Protestants: defend your use of artificial contraception

[mark_a]

I don’t think abortion is considered a Catholic issue only. In the U.S., Ron Paul isn’t Catholic and he tried to get a Sanctity of Life amendment passed. Mike Pence isn’t Catholic and he’s tried to defund planned parenthood, I think he’s gonna try again in the new congress.

Also I think there is much room for hope on the contraception issue. I’ve found several non-Catholic Christian blogs and articles online that protest birth control.

Here’s one by by Rev. Matthew Trewhella
mercyseat.net/BROCHURES/protestantprotest.htm

Here’s an excerpt from the Reverend. -

For too long birth control has been looked upon as a “Catholic issue”. It is fast becoming a “Protestant issue” however, as Protestant ministers like myself protest the heretical teaching of birth control that is being propagated in Protestant churches. We must understand that the Church had spoken consistently for 1900 years against birth control. Only in the last 80 years have Protestant churches begun to peddle this belief that God thinks it’s okay or wise for us to use birth control.
Listen to this quote, “The purpose of marriage is not to have pleasure and to be idle but to procreate and bring up children, to support a household. Those who have no love for children are swine, stocks, and logs unworthy of being called men or women; for they despise the blessings of God, the Creator and Author of marriage.” some Protestants would say, “This quote is obviously the mad drivelings of some medieval Pope.” It is not. Rather, it is the founder of the Reformation, Martin Luther who said this. Protestant Christians need to realize that their leaders consistently spoke against birth control up until about 80 years ago.

“ It is clear that there is a major rethinking going on among Evangelicals on this issue, especially among young people,” R. Albert Mohler, Jr., president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, recently told the Chicago Tribune. “There is a real push back against the contraceptive culture now.”

Conservative Calvinist publishers are producing books not only against contraception but promoting Natural Family Planning. A movement of Missouri Synod Lutherans is working to overturn their church’s current teaching and return it to Luther’s, and observers report a new interest in the traditional teaching among conservative movements in the mainline churches.

In his last years, Francis Schaeffer seemed to be moving toward the historic Christian view of contraception. Since 1980, several resolutions adopted by the Southern Baptists at their annual meeting have criticized contraception. By the close of the twentieth century, the Family Research Council featured special reports on “The Empty Promise of Contraception” and “The Bipartisan Blunder of Title X,” the latter referring to the domestic contraception program in the United States.

All this is good news, but it ain’t dogma.

And concerning this link:

touchstonemag.com/archives/article.php?id=20-04-020-fhttp://www.touchstonemag.com/archives/article.php?id=20-04-020-f

Obviously you’ve never clicked my signature.

 

[Curious_Hobbit]

Mark,
hhahahaha sorry, I got that link from one of your posts a few months ago. Sorry about that!

 

[Jenny4Him]

The Catholic Church teaches that artificial contraception (pill, condom, IUD, etc) is a mortal sin.

How are you able to accept condom use, etc? Do you not see it as the seed that led to a bad tree (sexual revolution, huge pornography industry, etc)???

I can not comprehend how Protestants have such varied views on artificial contraception. This might be because I have for most of my Christian life been a Catholic.

If your statement id true, which I do not know since I know very little about the Catholic church, then the Pope just recently committed a mortal sin before the entire world by condoning the use of condoms to thwart the spread of aids and in affect the conception of children. I’m confused.

From a Christian view; Scripture is silent on the subject; therefore it becomes a matter of common sense and one’s conscience before God. So if one person believes it is a sin to plan for a family, then it is a sin. If another believes they can plan their family and decide to use certain forms of birth control, then for them it is not a sin.

If the birth control used is murderous, like RU486, then that is murder and a horrible thing to do in the sight of God and hopefully most people as well.

 

[SteveVH]

I’m not Protestant, not anything, in fact.
However.
First, I am speaking for myself, no one else. I feel that every person has a right to pratice BC (or not) as they see fit, and I do not have any right to inflict my viewpoint on anyone else…

You just did.

Personally, I see a embryo/fetus as a ***pontential ***life, until it can survive outside the womb. Mind, the time frame is becoming shorter and shorter all the time…but-anyhow. Personally, I would never abort a child from MY womb, unless my life was in immediate danger. However, that’s ME. I would never interfere with someone else’s choice to do what they see fit.

What would you think of me if I climbed a tree to reach an eagle’s nest and began tossing out the eggs. I mean, they’re just fertilized eggs, right? The truth is that I would be arrested by Federal agents. Not so with a fertilized human egg or fetus.

The only difference between an unborn child and a newborn is its environment. It is no less human. Even an infant is not “viable” on its own. Unless it is held and fed it will die.
I am glad that you would not abort your baby, but why would you believe that anyone would have the right to take the life of the most innocent among us? And by the way, an embryo is not a “potential” life. It is living or they wouldn’t have to kill it.

