Discussing
‘Twilight’ and the agony of abstinence

Related to the last comment of your article:
"When A Man Loves A Woman" -as I remember it- deals realistically, if not a bit over-the top, about married sexuality as a good thing and what it means to stand by your mate "for better or worse." Meg Ryan's real breakout role if you ask me. rr

Hrm... the first thing that comes to mind for me is a scene out of Rob Roy, where the eponymous character and his wife send the kids off and take advantage of the freedom imparted by kilts and skirts to have an open air quickie in a secluded spot outside of town.

I, for one, am not confused by the reaction to Twilight by the champions of abstinence. It's the same thing that happened with the movie Bella and the pro-life crowd. They're so wrapped up in their pushbutton issue that they totally ignore the conflicting message of the movie. For Bella, the pro-lifers completely ignored the fact that giving up your kid then trying to weasel your way back into her life as if nothing happened is NOT good parenting: it's selfish and harmful to your child. (At least, it was to my children when their mother did the same thing.)

WIth Twilight, the abstinence crowd is so enraptured with the apparent message that they, as you note, ignore the heart issue. "Cuddling in underwear" and engaging in deep emotional ties with a relative stranger are nearly on par with actual sexual intercourse when it comes to emotional and spiritual danger.

Hello,

I'm not a Catholic but maybe there are some who can correct me if I am wribg

Isn't there a Catholic idea of "An Occasion of sin"--I may be wrong about name, but as I understand it, doesn't it say you are to avoid situations where you would be tempted to sin?

I think that is the heart of what is being considered here.

Shouldn't we avoid situations where we would be tempted? It doesn't sound like that is what is being taught in that movie.

Cordially,,
C. Walker

I did not see the movie and most likely will not. To glorify vampires in any aspect seems a little funny to start with. To portray them as human, when they have been portrayed as the living dead is absurd. Why vampires, why not superboy and supergirl or maybe daffy and daisy. Yes I know it's just a movie, but to some tweens it is a lot more and as a grandparent of a tween, I would not want him to see this. What ever happened to Abbott and Costelo meet Dragula? In God's Grace John

I haven't yet seen this movie and don't plan to, but I have seen this book and it's sequels in the hands of teens even in my church. My question is, what about Jesus' assertion in the Sermon on the Mount that "if you look upon a woman to lust after her you have already committed adultery with her in your heart."? Isn't there sin in the heart going on in this film (and the books?) and should we as Christians be discouraging this? Are we not supposed to avoid even the appearance of sin to the world?

Excuse me, but is everyone forgetting that this is a 100 plus year old vampire hitting on a 16 year old girl?