What is Natural About Marriage?

In Pope Paul VI's Humanae Vitae, he argues his point against various forms of birth control. In part II of his essay, he writes about "Doctrinal Principles," which go over various natural laws of love, marriage, and procreation. In Paragraph 12, titled "Union and Procreation," he says "[there is an] inseparable connection, established by God, which man on his own initiative may not break, between the unitive significance and the procreative significance which are both inherent to the marriage act." He says these are "a result of laws written into the actual nature of man and of woman," (Pope, 12). If this link between enduring love and procreation were natural, it would mean there could be no homosexual marriage. But before we can jump to any agreement with the pope on the Natural Law surrounding marriage, there are certain points that must be examined. Is marriage and procreation in themselves "Natural Law" that must be obeyed? And more importantly, are they really linked together?

To decide whether marriage is "natural," we should first look the Pope's definition of it. Paul VI describes marital love in paragraph 9, "Whoever really loves his partner loves not only for what he receives, but loves that partner for the partner's own sake, content to be able to enrich the other with the gift of himself." It is very possible this love is a natural thing. A lot of us may have been "in love," it is not something one can be told, but they must have that gut instinct to tell them they are in love. The Pope also states that "Married love is also faithful and exclusive of all other, and this until death." Most of us can agree to this sentiment. Therefore, marriage according to Paul VI is deep love, but shared with only one person. It's not a bad definition to follow. But is it natural? Paul VI undermines his own argument, still in paragraph 9. "It is not, then, merely a question of natural instinct or emotional drive. It is also, and above all, an act of the free will..." This is why a person proposes to another, they must choose to spend the rest of their life with that person. If there is that choice, then marriage is a human creation. If one has certain beliefs, they could never get married, or marry multiple people at the same time.

Sexual activity is a key function in the idea of marriage. Many people do not allow themselves to have sex before marriage. Paul VI argues that this sexual activity is not just a sign of love, but also must have to do with procreation. He states that "[sex] does not... cease to be legitimate even when, for reasons independent of their will, it is foreseen to be infertile," (Pope, 11). He goes on to say later in paragraph 11 that "every marital act must of necessity retain its intrinsic relationship to the procreation of human life." He argues that there are time periods of natural infertility, such as between ovulation or while nursing. During these time periods, you can have sex, avoid getting pregnant, and still keep procreation in mind. But what about those who were born sterile? There are those who simply can never get pregnant. How do they have sex with procreation in mind? Surely sex still keeps Paul VI's purpose of "marital love," by a person giving "the gift of himself [or herself]," (Pope 9).

Procreation can be kept in mind because raising a child and having sex both signify love. The act of sex and bearing children do not need to be physically linked. In his 11th paragraph, "Responsible Parenthood," he says "Married love, therefore, requires of husband and wife the full awareness of their obligations in the matter of responsible parenthood." This means that a child is a sign of love for a couple. The child gains a semiotic meaning, signifying love. While procreation may be a natural instinct for any species, making children a tool of expressing love is a social construct. Can an adopted child not experience the same devotion from its parents as a natural born baby? The adopted child can signify love just as strongly.

Pope Paul VI states that marriage is a union between a man and his wife, to love one another completely, and to show their love through procreation. And it appears he is correct in that sex and procreation are linked through their significations. But he is wrong in saying that sex that does not beget a child is unholy. This is why gay or lesbian couples should be allowed to marry: they are following a social construction of the feeling of love. The Pope has romanticized procreation; he defines it as a sign of love, not the proliferation of the human species. By these interpretations, anyone should be able to get married, have sex, and choose to have a child. Even if to them they wouldn't be following the Pope's ideas of marriage, ironically they still obey what he calls the "Natural Laws" of love.

PS: Sorry for the long post