a. Sex, marriage and divorce

There is a tendency, less so these days, for religiously orientated people to consider pleasant and euphoric experiences to be ungodly and intrinsically corruptive. I don’t believe that this is the case. All pleasurable experiences are authored by God. It is the unwillingness of beings to follow the rules that God lays down as the condition for partaking in these experiences that is the problem. It is the great lie of Satan that one can partake in these experiences without respecting the rules which God lays down in regards to them and not be reproached for doing so. This is the same lie that he sold to Adam and Eve.

God’s rules in regards to the pursuit of pleasure are always logical and for a purpose, and usually to the goal of assuring that the responsibilities that are associated with partaking in these experiences are fulfilled. These responsibilities are intended to ensure that the greater purposes of God’s design are realized, and not undermined, by our natural desires.

Another misconception that I believe many people have is the notion that the pleasurable and euphoric experiences which are available to us on earth, such as sexual pleasure, are not intended to be part of our experiences in Paradise and Heaven. On the contrary, I believe that these experiences will be available to us in Paradise and Heaven and in an enhanced and amplified form. After all, as Christians we believe that the human form of being is not a temporary, inferior, disposable mode of existence, but reflects the image of God, and, in fact, God Himself, in the person of the Son, is human. What the Son is not vulnerable to, and what other humans are, is the willingness to break the rules in the pursuit of these pleasurable experiences. If we can’t follow the rules here on Earth where the degree of pleasure available to us is relatively minor, how are we to follow them in Heaven where the degree of pleasure is amplified? The answer to this problem is; with Grace and awareness. When we have an awareness of the rules and their purpose, and an awareness that it is absolutely necessary to follow these rules or be banished from the presence of God, in Who’s presence all good experiences are enhanced and amplified, then we develop the self control to partake in these experiences without corruption. This, I believe, is the reason that God puts us in a world where we are exposed to so many possible forms of pleasure. It is not to torture us with the temptation to partake in them, but to teach us that if we wish to partake in them, we must follow God’s way to them. The temptation that we must resist is the temptation to break His rules in the pursuit of these pleasures.

When one considers Adam and Eve’s situation, it can be seen that while they had God’s Grace, they did not have awareness, and thus were vulnerable to being tempted to break God’s rules. What Satan was falsely offering to them, the chance to be gods in heaven, was what God had always intended for them. However, Adam and Eve needed to come to understand that nobody gets to be a god in heaven without following the Supreme God’s rules.

As I’ve stated, all of God’s rules are logical and to a purpose. The rules regarding sexual activity are meant to assure that the opportunity to receive sensual pleasure from another human being, this meant to enhance the experience of spiritual union with that being, does not undermine that primary goal of spiritual union. Spiritual union with another person is one of the goals that God has intended for most people. When God created Eve, He meant her to be Adam’s companion, and, of course, for him to be her’s. They were meant to be each other’s helpmates on the road to developing into children of God in Heaven. Part of that development is to learn how to love each other. This for them meant both a sibling type of love and a spousal type of love. With the spousal type of love comes both the added opportunity for enjoying each other in sexual union and the responsibilities associated with this type of union. These responsibilities all revolve around the concept that they become responsible to each other in a complete way, encompassing all their physical, psychological and emotional needs. The opportunity to receive sexual pleasure from each other in this type of relationship is meant to be a reward from God that complements and completes the development of the spiritual union. It is a taste of one of the euphoric experiences of Heaven, one which God only allows with His blessing when two people agree to fulfill the requirements of responsibility that come with this type of relationship.

To partake in sexual pleasure without the willingness to take on the responsibilities associated with it is to undermine God’s intent of spiritual union. This is why sexual activity between two people outside of marriage is a mortal sin. Marriage is an agreement to take responsibility for each other in a complete way. If one is not willing to make this commitment, one has no right to the reward of sexual pleasure that God offers as part of this commitment. If one chooses not to follow this rule, then God chooses to withdraw His direct presence, or Grace, and this person will then have to learn the hard way, without His direct Grace, why it is that God makes His rules as He does.