 

[phoenixrrt62]

Have you ever seen a baby? They’re pretty helpless, they can’t survive outside the womb on their own any better than they can inside it. In fact they’re parasitical tendencies continue for quite a few years after birth and can even last into adulthood. Clearly then these are only potential lives, are they not? Can we abort teenagers at will?

I follow what you are saying-despite the sarcasm. Yes, I HAVE seen babies-have seen babies that were little more than 1 pound, in fact. Can they survive outside the womb? Well, if they have the best of neonatal care…
What I mean to say is this. If I had a spontaneous abortion…and the child could NOT survive with medical support outside the womb-well, that baby was a potential life…it couldn’t survive. Granted, that’s a terribly painful cross to bear, losing a baby…but it happens, sad to say.
Do I think abortion is right? No, personally, I don’t. However, it’s not my place to force my views down someone else’s throat.
Just saying…

 

[phoenixrrt62]

You just did.

What would you think of me if I climbed a tree to reach an eagle’s nest and began tossing out the eggs. I mean, they’re just fertilized eggs, right? The truth is that I would be arrested by Federal agents. Not so with a fertilized human egg or fetus.

The only difference between an unborn child and a newborn is its environment. It is no less human. Even an infant is not “viable” on its own. Unless it is held and fed it will die.
I am glad that you would not abort your baby, but why would you believe that anyone would have the right to take the life of the most innocent among us? And by the way, an embryo is not a “potential” life. It is living or they wouldn’t have to kill it.

Well, true-yeah…I have inflicted my view on you simply by responding to this post. You have a point
As to the eagle eggs…or whatever bird eggs you are referring to…I’d be inclined to agree…it does seem rather warped in the way of law.
As I said…my thoughts are that a child that cannot survive despite the very best of medical support is a potential life…that for whatever genetic or environmental reason, cannot survive. That’s just my personal viewpoint that I just have inflicted on you…sorry to say.
And do I think b/c abortion is wrong, I should go tell everyone else that they are wrong? No. I do see where you all are coming from, though. By my silence, I condone murder…food for thought (I mean something for ME to ponder). I can understand in some respects why people would go that route. Who am I to judge them?

 

[SteveVH]

I follow what you are saying-despite the sarcasm. Yes, I HAVE seen babies-have seen babies that were little more than 1 pound, in fact. Can they survive outside the womb? Well, if they have the best of neonatal care…
What I mean to say is this. If I had a spontaneous abortion…and the child could NOT survive with medical support outside the womb-well, that baby was a potential life…it couldn’t survive. Granted, that’s a terribly painful cross to bear, losing a baby…but it happens, sad to say.
Do I think abortion is right? No, personally, I don’t. However, it’s not my place to force my views down someone else’s throat.
Just saying…

If it is alive, it is not potentially alive. We may be perfectly healthy and still die from some outside cause. A fetus may be a potential infant, and an infant may be a potential toddler and a toddler may be a potential teenager, and a teenager may be a potential adult, but they are all lives, regardless of their stage in life. Scientifically, that life begins at conception. It is no longer a cell from a father and an egg from a mother. It has become a unique life.

For those of us who believe that abortion is the taking of an innocent human life, to say that one should have the right to choose death for their unborn child is akin to saying “I don’t believe in bank robbery, but its not my place to force my views down someone else’s throat”.

 

[kbwall]

I understand the issue of abortion perfectly. What I never got was the issue of contraception. What’s so bad about it? I mean, disliking morning after pills, which are just very early abortions, that makes total sense. But what’s wrong with things like condoms?

 

[LilyM]

It’s not JUST sexual gratification! Marital sex is the ultimate expression of our love for each other. It is the most powerful way to nurture our bond. It makes us feel connected to each other in a way nothing else does. Personally, I am sick of so many anti-ABC people equating sex to only the physical sensation. I ask you, who is the one using the other person? The one who sees marital sex as an expression of love and bonding they cannot live without, or the person who sees it merely as physical release of sexual tension and denigrates others’ need for it on that basis? If, God forbid, one of us sustained some horrible disease or injury, of course we would have to learn to live without it or with less. But that is completely different.

Jesus never had sex with a spouse of his own - or anybody else’s for that matter - and He certainly was well able to ‘ultimately express’ His love for, and ‘bond with’, each and every one of us. In a manner far greater than our spouses ever can with any amount or quality of sex.

