I’d have to say the most common around me is modern birth-control.
The argument goes like this-
The historical prohibition is centered around onanism and the use of abortifacients.
Onanism - Male climax outside the “lady parts”.
Abortifacients - Chemical or other means of terminating an extant pregnancy.
The pill requires neither mechanism as a woman simply doesn’t ovulate. No ovulation, no egg to fertilize. Ergo, the ancient church couldn’t have spoken upon it. As a concept, it simply didn’t exist to be considered.
“But it’s a frustration of your natural function.” - So is the most of the practice of medicine, like when you take your blood pressure or diabetes medications.
Complicating the issue further are a few additional considerations:
- The sexual activity in the Song of Songs looks awfully recreational. “Man, I wanna put a baby in there” doesn’t appear to be the over-arching theme. Some passages suggest out-right eroticism.
- There are places in the world, such as the Philippines, where if there’s any disruption at all to the flow of goods, death will quickly occur on an enormous scale. There is not enough arable land and fish in the near sea to perpetually feed that population if the boats stop coming. Over-population is real - which is a problem that didn’t exist in nearly the same way in the 1st century. This blue-green marble we’re on does have a capacity.
- In agrarian society, (what most societies were until the industrial revolution) a new baby simply meant planting a few extra rows during spring planting. That is not the case now. In the United States, there are certain minimums that we must provide for our children or the government will show up at our door to capture our kids. These minimums can be impossible to meet with too many kids because income is finite for many.
In short, the cost of having kids is higher. Especially in the West. If you’re not prepared to help them beyond 18, they’ll live. They are just statistically not as likely to be AS successful as the kid with parents that did help (college, support during internships, ect.). Sure they might be the “super kid” that defied the odds! But “the odds” are “the odds” for a very real reason. Most don’t beat them.
It almost persuades a family to go Orthodox where they can conditionally get birth control AND recognized sacraments.
Please be gentle in your anticipated condemnations.
“Eastern Orthodoxy for (Anglican) Dummies”, “Eastern Orthodoxy for (Lutheran) Dummies”, “Eastern Orthodoxy for (Methodist) Dummies” … I just don’t think I could afford them all.