I believe that the goal of spiritual union with another person is paramount for most people in their development toward becoming a god in Heaven. I say most people because I believe that most people, but not all, are created like Adam and Eve, as beings with a single complimentary companion intended for them. However, as an Orthodox Catholic I believe that the others are created to be consecrated to God, thus to live celibate lives while here on earth. Either way, all must come to understand, through their path in life, how to love another person intimately and completely in order to understand God’s love. While most people learn this aspect of love through their relationship with another person here on earth, a celibate is called to learn this through their relationship with Christ.

The necessity for the acceptance of responsibility becomes especially clear when one considers the emotional consequences of love. With love comes a tremendous amplification of all emotions. Only by having an absolute respect for love and the responsibilities that come with it can one direct these emotions in a constructive way. This is the struggle that all who partake in the experience of love must learn to win. From this struggle one comes to understand the reasons for God’s requirements regarding responsibility.

The belief that God creates most people in pairs helps to explain the strict rules that God has inspired the Church to apply in regards to sexual activity. Jesus said, “let no man put asunder what God has joined”. This joining is a complete spiritual unification, as is made clear when He declares that “now they are one body, one soul”. He points out that at their creation they are intended for each other, as were Adam and Eve. The problem though, is that, unlike with Adam and Eve, it is not clear to whom God has intended each person. This is a problem that must be worked out in one’s life, and this can be very difficult, especially in the context of this world. However, if one follows God’s way, the path to one’s intended will be as direct and constructive as possible. Following this path requires both that you have faith that God has created a soulmate for you and that He will lead you to that person in good time. One must have the patience to follow this path, and this patience comes as one understands that there is a good reason that God directs your path as He does.

When people don’t have faith and patience, they are liable to make mistakes in their pursuit of loving companionship. These mistakes range from coming to believe that sexual gratification is a sound basis for a relationship, to choosing to marry someone because of the belief that they present the only possibility for marriage. All mistakes in regards to these matters are rooted in a lack of understanding of, and faith in, the eternal love that God has intended for us. This lack of understanding is compounded when we are not in a state of Grace. Without direct access to Grace it becomes very difficult to believe that we are destined for a perfect loving relationship with another person, and even more difficult to follow the perfect path to it’s realization. It is in Christ’s statement, though, “let no man put asunder what God has joined”, that rests the hope for this perfect love.

When Christ spoke of marriage, He commented on the Mosaic law regarding divorce, saying that it was permitted because of people’s hardheartedness and stubbornness. I believe that this is a comment on both the immature state of human beings, and the affect that the fall from Grace has on people. To genuinely appreciate love as God intends it to be in Heaven, that is, complete and eternal, one must have the maturity to respond to love in a complete way. A lack of maturity is reflected in Adam and Eve’s fall from Grace; they did not appreciate the gift of love that God had offered to them. Throughout the Old Testament you see the Jewish people’s, and this is true for all peoples, inability to fully respond to God’s love, this because of their lack of maturity and because of the conditions of the world in which we live. The reason that God puts people into a world in this condition is to teach us what it is like to live in a world with a reduced presence God’s Grace, in order that we come to appreciate His presence as we should. A world in this condition is a brutal, primitive world, and this has an affect on the people living in it, in many ways making them hardhearted and stubborn as they struggle to survive. With Judaism, God offers to restore His presence, under the condition that His law is respected. With His law He is restoring and enhancing His people’s understanding of His ways. The first step in enlightening people to the meaning of a spiritual union between two people is the institution of the Mosaic law regarding marriage. This law spells out the responsibilities of marriage under the law, and is meant to teach us that God insists that we take on responsibilities in a relationship such as this. That He allows for a change in the status of the relationship, with divorce, reveals that He sees that people, being mortal and in a struggling state of life, have a limited capacity to comprehend the meaning of a permanent and eternal relationship. The mosaic law required that a man still have some responsibility for his wife even in divorce, albeit more as if she were now his sister, and this reflects a progression in attitudes relative to those of the gentiles, and a step toward understanding the essential requirement of accepting responsibilities for others if we are to develop into children of God.

With the coming of Christ comes the promise of eternal love and life. This is why it becomes necessary for people to come to understand marriage as a life long commitment, sealed in love. This reflects the new reality that now exists, one where temporary relationships are not good enough, and where an absolute God-like love is now to be the foundation of all relationships. If we can’t manage this here on earth, where the required commitment is only until death from this world, how are we to manage maintaining eternal relationships in Heaven?