He did this by SACRIFICE - by denying Himself bodily comfort and pleasure for the sake of his beloved, and for their greater good. That’s why He said ‘no greater love hath man than this, than to lay down His life …’ instead of ‘no greater love hath man than this, than to get busy with his woman …’

Mutual self-denial, whether temporary or permanent, on the part of spouses for the greater spiritual good of the other can and ought to be seen as every bit as great an expression of their love for the other, every bit as great a bond, as sex.

 

[brina1416]

I understand the issue of abortion perfectly. What I never got was the issue of contraception. What’s so bad about it? I mean, disliking morning after pills, which are just very early abortions, that makes total sense. But what’s wrong with things like condoms?

I’ve been Catholic for a little while now and I’m still struggling with this issue.

 

[ConfusedTim]

Artificial contraception removes the role of God to choose when life begins and instead leaves it up to man to decide.

For thousands of years everyone (protestants (for the 400 years that they have existed) and catholics alike) have agreed that it was imoral. Now the protestant community seems to think that everyone before hand was wrong.

 

[inocente]

I would like all Christians (protestant or Catholic) that use contraception to explain why they think that Christianity was wrong for all those centuries from 33AD- 1930AD on the issue of contraception.

Aristotle, for one.

In his biology both male and female are necessary for human reproduction but the male provides the more significant, superior component. The male “seed” (semen) contains the “heat” which en-souls and defines the form of the offspring while the female provides the matter and incubator. Accordingly, with no egg to be fertilized contraception would be abortion and spilling “seed” would be murder - contraception, masturbation and the homosexual act would all violate nature big-time.

If these conclusions sound familiar it’s because Aristotle and other Greek thought seems to have influenced Christian theologians in earlier eras, including Aquinas in his natural law philosophy.

Fortunately Aristotle’s error didn’t find its way into scripture, and so we can safely file it away in the large round receptacle along with any theology or tradition that it influenced (speaking purely as a Protestant). We can then rethink contraception sola scriptura (noting that none of this has any influence on our views about abortion or the sanctity of the human person).

 

[Brywan]

Jesus never had sex with a spouse of his own - or anybody else’s for that matter - and He certainly was well able to ‘ultimately express’ His love for, and ‘bond with’, each and every one of us. In a manner far greater than our spouses ever can with any amount or quality of sex.

He did this by SACRIFICE - by denying Himself bodily comfort and pleasure for the sake of his beloved, and for their greater good. That’s why He said ‘no greater love hath man than this, than to lay down His life …’ instead of ‘no greater love hath man than this, than to get busy with his woman …’

Mutual self-denial, whether temporary or permanent, on the part of spouses for the greater spiritual good of the other can and ought to be seen as every bit as great an expression of their love for the other, every bit as great a bond, as sex.

Wow–never thought of this subject in these terms–great post–and pretty radical, concerning where we are in today’s culture…

 

[onenow1]

. Who am I to judge them?

Hi Phoenix! If you let the Church be your guide,it is I believe, a very good start .

Jesus said let your answer be yes or no,therefore make judgments in truth, one truth not many, no half truths either. No wishy washy stuff; There was some truth to the evil ones"s temptation in the garden ! But ! Wrong judgement, became disobediance ! Right from the get go salvation history begins as stated below !

Genesis 4: 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is couching at the door; its desire is for you, but you must master it."

God is telling us in Gen 4: 7, I gave you a mind to think,and a heart to see properly, Satan will play the emotional card to lure our egos to make wrong judgements !

God Bless
Hope this helps a little.

"God’s benevolence shines like a lighthouse in troubled waters.

 

[Jenny4Him]

I’ve been Catholic for a little while now and I’m still struggling with this issue.

Why are you struggling; if you are part of the “Catholic faithful” and you know the policy, then why is there a struggle? The church is very clear on this topic; I have had relatives leave the church during their “fertile years”, then come back after wards. During that time they comitted mortal sins week after week; if for no other reason they missed the Mass and the worship of the Eucharist. Do you want to fall into that category? What happens if you disobey the Vatican and commit mortal sin and then, were to pass on? According to the church that would be horrible.

I am not 100% positive what I said is 100% accurate since I am not a Catholic, but someone here can correct me and correct the record on the points where I am mistaken.

 

[Jenny4Him]

Artificial contraception removes the role of God to choose when life begins and instead leaves it up to man to decide.

For thousands of years everyone (protestants (for the 400 years that they have existed) and catholics alike) have agreed that it was imoral. Now the protestant community seems to think that everyone before hand was wrong.

Can you provide proof of that assertion; I believe birth control called infanticide has always been a form of birth control (although it is murder) and since there is not recording of statistics; how would we know. We do know that from a cultural perspective, when a child was born it would be laid before the father’s feet and if he turned around and walked away, the child was official rejected. Do not think there is anything new under the sun; man has not changed because his nature has not changed.

