Natural Law.

University Degree Historical and Philosophical studies

Natural Law

The term “natural law” is ambiguous. It refers to a type of moral theory, as well as to a type of legal theory, despite the fact that the core claims of the two kinds of theory are logically self-determining. According to natural law ethical theory, the moral standards that govern human behavior are, in some sense, objectively comes from the nature of human beings. “According to natural law legal theory, the authority of at least some legal standards necessarily derives, at least in part, from considerations having to do with the moral merit of those standards.”1 There are a number of different kinds of natural law theories of law, differing from each other with respect to the role that morality plays in determining the authority of legal norms. “Belief that the principles of human conduct can be derived from a proper understanding of human nature in the context of the universe as a rational whole. Although voluntarists suppose that God could will anything at all, Aquinas held that even the divine will is conditioned by reason. Thus, the natural law provides a non-revelatory basis for all human social conduct. Modern appeals to natural law are the foundation for social thought in Grotius and Pufendorf.”2 As stated earlier, there are many different understandings of “natural law” and the Church’s understanding of natural law is based upon with human intellect and the power of reason, distinguishing them from any other creation on earth. In this term, the term “natural law” is understood as the laws of nature, meaning the order which governs the materialistic universe. According to St.Thomas, the natural law is “nothing else than the rational creature’s participation in the eternal law.” 3 (I-II, Q.xciv). Eternal law is God’s wisdom and the direction and movement of all being. When God created creatures and humans He ordained them and directed each and every one to come an end. Like all the rest of creation, Man is destined by God to an end, and receives from Him a direction towards this end. This ordination of man, God granted us human intelligence and freedom. God is not a lawless Supreme Being, in a constructed universe. In his constitution of nature He has his laws too, which is eternal law. The rule that God wants us to follow that is prescribed is found in nature itself. The actions that we perform, lead to our destiny, and thereby constituted what is right and morally good; those who are against this nature are wrong and immoral. According to St. Augustine the eternal law 'is transferred into the human heart not by passing from one place to another but by imprinting itself on the heart, as the image of a ring passes into the wax without abandoning the ring' (De Trinit., bk. 14, c. 15). We note that this passage has a connection with the natural law with the eternal law. It shows how, according to the holy Fathers and Church teaching, the fundamental norm of human actions is present within us by the communication of the eternal law. In no way does it come to us from sensations. I say 'according to the holy Fathers' rather than 'according to St. Augustine' because the teaching is common to them all. In the eyes of society, conduct is something is not stressed enough upon. The standard is our whole human nature with its many relationships, considered as a creature destined to a special end. Natural law is sometimes not applied if, the good may over-ride any other consideration and if the Divine law may over-ride natural law. For example, to nourish our bodies is right; but indulged our appetite for food that is bad for our body and breaks down our spiritual being is wrong. Preserving yourself is right, but to expose yourself to the benefit of society is wrong. It is wrong to drink to alcohol, for, it is injurious to your health, and such indulgence deprives one of the uses of reason, which is intended by God to be the guide and dictator of conduct. Theft is wrong, because it degrades the being of social life and society. Therefore, it is up to man to live up to the rules of building up a constructed society. Then you can state that this law of conduct is natural. The first reason being because, it is set up concretely in our very nature itself, and second, because it is manifested to us by the purely natural medium of reason. In both respects it is distinguished from the Divine positive law, which contains precepts not arising from the nature of things as God has constituted them by the creative act, but from the subjective will of God. We do not learn this law without any help of reason, but through the lights of supernatural revelation. Fundamentally, the natural law consists of one supreme and universal principle, from which we receive our natural and moral obligations or duties of life. Among many others we find the following: “Love God as the end and everything on account of Him”; “live conformably to human nature considered in all its essential respects”; “Observe the rational order established and sanctioned by God”; “Manifest in your life the image of God impressed on your rational nature.”4 According, to article 310, “But why did God not create a world so perfect that no evil could exist in it? With infinite power God could always create something better.”5 God has infinite wisdom and goodness. God is the one who had the free will to create this world “in a state of journeying” towards its perfection. This is God’s plan, and he has a process in his plan of involving the appearance of beings and the disappearance of other beings, He involves both the constructive and destructive forces of nature. We understand that with physical good there still exists physical evil as long as this creation has reached its perfection. This is the basic understanding of the Catholic understanding of “natural law.” Humans have the free will to create their destiny according to their lifetime. Through this journey evil is committed in a free way and it is allowed. It is understood that sometimes evil and good coincide. From these situations, we experience conversion and turning towards God. It is stated in Article 311, “Angels and men, as intelligent and free creatures, have to journey toward their ultimate destinies by their free choice and preferential love. God is in no way, directly or indirectly, the cause of moral evil.” [Cf. St. Augustine, De libero arbitro I, 1,2;PL 32,1221-1223;St. Thomas Aquinas, Sth I-II, 79,I]6 God allows these things to happen because he understands the freedom of his creatures, and knows how to always look on the positive side of things. The almighty God is supremely good, He would never allow evil to overcome in his works of perfection.