It’s obvious that not all marriages here on earth have been made in Heaven, meaning mistakes are made. When Christ said, “let no man put asunder what God has joined”, I do believe that He was speaking of marriages as God had intended, ones based upon real love between the two people God has intended for each other. Other marriages aren’t true, complete, spiritual unions. Should another chance be allowed, upon repentance? To answer this question, a couple of things need to be considered. God teaches us in both the Old and New Testament that fulfilling responsibilities to each other and to Him is more important than the romantic aspects of love. Consequently, when a separation is sought, there must be very sound reasons. I believe that God is willing to give people who have made mistakes in regards to marriage decisions another chance in this world at building a relationship with the soulmate that He’s intended for them. The Church’s approach, through annulment, is the proper way. In order for this way to work, though, what must be accepted by the persons involved is that through one’s own fault a seriously wrong mistake has been made. Even if all the problems in the relationship were caused by the other person, you still must face the fact that it was you who chose the wrong person. Secondly, one should not expect to be allowed to rectify a second mistake, for then you could simply fall into the pattern of getting involved in temporary relationships, a pattern which offends God. Accepting the possibility that for the rest of this life one must fulfill one’s obligations to a spouse who was not intended to be your soulmate might be required by God for the sake of instilling in your mind, and the minds of young people who will soon be making their own decisions in these matters, that one should not pursue temporary relationships, and that fulfilling the responsibilities that one takes on in life is more important than self-fulfillment. Accepting this would reveal a good comprehension and appreciation for God’s plan and intent.

In the Christian approach to life, one that presumes life will continue after death from this world, one can take comfort in knowing that if one doesn’t find one’s intended soulmate here you will in the next world. I do realize that Christ says, in response to a question about who one would be married to after the resurrection when one has married more than once in this life, that there is no marriage in Heaven, for we are like angels. I believe, though, that He was referring to the concept of marriage as a contract, or agreement, as it is here on earth. This does not mean that we might not have an eternal soulmate, but, being like angels, we would not need a marriage contract to insure that we fulfill our responsibilities to each other, for we are bound in love. After all, He also pointed out that man and women were originally created together, and said, “let no man put asunder what God has joined”. Surely this is also true after the resurrection. In our earthly Christian marriages, we are called to commit only until death. This doesn’t mean that our spiritual unity with another person will not continue after death. If we haven’t found our intended soulmate up until the point of death, we will then have direct counsel from God available to us on the matter, as did Adam and Eve when they were in Paradise.

It is also true that Christ says that we become like angels after our bodily resurrection. However, angels are of spirit, not body. There seems to be a contradiction here. I would say that what He knows is that even angels can be created in pairs, united in spirit and working for God in tandem.

The essential problem with temporary relationships is that they teach people to be hardhearted. Some people claim that the romantic aspects of a relationship enhance the emotional sensitivity and awareness of people, and thus, are a worthwhile pursuit even if there is no intent of commitment. This is simply a self-deception. Romance without commitment teaches people to be insensitive to the deeper emotional aspects of human relationships. This makes a mockery of romance. Romance then becomes a shallow self-indulgence that helps people avoid the essential elements of a loving relationship when it is actually meant to be a compliment and aid to the realization of true love. Only a hardhearted person can easily move in and out of romantic relationships, ignoring the wider, deeper aspects of a relationship. This neglect of the deeper aspects of relationships and degradation of romance is totally unacceptable to God. God is attempting to restore us to Paradise, thus working to replace our hearts of stone with true hearts. While it was true that in primitive conditions, when we already had hearts of stone, it was useful to allow temporary marriages in order to teach us the benefits of intimate relationships, though always with responsibilities, as Christians we are called to follow the perfect path to perfect and eternal love.

In this world the practical problems of following the correct path to one’s intended soulmate can be enormously difficult to overcome. For most it is at puberty when this aspect of life begins to come to the forefront. It is my belief that young people should be prepared and guided through this period in their lives by their elders, especially their parents. It is the responsibility of all older people to help younger people through this period, though for the most part this responsibility is fulfilled by those other than the parents in an indirect manner through setting a good example in their own lives. I believe that parents, and if not parents other authorized people, should be willing to talk directly to their children about sex and it’s place in God’s plan. Of course, in order to do this properly, they themselves must know something of it. Avoiding the issue simply leads to misunderstanding and confusion, and makes it highly unlikely that the young person will follow the proper path.

