Response to Sex and divorce ... I should have qualified at least the words "partially" with my cause being a modern day extension of the root cause. Call it the surface cause ...

The basic gist of my point is that with contraception came, likely, the final blow ... the division of sex from marriage. The temptation to be as we are today has always existed. There is, after all, nothing new under the sun. The technological advances in "family planning" have made it easy to not get caught. The risk of getting pregnant is reduced significantly. It used to be that before you had sex with someone the question "Do I want to have children with this person" had to come to mind. That thought alone would deter the actions of most sane single men. With ABC, there is no need to give that thought much weight. After all, we have "protection" these days and giving in is seen as part of the normal exuberance of youth and as you say, forgiven.

While adultery is still considered grave by most, I would say that is not the case for pre-marital sex. Cohabitation is almost universal now and with that near certainty that sex is occurring (**1). I can off hand cite that 21/23 couples were living together at our EE. The numbers suggest the stigma of pre-marital sex is nonexistant ... in fact, quite the opposite for all the virgins out there who have been hassled for their most Holy state by their friends.

In the logic of the "single" sexually satisfied man, for what purpose is marriage other than to make him responsible to the wife and accountable to a legal system that might rob him blind in the almost likely situation of a future divorce? I have seen that argument made on more than one occasion.

I highly recommend reading Contraception: Why Not? by Janet Smith and also get a copy of Humanae Vitae. I note specifically what Paul VI predicted would happen with the ready availibility of contraception. Section 17 Consequences of Artificial Methods

Responsible men can become more deeply convinced of the truth of the doctrine laid down by the Church on this issue if they reflect on the consequences of methods and plans for artificial birth control. Let them first consider how easily this course of action could open wide the way for marital infidelity and a general lowering of moral standards. Not much experience is needed to be fully aware of human weakness and to understand that human beings—and especially the young, who are so exposed to temptation—need incentives to keep the moral law, and it is an evil thing to make it easy for them to break that law. Another effect that gives cause for alarm is that a man who grows accustomed to the use of contraceptive methods may forget the reverence due to a woman, and, disregarding her physical and emotional equilibrium, reduce her to being a mere instrument for the satisfaction of his own desires, no longer considering her as his partner whom he should surround with care and affection.

Finally, careful consideration should be given to the danger of this power passing into the hands of those public authorities who care little for the precepts of the moral law. Who will blame a government which in its attempt to resolve the problems affecting an entire country resorts to the same measures as are regarded as lawful by married people in the solution of a particular family difficulty? Who will prevent public authorities from favoring those contraceptive methods which they consider more effective? Should they regard this as necessary, they may even impose their use on everyone. It could well happen, therefore, that when people, either individually or in family or social life, experience the inherent difficulties of the divine law and are determined to avoid them, they may give into the hands of public authorities the power to intervene in the most personal and intimate responsibility of husband and wife.

**1: "It is estimated that 60% to 80% of the couples coming to be married are cohabiting." -- from USCCB - Marriage Preparation and Cohabiting Couples