The four basic principles in understanding the Catholic understanding of moral theology are:

(1) receives its principles, on the basis of faith, from God Himself

(2) Who makes possible the personal appropriation of these principles on our part by revealing them in such a way that our created natures are respected, yet at the same time transformed, and

(3) By forming a corporate body to guard and faithfully transmit what has been lovingly revealed.

(4) Natural law is something that is written in our hearts

Each of these four principles are necessary parts for a sound contemporary moral ...

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The four basic principles in understanding the Catholic understanding of moral theology are:

(1) receives its principles, on the basis of faith, from God Himself

(2) Who makes possible the personal appropriation of these principles on our part by revealing them in such a way that our created natures are respected, yet at the same time transformed, and

(3) By forming a corporate body to guard and faithfully transmit what has been lovingly revealed.

(4) Natural law is something that is written in our hearts

Each of these four principles are necessary parts for a sound contemporary moral theology.

“[M]oral analysis itself is an operation the person performs while engaging in [the encounter with Christ], in the very presence of Christ... It is thinking- with that occurs when being-with. Thinking in accordance with the natural law is thinking within creative Wisdom, but creative Wisdom is a very concrete Person. It is Jesus of Nazareth. Thinking in accordance with the natural law is thinking with Jesus Christ; it is co-judging reality with Christ. It is, therefore, being taken up into his concrete personal presence.”7

There has been a clear understanding of what “natural law” is, but not the implications it faces. Many people believe that natural law isn’t natural and it is just a way to control conduct in society to prove what we are doing is unnatural. This view opposes the Catholic understanding in all totality. The natural law expresses the original moral sense which enables man to use reason the good and the evil, the truth and the lie.

“The natural law is written and engraved in the soul of each and every man, because it is human reason, ordaining him to sin…But this command of human reason would not have the force of law if it had the voice and interpreter of a higher reason to which our spirit and our freedom must be submitted.”10

In terms of sodomy (unnatural sexual intercourse), this is one particular issue that the Church condemns because sodomy is against nature. As Catholics we all have to work together to build up the kingdom of God through His grace He has given us. We all have to be a witness to Christ, doing acts of goodness through love and having compassion for everyone. With “exceptions”, as Christians we all believe God’s grace resonates in and through us. His grace is so thorough that we act and believe in this. The argument between morality and society is that, it is also unethical for religious beliefs to take away homosexual rights in the way they want to live their life. Catholics do believe that you can live your life in certain ways that you want. Remember that humans aren’t programmed by God. Humans have freewill, granted by God, and many people misjudge that nowadays. Freewill is what He granted us, but at the same time we use that freewill through God’s grace. God’s grace is operative and leads to people’s goodness and morality. Catholics call people to conversion as suppose to condemnation.