Demonizing sex undermines God’s intent, which is to get people to appreciate the gifts that He gives to us, including sex, and to use them properly. The concept that sexual pleasure is a gift from God, one that He will enhance when used properly but one that will cause serious problems when not, should be the basis for teaching young people about sex. Enhancement will not only come in the form of the practical aspects of life, like building a family, but also within the experience itself, for sex with the blessings of the Spirit is the greatest sex of all. This will help them come to realize that sex in the right context is a goal to aspire to, and in the wrong context, a problem to avoid.

Teaching young people that God has a perfect soulmate intended for them and will lead them along the best possible path to this person if only they follow will help them to understand the importance of avoiding improper involvements. If they don’t follow God’s guidance, the path is made more difficult. They can get back on the better path, but only after repentance. Explaining to them, to the best of one’s ability, the emotional consequences of this quest for love can help them deal with these emotions constructively. Being honest about one’s own emotions and experiences can help instill the trust necessary for credibility in the eyes of the young. This is especially important because of the inevitable increase in the intensity of emotions that comes with involvement in intimate relationships.

One belief of the Catholic Church in regards to sex that I don’t completely agree with is that masturbation is always a sin. As pointed out earlier, with the coming of Christ there was a change in conditions, this being the reason for the change in the rules in regards to marriage. The priority is now to seek a permanent relationship with one’s intended soulmate. Whereas before there was a greater emphasis on encouraging relationships that enabled procreation, now the emphasis has shifted to the permanence of relationships, with procreation occurring within this context. Consequently, it now becomes imperative that people choose their partners more prudently. Whereas before the law requried that all sexual drive be directed toward procreation, the priority now becomes avoiding marriage until one finds one’s eternally intended, and being able to constructively redirect one’s sexual drive before marriage enhances a person’s capacity to be patient in choosing a marriage partner. It is for this reason that I believe masturbation should be seen as a privilege that one can earn by following God’s rules. It is my belief that, when engaged in under the proper circumstances, the Spirit will enhance the pleasure of masturbation in order to teach us that there are pleasurable experiences to be had while following God, and this helps to teach us to enjoy the pleasures that God offers to us, without forsaking our responsibilities to Him. Since their is no other person involved, one’s responsibilities are only to oneself and to God, and we can fulfill these by following His rules and ways in life. If not abused, and this includes controlling one’s fantasizing, this can help to keep a person on the best path to their intended soulmate. It would, in fact, become an incentive for staying on the right path.

The reason, I believe, that God has not made this way of thinking clear to the Church is that unless there is a very strong awareness of the seriousness of the sin of having sex with another person without fulfilling the responsibilities of a marriage, the lowering of sexual inhibitions that naturally comes about with the practice of masturbation would likely increase the possibility of choosing to have sex with another person outside of marriage. Though the ideal situation for people is to be fully aware of God’s law and to follow it, thus not be susceptible to feelings of guilt or false guilt, it is better to have false guilt and inhibitions than to come to believe that it is not a problem to partake in sexual relations with another person without fulfilling responsibilities as required by God. The attitude of seeing people as simply a means to one’s own sexual enjoyment is a serious sin that fundamentally undermines God’s intent for us. To emphasis the seriousness of this sin, since it’s a mortal sin, it in itself will cause your death. Thus, it can be equated to death. If you are restored to Paradise with the promise of perfect health forever, illicit sex will cause your inevitable death, for that promise is always conditioned upon following God’s rules. This understanding must be firmly in place before the concept of guilt free masturbation becomes viable. When it is in place, though, guilt free masturbation can be seen as a tool to help people keep from improper relationships, and as an aid in teaching people how to partake in the pleasures that God offer’s in life without abusing them.

