ABC - are some "worse" than others?

[StJudePray4Me]

I was wondering what people think:

Since life begins at conception, are some forms of birth control “worse” than others?

Is an IUD worse than condoms, since a condom prevents sperm from meeting egg, whereas and IUD allows sperm to meet egg, but then prevents implantation in the uterine wall?

 

[puzzleannie]

some like the IUD, or certain chemical contraceptives under certain conditions, are early abortificants which of course is a double sin, and the graver sin, actual murder of a real person, added to the damage done by the contraceptive mentality and act to begin with, to the person and to the marriage, and the immorality inherent in the contraceptive mentality when it leads to promiscuity etc. is that what you mean? What I find troubling and always have, particularly because it comes from the feminist lobby that is supposed to be above all protective of women, is the deliberate downplaying of the dangerous side effects of ABC that has gone on since the early days of peddling the pill.

 

[StJudePray4Me]

some like the IUD, or certain chemical contraceptives under certain conditions, are early abortificants which of course is a double sin, and the graver sin, actual murder of a real person, added to the damage done by the contraceptive mentality and act to begin with, to the person and to the marriage, and the immorality inherent in the contraceptive mentality when it leads to promiscuity etc.** is that what you mean?** What I find troubling and always have, particularly because it comes from the feminist lobby that is supposed to be above all protective of women, is the deliberate downplaying of the dangerous side effects of ABC that has gone on since the early days of peddling the pill.

Yes, I think that is what I meant.

Earlier in my life, I used ABC. At one point I had an IUD. After a short while with it, I began to feel extremely guilty about it - more than I had ever felt about using a diaphragm. I had it removed, but continued to use barrier methods of BC.

At the time, I’m not sure I fully understood the CC teachings about birth control, and I ignored what I did know about them, basically. I was very afraid of becoming pregnant before I was “ready.” It wasn’t until after the birth of my first child that I really began to think critically about, and research more, of the CC’s teachings.

Thanks for your (name removed by moderator)ut.

 

[1ke]

Contraception is a mortal sin, when done with full knowledge and free will. Using a method with abortifacient properties compounds one sin with another, if done with full knowledge and free will.

I would not frame one contraceptive as “better” or “worse” than another simply because that implies that one can use one type over another with less culpability or that I am endorsing one over the other. This cannot be the case because all contraception is a mortal sin no matter the method.

It is simply that those which take a life have two sins involved.

 

[Newbie2]

I would agree with 1ke, and would guess that most folks equate post-conception birth control, such as the IUD and many forms of the “pill” with pre-conception birth control, such as condoms, spermacides, diaphragms, etc. and really don’t know that they’re terminating a life with post-conception birth control, rather than “just” preventing one with pre-conception birth control.

 

[StJudePray4Me]

I would agree with 1ke, and would guess that most folks equate post-conception birth control, such as the IUD and many forms of the “pill” with pre-conception birth control, such as condoms, spermacides, diaphragms, etc. and really don’t know that they’re terminating a life with post-conception birth control, rather than “just” preventing one with pre-conception birth control.

Yes, I agree. I asked the question because I believe that most people do not seethe myriad methods of ABC as being any different from one another. Yet, they think abortion is different. My feeling was that the only difference between an IUD and an abortion is the length of time that the woman is pregnant. I think that is why my conscience began to bother me, even though I wasn’t 100% clear on the “why” at the time…

 

[JRKH]

I was wondering what people think:

Since life begins at conception, are some forms of birth control “worse” than others?

Is an IUD worse than condoms, since a condom prevents sperm from meeting egg, whereas and IUD allows sperm to meet egg, but then prevents implantation in the uterine wall?

Short answer is NO -

Since the use of either stems from a rejection of Gods’ salvic plan and grace in a matter of grave importance (procreation) and it is done with free will and full knowledge (every adult is bound to know the Church’s teachings on the matter), The end result is Mortal sin.

So one is not any worse than the other since both stem from the same root cause.
Rejection of God. Rejection of God sends one to hell.

Peace
James

 

[crazzeto]

Short answer is NO -

Since the use of either stems from a rejection of Gods’ salvic plan and grace in a matter of grave importance (procreation) and it is done with free will and full knowledge (every adult is bound to know the Church’s teachings on the matter), The end result is Mortal sin.

So one is not any worse than the other since both stem from the same root cause.
Rejection of God. Rejection of God sends one to hell.

Peace
James

Not exactly true, more over usage of ABC doesn’t automatically equate to mortal sin, but only so under the conditions perscribed by the Church. That said, as previously stated some forms of ABC constitute a double sin, rather than just the single sin of using ABC.

You seem to argue that in either case, if you remain unrepentant to the very end you’re going to hell so they’re the same. This logic however, will lead to an err which fails to recongnize the greater gravity of certain actions (like those which lead to abortion).

More over, at the very least there is a tradition of the church which was capitolized upon by Donte in the Divine Comedy that there are many levels to hell (and heaven). This is a concept not invented by him, which has never been doctrinal but which none-the-less has remaind with us since before Christ even.

If there’s anything to this tradition then you might in fact be worse off using the poll or IUD as opposed to condoms.

 

[JRKH]

Not exactly true, more over usage of ABC doesn’t automatically equate to mortal sin, but only so under the conditions perscribed by the Church. That said, as previously stated some forms of ABC constitute a double sin, rather than just the single sin of using ABC.

