Some may say the world glorifies sex. This is false. It is the Church that teaches and practices the glory of sex by teaching and practicing the true purpose of sex as intended by God’s holy will.

When are sexual acts in accordance to God’s will? When are sexual acts contrary to God’s will? To answer these questions, we must apply the sexual act, whatever it may be, to the two purposes that God wills for sexual activity.

Is the sexual activity open to creation of life?
Does the sexual act bring about the unity of a married couple? 

Some of these sexual activities are spoken of in the catechism (sections 2351-2356). The following sins are examples of how sexual acts are misused.

Masturbation is the disordered desire for self-induced sexual pleasure. This sexual act can never bring about unity of a couple, unless you are married to yourself, which is impossible. Have you ever heard of a case in which masturbation has created life? No. There are some people who say it is no big deal, everyone does it, and it doesn’t harm anyone. In fact, it actually helps medically. If it wasn’t such a big deal then why does everyone do it in private and try to hide it? It is because deep down it is shameful because it is a sin. Masturbation is all about “me” instead of “we” in terms of sex. Besides harming the soul of the person, it can harm them physically. For example, if a person who is addicted to masturbation and gets married they carry this habit with them. The spouse may not fulfill everything and so the person continues to do it. Sadly, it can also lead to erectile problems for men who cannot be aroused by their spouse, but only by sexual images and through self-arousal. In regards to being healthy, there has been no scientific proof of health benefits through masturbation. “When a man’s body needs to release seminal fluid, this will come in a natural manner during nocturnal emissions (wet dreams). There is not a constant buildup of pressure that will harm an individual unless he masturbates.” [1]

Fornication is a disordered desire for sexual pleasure between an unmarried man and an unmarried woman. Sex before marriage is not the unity of a married couple because it is sex outside of marriage. The vast majority of sexual activity before marriage is not open to life, but instead purposely attempts to prevent life. As mentioned earlier, having sex before marriage is a lie that the body makes to the other person. The two physically say they give everything freely, faithfully, totally, and fruitfully but they are not and cannot because they are not in the Sacramental bonds of marriage.

Adultery is the disordered desire for sexual pleasure with someone other than your spouse. Sex with someone other than your spouse is sex outside of marriage and brings disunity to a married couple and perhaps two marriages. Once again, those who are having an affair by committing adultery try to keep things secret. The last thing both adulterers want is to create a life, which would give proof of their infidelity.

Homosexual activity is a disorder and contrary to natural law. Sexual activity between homosexuals cannot unite a married couple because marriage can only be between man and woman. Homosexual sex is a mockery of the heterosexual marital act. Biologically, the pieces don’t fit. God did not create man to be with man and woman to be with woman. Sexual activity between homosexuals cannot create life.

Birth Control: just look at the name. Who is controlling birth, controlling life? God is in control of life. When we attempt to control birth and life, we choose who will live and who will die. We attempt to be like God. Birth control does not unite a married couple. The condom is also known as the “barrier method”. Do we put up a barrier when we want to unite? From the beginning of time, cultures have prayed, sacrificed and worshiped fertility gods. The Aztecs worshiped Tlazoiteotl; the Egyptians, Isis; the Greeks, Aphrodite; the Hindus, Shiva and for a time, the Hebrews abandoned the one true God and began to worship Baal, also known as a fertility god. Pagans asked for the gift of fertility, valued fertility and were open to the sacredness of pregnancy and life. Why does our modern culture view fertility as a curse, which is not valued and attacked using measures such as abortion?

Search: Pro Life Packet

Invetro Fertilization is when a woman is trying to get pregnant places a few living embryo’s into herself in order to get pregnant. This scenario along with other types while the couple is obviously open to life, they are disconnecting the marital act and the procreative act that God intends there to be. It becomes sterile and God is taken out of this scenario. Also, some women are tying to get pregnant through this method without a man they know. Lastly, while they may be open to life they are risking the death of a human person in the embryo state if the embryo does not attach and grow. As said before, there are several that are placed in the woman and maybe only one or two attach, grow, and live on while the other die.

