery and runs contrary to the meaning of life which is love. It is a move away from the fulfillment of our being and a move toward a self-centered and closed off mode of being which reaches its ultimate form in hell. A sexual act which is not a personal act is animalistic and base. For example sex for the sake of pleasure alone, or acts of auto-eroticism (aka, self-abuse, masturbation, etc). Things of this sort condition a person to perceive sex as a means to an end, namely selfish gratification, when the true meaning of sexuality in its pleasurable component is self-transcendence, to be lost in your beloved in a way analogous to the way in which the mystics loose themselves in love during ecstatic raptures and things. When one is conditioned to use, or to approach sexuality in a mode of appropriation the essence of conjugal love is lost and the subsequent acts can be nothing other than sins, offenses against God, self and neighbor.
All of the capacities with which we have been endowed exist for love and should lead us to deeper conformity to, and union with the God Who has created us out of love, through love, and for love. We have come from God, we are made in His image and likeness, and we shall return to God. Christ is God Incarnate and His life was a triumph over sin and evil through a profound Sacrifice and suffering. It is no surprise that our lives must involve some degree of self-denial, suffering and sacrifice if they are to be noble, good and true. If we were mere beasts this would all be meaningless and we would simply do what our passions demand without even thinking about it. But we have intelligence and free-will, therefore we can resist our passions and desires when they go against right-reason, and we have consciences. For example some people have a strong passion to over eat, but it is clear that if such people which to remain healthy and in shape they must deny this passion. Also we must deny passions such as anger, otherwise people would be slaying one another over trivial things. Our sexual passions are not exempt, they must be conformed to right reason, and the higher calling which has been revealed by God in Jesus Christ, that of total, self-giving love.

I hope this has helped. Sorry if I was a bit repetitive. God bless you.