The Sin Of Onan and Contraception

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sobino

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Hi

My name is Martin and I am Slovak catholic.I use to discuss with Protestants about Bible ,because I want to give them catholic answers for some problematic text of the Scripture.I have a question about contraception.Cos i had a long discussions with Protestants about the sin of Onan.Can we clearly say that this verses from Bible are against contraception?Protestants say that God did not punish Onan for spilling the semen but for breaking the levirate law.Below I have the answer of one protestant about this what would be your answer to him?

these are the words of one protestant:

Onan was selfish, I agree. He didn’t secure his dead brother’s inheritance and so follow levirate laws. That the punishment for not following the commandment in Deut 25:5-6 is humiliation is true, but I think it is important to remember that it is not the town elders who here are punishing Onan, but God. That, I think, makes all the difference. I don’t think that God punishing him by death has to do with him “spilling his semen”. That would simply be overlooking what the point of the story is. You must not forget Onan’s family line. He is not a nobody. He has famous forefathers. The important bloodline is not kept by Onan’s disobedience.

The text is actually not that expressive. The original hebrew says to the extent: “And he would waste on the ground”. It is implied that it is semen and it is also how its translated in most Bibles. Other than that there are plenty of other passages in the OT, some sexual, like the Song of Songs, other of more violent nature, which are quite expressive.
 
The sin of Onan is coitus interuptus with the intent to 1) deny the continuance of his brother’s line, 2) insult Onan’s widow by deceit (the pretense of sex without the intent: his action is neither unitive nor procreative), 3) holding her up to public ridicule as being barren, 4) keeping other close male relatives from marrying her and raising up children. As you can see this is a multifaceted crime; it offends on many levels.
The closest sin we have in current western culture is rape, but rape pales beside the horrendous evil perpetrated by Onan. The sin has nothing to do with what we call today “contraception.”

Matthew
 
thanks for you answer ,but isn`t the coitus interruptus the same thing as contraception in certain way?You try not to have a child and you spill the semen,is it not similar to condoms?Because in both the sperms do not finish their way to the place where God wants it
 
Martin,
There is a vast moral difference between what Onan did and the actions of a couple who want to delay starting a family, limit the number of children, or space them out over time. Onan was a vicious and spiteful man and did great harm to Tamar. This is not the same as using contraceptive devices or methods.

Matthew
 
Frankly sobino, I have a Jewish background and I find your over simplication about levirate marriage insulting to my faith. In fact, by making such an argument you will only push people like myself very far away from your faith because it is viewed as being based on extermely poor interpretation skills. And, if you try to give a prooper argument like “be fruitful and multiply”, then that disproves Mary being an ever virgin which is very contray to Judaism of all generations. Thus you place yourself in a lose lose situation. Even the Essenes grave yards had women and children in them.

ONAN: By : Emil G. Hirsch Schulim Ochser

A son of Judah; he refused to enter into a levirate marriage with his sister-in-law after the death of his elder brother Er, and it was for this reason that the Lord “slew him also” (Gen. xxxviii. 7-10).E. G

jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=71&letter=O&search=Onan

Genesis 38:7-10 (New International Version)

7 But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the LORD’s sight; so the LORD put him to death.

8 Then Judah said to Onan, “Lie with your brother’s wife and fulfill your duty to her as a brother-in-law to produce offspring for your brother.” 9 But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his; so whenever he lay with his brother’s wife, he spilled his semen on the ground to keep from producing offspring for his brother. 10 What he did was wicked in the LORD’s sight; so he put him to death also.
 
but on this website it is written somewhere that the Sin Of Onan is an example of contraception.Guys i am not trying to insult anybody.this is discussion and i do not know the explanation so i just want to ask why do you think you can find the story of Onan mentioned on this website connected with the contraception.

thanks for your answers
 
i appreciate your posts but please write my if you are protestant or catholic o r jew so that i would know.thanks
 
I’m not Catholic, and don’t really claim Protestant, but you would probably consider me as much.

I agree the Catholic interpretation is a huge over-simplification of the matter. There were several factors involved here, probably the most significant of which was Onan’s deceit. He clearly attempted to get away with appearing to fulfill his responsibilities to his brother’s widow, without in fact fulfilling those responsibilities. THAT is why he was killed: deceit. I don’t think anything can be deduced on the morality of “spilling seed” from this passage.