Another factor involved in the Church’s awareness of the exact application of the law in regards to masturbation is the strong drive toward procreation that God instills within human beings in the form of instinct, an instinct that strongly influences human beings’ judgments while they are under the curse of original sin. Since original sin brings death, and a consciousness of death, to human beings, it also amplifies the drive to procreation, and this amplifies their distain for actions that are perceived to be detrimental to the purpose of procreation. As a human being, and humanity as a whole, obtain a stronger sense of salvation and immortality, this amplified drive toward procreation wains, and the correct reasoning behind the laws regarding masturbation becomes more clear.

I would say that today the attitude of always considering masturbation a sin helps to contribute to the problem of illicit sex. Most young men and women see masturbation as a shameful act and would be ridiculed by their peers if it is revealed that they partake in it, while the pursuit of illicit sex is glorified and seen as a badge of honor. This puts an enormous amount of pressure on a young person to come to believe that the way to satisfy their interest in sex, an interest that is perfectly natural and healthy, is to seek to experience it with another person, even though there’s no marriage. Because the Church does not recognize and encourage a view of masturbation as a privilege to be earned by avoiding sin, especially the very serious sin of sex outside of marriage, it is unwittingly contributing to this problem.

b. Birth control

In marriage God teaches us to appreciate and to be responsible to each other in a situation where we see the other person as relatively equal in abilities and experience. In giving us the opportunity to have children, God teaches us to appreciate and to be responsible to others who are less capable and less experienced than we are, our children. In a manner of speaking, He is teaching us what it is like for Him to deal with us, His children. The fact that God ties together the act of sexual union with the creation of children reveals His intent of relating the pleasurable aspects of life to responsibilities. Here the responsibilities are to God and to the building of human society.

Raising children is one of the most important and essential jobs that God gives to people. It not only populates the earth, but teaches us some of the necessary lessons that we must learn in order to become children of God in heaven. It teaches us to create, nurture, and most of all, to be unselfish in our love. Spousal love is based upon mutual appreciation and support, a love between equals that has immediate and obvious benefits to each person involved. Love of children requires a more unselfish type of love, one based upon sacrifice and stewardship in an effort to bring an unknowing person into awareness. By participating in this process we come to better understand God and His efforts with us.

The issue of the use of artificial birth control really rests upon the question of whether or not God deems it possible to fulfill the responsibilities associated with sexual union without taking on the responsibilities of raising children, and, when we do want to have chidden, whether He is willing to allow us to influence the timing of when we take on these responsibilities. To answer these questions, I think four questions must be addressed. First, is it God’s intent to develop us into people who have greater control of our circumstances as we gain a greater understanding of our responsibilities and of Him and His ways? Secondly, is it possible to learn the lessons one learns from child rearing without rearing children. Thirdly, is it possible to contribute to society in other ways besides child rearing whick are worthy enough to count as the fulfillment of one’s responsibility to society, as God deems? And Fourthly, when God told Adam and Eve to populate the earth, did He have a particular population in mind, and if He did, do priorities change in regards to procreation as we approach that population? I would say that the answer to all of these questions is yes. However, I think that there is a serious question as to whether or not people truly have a sufficient understanding of their responsibilities to God and to society to be able to make sound judgments in regards to procreation. For example, adjusting the timing of having a child so that a couple has a sufficient income to properly care for that child is one thing, while determining that it is best to avoid having children because it would be detrimental to the accumulation of wealth is another. On a larger scale, there can be great abuse of people’s rights and an undermining of God’s intentions when societies decide that birth control is a means to economic prosperity. This is simply a method of avoiding the failures of that society and of the failures of the world as a whole. In my mind, the question of whether or not one is truly fulfilling one’s responsibilities to God and society is the determining factor as to whether or not God sanctions the prevention of conception by a couple that engages in sexual union. I feel that He is willing to hand over this control to us if we are willing and able to continue fulfilling our responsibilities to Him and society.

One might ask, what is the advantage to God and to society in God handing over control of conception to people? First, it can teach people to responsibly utilize their time and resources, and then God does not have to make these choices in regards to their time for them. Secondly, if two people choose to try prevent conception though artificial means they should assume that they have succeeded, and thus should feel a greater responsibility to give service to God and society than if conception simply did not naturally come about. This reflects an aspect of God’s plan that enables us to strive to accomplish many of our personal goals and desires, earning opportunities and experiences that we otherwise wouldn’t have, if we make sure that we are also willing to accept the responsibilities that come with these achievements, especially the responsibility to make sure that our achievements enhance the lives of all of God’s children and not just ourselves and those close to us.

