The church finally says ABC is ok!! What would you all think of that??

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Genesis 38 says nothing of the sort.
Someone died over pulling out, pretty clear to me… I would call this the “basic teaching”, if you want to know the why then I suggest reading Pope John Paul II theology of the body (assuming you have not).

But if you can’t see the condemnation of ABC there, then well… wow…
 
Someone died over pulling out, pretty clear to me… I would call this the “basic teaching”, if you want to know the why then I suggest reading Pope John Paul II theology of the body (assuming you have not).

But if you can’t see the condemnation of ABC there, then well… wow…
Someone worded it quite well, so I will repost it:
The sin of Onan is open up to interpretation. Some believe Onan was punished because he tried to avoid his duty of impregnating his brother’s widow (a rule during the era he lived in). Others believe he was punished out of sheer disobedience. Again, others believe Onan was punished because of the actual act he committed itself. In all honesty, it’s one of those parts in the Bible that is not very clear-cut. Let’s not try and make it seem as if it is clear-cut, because it isn’t.
Church doctrine doesn’t officially interpret the story of onan as being a condemnation to contraception.
 
(Posted last night)

Lets speak of some fictional persons…but use a different moral issue (though still a grave matter like Contraception) Sometimes this helps …and though they are fictional…and hopefully more far fetched then real (though given our world it is possible) …I hope they will help.

Leo and Sally are married…they are engaged in adultery with others…and are very unhappy. They have a conversion …and repent of their deeds and set out to follow Christ faithfully and to be faithful to each other. The find this really also helps their marriage. And they find that they have new life in him here…and look forward to being with him…happy they are not longer living in a way that would send them to hell but are following he who is life. Many like couples experience the same and objectively they are doing good.

Sam and Sue are married. Their marriage is troubled. They are always fighting about Sam’s unhappiness about Sue not want sexual relations so often. They are terribly unhappy. Sam prays about it…and decides that God will understand if he finds a companion on the side for the sake of his family…heck men have done so in all ages. Sam decides to have an affair on the side. The fighting practically goes away entirely…the affair continues for years and years…and they report their marriage is now happy. Sam in a discussion with a friend with similar problems…suggests he get a girl on the side…for this has saved their marriage and they are now happy…and he is not bothered by his conscience cause he knows this is bringing them peace. Sam is not even bothered when he goes to Church each week with his happy family…thinking God will understand my situation…I had to save my family…

So it can be said that some find that adultery is helpful to their marital happiness…

Does that make it “good”?

No.

Can there be spiritual consequences to such…yes …of the most grave kind.

The ends do not justify the means.

Adultery and other gravely evil proposals are always and everywhere evil …they are contrary to God…and even if someone experiences some “temporal” happiness or even says their conscience is ok with it…does not make it good or ok. Some have deadened in fact their conscience…for they get used to doing such…many do not see the truth due to their emotions or even their will …they just think “this will help my marriage”…or “this is good for such and such”…“I need to do such and such otherwise such and such will happen”…

It is the age old thing that the Bible talks about…the choosing of some temporal or “apparent” happiness…over God and true happiness…true life.

Now is it possible that they have a really erroneious conscience that God will take into account?..it is possible…is it possible for some other things to reduce the culpability?..yes it is…but I would not count on either…for often we can be at least guilty along the way in getting there… and these are very dangerous waters…to say the least…and we have a duty to correct a conscience in error…

Many rationalize things away…and think in terms of the temporal good…“this helps my marriage” …“I need to do what the Church thinks is wrong but it is the Church that is wrong” (misunderstanding the nature of the Church and her authority etc)…or “If I do not do X …Y will happen and Y will be bad for me or for my family”…etc…

Jesus is very clear though: what does it profit for a man to gain the whole world…and loose his soul…? ( see Mark 8:36)
Bump bump
 
“Wow” what?? 😛
From Genesis 38
6And Judah took a wife for Er his first-born, and her name was Ta’mar. 7But Er, Judah’s first-born, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him. 8Then Judah said to O’nan, “Go in to your brother’s wife, and perform the duty of a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother.” 9But O’nan knew that the offspring would not be his; so when he went in to his brother’s wife he spilled the semen on the ground, lest he should give offspring to his brother. 10And what he did was displeasing in the sight of the LORD, and he slew him also.
(2009). The Ignatius Bible (p. 84). Ignatius Press. Kindle Edition.
Onan was killed for pulling out, really the only available ABC at the time. Now I have heard two ways in which people try to change the sin for which he was killed:
  1. Refusing to have a child, the typical presumption is that he was after his brothers wealth and thus “stealing” from an unconseived child
Problem: -
The punishment for this sin is spelled out in Deuteronomy, public humiliation not death. I see no reason why the punishment assigned later would not have included this motive in mind (I find it hard however, to steal from someone not conceived but I digress). God is not inconsitant. God would not kill Onan, but later decide the sin isn’t that bad after all.
  1. Killed for disobeying his parents…
Problem: -
And if you have better knowlege let me know, but upon my reading of scripture I do see honor your mother and father, but when God assigns some punishments here it seems specifically centered around “striking” and “cursing” your parents, either of which Onana did. Can you find death specifically, for disobeying your father? And are you sure that upon reading, we won’t find folks who in some similar way disobeyed a parents request, and did not die?

