Dear Fr Bloom,
I am working in a company that is thinking of making a herbal form of viagra/aphrodisiac. Correct me where I am wrong, but I understand it is ok to use such a thing as a drug/medicine when one's sexual faculty is diseased/malfunctioning (the aim being to perfect the fallen nature to what God designed it to be), and it is also ok for married loving non-contraceptive couples to use aphrodisiacs to enhance the pleasure of their union which is God's gift to them and the manifestation of the total reciprocal self-giving between spouses whose fruits are union and procreating new life out of love.
However, it is clear that products such as this are abused, and it is not only those who have legitimate use for it who will use it - in fact, the targeted market is the lustful and promiscuous. This is associated with increased fornication, contraception, and to increased abortions.
My question is, is it right for me to be party to this production of aphrodisiacs? If not, what can I do ? I hope you will have time to reply to me
Thank you,
E
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Dear E,
I don't think aphrodisiacs would be wrong in themselves. As you note, they could be legitimately used in marriage. The first question would be about "false witness." That is, are the sellers of aphrodisiacs being honest about their products? Have they subjected their products to the same kind of testing as, say, the producers of viagra? If they don't make false claims, then it is a case of "caveat emptor."
I personally suspect people are spending money on aphrodisiacs, when they could attain the same results other ways - a candlelight dinner, some genuine listening to the other person, a walk together, a flower, etc.
About your job. You are in a better position than I to evaluate the claims of your company. If you find them deceptive, I would encourage you to look for other employment opportunities. I don't say, quit right now, because you need to be prudent. (If you were working for Planned Parenthood or the company that manufactures Norplant, I would say to quit immediately, but your company is not involved with something that is so obviously immoral.)
God bless,
Fr. Bloom
********** C.S. Lewis: To Dissenting Priests
Catholic Teaching on Birth Control
The Crisis of the Catholic University
The Abortion Issue.
Homily on Abortion and Homosexuality
The Challenge of Secular Humanism
The Religion of our Culture: Naturalism
Magdalene Sisters and other anti-Catholic Pornography (Warning: Contains graphic descriptions.)
The Catholic Church: Founded by Jesus
Hitler's Pope: Comic Book Approach to Church History