Why Don't Bishops Discuss Porn?

The Bishops of England and Wales: Shepherds of the Faithful

I've written a blogpost on pornography for The Guild of Blessed Titus Brandsma which can be read here. It was really something I wanted to write following a debate on Tim Stanley's piece for The Telegraph, in which he tells his politically Conservative friends that Government regulation of online porn should be welcomed.

The prevalence and widespread use of pornography online and elsewhere is not a mark of a healthy society. Blessed Pope John Paul II's work on the Theology of the Body should have put paid the notion that the Catholic Church is 'anti-sex' or puritan, but pornography works corrosively against the interest of the creation of good fathers, husbands, fosters vice instead of virtue, raising fantasy instead of real relationships and, of course, exploits and demeans women.

While many would question the motives of a Prime Minister who has just altered the meaning of marriage, there has been little from our Bishops in terms of railing against pornography or even the human trafficking that it often involves, condemned by Pope Francis. There is a growing sense that sexual morality is off limits as subject matter for our Bishops, yet sexuality goes to the heart of our humanity - the heart of who we are. It cannot just be ignored. David Cameron can now appear as a moral crusader with a special concern for the protection of children, for whom he describes pornography as "corrosive". Now that he has opened up the issue of pornography in stating his desire to see the Government regulate online pornography, it would be a good time for the Bishops to address a culture of pornography that is damaging to men, women, children, the common good and to marriage, families, fatherhood and the gift of sexuality in marriage for union and procreation.

Pornography is a considerable threat to the Church's children (which consists of children and adults), is a danger to souls, to strong families and marriages. Why would Bishops want to remain silent on it in the light of reports that its use is rampant among the nation's schoolchildren? The United Kingdom is desperate for moral leadership. Pray that, in this matter, as in all matters of morality, the Bishops of England and Wales will offer moral leadership to the Church and to the country. To allow someone who has perverted and destroyed the inherent meaning of marriage to take moral leadership of the country, unchallenged, would be bizarre.

With a high percentage of children and young adults now addicted to porn and a culture of pornography infecting schools and playgrounds, we should prepare ourselves for a future in which adults are unable to form realistic, long-lasting, permanent relationships and marriages. Much is at stake in the United Kingdom - humanity itself is at stake - since how these children will view relationships and marriage in a culture of recreational sex, sexual commodification, sexual exploitation and pornography is, to say the least, another worrying aspect of a dangerous era of liberal experimentation. We are in danger of creating a society of women valued only for their sexual appeal and womanising men. Womanisers don't love women, they love the concept or the idea of women.

Venerable Fulton Sheen: Outstanding moral crusader for Christ

With some exceptions, Bishops nowadays seem preoccupied with 'soft' issues of public issues that seem not to appreciate the grave threats that exist to individuals, to souls, to families, marriages.

There is a real danger that they will be perceived, like politicians in the secular world, as living in a parallel world to that of ordinary people who need to hear the truth about sexual morality that sets us free. Of course, this will not guarantee popularity for the Catholic Church in the United Kingdom, but the Church needs Shepherds who will be moral crusaders fighting for the dignity and salvation of the human person. Pray that God will give them the courage to win souls for Christ and to speak the truth without fear of human respect, for the good of society and the salvation of souls. There are good priests who are unafraid to discuss this, of course, spread throughout the World. Unfortunately, you have to really look for them.