Let us be clear that "gay" is a neologism, a euphemism of recent origin, and refers to sodomy or, to be precise, anal sexual intercourse. There is nothing gay about it, in the proper meaning of the word. From ancient—and biblical—times, this practice has been regarded by the greatest legislators and moralists as a vicious sexual perversion. It is condemned equally by the Old and the New Testaments and by Plato in his Laws. Thomas Jefferson, in a criminal code written during the American Revolution, made it a felony in the same class as rape. In this he only followed the common law. What Catholics find as utterly unacceptable is the perversely action that is being performed. To the best of everyone’s knowledge, the first cases of the disease AIDS was diagnosed in America, about 1981. The connection between anal intercourse and AIDS is as evident as that between smoking and lung cancer. Nor can one overlook the fact that every single case of AIDS is traceable directly or indirectly to such intercourse. Much is made today of the fact that nonsodomites are also at risk. That is because bisexuals can transmit the AIDS virus to women, and infected women can transmit it to heterosexual men, as well as to their unborn infants. Anyone can contract the disease from contaminated blood, or from the needles of sodomites who are chronic drug users. Nevertheless, the ultimate point of origin of every single case, however transmitted, is anal intercourse by sodomites. In the theological perspective, sodomy is unnatural. In the Bible, God created man and woman, and these two creatures fit together perfectly in divine creation. To go against, of what is natural is defying God and human nature. Not only is it defying God’s rule but it is a sin; sin destroys humans as well as the relationship with God. Sin is also considered a crime against humanity and it breaks down the foundation of building UP humanity. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, in articles 369-373, it explains the understanding of male and female. Man and woman are created “in the image of God.” In being a “man” and in being a “woman”, they reflect the Creator’s wisdom and goodness. The perfections of the human body reflect something that is of infinite perfection, which is God.

“Each for the other”-“A unity in two”8

In article 371, it explains that women and men are fit for each other. God created both a communion of persons. Marriage is a symbol of this; God gives people the power to create new life. The Word of God gives to us that, “It is not good that man should be alone. I will make him a helper fit for him.” (Gen 2:18) 9 If you take a look of how a woman and man was created, you would come to the conclusion that woman was created from a man’s rib: “This at last is bones and flesh on my flesh.” (Gen.2:23)11. In Gods plan he calls us in stewardship to subdue the earth. We all have to love everything that exists in this world, be sensitive towards all creatures on earth, and understand that natural law is something that is ingrained in us concretely, as humans.

Natural law would view birth control as wrong because it interferes with “creation” towards its divine destiny as a human being. Artificial birth control is "any action which, either in anticipation of the conjugal act [sexual intercourse], or in its accomplishment, or in the development of its natural consequences, proposes, whether as an end or as a means, to render procreation impossible" (Humanae Vitae 14). This includes sterilization, condoms and other barrier methods, spermicides, (withdrawal method), the Pill, and all other methods of artificial contraception. The church proclaims the goodness of human life; God’s love for man, proclaimed. The church must proclaim the “gospel of life” and must be faithful to humanity. “I bring good news of great joy which will come to all people; for to you is born this day, in the city of David a Savior, who is. Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:10-11)12 Christianity begins with the birth of Jesus; begins with the announcement of his divine conception. Jesus’ birth shows us a sign of great joy and a sign of God’s presence re-entering the world through Christ. Through Jesus we are saved to have eternal life. Jesus’ humanity and earthly life is connected to eternal life with God. Human life as we understand it, is something sacred and shouldn’t be treated like “material,” where can dispose the use of it whenever you want. God granted us sex and the purpose for sex is procreation. The pleasure in receiving sexual intercourse is a blessing from God to satisfy our humanly needs. The intention of God was to offer a possibility of a new life so it can strengthen the bond of marriage with intimacy, respect and love between husband and wife. This is a loving environment being created, perfect for raising a child or children. But to have sex just for the sake of having sex is unnatural. This is where the both spouses are defiling their bodies and being selfish just to get satisfaction from each other. Rather than welcome a human life into this world, which is a gift from God. God’s gift of making love, along with its pleasure and intimacy, must not be abused by deliberately frustrating its natural end of procreation. Deuteronomy 23:1 condemns birth control by sterilization: "He whose testicles are crushed or whose male member is cut off shall not enter the assembly of the Lord."13 These were the methods of male sterilization available in those days. In Humanae Vitae, Pope Paul VI stated, "[W]e must once again declare that the direct interruption of the generative process already begun, and, above all, directly willed and procured abortion, even if for therapeutic reasons, are to be absolutely excluded as licit means of regulating birth. Equally to be excluded, as the teaching authority of the Church has frequently declared, is direct sterilization, whether perpetual or temporary, whether of the man or of the woman. Similarly excluded is every action which, either in anticipation of the conjugal act, or in its accomplishment, or in the development of its natural consequences, proposes, whether as an end or as a means, to render procreation impossible" (HV 14).14
This was reiterated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church: "[E]very action which, whether in anticipation of the conjugal act, or in its accomplishment, or in the development of its natural consequences, proposes, whether as an end or as a means, to render procreation impossible is intrinsically evil"15 (CCC 2370). "Legitimate intentions on the part of the spouses do not justify recourse to morally unacceptable means . . . for example, direct sterilization or contraception" (CCC 2399).16 Yet the truth cannot be explained further on the view of birth control and natural law and its teachings.