I’ve thought of a perfect parallel in the New Testament: the story of Ananias and Sephira. If we applied the same reasoning Catholics use in the story of Onan/Tamara, we would have to conclude that you have to give 100% of everything you make to the church. The fact of the matter, though, is not how much Ananias and Sephira kept back, but their deceit in the matter.
 
drafdog said:
Martin,
There is a vast moral difference between what Onan did and the actions of a couple who want to delay starting a family
Matthew
Click to expand...
so what is the best verse from Bible against contraception?
 
this is catholic teaching on the sin of Onan i found on this website.So what is wrong with it?

The Bible mentions at least one form of contraception specifically and condemns it. Coitus interruptus, was used by Onan to avoid fulfilling his duty according to the ancient Jewish law of fathering children for one’s dead brother. “Judah said to Onan, ‘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.’ But Onan 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. And what he did was displeasing in the sight of the Lord, and he slew him also” (Gen. 38:8–10).

The biblical penalty for not giving your brother’s widow children was public humiliation, not death (Deut. 25:7–10). But Onan received death as punishment for his crime. This means his crime was more than simply not fulfilling the duty of a brother-in-law. He lost his life because he violated natural law, as Jewish and Christian commentators have always understood. For this reason, certain forms of contraception have historically been known as “Onanism,” after the man who practiced it, just as homosexuality has historically been known as “Sodomy,” after the men of Sodom, who practiced that vice (cf. Gen. 19).
 
sobino said:
this is catholic teaching on the sin of Onan i found on this website.So what is wrong with it?

The Bible mentions at least one form of contraception specifically and condemns it. Coitus interruptus, was used by Onan to avoid fulfilling his duty according to the ancient Jewish law of fathering children for one’s dead brother. “Judah said to Onan, ‘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.’ But Onan 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. And what he did was displeasing in the sight of the Lord, and he slew him also” (Gen. 38:8–10).

The biblical penalty for not giving your brother’s widow children was public humiliation, not death (Deut. 25:7–10). But Onan received death as punishment for his crime. This means his crime was more than simply not fulfilling the duty of a brother-in-law. He lost his life because he violated natural law, as Jewish and Christian commentators have always understood. For this reason, certain forms of contraception have historically been known as “Onanism,” after the man who practiced it, just as homosexuality has historically been known as “Sodomy,” after the men of Sodom, who practiced that vice (cf. Gen. 19).
Click to expand...
You are distorting the facts. The punishment was public humiliation IF you went through the ceremony to release your brother’s widow to marry outside the family. Onan’s crime was PRETENDING to accept the responsibility, and then DECEITFULLY not fulfilling that duty. The problem with Onan was deceit, as I pointed out, not coitus interruptus.
 
but why did Onan have to die?

Gen. 38:11-26 - Judah, like Onan, also rejected God’s command to keep up the family lineage, but he was not killed.

Deut. 25:7-10 - the penalty for refusing to keep up a family lineage is not death, like Onan received.

so why then God punished him with the death?
 
drafdog said:
Martin,
There is a vast moral difference between what Onan did and the actions of a couple who want to delay starting a family, limit the number of children, or space them out over time. Onan was a vicious and spiteful man and did great harm to Tamar. This is not the same as using contraceptive devices or methods.

Matthew
Click to expand...
There is a shadowy idea at this point here. First sex was never meant to be just for fun. Sex is for procreation and the fun part is a great bonus/gift. Thus, sex and procreation should never separate. What happened on Onan’s case was that Onan just had fun by having sex with the wife he is supposed to have a child with. As we can see that his purpose was to have sex without the purpose of procreation (Gen 38:9). He just want “sex”! So the phrase “spilling his seed” must mean preventing having a child and just enjoying the sex. This is what i think God is against with so He gave justice by killing Onan. Onan reduced a marital act to just “fun” or “pleasure.” This is one proof that God protects Marriage and that Marriage is a Sacrament.

Therefore, any artificial contraception or prevention of pregnancy is taking away the very purpose of the marital act. Using natural method is enjoying the marital act without any restrained on the possibility of being pregnant and is therefore still being open and welcome to a new created human being. This is nothing against the original design for sex in Genesis.

The Church teaches that sex is holy only within marriage. When we mean marriage, procreation should always be welcome just as it was originally designed and not bend it just because of the “hardness of the human heart”.
 
I wonder why the sacred author uses the word “semen” in Gen.38:8-10? This is out of character with hebrew writing. In fact it demonstrates why God slew him. This text and others do not convey deceit.

