COMMENTARY: Public reaction to a viral affair exposes how deeply we still believe in moral truths — even when society tells us not to.
Jennifer Roback Morse July 30, 2025 at National Catholic Register
The adulterous couple caught on the Jumbotron earlier this month has become the object of scorn, ridicule and endless internet memes. I plan not to pile on. Instead, I want to call attention to how this incident disproves the seductive promise of the sexual revolution: “You can do anything you want sexually, and nothing bad will happen.”
This tacit promise explains why the sexual revolution is so appealing: Everyone wants to believe this is true. But the strong public reactions to the “Coldplay Couple” show us that not only is this promise false, but we all know it is false.
“Now come on, Dr. Morse. No one really says nothing bad will happen.” True. Anyone who just blurted it out loud would look like an idiot. On the other hand, the instant brush-off we get whenever we raise objections tells us that this is precisely the idea that lurks below the surface.
People who are faithful to the ancient teachings of the Catholic Church say, “Sex belongs exclusively in marriage.” We are told, “You are so old-fashioned. We have contraception now. Anyone can have sex as long as both people consent and you use your contraception correctly and consistently.”
These conditions and qualifiers are tell-tale signs of how thin the “promise” really is. No one uses their contraception “consistently and correctly” enough to avoid all pregnancies and all sexually transmitted infections. And even if a pair of randy teenagers did avoid those undeniable physical problems, one or both of them might very well get a broken heart.
But never mind. Children in public schools routinely receive the message: “You’re entitled to have sex.”