Is masturbation a sin? This is what many people have been pondering for years. According to the teachings of natural law it is an unclean act, but not as a high degree of sin. Not only is not a clean act but it goes against procreation. The emission of semen after masturbating is semen that could have been used to create a birth. Masturbation is deliberate self-stimulation to produce sexual arousal. “Shrewd is the one that has less seen the calamity and proceeds to conceal himself, but the inexperienced have passed along and must suffer the penalty,”17 "ANY sexual activity which attempts to bypass reproduction is a sin. God joined the creation of life together with the pleasures of sexual intercourse. Birth control and abortion attempt to defeat the creation of life that is entwined by Nature's God with the reproductive act. So does masturbation."18 Masturbation is also a form of committing adultery because it is an abomination and perversion. To pursue sexual pleasure or orgasm in manner not associated with marital intercourse that is love-giving and open to the creation of new life violates the will of God and is immoral. In fact they claim that: "In marriage, any kind of sexual stimulation can be given to the partner, but always ending the relation with sexual intercourse, depositing the semen into the vagina. Other kind of orgasm is a way of masturbation."19 it is a sin because it diverts sexual thoughts which infests the mind from its purity and clean thinking. Masturbation indulges in energies that draw you away from the service of God and others. There are also many bad effects that masturbation carries such as guilt, lack of self-control which can make you a less faithful person in your marriage, and you become a very selfish person. In conclusion, To follow Christ is to live a life in line with the natural law which is imprinted on our hearts but which we ignore so often and so subtly that we forget it exists at all.

Works Cited

Leo XIII, Liberatas praestantisismum, 597.

Lorenzo Albacete, The relevance of Christ or the sequela Christi Communio

(Summer 1994): 257-258.

Martin, Mike W.Everday Morality: An Introduction to Applied Ethics, Wadsworth; Canada 2001.

New Testament: Proverbs and Psalms: The Gideon’s International, (Proverbs 22:3)

Pope John Paul II. The Human Vitae. Article, 14.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church, (CCC 2370).

Watch Tower and Bible Tract Society, New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures; International Bible Students Association, New York, U.S.A, 1984.

1 Cornelius Van Til, A Christian Theory of Knowledge (Phillipsburg, NJ, 1969), 47.

2 http://www.philosophypages.com/dy/n.htm#natl

3 http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09076a.htm

4 http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09076a.htm

5 http://www.catholicdoors.com/catechis/cat0279.htm#309

6 http://www.catholicdoors.com/catechis/cat0279.htm#309

7 Lorenzo Albacete, The relevance of Christ or the sequela Christi Communio

(Summer 1994): 257-258.

10 Leo XIII, Liberatas praestantisismum,597.

8 http://www.catholicdoors.com/catechis/cat0279.htm#309

9 WatchTower and Bible Tract Society, New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures; International Bible Students Association, New York, U.S.A, 1984. (Gen 2:18)

11 WatchTower and Bible Tract Society, New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures; International Bible Students Association, New York, U.S.A, 1984. (Gen 2:23).

12 WatchTower and Bible Tract Society, New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures; International Bible Students Association, New York, U.S.A, 1984. (Luke 2:10-11).

13 WatchTower and Bible Tract Society, New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures; International Bible Students Association, New York, U.S.A, 1984. (Deuter: 23:1)

14 Pope John Paul II. The Human Vitae. Article, 14.

15 The Catechism of the Catholic Church, (CCC 2370).

16 The Catechism of the Catholic Church, (CCC 2399).

17 New Testament: Proverbs and Psalms: The Gideon’s International, (Proverbs 22:3)

18 Martin, Mike W.Everday Morality: An Introduction to Applied Ethics, Wadsworth; Canada 2001.

19 Martin, Mike W.Everday Morality: An Introduction to Applied Ethics, Wadsworth; Canada 2001.