The Pope has no Clothes

In its unrelenting drive to maintain its unique authority, the celibate (no sex, no sex thoughts) catholic hierarchy relies on different tools. One of the most common is reference to "natural law."

Many people thinking about natural law assume you could go to your local library and find a book listing in detail the natural laws. But such people would be disappointed. Natural law theory is one of the most complex subjects in the whole field of philosophy, with as many opinions and analyses as can be found in almost any area of philosophy.

The church is putting new emphasis on natural law in its efforts, especially in the area of sexuality, to maintain its steadidly declining influence on sexual practices, and, of course, to justify its celibate imposed strictures and the superiority of celibacy over the married state. Thus masturbation is a sin. Indeed, according to that great doctor of the church, Thomas Aquinas, the most referenced catholic authority on natural law, masturbation is worse than rape in that the latter could lead, at least, to procreation. And male orgasm other than in the vagina of the female is considered a sin. And all homosexual thought is disordered and any homosexual practice is a grave sin. And, of course, any sex not open to procreation is evil. Using contraceptives sends you straight to hell.

It does not take a genius to understand this, almost hysterical, anti-sexual attitude of the hierarchy. The superiority, the authority, of clerics is intimately tied to their unique position of having sworn off sex in virtually, if not all, its manifestations.

It should also be noted that the church's position on the natural law, and the supposed restriction on sexual activity and thought, cannot be questioned. Paul 6, in Humana Vitae, makes it quite clear that the church has the unique authority to say what the natural law is. Ergo, the natural law is what the church teaches. They are synomymous for all practical purposes; what the church says IS natural law, and natural law MEANS what the church says . Hmm.

So I think it is fair to say on this matter: The Pope has no clothes.

Oh, I forgot. If you kiss before marriage the lips MUST BE CLOSED. I do not know if this has been declared infallibly or by the magisterium, but it is so taught in many catholic schools. Just trying to be helpful.