MARRIAGE AND THE MEANING OF SEX: Jennifer Roback Morse in National Review Online

The Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts has opined that "government creates marriage." Therefore, government can recreate marriage, if it so chooses, or if the Supreme Court orders the other branches of
government to do so. But surely, even the Massachusetts high court would not
be so bold as to claim that government invents sex. And the meaning of human sexuality is really at the heart of the conflict over the judicial attempt to recreate marriage in its own image.

...So, what is the meaning of human sexuality anyhow? Sexual activity has two natural, organic purposes: procreation and spousal unity. Babies are the most basic and natural consequences of sexual activity. "Spousal
unity" means simply that sex builds
attachments between husband and wife. Spousal unity is the feature of human sexuality that makes it distinct from purely animal sexuality. As far as I know, humans are the only animals that copulate face to face. ...
Procreation literally builds the community by adding new members to the family.

...Many people celebrate the uncoupling of sexual activity from both of its natural functions, procreation and spousal unity. ...Instead of being an engine of sociability and community building, sex has become a consumer good. Instead of being something that draws us out of ourselves and into relationship with others, our sexual activity focuses us inward, on ourselves and our own desires. A sexual partner is not a person to whom I am irrevocably connected by bonds of love. Rather, the sexual partner has become an object that satisfies me more or less well.

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posted by Eve at 8:35 AM VOTE

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