Since God has put the determination and application of His law into the hands of the Church, it is through the Church that He will reveal that a change in circumstances warrants a change in the way His law applies. Until that time, one can assume that circumstances have not yet changed, thus the law as applied by the Church is valid. If the interpretation of God’s intent stated here is correct, though, the degree of one’s sin in not following the Church’s teachings in this matter should be determined by how well that person is following God’s actual intent. If one is following the intent, then the basis of the sin would not be in the nature of the action, but in not following the Church’s teachings, which are geared to encompass the whole situation of mankind.

For those who question God’s sensitivity to the right of an individual to make their own choices, I would simply point out how easily some people avoid their responsibilities in the name of self-satisfaction. We can sometimes forget that it has been our parents and ancestors willingness to take on the responsibilities of creating a society that have enabled us to have the opportunities that we have today. Though I believe that God wishes us to have a voice in determining the manner in which we fulfill our responsibilities in this matter, it is sometimes too easy for us to avoid these responsibilities, so sometimes they must be forced upon us. The desensitizing of people to this responsibility is a major problem in modern society, leading to serious sin. One only has to look at the tragedy of abortion to see this.

I also believe that all conceptions are controlled by God. Whenever there is a conception, it happens because He allows it to happen, and it is His Spirit that determines the exact genetic make-up of the conceived. Consequently, the only proper methods of birth control would be those that act to prevent conception, for God does not want anyone undoing what He has already done. I also believe that at conception God gives a promise of life in this world to the soul conceived, a promise that the parents consent to at the point of sexual union, and it is nobody right but God’s to take away that promise, for only He can restore it. While it is true that there are some cases, such as rape, where one of the parents have not consented to the sexual act, and other cases where a women’s life might be endangered by birth, I believe that God still looks for people in theses difficult circumstances to be willing to make the sacrifices necessary to afford the conceived person the opportunity for life in this world. These sacrifices are not asked of just the people directly involved, but also of society in general. Once a person is conceived, it should be allotted all the rights of a human being and it is society’s duty to work to assure that this occurs.

c. Homosexuality

If in the eyes of God it is possible to fulfill the responsibilities associated with sexual union in ways other than rearing children, then one must consider the possibility that God condones homosexual relations in a marriage type of relationship. The answer to this question rests upon whether or not God considers the sexual orientation of a person as an indication of whether or not that person has chosen to follow a plan for them which God designed in such a way that sexual interest and activity can only be considered proper when it is between two people of the opposite sex, or whether God considers sexual orientation as simply an indication of the way He designed a particular individual in a plan that is designed in such a way that the physical aspects of a person are secondary to the spiritual, and the determining factor in sexual union is spiritual, not physical. I believe that this latter situation is the case.

I believe that God, if he chose, could transform any man into a woman or woman into a man without in anyway affecting the essence of their soul. In the eyes of God, the sex of a person is simply part of the role that He determines that person should take on in their path to becoming children of God in Heaven. Every person that God creates has masculine and feminine attributes and sides to their soul; the yang and yin of the soul, as Buddhists refer to them. To be a child of God in Heaven, one must be well developed in both. It is part of God’s plan that we develop both these aspects of our psyche. The fact that He created people as both man and women, with the intent that they “become one body, one soul”, indicates that He considers a soul fully developed only when the development of the masculine and feminine attributes of the soul are complete. With most people this development is facilitated by their union with a person of the opposite sex, for each contributes to the completeness. Each has a greater opportunity to learn particular lessons, then can teach these to the other. This complimentary unity is seen clearly in Adam and Eve. Even that Eve is created from the side of Adam shows how God sees them as two persons of one body and soul, this mirroring His own Triune nature. However, this does not mean that every person is meant to or needs to develop the complete set of attributes necessary for becoming a child of God by following the model of Adam and Eve. It is quite conceivable that a person can develop these attributes as an individual, as celibates are called to do, or for one’s intended soulmate to be of the same sex, with each person’s make-up being such that they complement the other’s in bringing about the full development their souls.

