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Loving_disciple
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I was wondering what is the Catholic Church’s stance on sperm banks? I have just thought about it and I am torn between two different sides
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1ke
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The Church does not have a teaching on “sperm banks” per se. However, the Church does teach plenty that can lead us to understand that banking sperm is morally problematic.I was wondering what is the Catholic Church’s stance on sperm banks?
It would not be problematic to bank sperm collected via intercourse with one’s spouse such as through a perforated comdom, nor if the sperm were medically removed from the testes. Unfortunately, sperm for “banking” is collected in another manner, one that is not morally acceptable. Many people do use morally licit means of collecting sperm for testing purposes in the course of infertility treatments.
After collection, there is no morally licit use for the sperm. So what is the purpose of doing so? Artificial inseminations, both heterologous and homologous, is gravely wrong. IVF and all other associated technologies are gravely wrong.
So, what is one to do with said “banked” sperm?
I did not realize that sperm banking had “sides”.I have just thought about it and I am torn between two different sides
I suggest reading Donum Vitate and Dignitas Personae if one is not familiar with the Church’s teaching on assisted reproductive technologies.
C
ClearWater
Guest
Well, it’s just that people donate sperm, and later people don’t even know who their fathers are! I heard on Catholic radio a time back that one person can give all these sperm. Later, there’s much more probability that people could be related, not know it, creating much higher likelihood for incestuous relationships.
cbsnews.com/news/sperm-donor-said-to-father-150-kids-time-to-tighten-regulation/
Well, I come from a family of 11, and that’s considered a lot! This man is said to have fathered at least 150 children through a sperm bank!
Also, it’s fathering children without love.
The sperm can be used for really anything, anybody. So, homosexuals’ sexual relationships are sterile so often resort to this as a way to conceive.
There can be accidents in the sperm bank where samples could be mixed up. This happens occasionally even due to simple human error even in lab tests, etc. So imagine what would happen if that happened with conception!
I saw another case where a lesbian went to a sperm bank. I think her lover left her, and she found out who the father was, sued him for child support and won! Can you imgagine if that became the norm, with the man in the above story, 150 people or more, could want child support!
Sometimes, people get into fatherless relationships, and nature was designed for that never to happen. Well, the father could always leave, but he had to be there for conception. Now, he doesn’t even need to be there for conception!
There are just all kinds of really weird scenarios surrounding this. Scroll down to 2376-77 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a6.htm#2376
cbsnews.com/news/sperm-donor-said-to-father-150-kids-time-to-tighten-regulation/
Well, I come from a family of 11, and that’s considered a lot! This man is said to have fathered at least 150 children through a sperm bank!
Also, it’s fathering children without love.
The sperm can be used for really anything, anybody. So, homosexuals’ sexual relationships are sterile so often resort to this as a way to conceive.
There can be accidents in the sperm bank where samples could be mixed up. This happens occasionally even due to simple human error even in lab tests, etc. So imagine what would happen if that happened with conception!
I saw another case where a lesbian went to a sperm bank. I think her lover left her, and she found out who the father was, sued him for child support and won! Can you imgagine if that became the norm, with the man in the above story, 150 people or more, could want child support!
Sometimes, people get into fatherless relationships, and nature was designed for that never to happen. Well, the father could always leave, but he had to be there for conception. Now, he doesn’t even need to be there for conception!
There are just all kinds of really weird scenarios surrounding this. Scroll down to 2376-77 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a6.htm#2376
C
ClearWater
Guest
We, Catholics, consider marriage to be a sacrament, and when we tamper with this process, we do this at the risk of everyone’s souls. I guess people buy sperm. It’s not like in marriage, freely given out love.
We are made in the Divine image, in the image of God! Now, when we take the marital embrace out of this equation, it reduces it to something like a business transaction, cheapens this divine act which is likened to the Holy Trinity.
Further anyone who participates in it or promotes this is risking his/her immortal soul.
By condoning this, you are becoming an accomplice and are also guilty of this sin by extension.
It’s like a person who doesn’t have an abortion, doesn’t perform it, but takes someone in the car or votes for pro-abortion candidates. That person is guilty of this sin, as well.
We are made in the Divine image, in the image of God! Now, when we take the marital embrace out of this equation, it reduces it to something like a business transaction, cheapens this divine act which is likened to the Holy Trinity.
Further anyone who participates in it or promotes this is risking his/her immortal soul.
By condoning this, you are becoming an accomplice and are also guilty of this sin by extension.
It’s like a person who doesn’t have an abortion, doesn’t perform it, but takes someone in the car or votes for pro-abortion candidates. That person is guilty of this sin, as well.
C
ClearWater
Guest
Once the sperm is donated, it becomes the property of the sperm bank, can be used as they see fit, I think. The one donating loses control of it, can have an opinion, but it won’t necessarily be listened to.
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1ke
Guest
It is not clear that the OP is talking about sperm donation. Sperm can also be banked for use by the person banking it, such as in the case of a man with testicular cancer.Once the sperm is donated, it becomes the property of the sperm bank, can be used as they see fit, I think. The one donating loses control of it, can have an opinion, but it won’t necessarily be listened to.
However, as previously stated, once banked (assuming banked by moral means) there are no moral uses for the sperm even within the context of marriage-- homologous AI or IVF.
So, there is no point in banking the sperm that I can see.
L
Lokadottir
Guest
Considering Catholicism HUGE focus on doing the do IN MARRIAGE with the PURPOSE of making babies…I was wondering what is the Catholic Church’s stance on sperm banks? I have just thought about it and I am torn between two different sides
I’m guessing they no likey.
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