Scottish Catholic Observer

Sometimes you could cry at the terrible things you read in the press. Not so long ago we heard of young girls systematically abused with the knowledge of care workers by a group of Asian men in Rochdale and Rotherham. Allegations of abuse by Jimmy Saville and similar celebrities continue to emerge. The charity Internet Watch Foundation tracks sexual abuse online. They struggle to make a dent in the volume of cases and we are told that pornography accounts for the majority of internet traffic. That so many young lives are marred bythose willing to use them for sexual pleasure is heart breaking.

Another bizarre form of sexual exploitation has garnered press attention over recent weeks. It is the phenomenon of young women celebrities who have taken ‘intimate,’ as in pornographic, pictures of themselves and stored them on the internet. These images have now been hacked and disseminated for anyone who cares to views them. One explained, with no hint of embarrassment, that she had taken pictures to send to her boyfriend since he would otherwise look at other pornographic images.

Parliament has for over a decade pushed for more and more availability of contraception, morning after pills and abortion even for children. The latest venture has been a group of students demanding the enforcement of sex education programmes on primary children. The group in question have a programme which includes getting children to divulge every sexual word they can think of.

These snapshots are enough to argue that our society has a serious problem with its attitude to sex. How ironic then that we still often hear that the Church is obsessed with sex.

The reality is that because the Church has stuck to its view, that the forum for sex is the relationship of a man and woman joined in marriage, it is hugely unpopular. It is a constant reminder to consciences that want to be assured that anything goes.

Just this week I heard a commentator on radio claim that those in the Church who hold to the traditional view only have a negative message. “They know what they are against but they don’t know what they are for,” he claimed. I suppose that is a bit like claiming those who are against war are being negative by stating what they are against. Of course they, in fact, have a clear appreciation of peace.

The Church’s vision of sex is a positive one. In the very first passages of the Bible we are presented with the core of human nature—male and female. Genesis presents the complementarity of male and female as capable of forming a union of persons with procreative power. Of course the Trinity is a communion of persons and the union of a man and woman who can generate the life of a third person points profoundly to how we are made in God’s image.

Sex allows mankind to cooperate with God in creating a person with an eternal destiny. Not only is that an incredible dignity to aspire to but God has given us a sexual appetite which attracts us to such a relationship. An appetite serves a purpose. For example, our appetite for food ensures that we are motivated to nourish our bodies. We may want to eat food because it tastes or smells good and Mary Berry may even have seduced us in to eating more than we need. But whilst the attraction itself is good if we lose sight that eating is linked with nourishing the body we would be liable to make many mistakes with our diet.

The government has been greatly concerned about the impact of growing trends of obesity and it is no surprise that they push for more fruit and vegetables in our diets but, when it comes to sex, our age has endorsed the idea that it is the appetite itself which is to be served; to be enjoyed and savoured even when deliberately severed from its purpose. Yet a dispassionate assessment can reveal that sex unleashed from its natural purpose has proven much more destructive even than our obesity crisis. Our other appetites are principally personal in nature but sex is the foundation of the bonds of social networks. If we corrupt that we endanger all the relationships within the family, extended family and society. The Churches teaching is therefore a lamp of truth on what sex is actually all about. But to know the truth does not always enable us to follow it.

St Augustine explains his battle for controlling his own sexual behaviour in his Confessions: “The enemy had control of my will, and out of it he fashioned a chain and fettered me with it. For in truth lust is made out of a perverse will, and when lust is served it becomes habit and when habit is not resisted, it becomes necessity.”

In our society, some are pulled down a terrible path controlled by the lust they have nurtured. That pornography is so widely available on the internet therefore provides an easy gateway to disaster.

The answer for each of us is the same in whatever efforts we are making to follow the path of a good life: we need to turn to God’s grace. Everyone is capable of stumbling. St Josemaria Escriva wrote that we should be aware that each of us, without God’s grace, is capable of the most terrible things that others have done. Knowing that provides a basis for understanding and mercy. And this is made concrete uniquely in the sacraments of the Church. They provide a source of grace and mercy that we can approach at any time. In particular Confession heals the wounds that darken our conscience and weaken our resolve to do good.

That we can dismiss Jimmy Saville as a monster may be the easy way of dealing with this particular symptom of our society. He probably took small steps on the wrong path at first, never realising where it would take him. Sadly much of our public policy in this area encourages people to take steps on the wrong path in their attitude to sex. As public authorities have demonstrated they have become more cavalier in distributing contraception, abortion pills and abortions even to primary children. Is it a surprise that we are now almost immune to the tragedy of abortion in the hospitals we walk by?

That images and information become more graphic for youngsters and the entertainment industry glamorises promiscuity mean that we’ve much need of the light of truth and grace. Let’s hope efforts to intimidate the Church from offering its positive vision are not successful; otherwise more Saville-type cases and more victims lie ahead.

— John Deighan is parliamentary officer for Scotland’s bishops