If one looks closely at the development of human beings, it can be seen that the major differences between men and women take on more significance at puberty, and these differences begin to fade with age. Medical science has revealed to us that there is very little difference between the genetic make-up of a man and a women, just one chromosome, and the significant differences that eventually appear are mostly a result of a differences in the hormonal balance in a man and women’s body, this determined by that chromosome. As a matter of fact, male and female sexual organs exist in both men and women, though in different states of development. Before puberty and the maturity of the sexual systems of people, there is much less difference in male and females in regards to their physical size and strength and emotional sensibilities than after. Puberty brings along an amplification of these differences, thus requires each individual to adapt to their experience and situation, and in doing so they learn to how deal with life from their particular perspective. It is here in puberty when masculine and feminine traits come to the forefront. Males usually develop a physically stronger body, thus develop particular attitudes based upon their perceptions of their physical strength, as do women in response to their relative physical weakness. This can inspire a confidence and independence in men that enables them to face particular challenges in life in a forthright way, and can inspire women to develop a more diplomatic and subtle approach in dealing with particular situations. Women also go through emotional experiences due to the natural hormonal changes that they undergo due to their menstrual cycle, and this gives them a better opportunity to develop an understanding of the consequences of mood swings and fluctuations in emotions, thus greater emotional sensitivity. While these experiences which are unique to a men or women afford them a better opportunity to learn during their lifetime about a particular aspect of life, the lessons that are learned are ones that all people must eventually learn in order to be a fully develop child of God. Whether one learns them with the help of a soulmate of the opposite sex, or a soulmate of the same sex, or as an individual, the goal is the same, to be a complete person.

Even though I believe that God might condone same sex relationships in the proper situation, it is not necessarily true that He wishes the Church to sanction same sex marriages at this time. Part of the Church’s mission is to guide people to a greater awareness of God. In order to do this the Church must have credibility with the people they’re attempting to guide. If people are not ready to deal with a particular aspect of God’s truth in a constructive manner, God may not inspire His church to present this truth. This can be seen in how He presented the concept of marriage to the Jewish people in a particular way, then presented a more advanced and demanding concept of marriage with the coming of Christ, after people had been prepared by the first concept. This can also be seen in the way He presented His first covenant to His people, to have it superseded by a second one that is based upon a more complete understanding of His ways. The most obvious example of His step by step introduction of Himself and His ways, steps measured according to His understanding of the stage of development that man is at, is His delaying the revelation of His Triune nature until people first understood and accepted the concept of one, and only one, God.

So with this point of view, how should homosexual activity be viewed? It is still a sin, since God has not inspired the Church to change it’s laws regarding it. However, if it is carried out in a marriage type of relationship where both people accept the responsibilities of marriage, responsibilities to each other and to God and society, then it is a sin of timing, not of nature, thus a much less serious sin than is generally perceived.

d. Women priests

The question of timing, not nature, also applies to the issue of women priests. The Church does not ordain women priests because Christ did not choose a women to be an apostle. There are those who say, and with whom I agree, that He did not choose a women apostle because in a world where women receive little respect in regard to “worldly issues”, it would have undermined His efforts to built His Church. Thus, it was the condition of the world, not the nature and competence of women, that determined His action. The argument presented by some against this view is that Christ always had and has complete sovereignty, and always acts without regard to the situation or condition of mankind. I feel this argument is specious and untenable, as it flys in the face of the facts.

The clearest refutation of this argument is the manner in which God discarded His first covenant with His people, that involving circumcision, after He had revealed His second, the Body and Blood of Christ. His method of doing this clearly shows that, even though He has complete sovereignty, He times His actions according to a step by step plan designed to bring about His desired goals. In the Gospel, Christ exclaims that salvation comes from and is for the Jews. This is a point that He must make because Christ is the fulfillment of God’s promise of a messiah for the Jews. God first established the Jews awareness of the promise of a messiah, and then delivered on that promise in Christ. The awareness of the fulfillment of that promise was first established among Jesus’s followers, who were for the most part Jews, and who could only initially hear His call because of their awareness of the Jewish conception of God and messiah. Once this was established, it then became possible to bring salvation to the gentiles. At anytime during His life here on earth, including the forty days after His resurrection, He could have made it clear to His followers, especially Peter, who was destined to become their leader, that not only was salvation going to be offered to the gentiles, but also, that the first covenant was going to be discarded, but He did not. It is very clear as to why He did not reveal this during His earthly days, before His death and resurrection, for He would have lost all credibility with the Jews, even with His most ardent followers. He would have appeared to be Judaism’s destroyer, not it’s Savior. That He still didn’t reveal this directly to Peter in the forty days after the resurrection shows His intent of teaching His Church His truths in His way when He knows the time is right. Any other interpretation undermines the mission of Christ and the authority of His Church.

