"It profits me but little that a vigilant authority always protects the tranquillity of my pleasures and constantly averts all dangers from my path, without my care or concern, if this same authority is the absolute master of my liberty and my life."

--Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

The Law of Chastity

Who said this?


Chastity is sexual purity. Those who are chaste are morally clean in their thoughts, words, and actions. Chastity means not having any sexual relations before marriage. It also means complete fidelity to husband or wife during marriage.
Physical intimacy between husband and wife is beautiful and sacred. It is ordained of God for the creation of children and for the expression of love within marriage.

In the world today, Satan has led many people to believe that sexual intimacy outside of marriage is acceptable. But in God's sight, it is a serious sin. It is an abuse of the power He has given us to create life.

If you guessed Rick Santorum, you're wrong.

If you guessed the Catholic Church, or Opus Dei, or Pope Benedict, you're wrong.

If you guessed the Church of Latter Day Saints, the church that Mitt Romney belongs to, you win a kewpie doll.

That's right, the religion Mitt Romney believes in espouses beliefs that are virtually indistinguishable from the beliefs of Rick Santorum and the Catholic Church on matters of sexuality.   Here, for instance, is the LDS Church's teaching on abortion:   "Human life is a sacred gift from God. Elective abortion for personal or social convenience is contrary to the will and the commandments of God. Church members who submit to, perform, encourage, pay for, or arrange for such abortions may lose their membership in the Church."

The point here is not to criticize Mitt Romney.   Far from it.   The teachings of the Mormon Church quoted above are just fine with me.   It's simply to suggest that criticizing Rick Santorum's religious beliefs isn't a rational criticism of those beliefs as being somehow different from mainstream Christian beliefs; it's an irrational reaction against a caricature of the Catholic Church.   It's bigotry, pure and simple. 

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