tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3637907860587323378.post6226650144759064894..comments2023-07-18T01:16:04.984-07:00Comments on BCatholic: On Blind Faith and Obedience to Holy Mother ChurchUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3637907860587323378.post-8386877399378479752008-01-19T08:28:00.000-08:002008-01-19T08:28:00.000-08:00The teaching authority of the Church is under atta...The teaching authority of the Church is under attack even by those who support Humanae Vitae. Some say that the way to support that teaching is by teaching that contraception is an offense against the dignity of the human person. I agree that it is, but I think the argument from human dignity is weak in the context of the birth control controversy. The minority of the papal birth control commission pointed out that the acceptance of contraception entailed the acceptance of non-marital relations, oral and anal copulation, masturbation, and direct sterilization. The majority pro-contraception position replied that it too rejected oral and anal copulation because "in these acts there is preserved neither the dignity of love nor the dignity of the spouses as human persons created according to the image of God." Agreed, but they offered no argumentation to show that the other contraceptive behaviors DID respect the dignity of the human persons while these copulations did not, and they still kept arguing for the other forms of contraceptive behaviors.<BR/> My point is this: when both sides of an argument claim that their position upholds the dignity of the human person, how can the question be settled with certainty? The only way is by an authoritative decision by an authority recognized to be guided by the Holy Spirit. That is, the question can be decided only by the teaching authority of the Catholic Church. <BR/> Obedience to such a divinely instituted authority is not blind obedience. It is RELIGIOUS obedience, based on the reasons for being Catholic in the first place. <BR/> You can find much more on this in my book listed in my signature below. Keep up your good work.<BR/><BR/>John F. Kippley<BR/>"Sex and the Marriage Covenant: A Basis for Morality" (Ignatius)<BR/>"Natural Family Planning: The Question-Answer Book" available at<BR/>www.NFPandmore.orgJohn Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11625559146738477712noreply@blogger.com