Lust is a disordered desire for sexual pleasure. Sexual pleasure sought only for itself. One person becomes the object of other person’s pleasure.

Pornography is a perversion that removes sexual acts from the intimacy of married partners for the profit of others and the use of individuals.

Search: Pornography (Part 1) and Pornography (Part 2) Lessons

Prostitution is a perversion in which people are reduced to an instrument of sexual pleasure. This sin totally destroys the dignity of the people involved and the sexual act itself.

Rape is a violent perversion and the forcible violation of the sexual intimacy of another person. It deeply wounds the respect, freedom, physical and moral integrity to which every person has a right.

Cohabitation is when two non-married people live together as if they are married. They are playing make believe. They are living in sin because they act as if they are married, but they are not one. Cohabitating before marriage leads to a much greater risk of divorce in the future because the mentality of “we are just living together” can make someone believe that they can leave any time they want. Also, when a couple thinks they are ready to live in sin together, but not ready for marriage, they are, for the most part, also not ready to start a family and be open to life. If they do end up getting pregnant sadly it is looked on as something went wrong or there was a problem. Another problem with cohabitation is it destroys the wedding night and the "honeymoon phase" of the marriage; those first few months and years of the marriage. When a couple decides to move in together they lose all excitement and there is no newness to their relationship. Many couples then feel sad and discontented.

This video shows what people's actions really say when they begin living together. Cohabitation is usually something a couple slides into instead of having a true conversation and discussion with each other. If people had true conversations with each other about the relationship and moving in together, beyond the finances and making things "easier", they would quickly realize cohabitation is a selfish act. 

Many other sexual activities such as oral sex, anal sex, and other sexual activities can also be applied and the truth discovered if two questions are asked of the activity:

Does the activity unite a married couple?
Is the activity open to life and able to transmit life?

ACTIVITY – The most favorite music, movies, and TV Shows views sex and love versus the Church

MUSIC - An activity that works well is to go and look at the #1 & #2 songs on iTunes. Nearly every time the song or songs deal with relationships. They may also deal with love, a perversion of love, or even sexual activity within the lyrics as the message. You can print out or project the lyrics and then read the lyrics or have the lyrics read out loud to the group. Many times it is very shocking to see projected or read and hear out load the lyrics of songs. Ask how the singer is portraying relationships, love, sex, or any other messages of the song and how it differs to what the Church teaches.

MOVIES – You can pick the top 10 movies out at the time including G all the way to R rated. Go to http://www.catholicnews.com/movies.htm and read the summary of each of the ten movies. If you have a subscription to screenit.com you can use that site as well. Do the movies have any of the following? Masturbation, Fornication, Adultery, Homosexuality, Birth Control, Prostitution, Rape, Sexual Activity (heavy kissing, touching, making out, etc.), is the sex shown or implied. You can make a chart and if 7 of the 10 movies have sexual activity, then 70% of the movies out at that time have sexual activity. Maybe only 2 of the 10 have homosexuality. What do these percentages mean? What are we being exposed to when we watch movies? Another big question is: What is the purpose of sexual activity or sexual intercourse in these movies? Many times the answer is twofold. 1. Sexual activity or sexual intercourse is used to make money, in other words, people want to see sexual things. It is not necessary at all to the plot but put in to make money. The leading actress might not be the best actress but has the best body. 2. A movie only has 2 hours or so to move the plot along. Many times in romantic movies, the director uses sex intercourse and or sexual activity as a way to show the audience that the characters are at a new level in their relationship. They might fight in the beginning or even hate each other, then the movie progresses, that are attracted, then to show they are really serious, the director uses sexual activity and or sexual intercourse.

Lastly, see what the #1 TV Shows are (usually take out the reality/voting shows like American Idol). How do they promote love, marriage, sex, men, women, etc.? 

[1] http://chastity.com/chastity-qa/pornography-etc/masturbation/i-heard-it-unhealth