It is undeniable that the dominant culture's sex cult has infiltrated the Church. Simply compare the size of the average Catholic family with that of their traditional counterparts to see that the large Catholic family is unusual today. Catholics have bought into the lie that Natural Family Planning (NFP), when used to limit family size, is somehow different from birth control (see Catholic Birth Control ...). This was accomplished via a subtle undermining of the traditional doctrine that the primary end of marriage is procreation (see Marriage and Philosophical Pluralism).
Pope John Paul II further contributed to the non-traditional shift in thinking with his so-called "Theology of the Body" (TOB) lectures. Certainly TOB has been exploited by many such as Christopher West in a way that undermines traditional notions of chastity and holy shame (several links are found here). Is there a fundamental flaw in TOB, or is it merely an unfortunate manner of teaching that causes its followers to deviate from tradition? Thanks to a high ranking bishop, the flaw in TOB is now more clearly visible.
Bishop Jean Laffitte, secretary of the Pontifical Council for the Family, has exposed a heresy that he attributes to TOB. As the article Vatican official urges calm in theology of the body debates, uncritically observes:
Bishop Laffitte added that “the theology of the body is something very modern and it can help many, many people to get reconciled with the idea of human love, sexuality, human body, masculinity and femininity and so on.”
He believes young people—especially when preparing for marriage—are particularly drawn to a vision of human sexuality by which “the communion between a man and a woman can be perceived as an image of the divine communion between the divine persons.”
Yes, TOB is "very modern," but that doesn't make it heretical. But can we say that the sex act is in the image of God?? What a horror, to say the least. We are taught by tradition that it is the soul that is in the image of God, not the body. Is sex now of the soul? Has it a spiritual meaning? Is it a participation in the divine? You'll never find that taught by any Father or Doctor of the Church. Or are we to think that (pardon me here) God procreates? As if the Father and the Son joined to generate the Holy Ghost? What a horror, a heresy. But if sex in the image of God fits neither of those two explanations, then how is it to be understood? All I can see it to be is the encroachment of ancient gnostic sexuality into the Church, i.e., the divinization of sex, a substantial danger and a clear heresy. And now a high ranking bishop has confirmed it.
Hold to the tradition that the consecrated celibate life is the higher calling and you will not be misled by these errors. Remember that men will no longer marry in the next life, and hence, the physical union is temporary and therefore cannot be in the image of the unchanging God.
It is heart-breaking to see how many innocent Catholics have bought into this TOB rubbish. Pope John Paul II, for all his good qaulities, was nevertheless a seriously troubled man and TOB is a perfect example of this bad thinking.
If you read about this so-called theology, and I mean really read it, you will see that it is nothing less than an incitement to the lower passions, despite whatever good intentions may have been involved.
TOB will be condemned by the Church one day. Let us hope it will be sooner rather than later.