In light of some other texts things get a little clearer. Lev. 20:13 condems men to death and not women. In fact the Torah does not address lesbian sex. Why? The ancient understanding of the sanctity of human life was thought to be contained in semen. We can also see that homosexual activity while metioned in sacred scripture is not a major theme. Because the traditional Jewish and Christian understanding of non-coital sex was forbidden at least until 1930. However today it certainly is in vogue for Christians to scapegoat homosexuals for their intrinsically immoral behavior all the while condoning their own.

I think a few mea culpas will be in order come judgement day. Ingnorance is acceptable invisible ignorance is something entirely different.

Peace,
DCD
 
so is this sin of Onan about breaking the levirate law or about punishing coitus interrupus as well?Please support your statements from Bible.Catholic claim it to be punishment fro coitus interruptus as well,can you support it or your view is different?
 
DCD said:
I wonder why the sacred author uses the word “semen” in Gen.38:8-10? This is out of character with hebrew writing. In fact it demonstrates why God slew him. This text and others do not convey deceit.

In light of some other texts things get a little clearer. Lev. 20:13 condems men to death and not women. In fact the Torah does not address lesbian sex. Why? The ancient understanding of the sanctity of human life was thought to be contained in semen. We can also see that homosexual activity while metioned in sacred scripture is not a major theme. Because the traditional Jewish and Christian understanding of non-coital sex was forbidden at least until 1930. However today it certainly is in vogue for Christians to scapegoat homosexuals for their intrinsically immoral behavior all the while condoning their own.

I think a few mea culpas will be in order come judgement day. Ingnorance is acceptable invisible ignorance is something entirely different.

Peace,
DCD
Click to expand...
DCD - back up your claim with facts. What Hebrew word is used in this passage that is different from other places in the OT? Do you know Hebrew? Or are you simply referring to a biased translation?

Well, I just checked two lexicons, and the Hebrew word used in this passage is the same word that’s used over 200 times elsewhere in the OT (I don’t know Hebrew, btw). I also checked the LXX and the word is “sperma,” which likewise is used almost everywhere else the subject of “seed” is brought up (I can read Greek, however). So, it would appear that there’s nothing special about the verbiage in this passage, DCD. Can you please explain yourself?

Another thing, DCD: I find it a little strange that you would use a scientifically mistaken view of the ancients to support your position.
 
Onan’s motives were greed related to inheritance. In the talmud, the laws of onan were developed to allow inhertance to the dead man’s wife. An Onan is restricted from atonement, paschal lamb is forbidden to an onan, an onan is not allowed to particpate in confession, and his very prescence in the temple defiles the temple itself. Also, the “spilling of the seed” is a saying that refers to homosexuality, “Er and Onan indulged in unnatural intercourse” Yebamoth 34b

come-and-hear.com/yebamoth/yebamoth_34.html
picosearch.com/cgi-bin/ts.pl for onan

“spilling seed” is an idiom that refers to homosexuality in Hebrew.

“to see the nakedness" is another idiom in hebrew that refers to homosexuality.

google.com/search?hl=en&q=Hebrew+idioms+homosexuality+bible+nakedness+spilling+seed
 
Greed (Avarice)

Dictionary definitions: excessive or reprehensible acquisitiveness, excessive or insatiable desire for wealth or gain

A few Bible verses: Matthew 6:24, 1 Timothy 6:10, Hebrews 13:5, 2 Peter 2:14

What makes greed deadly?

Some quotations:
Code: 
    “Why do people pursue wealth? There are many reasons. Foremost among them is the desire to satisfy hedonistic impulses. . . . Another motive is to use money as an instrument of power and control. . . . There are people whose avarice is a result of envy. . . . Sometimes a person pursues wealth because of pressure from a spouse. . . . Another common motive for the pursuit of wealth is to alleviate anxiety about future security” (Schimmel, 169). 

    “The incessant, selfish search for happiness through wealth often produces misery instead. . . . The happiest people are those who help others rather than those who focus on helping themselves” (Schimmel, 186). 

    “Covetousness . . . is like an illness. . . . It is characterized by an insatiable thirst for riches even though one is already filled with them. . . . The illness of insatiability cannot be healed by trying to satisfy the avaricious person’s appetite. On the contrary, he is to practice simplicity and scarcity. Allowing him to indulge his desire will only exacerbate his illness. Therefore he who wishes to disentangle himself from greed should practice living modestly” (Schimmel, 188). 

    “This pursuit of wealth and possessions, when conducted with such single-mindedness as it is in our societies, constantly distracts us from spiritual things” (Fairlie, 147).
tiunet.tiu.edu/faculty/cwilliam/seven.htm
 
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