What should you do if you think your RCIA instructor is espousing incorrect teachings?

[jmcrae]

Even if their intent is to take advantage of “infertile periods,” following NFP teaching, to avoid conception?

My understanding is that one would need to have a very good reason for doing so, but the Church does not define what a “good reason” might be - surely, those who do this have their reasons.

Our own marriage has been based from the beginning on the “winging it” method (having contraceptive-free sex whenever we happen to feel like it) and so far God has never sent us any children that He didn’t actually want us to have - so I can’t really make any kind of an informed evaluation of NFP.

 

[Rv_Cain_Spencer]

I’m currently in RCIA and last night we had a class on infallibility and the magisterium. Somehow, everyone got on the subject of birth control. I felt like our instructor was being sort of misleading because he kind of ended like this “Well, the pope was saying in Humanae Vitae that this is the perfect way (natural family planning) and this is the less good way (contracepting), but there is no condemnation with this way (contraception).”

Does this strike anyone as being misleading? It did me, so I said to him that contraception is a sin. He asked me if I had read Humanae Vitae, and I said no, but that I had always heard that the Catholic church teaches birth control is a sin. (Isn’t this true??) Then he kind of said “well you know I’m not saying you can go out and do whatever you what…etc etc”

I thought this was upsetting. To me it sounded like he was trying to insert his own views into the church teachings…maybe I am wrong…

After class I was talking to another “student” and he was asking me about this and I told him I felt like the instructor was teaching incorrectly. The student then told me that he had taken some classes at another parish and their instructor was saying how he thought priests should be allowed to marry!!!
Sorry this post is so long, but I just wish instructors would leave their opinions at the door, and just stick with the church teachings…

What do you think about all of this? I could be way off the mark; I’m just posting my feelings.
By the way this instructor teaching on contraception is a deacon.

It is nothing new, believe me.

 

[diggerdomer]

My understanding is that one would need to have a very good reason for doing so, but the Church does not define what a “good reason” might be - surely, those who do this have their reasons.

Our own marriage has been based from the beginning on the “winging it” method (having contraceptive-free sex whenever we happen to feel like it) and so far God has never sent us any children that He didn’t actually want us to have - so I can’t really make any kind of an informed evaluation of NFP.

Thanks.

I’m just wondering, how important is “intent”?

I think Humanae Vitae, or perhaps the majority of those who interpret it, minimize the consideration of “intent” (and circumstances) regarding sexual intercourse.

So do people on this thread think “intent” of the individual(s) is the deciding factor?

 

[jmcrae]

Thanks.

I’m just wondering, how important is “intent”?

I should think that the end result is just as important as the intent. As a wise little throw pillow once said, “There is no try. There is only do, or do not.”

If you mean to do something, then you ought to do it. If you don’t do it, then the question arises, did you mean to do it, or did you only want to fool yourself, or try to fool God, into thinking you meant to do it?

The bottom line with regard to this particular issue is that sex has two purposes - marital unity, and reproduction. We ought not to thwart either of these purposes.

 

[anp1215]

Looks like he got himself banned, so that’s the end of that conversation I suppose

If anyone cares for an update, we had another deacon come in a few weeks ago and somewhat “correct” the other deacon. My sponsor had emailed our pastor and told him there were a few of us who were concerned about this. I appreciated that he listened to us. We have a really great priest.