It has also been stated that the physical difference between a women and Jesus, because He is a man, precludes the possibility that a women can be become a priest. Besides the point that this view exaggerates the importance of the physical make-up of a person, I have pointed out in my work “Faith of Our Fathers” that we are also circumcised in our bodies when we receive the Eucharist because we receive Jesus’ circumcision as our own when we receive His body. Thus a women who receives the Eucharist receives all the physical attributes of Jesus, thus “becomes a man.” Isn’t this prophesized in Jeremiah, ch. 31, line 22, where it says, “For the Lord has created a new thing on Earth: a woman turned into a man”? If and when Christ determines that women should be ordained as priests will be revealed and implemented through the Church, and it seems to me that there are already signs of God’s intentions. I believe that St. Joan of Arc is presented by God as an example of a women fully capable of doing a job normally reserved for a man, and called to do it because of the failure of men. For those who consider a delay in this matter an injustice to women, one must remember that the reason that we live in this world under these conditions is a consequence of sin. God exposes us to the consequences of sin, one of those consequences being the primitive conditions that we all must endure, in order to teach us the importance of learning not to sin. To this goal we may be asked to sacrifice, at least temporarily, our own desires for self-fulfillment. Also, there should be no distinction in merit of service to the Church based upon whether one is ordained or not. To do so would reveal false pride and a lack of understanding of God’s purposes.

e. Married priests and celibacy

In theory the Church has no objections to the concept of married priests, a position with which I agree. I do believe that there in a reason that God has inspired the Church to exclude married men from ordination. In our modern society as it has developed in the West, meaning Western Europe and the United States, material concerns are of primary importance. In my mind, the material accomplishments of the West are both a reflection of the gifts that God offers to His people, and a revelation of how people abuse these gifts. The exhortation of Christ that “a man cannot serve two masters, God and money”, is a warning of the corruptive power of being preoccupied with the material world. Of the material and spiritual world, the material is the more obvious for most. It is easier for most people to relate to the more obvious material world than to the more subtle spiritual world. As Christians we are called to relate to both, but with the spiritual world taking precedent. In a materially prosperous society it can become very difficult to keep focused on the importance of the spiritual world. In regards to marriage, there is a tendency for a couple to be very focused upon the material aspects of life in an effort to provide for each other, and especially for their children. Even when it comes to emotional comfort and love, there is a difference as to how it is manifested in a marriage, with an emphasis on the physical presence of another person, and how it is achieved through a purely spiritual experience. While mutual dependence between two people can have many positive aspects for the development of a person, it can also make it more difficult to develop a sense of and dependence upon the spiritual world. I believe that this is one of the main reasons that God inspires His Church to have a great respect for those who forsake marriage in order to focus more completely on the spiritual aspects of life. This lifestyle is the foundation of the spiritual life of the Church. Consequently, to guard against the devaluation of this vocation, a devaluation that will naturally tend to occur in materially prosperous societies, God has inspired the Church to require celibacy.

This does not mean that God won’t inspire the church to allow the ordination of married men at sometime in the future, when it won’t undermine the importance of the celibate lifestyle. I believe that the question of whether a priest is married or not mainly influences the particular job that he should be given. Married life generally requires stability and an ability to divide one’s time between obligations to the Church and to one’s family. This is feasible in many aspects of the secular priesthood. However, I do not believe that God wants to put anyone into a position where they must forsake one aspect of their responsibilities in order to fulfill another. In regards to many types of spiritual pursuits and experiences, it is necessary for a person to be free to involve themselves completely in the spiritual world and to be detached from the physical world. Here celibacy is the only option.

f. Conclusion

On the previous pages I have expressed my opinions on a variety of controversial Church issues. If these opinions accurately reflect God’s will and intent, I believe that He will reveal this to His Church in due time.