Non-Catholics: Does your pastor preach this: Where the Scriptures are Silent, We Should Be Silent"?

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In another thread a Protestant sister in Christ proferred:

“Where the Scriptures are Silent, We Should Be Silent”

This is an interesting paradigm in light of most Protestant church’s view on artificial birth control.

Scripture is silent on this issue.
Yet the Protestant churches allow this. (Some are coming around, though.)

Nowhere does Scripture ever mention that it’s permissible to use contraception. The Bible is “silent” on this.

How, then, does your pastor conclude that it’s okay to use artificial contraceptives?

Is this an exception to the paradigm: Where the Scriptures are Silent, We Should Be Silent?
 
Just answering the question. Never heard it. Must be some other denomination. I am sure you will find out.
 
Perhaps Protestants should be silent on this thread until the OP reigns in her condescension.

Not trying to be mean, but perhaps you should read back your posts to yourself.
 
I did not think it was condescending Conor. I think it is a very strange argument but different enough I will probably keep reading this thread.
 
PRmerger said:
In another thread a Protestant sister in Christ proferred:

“Where the Scriptures are Silent, We Should Be Silent”

This is an interesting paradigm in light of most Protestant church’s view on artificial birth control.

Scripture is silent on this issue.
Yet the Protestant churches allow this. (Some are coming around, though.)

Nowhere does Scripture ever mention that it’s permissible to use contraception. The Bible is “silent” on this.

How, then, does your pastor conclude that it’s okay to use artificial contraceptives?

Is this an exception to the paradigm: Where the Scriptures are Silent, We Should Be Silent?
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What part of the word “Silent” do you not understand? You are right that the Bible says nothing about artificial birth control. Therefore, because the Bible expresses no clear position on the matter (it is “silent”) the church can express no clear authoritative opinion on the matter (it is “silent”). It is a matter of conscience for the Christian to decide “in the light of God’s Word.”

God’s word clearly condemns murder. It is not a matter for the Christian to work out for himself. Therefore, the church is not “silent” on abortion. It must clearly condemn it.
 
BrianH said:
I did not think it was condescending Conor. I think it is a very strange argument but different enough I will probably keep reading this thread.
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Hmm, perhaps I’m off-base then. I retract my comment and apologize to the OP. Maybe I have time to delete it before she reads it. 😉
 
ltwin said:
What part of the word “Silent” do you not understand? You are right that the Bible says nothing about artificial birth control. Therefore, because the Bible expresses no clear position on the matter (it is “silent”) the church can express no clear authoritative opinion on the matter (it is “silent”). It is a matter of conscience for the Christian to decide “in the light of God’s Word.”

God’s word clearly condemns murder. It is not a matter for the Christian to work out for himself. Therefore, the church is not “silent” on abortion. It must clearly condemn it.
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See IF I agreed with this view I would be saying the same thing Itwin. I get her initial question. I do not get her point at all though based upon her understanding.
So I am guessing your brand of Pentecostal does use this phrase?
 
BrianH said:
See IF I agreed with this view I would be saying the same thing Itwin. I get her initial question. I do not get her point at all though based upon her understanding.
So I am guessing your brand of Pentecostal does use this phrase?
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I’ve never heard the phrase preached from the pulpit. But I think Pentecostals do use this principle. If the church does not have enough information to make a definitive decision, it should be left up to the individual believer.

Take for example this Assemblies of God statement on contraception:
Contraception. The Assemblies of God, finding no clear scriptural mandate, does not take an official stand on the appropriateness of contraception within a heterosexual marriage for purposes of regulating the number of children, determining the time of their birth, or safeguarding the health of the mother. These are matters of personal conscience as godly spouses prayerfully covenant with God about the growth of their families. While there are important ethical issues in determining to have a family, the prevention of pregnancy is understood to be qualitatively different from the termination of pregnancy since the sperm has not fertilized the ovum and human life has not yet begun. The biological processes themselves teach us that in God’s creative design not every sperm or ovum is intended to survive and unite. It should be remembered, however, that some methods commonly regarded as contraception, such as the IUD and the morning-after pill, are actually agents that abort, rather than prevent, pregnancy . . .
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Contrast this to its position on abortion:
Abortion. The Assemblies of God views *the practice of abortion as an evil *that has been inflicted upon millions of innocent babies and that will threaten millions more in the years to come. Abortion is a morally unacceptable alternative for birth control, population control, sex selection, and elimination of the physically and mentally handicapped. Certain parts of the world are already experiencing serious population imbalances as a result of the systematic abortion of female babies. The advocacy and practice of so-called partial birth abortion of babies is particularly heinous. . . .
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(emphasis added)

It then goes on to give a survey of what the Bible has to say about the sanctity of life and how it treats the unborn as living beings.
 
ltwin said:
I’ve never heard the phrase preached from the pulpit. But I think Pentecostals do use this principle. If the church does not have enough information to make a definitive decision, it should be left up to the individual believer.