Thus it would seem we’ve elimiated the only reasnobly plausable alternative sins for why Onana was slain… So the only thing left is… Spilling his seed, i.e. contracepting.
 
No, I understand that we should only avoid pregnancy for grave reasons. I will absolutely only avoid pregnancy for grave reasons. I am excited about being a stay at home mom and feel it is my calling in life. 👍

It irks me a little bit when random people on this forum tell me I shouldn’t have gotten married because I have grave reasons for not becoming pregnant in the first year of our marriage.

No problem though. I’ll just say a quick prayer and let it pass by me without allowing it to cause distress.

God bless you. 🙂
God Bless you as well, and I’ll be praying that the Holy Spirit opens your heart to the evils of contraception. (being completely serious)
 
From Genesis 38

Onan was killed for pulling out, really the only available ABC at the time. Now I have heard two ways in which people try to change the sin for which he was killed:
  1. Refusing to have a child, the typical presumption is that he was after his brothers wealth and thus “stealing” from an unconseived child
Problem: -
The punishment for this sin is spelled out in Deuteronomy, public humiliation not death. I see no reason why the punishment assigned later would not have included this motive in mind (I find it hard however, to steal from someone not conceived but I digress). God is not inconsitant. God would not kill Onan, but later decide the sin isn’t that bad after all.
  1. Killed for disobeying his parents…
Problem: -
And if you have better knowlege let me know, but upon my reading of scripture I do see honor your mother and father, but when God assigns some punishments here it seems specifically centered around “striking” and “cursing” your parents, either of which Onana did. Can you find death specifically, for disobeying your father? And are you sure that upon reading, we won’t find folks who in some similar way disobeyed a parents request, and did not die?

Thus it would seem we’ve elimiated the only reasnobly plausable alternative sins for why Onana was slain… So the only thing left is… Spilling his seed, i.e. contracepting.
Once again, Church doctrine doesn’t officially interpret the story of Onan as being a condemnation to contraception. If so, it would seem the Church would quote the bible here to support and/or explain Her claim that contraception is a sin.

The story of Onan is open to interpretation, and that’s just the truth of the matter.

I guess I just don’t see it the way you see it… and neither do bible thumping protestants who use the bible as their magisterium/catechism/pope. Seems they would interpret it that way if it was such an obvious interpretation - yet none do.
 
Once again, Church doctrine doesn’t officially interpret the story of Onan as being a condemnation to contraception. If so, it would seem the Church would quote the bible here to support and/or explain Her claim that contraception is a sin.

The story of Onan is open to interpretation, and that’s just the truth of the matter.

I guess I just don’t see it the way you see it… and neither do bible thumping protestant who use the bible as their magisterium/catechism/pope.
I can understand questioning church teaching, but it seems here more like your avoiding the scripture by claiming “church doctrine…”. I would suggest not taking this approch, rather I would encourage you to read and meditate upon the scripture. I would also encourage you to take a journey through genisis, particularly concentrating upon the institution of marriage (chapter 2) and this chapter.

If you need further help, I would suggest turning to JPII, and the theology of the body. As others have said, truely contraception is an evil. You are not evil for having questions, you are also not evil for having used it. However because contraception is an evil, and can be nothing but an evil, I would exhort you to greater study in the matter.

God bless, I will pray for you
 
I can understand questioning church teaching, but it seems here more like your avoiding the scripture by claiming “church doctrine…”. I would suggest not taking this approch, rather I would encourage you to read and meditate upon the scripture. I would also encourage you to take a journey through genisis, particularly concentrating upon the institution of marriage (chapter 2) and this chapter.

If you need further help, I would suggest turning to JPII, and the theology of the body. As others have said, truely contraception is an evil. You are not evil for having questions, you are also not evil for having used it. However because contraception is an evil, and can be nothing but an evil, I would exhort you to greater study in the matter.

God bless, I will pray for you
God bless you as well, thank you. 🙂
 
Catechism

1783 Conscience must be informed and moral judgment enlightened. A well-formed conscience is upright and truthful. It formulates its judgments according to reason, in conformity with the true good willed by the wisdom of the Creator. The education of conscience is indispensable for human beings who are subjected to negative influences and tempted by sin to **prefer their own judgment **and to reject authoritative teachings.
 
