In defence of the bishops’ book

by Letters Editor · October 17, 2013

From Tony de Freitas, Durban

I refer to the several letters to the editor criticising the book God, Love, Life and Sex, written by the bishops of Southern Africa. With the exception of two responses by Cardinal Napier and one other letter, I thought the negative letters somewhat disappointing.

God, Love, Life and Sex. Written by the

Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Council.

My first reaction was to respond because simple common sense told me the writers were wrong in their criticism. However, as I had not read the book I decided that I should first familiarise myself with what the bishops had written, so I bought a copy. I read it from cover to cover and found it a very interesting and valuable book indeed and I must congratulate and thank the bishops for this most useful and much-needed book.

The only thing I didn�t like was the cover. It is bright and catchy but I felt that it should show a family with more than just two children. The two-child-family idea has grown out of the �overpopulation� theory.

Overpopulation is a myth (see: www.DemographicWinter.com).

However, the book is well thought-out and should be read by all Catholics (especially the youth) as well as all Christians.

I can understand why some Catholics were not pleased with it. It probably pricked consciences. It told the truth about certain basic values that today�s society is trying to trivialise.

Society has succeeded in desensitising us and convincing us that there is nothing wrong with sex out of marriage, cohabitating, gay marriage, contraception, abortion, and so on. But these things go against the natural law and, deep down, if one is honest with oneself, one knows that it is wrong.

This book has finally come to tell us what is good and true and honest. It is even structured in a way to be used by small discussion groups as each chapter poses some challenging questions. It is about time that good Christians stand up and be counted. Let us listen to St Paul in his letter to the Romans: �Do not conform yourselves to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect� (12:2).

We are all aware of the pressure that the media is putting on the Church. We get their feeling: �Come on you Catholics, we are no longer in the middle ages; this is the twenty-first century. Get with it.� But, a final thought: What the Church teaches, and what is so well set out in this book, may go against what society is teaching but is it going against the will of God?