More Than Waste

Alright friends, I have a mini rant/theological discussion I would like to go on about.

As many of you know, I am incredibly passionate about Theology of the Body and everything in between, not only because my faith so beautifully teaches it, but from my own personal journey with it as well.

What is Theology of the Body exactly? Long story short, it's the Catholic teachings on sex, the difference between male and female, and why each individual person is so incredibly sacred. It stems our bodies to our souls and teaches us how to best uphold the values and dignity of each and every human being.

In our culture today, we're constantly talking about consent--asking someone "does this make you comfortable" or "can I do this at this time" or "when can we start having sex". Don't get me wrong, consent is SO IMPORTANT in any relationship. But when the physical aspects of a relationship become the main source of feeling any connection to the other person, that's when it get's messy.

This morning as I was watching the news, there was a story about a child psychologist interviewing five teen boys all between the ages of 12-16. She was asking them questions about dating, relationships, and consent, questions that every parent should ask their children, male or female. The interview process began with "how many of you have crushes". Seems harmless, right? But soon, questions like "if a boy in your class touches a girl on her leg without her asking, is that appropriate?" Again, pretty harmless. What actually got me going wasn't the interview with the boys, but the conversation the psychologist had with the newscaster that really fired me up.

She began to explain that having conversations with our children about consensual sex is important (obviously). She explained that by giving them "more than the sex talk" and teaching them how to ask for sex the right way, that's really raising our young teens properly.

Throughout this entire news story, not once was it mentioned about respecting and upholding the dignity of the opposite gender.

This is slightly upsetting. We live in a world that forgets to teach about the human person for their soul instead of their body. It's no wonder we have so many young girls and boys starting birth control at a young age, viewing and becoming addicted to pornography, and having babies far too young. We, yes even Catholics, don't realize the importance of each person for more than what this physical world thinks we're worth.

We were created and knit so beautifully by the one who knows far more than we'll ever fathom. If only we truly understood just how much we're worth, male and female, I think we wouldn't have so many rising issues. Our society is all about instant gratification. Everybody wants things that'll benefit them and if they're not satisfied, then they get rid of whatever was holding them back and move on to the next one. If you really think about it, we often treat one another in this way. Whether sexual or not, we treat those around us as objects, without even realizing it.

I too, in my past, have fallen short of this and understand fully I am no better than the next person, but golly, if someone would have told me years ago just how beautiful each person was for more than their body, maybe I wouldn't have fallen into the trap of pornography at just 13 years old.

When I was growing up, as Catholics, we were just taught "don't have sex until you're married". Nobody ever explained to us why we believe this specific theology. Throughout all of my time in Catholic school and religion classes, not one person mentioned Theology of the Body and everything it has to offer. But our generation always wants to know facts. We want to know the reasoning behind every argument, whether or not we agree with it. Regardless, I didn't understand what I was exposing myself to and didn't realize the worth of the human body for more than just its body. By the grace of God, with time, I was able to overcome this fault in my life and truly become an advocate for those around me.

You guys, think about it. We can't even turn corners without seeing someone or something that society has over-sexualized. It's absolutely ridiculous. It's our job to make sure we're setting the standards for society and truly uplifting each and every human being, giving them the respect they deserve.

We are more than our bodies. We were not created to be used and to be passed along to the next person. That's not our purpose here on Earth. We are beloved. Each and every one of us were so beautifully and individually made. Our souls are what make us, us. It's time we start standing up for each other and put an end to the demoralization of our brothers and sisters.

I don't know about you, but I know I'm worth more than just my body. So are you. Don't let society tell you any different, no matter how they try to persuade your mind. You are enough, you have enough, and you are so incredibly worthy of love.

Pray for peace friends. I will always be praying for you.