Sex Education — 3

For a start, what on earth is wrong with Sex Education? Answer: Truth to say, there are certain major things wrong with it. Strictly speaking, to put “Sex” and “Education” together neither jibes, clicks nor sticks — so to speak. For one thing, animals do not get “education” but they do “sex” — naturally and responsibly even. Then there is the reality that the subject matter of sex goes beyond mere knowing which comes from “education.” Instead, the question of sex is the concern of learning which is obtained through formation — considering that the value system has much to say about sex.

Simply knowing sex without the necessary right and proper value system learned through pursuant formation, is not only incongruous but also dangerous. Reason: Incongruous because sex is merely perceived as a piece of meat. And such are the core implications and implications of “Sex Education” in its strong innuendo and naked connotation. And woe to school children and youngster who thus get “educated” in “sex”! The truth is that a big number of this young people are now in effect “over-educated” in sex from certain movies they see and some “dirty” comics they read — plus the world of Internet pornography at their command.

Even if only for the above reasons, the now already on-going “Sex Education” in so called “selected” public grade and high schools — to say it bluntly and with regret — is in fact experimenting with the students concerned. This is neither right nor just. By simply knowing about sex — its distinct looks and functions, its difference between boys and girls plus their distinct particulars one from the other — what do they do with the knowledge thereafter. And could their teachers and schools wherefore guarantee that they would be better teenagers and adult? Would such a knowledge about “sex” effectively make them more ethical individuals and more moral persons?

“Formation in Human Sexuality” — this is what the Church affirms and promotes in accord with Natural Law, what the said Church persists and insists about parents having the natural and grave obligation to impart to their children. The same Church teaches fathers and mothers that they do simply not have the natural right to have children but also the natural obligation to feed, house and form them. Such is the intrinsic natural relationship between the said right and obligation that parents unwilling or unable to fulfill their obligation, neither have the right of having children. By the way, it is worth nothing that right and obligation constitute an essential paring, viz., one cannot/may not be without the other. This is but one of the more basic reasons in the Order of Natural why some people abhor or even hate the Church. Why? They want the right — without obligation! (Then, what?)

Sex Education — 4

“Formation in Human Sexuality” — this in substance is what the Catholic Church subscribes and endorses to humanity for observance. Such a seemingly plain and simple phrase in reality forwards and implies certain profound yet understandable, rather complicated but acceptable and tenable truths in the Order of Natural. By the way, even if only for the record, Natural Law is an integral part of Divine Law — the other part of which is Positive Law. Among other things, this means that people better not fool around with the Law of Nature — under their risk of their dehumanization or pitiful destruction. This is why when the Church draws some of its more fundamental teachings from the Order of Nature or from Natural Law, such could be anything but light in significance, much less tomfoolery in essence and consequences.

Formation: Specifically in conjunction to human persons, their progressive humanization comes in a three tier stages: Information which means the acquisition of knowledge. Formation that says the absorption of values. Transformation that signifies a substantive change for the better. In other words, while information about sex it not enough, formation regarding the lofty or noble nature and implications of sex is the minimum requirement for the objective understanding of its nature and implications. Transformation is the genuine comprehension of human sexuality as a sacred gift with sacred purposes that thus change the disposition and conduct of the transformed agent for the better — always!

Sexuality: Properly speaking, “sex” as a genital factor, immediately and directly forwards carnal thoughts and physical assumptions. On the other hand, the term “sexuality” rightly and properly implies the phenomenon of generation, reproduction and procreation. By the way, while a husband and wife acting on their respective sexuality, provides the material (paternal sperm fertilizing the maternal egg), they neither have the capacity nor the endowment to likewise engender the human soul and human spirit for the emergence of a human person out of the said material — realities which remain in the exclusive dominion of the Creator. This is why children are said to be “procreated” by their mama and papa.

Human: This is what makes the essential difference between just “sex” and “human sexuality.” In this context, the reality of sex is not something taken away from the human person with the latter’s intrinsic dignity and prerogatives. Instead, sex remains an integral part of the human person as it must, simply because it is. For this reason, the learning acquired by children and youngsters in this delicate matter is inexorably pegged to the human person who is not an angel, but certainly much less an animal. Thus stands the significance and relevance of “Formation in Human Sexuality.” (So, what else?) –Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz, Daily Tribune

(Reprinted with permission of Archbishop Emeritus Oscar V. Cruz, from www.ovc.blogspot.com)