Polish monk preaches divine sex - with Church's blessing
WARSAW - HE has been dubbed the high priest of Catholic Kama Sutra, but Polish Friar Ksawery Knotz says that by giving married couples tips on how to practice divine sex, he is simply doing God's work.
'I certainly encourage married couples to pray for a good and happy sex life - it's a way for them to become closer to God,' the 43-year-old Roman Catholic monk told AFP.
'At first people are usually slightly shocked but at the same time happily surprised,' says Mr Knotz, who like all Catholic clergy has taken a vow of celibacy.
Mr Knotz has held retreats with more than 3,000 devoutly Roman Catholic couples in Poland since 2000, with the tacit blessing of church superiors and an approving nod from secular therapists.
Couples are so eager to attend that his weekend and six-day workshops are booked solid for the next year.
'If you believe in God, then you believe God is involved in life, in love, marriage and in sex and sexuality - it seems natural to talk about sex to remove taboos and the label of sinfulness,' says the monk, who resides in a monastery of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin in Stalowa Wola, southern Poland.
The friar admits the popular teachings of the Roman Catholic church on the subject of sex have been weak - if not downright dissuasive.
'It's been labelled taboo or sinful,' Mr Knotz says, but is quick to point out that in keeping with the church's teaching, he preaches only about the joys of sex restricted to marriage between a women and men.
Both his book, entitled 'The Act of Marriage", and his 'Chance to Meet' website (http:
www.szansaspotkania.net/), launched in 2004 and has both English and Polish versions, graphically explore the steamy details of divine love-making.
In a passage entitled the 'theology of the orgasm", Mr Knotz likens the peak of sexual excitation to meeting God in heaven.
'Love between a married couple expressed in sex, brings the human body closer to heaven. The ecstasy in the joy of sexual intercourse can be likened to the joy of eternal life,' he says giving an unusual twist to the religious notion of eternal salvation.
'This is why the conjugal act allows spouses to begin to understand the sweetness of encountering God,' Mr Knotz concludes, and is quick to caution that 'concentration on the physiological side of a sexual intercourse causes reduction of its most important elements.'
Though his teachings do not skimp on spicy details, detractors argue that as a celibate man of the cloth he lacks the hands-on experience to speak credibly about sex.
'I look at it this way: you don't have to have a heart condition to be a cardiologist and you don't have to be an alcoholic to work as a therapist,' he says unfazed.
Kasia and Jan Paluszewski are true believers. Married for 18 years the parents of three children aged 16, 13 and three, they say Friar Knotz's teachings have 'uplifted' and 'enlightened' their sex life and spirituality.
'The workshops with Father Knotz really helped us to overcome our inhibitions and guilt regarding sex,' Jan, a 46-year-old IT specialist from Poland's north-western Kujawsko-Pomorskie region told AFP.
'He really listens to couples and this is why I think he understands us so well.'
Psychotherapist Marek Ruzdziewicz says conventional sex therapy does not address or really consider spiritual aspects of sex.
'I never heard of it before meeting Father Ksawery,' he told AFP. 'It's a novel approach which in my experience helps couples achieve greater intimacy - so why not?' -- AFP
http://www.straitstimes.com/Latest%2...ry_264399.html 
Polish monk preaches divine sex - with Church's blessing 
Re: Polish monk preaches divine sex - with Church's blessing 
Linear Mode
