So, I'm sure a couple of readers heard about that
thing where Russia is trying to enact some new anti-gay legislation. I don't
mention it here because I want to be all, "oh, no, poor gays!" I also
don't want to make any comments about Russian politics or free speech or anything.
I have no idea what goes on in Russia. I just wanted to point out this
completely wild line from an article I read about it:
"An executive with a government-run television
network said in a nationally televised talk show that gays should be prohibited
from donating blood, sperm and organs for transplants, while after death their
hearts should be burned or buried." (Link)
Like, dang. I get the first parts, sure, but burning
or burying their hearts? Like Zombies or something! Now, I have no idea if
that's an accurate quote (or if it was even said), but for some reason I found
it especially...hardcore. I also have no idea the reason behind something like that
(I'm guessing because there's like sexually transmitted diseases in the blood,
and the heart makes blood, so burn that heart?), but it's almost as
if the person who said that wants to like, make a comment about the love part of
homosexuality too. He might not mean that at all, but I know if I were writing
a short story about love, I'd definitely have one of the characters burn a
heart. I wouldn't even know what to do with all that metaphor.
Anyway, back to more consistent posting this week.
Hope everyone had a good weekend. I am not done reading for class tomorrow
morning, and it is quite late! So, off!
If I may ask here: besides Edward Feser's "The Last Superstition" and "Aquinas", are there any other books you recommend that especially address natural law philosophy and apply it particularly to sexual morality?
ReplyDeleteThere are so many conservative books, by the way, that address the problems of modernity and the sexual revolution, but so few that actually present a detailed alternative that spell out the rational, teleological foundation to natural law.
Thank you for your time, sir, and good luck with your new blog.
I'd recommend "What is Marriage?" by Sherif Girgis and Robert George. There's an article version available online and a longer book version that you can buy on Amazon.
DeleteI appreciate you calling me sir, sir! I actually Don't have any great sources to point you to. What I'm doing right now is going through a lot of the old scholastic moral manuals (going through this mammoth right now: http://archive.org/details/scienceofethics01cron http://archive.org/details/scienceofethics02cron) to see if I can find a good comprehensive discussion of the topic.
DeleteThis is part of the reason I started this blog actually. This topic isn't really talked about in great detail, at least today. I mean, sex is talked about all the time, but it's not talked about in real philosophical ways that allow the headier type fellow to be able to sleep at night. You get a lot of stuff about love or self-giving in sort of vague terms, but I've not seen easily accessible philosophical guides or arguments that elaborate on the position. There are a Lot of little nuances to the issue after all (which I plan to go through one-by-one), and I think it's something that should be discussed widely and often. It would help a lot anyway, and I think people are actually starving for it.
This was actually part of my journey, I think (trying to find something to really sink my teeth into), and it's why Feser's work was so helpful to me. I am not a professional philosopher, so I'm trying to keep the scope somewhat limited so that it can be a good starting point for the comprehensive discussion. A lot of what I'm doing is filling in holes where I think holes exist from the baseline arguments. For a long time, I kept saying "it shouldn't be me to have to do something like this," but after looking around I found that it was going to be necessary. Even if there are great books on the topic that I just haven't come across, people communicate by linking one another things online---for better or worse. Also, as is usually the case, what you're too scared of doing is exactly what you Should be doing. Hence this whole thing. I hope it ends up being helpful.
I'll say this, though. As I spend some time with these manuals, I'll try to get a good collection together for you. I'm focusing on the manuals because they tend to be more rigorous and aimed at philosophical explanation as compared to, like, helping the reader to get through marriage difficulties. This is in no way bashing books that Do help people get through those problems; I just mean it's not really what you're looking for. They also tend to be a bit older (pre Vatican II). This is both bad and good. It's bad in that they don't address what can be seen as modern problems (like all of the homosexual or in vitro questions, etc.), but it's good in that I think they're less afraid to be clear. This may just be that they knew better what they were talking about.
Anyway, sorry, short answer: I know of no great books on the topic. I just picked up that Christopher West book. What is it. The Good News About Sex and Marriage. It's not bad or anything; I just don't think it's what you're looking for, if I understand you correctly. My next substantive post (and those that follow) will be on just this topic (spelling out the argument as best I can), for what it's worth.
Also, any other readers, have at it. Any suggestions you have will be helpful. And John, I believe I read some of what you linked. Thank you for the suggestion.
http://www.harvard-jlpp.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/GeorgeFinal.pdf is a direct link to the article John was referencing, by the way.
DeleteJoe K said: You get a lot of stuff about love or self-giving in sort of vague terms,
DeleteWell said. My pet peeve is the continual use of the word (human)'dignity' without a really good definition of what that means in Catholic morality and theology. So often, it seems like a jargon word to hide behind so the author doesn't have to go to the trouble of explaining what they mean.
while after death their hearts should be burned or buried.
ReplyDeleteActually... what else are you going to do with someone's heart after death? Doesn't that cover, like, 99% of the typical options anyway?
I think that's probably what they meant, Crude. I just think their separating it out like that was really peculiar (especially since, as you said, bodies are buried or burned anyway). I'm picturing like extracting each heart individually to be properly disposed of. It'd be way more metal that way anyway.
Delete