I would like to point out that Onan was a very specific case. He was specifically ordered to impregnate a woman, and refused to. And pulling out is just as natural as dodging the fertility periods.
 
I would like to point out that Onan was a very specific case. He was specifically ordered to impregnate a woman, and refused to. And pulling out is just as natural as dodging the fertility periods.
The only reason he was supposed to be having sex with his dead brother’s wife was to impregnate her. So having pulled out in that case he was basically raping her. He certainly wasn’t having sex with her out of love and union, so if he wasn’t having sex with her to have kids either, there’s only one option left - he was doing it to use her and take advantage of the situation.

This is a completely different scenario from a married couple using a condom to postpone pregnancy for grave reasons.
 
I was like that too for a while, but it started hurting my marriage in ways that I don’t even want to get into at this point. I’ve since started using condoms and it’s helped us a lot.

…But if NFP works for you, more power to you. I wish it would have for me. 😦
Actually NFP doesn’t work because my wife has irregular periods. Her doctor tells us it wouldn’t work either and she is Catholic. Even if it did work my wife says it’s too much work. My wife, however, has high prolactin levels and is 37 so hopefully that will work in our favor. Our only child, DD, didn’t come easily

I don’t even use the withdrawl method as that’s not permitted either. I guess it’s up to God. The decision has been taken away from us. I completely and utterly disagree with these folks saying that Catholics are supposed to have more choldren baring “grave” reasons otherwise, whatever grave is.

I’ve never met a priest that says this though they do teach NFP.

I’ll be obedien. It’s what I have to do. . . .
 
The only reason he was supposed to be having sex with his dead brother’s wife was to impregnate her. So having pulled out in that case he was basically raping her. He certainly wasn’t having sex with her out of love and union, so if he wasn’t having sex with her to have kids either, there’s only one option left - he was doing it to use her and take advantage of the situation.

This is a completely different scenario from a married couple using a condom to postpone pregnancy for grave reasons.
Actually they were married, but he had to father an heir for his brother who had died. He could have refused altogether to marry her, there was a third brother to take his place.

He was not raping her. It’s not even implied.
 
Having sex under false pretenses can be interpretted as rape. However, that’s using a very lose definition of rape.
 
Once I made the decision, no, it did not bother me. I truly believe the Church is in error on this issue - or at least that it is not such a black and white thing. I did not come to this conclusion easily, and I hope people won’t judge me too harshly. It took a lot of praying and discerning, and even some talks with my priest. It’s helped our marriage and it’s helped our love making. My conscience is cleared. :gopray2:
I know it must have been hard. Don’t let these folks try to scare you about hell. They’re just being medieval. It’s not charity even when they call it “fraternal correction.”

It’s tough to be Catholic sometimes, that’s for sure. Given the difficulties, though, we have the fullness of Christ and that is what is important.

I’ll be praying for you and your family.
 
I know it must have been hard. Don’t let these folks try to scare you about hell. They’re just being medieval. It’s not charity even when they call it “fraternal correction.”

It’s tough to be Catholic sometimes, that’s for sure. Given the difficulties, though, we have the fullness of Christ and that is what is important.

I’ll be praying for you and your family.
There has been a lot of heat and lots of documentation thrown around on this thread. You are absolutely right that we sometimes lose sight of the need to be charitable especially when working through the Church’s teaching.

Since you think some of what has been said is medieval, can you point us to the more contemporary Church documents that support your position? Thanks.
 
I know it must have been hard. Don’t let these folks try to scare you about hell. They’re just being medieval. It’s not charity even when they call it “fraternal correction.”

It’s tough to be Catholic sometimes, that’s for sure. Given the difficulties, though, we have the fullness of Christ and that is what is important.

I’ll be praying for you and your family.
Thank you so much!

And no worries, I wasn’t scared. 🙂
 
There has been a lot of heat and lots of documentation thrown around on this thread. You are absolutely right that we sometimes lose sight of the need to be charitable especially when working through the Church’s teaching.

Since you think some of what has been said is medieval, can you point us to the more contemporary Church documents that support your position? Thanks.
I’m not saying the teachings you guys are using are medieval. I’m talking about using veiled or otherwise explicit references to hell isn’t helpful.

Using fear and intimidation does not lead to enlightenment. These were often used in the past and is one of the things that we need to improve upon. One can teach without using this kind of methodology.

Much of the past centuries is and was holy. More reverence, spirit of sacrafice, modesty, but use of fear and threats was not a gem of the period.

Saying that using birth control, condoms, and such is a grave sin is fine but waggiling the finger and saying “you don’t want to burn in hell do you?” isn’t helpful.
 
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