Religion (Lesson 15)

• Sexuality is not limited to the sex act
• Sexuality involves all aspects of life, including prayer, study, reflecting, listening to a friend honestly, playing games, eating, taking tests
• Chastity


  Purity of heart, refraining from extramarital sexual intercourse, integration of all aspects of sexuality
• Chastity vocations

  • Abstinence - refraining from any form of sexual activity
  • Married couples - allowing sexual relationships between husband and wife
• Chastity is required for holiness in marriage, with charity/love at the center
• Premarital sex is an expression of selfishness, never of true love, and destroys love in the family
• Masturbation is an abuse of our sexual powers
• Homosexuality represents a grave impediment to the integral sexual growth of a person, called to charity
• Pornography is sexual obscenity and licentiousness in a dehumanizing and exploitative manner
• Sexual harassment and sexual crimes like molestation and rape are unacceptable
• Chastity for married couples


  Fidelity to their marriage vows, respect, and reverence
• Adultery and divorce bring disorder and a breaking of marriage vows
• Sexuality


  • Has been a taboo
  • An inevitable part of our being humans, persons as embodied spirits
  • Something sacred to be respected
• God created us in His image
• God gives a man and woman equal person dignity
• There should be equal rights for both sexes
• Man and woman


  • Are different but complementary
  • Are called to mutual gift of self
• Difference between man and woman must not be a basis of discrimination
• Sexuality


  • Is more than the physical, biological, or reproductive aspect of our beings
  • Involves all aspects of life
• Chastity


  • Purity of heart
  • Wholesome integration of one's sexuality within one's person
  • Practice of refraining from extramarital sex
  • Allows sexual relationships between husband and wife
• Abstinence


  • Refraining from any form of sexual activity
  • Does not allow sexual relationships between spouses
  • May be done due to social, medical, legal, psychological, religious or moral issues
• Holiness is required in committing oneself in marriage
• Charity & love are the center of holiness
• Premarital sex is an expression of selfishness and destroys love in the family
• Masturbation is an abuse of our sexual powers
• Homosexuality represents another grave impediment
• Homosexuals are called to chastity
• Prostitutes are robbed of their dignity
• Pornography propagates the sexual obscene in a dehumanizing and exploitative manner
• Sexual harassment and sexual crimes like molestation and rape are examples
• Chastity is for both single and married
• Chastity for married


  Consists of fidelity to their marriage vows
• Self-control is demanded by chastity
• Divorce brings disorder into the family