I just don't get it....

[alex4]

I have been reading several posts on these forums about NFP and I am feeling genuniely confused. What strikes me is the sheer amount of energy that people are using up in wrestling with the moral issues. Wouldn’t it be more faithful to God to use this energy to love others? For example visiting a lonely neighbour, cooking for someone or volunteering? Also if NFP is causing stress, worry and depression, surely these things are destructive and don’t come from God? Shouldn’t people ultimately follow their own conscience in these matters? Also, I find the idea of asking a priest for advice about marital relations rather galling…they are not married. Likewise, you would not dare to tell a Priest how to conduct his duties.

 

[Nate13]

Also if NFP is causing stress, worry and depression, surely these things are destructive and don’t come from God?

This is a mal-formed view of God. Sometimes I think we forget exactly what God asked of his own Son. Betrayed by one of his own disciples, his own people turned his back on him, stripped, scourged, crown of thorns pushed into his head, carry his own cross a ways, and then crucified. You do remember the command to pick up our cross and follow him correct? Put your hands to the plow? Fortunately God never gives us more of a cross than we can handle, but that is still usually more than we think we would have thought we could handle. God is like a coach training you for some sport. He is pushing you harder and harder and often times much harder than you believe you can go. But you trust your coach to know what your limits are and what your capable of and through that faith you achieve more than you believed you could.

Sure there are plenty of butterflies and rainbows with God, but what all those pictures leave out is the miles and miles of vast cold mountain ranges you have to cross to get there. Lots of people love the idea of relishing in the resurrection but don’t want to do the work required to get there.

 

[Rita77]

I have been reading several posts on these forums about NFP and I am feeling genuniely confused. What strikes me is the sheer amount of energy that people are using up in wrestling with the moral issues. because moral issues eaither get us heaven or hellWouldn’t it be more faithful to God to use this energy to love others? For example visiting a lonely neighbour, cooking for someone or volunteering? not the subject of the thread we are talking about nfp a method of spacing out children and helping others with the issues with itAlso if NFP is causing stress, worry and depression, surely these things are destructive and don’t come from God? the problem is our own misunderstandings of what nfp is and isn’t the problem isn’t nfp or GodShouldn’t people ultimately follow their own conscience in these matters?what do you mean. if you are a faithful Catholic and need to space children use nfp if not have a baby. anything else may lead your soul to hell. so we are following our conscience Also, I find the idea of asking a priest for advice about marital relations rather galling…they are not married. Likewise, you would not dare to tell a Priest how to conduct his duties. because they are trained spiritual directors with the graces of the Holy trinity so they can “lead there sheep to heaven” we have priest so they can help us faithfully follow Church teachings.

 

[etmom]

This is a mal-formed view of God. Sometimes I think we forget exactly what God asked of his own Son. Betrayed by one of his own disciples, his own people turned his back on him, stripped, scourged, crown of thorns pushed into his head, carry his own cross a ways, and then crucified. You do remember the command to pick up our cross and follow him correct? Put your hands to the plow? Fortunately God never gives us more of a cross than we can handle, but that is still usually more than we think we would have thought we could handle. God is like a coach training you for some sport. He is pushing you harder and harder and often times much harder than you believe you can go. But you trust your coach to know what your limits are and what your capable of and through that faith you achieve more than you believed you could.

Sure there are plenty of butterflies and rainbows with God, but what all those pictures leave out is the miles and miles of vast cold mountain ranges you have to cross to get there. Lots of people love the idea of relishing in the resurrection but don’t want to do the work required to get there.

Wow, this is perfectly stated and oh so true. As someone who has spent the last several months living in that space between Good Friday and Easter Sunday after the death of our infant son, this resonates with me greatly. Thank you.