Tolerance of Pornography

So Father William Wood (Editorial Pages, Jan. 12) believes “California’s Tolerance to Porn Is Obscene.” As director of the California Catholic Conference, he also accuses any woman of committing murder if she exercises her constitutional right to have an abortion; yet it is precisely because of the Roman Catholic opposition to birth control that abortion has become such a widespread practice.

In like manner, Roman Catholic theology directly contributes to making porn appealing. The church creates a sexually repressive atmosphere that allows porn to thrive: (1) by teaching that Christ was the product of a virgin birth, anyone born of human parents comes into this “vale of tears” with original (sexual) sin; (2) by teaching that Mary was immaculately conceived, everyone else by default is conceived by “dirty” means; (3) by condemning masturbation, homosexuality and fornication (premarital intercourse), the church imposes its narrow, sectarian view that sexual intercourse is only permissible in the context of marriage and then only if no artificial birth control methods are employed--the two least reliable methods, withdrawal and the rhythm system, are, of course, allowed: (4) by teaching that sexual desire is part of our animal (lower) nature constantly in conflict with our spiritual (higher) nature; (5) by reinforcing the dichotomy that all women are either virtuous (Mary, your mother, your sister) or sinners (prostitutes and even a girlfriend who “gives in” to her boyfriend); (6) by extolling celibacy among priests and nuns and insisting that their vows of chastity relegate them to a much higher, nobler and more spiritual plane of existence.

If you really want to eradicate porn, Father Wood, teach people (1) not to be ashamed of their bodies; (2) that they are members of the animal kingdom; (3) that they can express their sexual urge with a consenting partner without guilt, shame or remorse and, finally, (4) that sex for pleasure is every bit as legitimate and desireable as sex for procreation. Then, you can bet your rosary beads that porn will have virtually no appeal for sexually uninhibited individuals.

BEN EDWARD AKERLEY

San Diego