 

[Jenny4Him]

Hi Phoenix! If you let the Church be your guide,it is I believe, a very good start .

Jesus said let your answer be yes or no,therefore make judgments in truth, one truth not many, no half truths either. No wishy washy stuff; There was some truth to the evil ones"s temptation in the garden ! But ! Wrong judgement, became disobediance ! Right from the get go salvation history begins as stated below !

Genesis 4: 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is couching at the door; its desire is for you, but you must master it."

God is telling us in Gen 4: 7, I gave you a mind to think,and a heart to see properly, Satan will play the emotional card to lure our egos to make wrong judgements !

God Bless
Hope this helps a little.

"God’s benevolence shines like a lighthouse in troubled waters.

I believe this is pretty cut and dry from the Catholic position. NO birth control & no prostitution and no homosexuality. Although the Pope recently decided that a condom could be used in reference to the control of spreading aids, a change from his previous stance to which he was criticized and now is being criticized for taking a different stance.

What caught my attention was the example he used. An immoral person coming to an immoral male prostitute to do immoral activity and somehow make a point the there was some morality in using a condom. That was a very interesting analogy and one that his advisers should have reconsidered in my opinion. He would have been better to stick with the official teaching despite the criticisms. Now he has created an exception based on what is not morality by condoning homosexuality in an indirect manner, which is why he has been criticized for this. It also sends a mixed message to the Catholic faithful. Don’t rail on me; I am giving what i have noticed in some news reports and on these types of matters; no one, including the Pope is going to escape criticism no matter what position he takes, which is why I believe he should have just stuck to the church’s teaching against homosexuality and birth control; I think he would have saved himself some grief and he has gotten plenty since 2005.

 

[Curious_Hobbit]

innocente,
Christians didn’t get Aristotle’s philosophy until around the time of Aquinas like you mentioned. I know that Augustine read Aristotle’s Rhetoric, but that’s it. The Muslims had Aristotle, but Christians didn’t get Aristotle’s philosophy till the 12th or 13 century. All the early church fathers condemn birth control and were not versed in Aristotle.

 

[Jeninky]

Good morning. Thanks to the OP of this thread. This is a very interesting topic for me. This is actually the reason I joined this site, to find answers about various BC and the effects of them.

Defend your use of contraceptives? I can’t defend it. But I will tell you my situation, and hopeully reading it will help someone else. I had been using contraceptives for the past 10 yrs. Was on the pill for the first 6. Our family planning centers here don’t really give you a choice when you go in for a check up and BC appt. You either get the pill, the shot, or the patch, and recently they have started giving the IUD. Their focus is not on you or your health, they just don’t want any more unplanned pregnancies. So at the age of 16 I started on the pill. I took it for 6 years with the exception of when my husband and I had our 2 kids. Four years ago, I was encouraged to get the IUD. This wonderful little device works for 5 years, no side effects, no problems, no chance of pregnancy! That’s what I was told. And for 4 years, it worked like they said.

In early September of this year, I started having pregnancy symptoms. I called the dr several times and was told that it was just a side effect, but nonthreathening. On October 14, I had a miscarriage. When I went to the dr, they told me not to worry that the IUD had obviously done it’s job. And the dr refused to take it out because it was still good for another year. I came home in tears and told hubby what they had said, and that I didn’t want to have it any more because I did not want this to happen again. So we made an appt with a different dr to have it removed. While waiting for the appt, I was so emotional, I know that I am responsible for the death of that child. I chose to have the IUD, and as a result, a baby was killed. So I started to research different options and came across NFP. When I talked to hubby about it, he said if that’s what you want to do, we’ll do it. So with that decision made, I had the IUD took out. The dr argued with me over not accepting a prescription for another BC product. Finally, she said “You do whatever you want to do, but don’t blame me if you show up in here next month pregnant!”. I was so angry at her attitude.

That was a month ago and so far things are going great. We are charting my cycle and I think doing so brings us so much closer. NFP places the responsibilty on both of us, not just the wife. I feel so much better than I have in a long time. I think it is because I am not so full of artificial hormones. My husband says that he feels a lot closer to me now too because there is nothing between us that God didn’t intend for there to be.

 

[mark_a]

I’ve been Catholic for a little while now and I’m still struggling with this issue.

It can be tough, especially for one not raised in an orthodox Catholic environment. Even with submission to Church teaching on the matter, internal resistance may never quite die out.

For an historical, pre-1930 Jewish and Christian view of the matter, try the link below. Agree or disagree, this give an excellent overview of the matter:
rtforum.org/lt/lt67.html

To understand how Protestantism turned a blind eye to contraception and it’s offspring abortion, click my signature.