Take for example this Assemblies of God statement on contraception:

Contrast this to its position on abortion:

(emphasis added)

It then goes on to give a survey of what the Bible has to say about the sanctity of life and how it treats the unborn as living beings.
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Interesting. So does this mean the AoG are against the pill since it’s an abortifacent? (In case anyone needs background on this, the pill has three mechanisms. One of these mechanisms prevents a fertilized egg from implanting in the uterine wall, thereby causing the human life to be shed in the menstrual cycle as if it had not been created. In other words, the pill can function as a very early abortion.)

Edit: I’m just looking for a quick yes or no answer on this so I don’t risk derailing the thread. Thanks 🙂
 
What is the Church’s stance on the pill for other medical reasons? Could a woman take it if she were celibate in order to regulate her menstrual cycle? Just curious.
 
ChrisB103 said:
Interesting. So does this mean the AoG are against the pill since it’s an abortifacent? (In case anyone needs background on this, the pill has three mechanisms. One of these mechanisms prevents a fertilized egg from implanting in the uterine wall, thereby causing the human life to be shed in the menstrual cycle as if it had not been created. In other words, the pill can function as a very early abortion.)

Edit: I’m just looking for a quick yes or no answer on this so I don’t risk derailing the thread. Thanks 🙂
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I have no idea. The statement doesn’t go into that much detail. They certainly are strongly against abortion.

Speaking on Pentecostals in general: Birth control is accepted since it is understand as not killing existing life.
 
PRmerger said:
In another thread a Protestant sister in Christ proferred:

“Where the Scriptures are Silent, We Should Be Silent”

This is an interesting paradigm in light of most Protestant church’s view on artificial birth control.

Scripture is silent on this issue.
Yet the Protestant churches allow this. (Some are coming around, though.)

Nowhere does Scripture ever mention that it’s permissible to use contraception. The Bible is “silent” on this.

How, then, does your pastor conclude that it’s okay to use artificial contraceptives?

Is this an exception to the paradigm: Where the Scriptures are Silent, We Should Be Silent?
Click to expand...
I’m going to go very, very far back and maybe it’s never been described in scripture, neither in Judaism or the more ancient GOD based scriptures, because by GOD’s Law the act of Pro-Creation was ONLY allowed between Married Couples and any sex outside of their marriage, was adultery. In some counties, even today, still punishable by death…

Married couples also had to commit to pro-create only holy children. Both parents dedicated to raise, teach, train, supervise, educate…ONLY HOLY CHILDREN.

So…only married couples were allowed to have sexual relations and only when they were committed to raise holy children,. .otherwise they abstained from the sexual act, unless they were trying to pro-create holy children…

Birth Control sort of took care of itself…
 
Conor7 said:
What is the Church’s stance on the pill for other medical reasons? Could a woman take it if she were celibate in order to regulate her menstrual cycle? Just curious.
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Such a use could be licit from what I have heard (even from “big” places like CA Live). However, I understand that there are many alternatives to using the pill. I’m a student at a health science center (second year dental student), and we learn about the pill in a few classes. While there are certainly a few benefits to it, it seems to me to be prescribed a rather unwarranted amount. It would be interesting to know why it’s become so widespread.

Disclaimer: I’m by no means an expert on the matter. I’m just speaking from what I’ve learned (and it’s likely to be at least somewhat biased by my religious views on the matter :))
 
ltwin said:
Actually I found a more specific statement. This should answer your question about the AG’s position.
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Thanks for the link. Based on the following quote, it seems that the pill would be considered immoral for those who stick by the AG position:

“Any birth control method that functions to destroy a fertilized egg, rather than actually preventing conception, is considered unacceptable. Every couple should take this into account when selecting methods of birth control.”

Sorry to the OP for momentarily sidetracking conversation. If anyone wants to look at this question any more fully we should probably start another thread 🙂
 
So, we should only have authoritive beliefs on things that are clearly referred to in the Bible?

Great.

Now if you can just tell me where I can find that teaching in the Bible please…
 
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