I thought I was pretty clear about these things occuring under the proper conditions. Every adult Catholic should certainly know the Church’s teachings on these matters so there really should not be an excuse there. If they WERE that poorly catachized that they do not know the gravity of using ABC then there is someone else, (teacher, parent, priest etc.) who is in deep doggie-doo for not properly teaching the faith.

You seem to argue that in either case, if you remain unrepentant to the very end you’re going to hell so they’re the same. This logic however, will lead to an err which fails to recongnize the greater gravity of certain actions (like those which lead to abortion).

You are no doubt correct in your assertions - If one wishes to get into all of the details of defining, catagorizing, and analyzing it all. However, after it is all said and done, if one meets the criteria for mortal sin, and remains unrepentant then hell is the destination.

More over, at the very least there is a tradition of the church which was capitolized upon by Donte in the Divine Comedy that there are many levels to hell (and heaven). This is a concept not invented by him, which has never been doctrinal but which none-the-less has remaind with us since before Christ even.

If there’s anything to this tradition then you might in fact be worse off using the poll or IUD as opposed to condoms.

Hell is hell. Eternal Seperation from God in Eternal Torment.
What does it matter if their are different levels of hell.
Is there a “level of hell” that you (or anyone else) are willing to endure?

This is where I part ways with many people in these discussions. When it comes to sin, avoid it don’t try to “catagorize” it (except in the broad sense of venial/mortal). Repent of it, and get to confession if possible. Restore your life and grace in God and do it now.

Those who are asking questions - is this sin worse than that sin - are missing the essential nature of sin - that it damages or destroys our connection to God’s Grace.
It weakens our connection to God and allows an “in” for Satan. Small sins can do this as well or, even better sometimes if repeated often enough, than big sins.

That is why I don’t mess around with qualifying whether such things constitute one sin or two sins.

Peace
James

 

[vera_dicere]

Yes, I agree. I asked the question because I believe that most people do not seethe myriad methods of ABC as being any different from one another. Yet, they think abortion is different. My feeling was that the only difference between an IUD and an abortion is the length of time that the woman is pregnant. I think that is why my conscience began to bother me, even though I wasn’t 100% clear on the “why” at the time…

There’s a lot of misinformation and semantics out there that are used to confuse the general public. For example, pregnancy starts at implantation. Abortion is actually the medical name for a miscarriage. To take direct intervention to end a pregnancy is actually “Termination of pregnancy”.

The pro-choice movement actually hi-jacked the word “abortion” because it sounds more “natural” than “termination”, “termination” seems to impose more “guilt” or misgivings on the woman and abortionist involved.

The pro-choice movement has a field day with the medical terms regarding post-conception methods of birth control, they can say “oh the IUD doesn’t cause abortions” and so women feel safe about using it, because they have come to understand abortion as some kind of moral question or they dont’ want to be associated with it.

The thing is, of course, while pregnancy begins at implanation, and abortion [terminatino] ends a pregnancy, life begins at conception. So the death of an individual is still happening.

In my training we had a lecture about contraceptive methods, and our pro-choice lecturer said some women don’t use the IUD because its’ against their beleifs, she then added a sarcastic chuckle. The thing is, IUD isn’t even a contraceptive because it does not prevent conception, but it’s not an abortificant. Its something in between, but still something that is morally repugnant and a mortal sin if accepted with full knowledge of its MO.

But the scary thing, a salesperson for a company that made IUDs was visiting a maternity ward I was working on as a student, and she actually told me that in all honestly, no one actually knows how it is the IUD works to prevent implanation. There’s guesses around hormonal interuption and a few other things, but that’s jsut it, they’re guesses.

 

[bilop]

I was wondering what people think:

Since life begins at conception, are some forms of birth control “worse” than others?

Is an IUD worse than condoms, since a condom prevents sperm from meeting egg, whereas and IUD allows sperm to meet egg, but then prevents implantation in the uterine wall?

I would say yes, abortofacient ABC is objectively worse, i.e. more sinful.

Even among mortal sins, there are sins of greater gravity. Murder of the innocent is one of the worst sins, the “sins that cry to heaven for vengeance”

There are particular mortal sins that are so evil that they are said to be sins that cry to heaven for vengeance: murder (Gen. 4:10), sodomy (Gen. 17:20-21), oppression of the poor (Ex. 2:23), and defrauding workers of their just wages (James 5:4).

catholic.com/thisrock/1992/9202qq.asp

God Bless

 

[Abu]

Having shown that all contraceptive methods are gravely evil, and that abortion is murder, there is Pope John Paul’s affirmation in Evangelium Vitae (The Gospel of Life), 1995, #13, that “in very many other instances such practices are rooted in a hedonistic mentality unwilling to accept responsibility in matters of sexuality, and they imply a self-centered concept of freedom, which regards procreation as an obstacle to personal fulfilment….The close connection which exists, in mentality, between the practice of contraception and that of abortion is becoming increasingly obvious.”

This ringing condemnation is supporting the true path to personal fulfilment as the latest birth dearth figures for the U.S.A demonstrate.

Europe’s Demographic Winter threatening the U.S.A.
Having Children: Anatomy of a Cultural Strategy
…for the first time, the birth rate in the United States has fallen below the replacement level. All of this is finally generating a buzz. If you’re a young Catholic looking for an effective long-term strategy to reclaim Western culture, having a large family should be on your short list.
catholicculture.org/commentary/articles.cfm?id=444

The contraceptive mentality (the satanic deception) which led to the abortion mentality has to be clearly understood and reversed through reason and faith for the return of sanity to Western civilization and society. Historian Dr Jeff Mirus has analysed the crisis and offered the truth – the only thing that can set men free.