Hold Me Like Holy Water

"Given such a grave situation, we need now more than ever to have the courage to look the truth in the eye and to call things by their proper name, without yielding to compromises or to the temptation of self-deception. In this regard the Prophet is extremely straightforward: "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness" (Is 5:20)."

Now, this has never really been something I've had a problem with. I am the same girl who, when offended by Jesus Christ Superstar this summer yelled "Heretics!" and walked out. So, naturally, the idea of "calling things by their proper name" is quite attractive to me.

As such, I have decided to create the t-shirt below. It was inspired by class today, where we discussed a heretical viewpoint of the Catholic Church's moral teaching on sex. It was presented as "another" way to look at the information presented in Humane Vitae, and, as such, should be discussed for its value. Now, I see the purpose of discussing heresy - I do not think we should turn a blind eye to it - however, in such cases when the heresy is presented as having a morsel of truth, well, I have a problem with that.

My favorite argument from the piece we studied was that "sterilization is acceptable, as it is natural for the body to become sterile with age." Ah yes. Just help the inevitable along. How noble of you. While you're at it, I fear that it is inevitable that I will die. So, please kill me. Or maybe I'll just take the liberty to do it myself. It is, after all, inevitable, yes? Or, if you think me obscenely disproportionate, take this example. It is inevitable that, given your family history, you will go bald. Shave your head. Or go blind. Gouge out your eyes. Or deaf. Damage your inner ear. Or maybe it is inevitable that one day you will be hit by a car (yes, you have the gift of prophecy). So why not just run in front of one? It is, after all, only natural to act upon the inevitable.

It is a weak weak weak argument. With weak weak weak logic.

And, when I called it out, the professor said, "Now, Angela. Maybe you should have a little more respect for her points." To which I shook my head and turned away. She responded "...or not. That's fine too."

You're darn right it's fine! It's more than fine! It's only correct! What respect am I to muster for heresy? Am I to humble myself before Arius? Or Luther? Or Calvin? I think not.

Anyway, I quieted down, and class resumed as usual (with little to no participation/learning involved), and she made the point that sex is "a biological function", there is no point in fudging with the sexual act, just as those who have lost their teeth fudge with false teeth, or those who have lost their hearing fudge with hearing aids.

I kid you not. That was her point.

Rusty attacked that one, saying that it is ridiculous to degrade the act of sex into a matter of false teeth and hearing aids. It was met with disagreement, saying that "sex really is biological, just as the act of birthing a chid is."

I uttered a comment to myself which will not be repeated, and put my head down on my desk.

And hence: the t-shirts. I say we get one for every member of the class. Hell, why not get one for everyone in the school?

Blimey.