Why contraception an issue of morality?

[ladylinguist]

I’m somewhat new to these threads, and in the time I’ve been on here I’ve noticed a lot of them deal with contraception. I was just wondering if someone could please explain to me why this is a moral issue and not a personal one? How are contraceptives unbiblical?

 

[martino]

the reason it is a moral issue is because contraception perverts the sex act and is therefore a violation of the natural law.

God made our bodies and designed them a certain way so that they would function as He intended. Contraception frustrates God’s design and circumvents His will, placing our will to have sex that is not open to life over His will.

 

[Beaver]

When we say the creed at Mass, we utter the words “We believe in God the Father creator of heaven and earth.” This means the God’s greatest talent is to create. Keep this in mind as read the parable of the talents.

A good definition of the word contraception is the burial of God’s talent. This reflects the double meaning of this parable. This is a good reference when telling people the consequences of contraception and why the church says contraception is a sin.

Matthew
Chapter 25

14
"It will be as when a man who was going on a journey called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them.
15
To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one–to each according to his ability. Then he went away. Immediately
16
the one who received five talents went and traded with them, and made another five.
17
Likewise, the one who received two made another two.
18
** But the man who received one went off and dug a hole in the ground and buried his master’s money.**
19
After a long time the master of those servants came back and settled accounts with them.
20
The one who had received five talents came forward bringing the additional five. He said, ‘Master, you gave me five talents. See, I have made five more.’
21
His master said to him, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master’s joy.’
22
(Then) the one who had received two talents also came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two talents. See, I have made two more.’
23
His master said to him, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master’s joy.’
24
Then the one who had received the one talent came forward and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a demanding person, harvesting where you did not plant and gathering where you did not scatter;
25
so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground. Here it is back.’
26
His master said to him in reply, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I did not plant and gather where I did not scatter?
27
Should you not then have put my money in the bank so that I could have got it back with interest on my return?
28
Now then! Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten.
29
For to everyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
30
** And throw this useless servant into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’**

** As you can see the consquence of contraception is hell…**

 

[gardenswithkids]

Beaver:

When we say the creed at Mass, we utter the words “We believe in God the Father creator of heaven and earth.”

In the same Creed we later say “We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life” It is God who gives life. Contraception is a moral issue because it takes the act that God designed for transmitting human life and distorts it, attempting to render it infertile.

Contraception is not only a moral issue but also a *very *personal issue; it invades our very bodies, placing latex or artificial hormones or whatever between spouses. I Corinithians 6:13-20 speaks of the unity of this act and of honoring God with our bodies, reminding us to flee from sexual immorality because all other sins we comit outside of our bodies, but sexual sins are against our own bodies.

Contraception dishonors God with our bodies because it takes the sacred physical union between a husband and wife and invites physicians, pharmacists, and a host of others contraceptive pushers to prevent this sacred union from actually uniting husband’s sperm to his wife’s egg. Thus, contraception seeks to exclude the Lord and Giver of Life from what God designed as a procreative act.

 

[Madia]

Here’s a website that might help:
pureloveclub.com/chastity/index.php?id=7&cat=Birth%20Control

 

[gardenswithkids]

As I read the original posters profile, I wanted to add another side thought because the Catholic teaching against contraception are counter-cultural and often difficult to understand from our modern perspective.

Almost everything in our modern culture tells us the contraception is “responsible” and “protects”. But why do we women need to be “protected” from our husbands and potential future children? As the original poster asked for Biblical reasons that contraception is wrong, I’d invite her to read everything the Bible has to say about the blessings of children, and ask herself if the Bible views children the same way our culture does.

 

[mercygate]

ladylinguist, are you aware than until 1930 contraception was universally deplored by all Christian bodies. It was the Anglicans who accepted the possibility of contraception, within marriage at the Lambeth Conference that year.

For a scriptural warrant against contraception, try Romans, Chapter I – I quote myself:

mercygate:

Scriptural warrant:

Romans Chapter 1

[14] I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish:
[15] so I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.
[16]For I am not ashamed of the gospel: it is the power of God for salvation to every one who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
. . .

[19] For what can be known about God is plain to them [even barbarians], because God has shown it to them.
[20] Ever since the creation of the world his invisible nature, namely, his eternal power and deity, has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made. So they [even barbarians] are without excuse;
[21] for although they knew God they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking and their senseless minds were darkened.
[22] Claiming to be wise, they became fools,
[23] and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man or birds or animals or reptiles.
[24] Therefore **God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, **
[25] because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever! Amen.
[26] For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. Their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural,
[27] and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in their own persons the due penalty for their error.
[28] And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, **God gave them up to a base mind and to improper conduct. **
. . .
[32] Though they know God’s decree that those who do such things deserve to die, they not only do them but approve those who practice them.

---

This passage links sexual perversions with idolatry, and Paul names the most conspicuous transgressions.

Paul here affirms that the natural law, which points directly to the nature of God, is completely knowable, even to barbarians, and without supernatural grace. This natural law reveals that “natural relations” between a man and woman are directed toward procreation. To engage in sexual relations while interposing a barrier between the husband and wife is “unnatural” and “exchanges the truth about God for a lie and worships and serves the creature rather than the Creator.”

 

[ladylinguist]

mercygate:

ladylinguist, are you aware than until 1930 contraception was universally deplored by all Christian bodies. It was the Anglicans who accepted the possibility of contraception, within marriage at the Lambeth Conference that year.

For a scriptural warrant against contraception, try Romans, Chapter I – I quote myself:

I didn’t know that, actually. I’m currently attending a non-denomination church (but seriously considering a conversion to Catholicism), and I’ve never heard any mention of contraception in any church I’ve ever attended. In fact, I’ve read up on several denominations’ beliefs and none of them say anything about it.
I appreciate all these answers. As a single woman, using (or not using) contraception is obviously not something I’m faced with right (seeing as no husband = no sex) but it was one of the doctrines of Catholicism that I was confused about. I’m just not used to speaking on contraception in terms of morality. However, you all have given me a new perspective on it.

 

[mercygate]

ladylinguist:

I didn’t know that, actually. I’m currently attending a non-denomination church (but seriously considering a conversion to Catholicism), and I’ve never heard any mention of contraception in any church I’ve ever attended. In fact, I’ve read up on several denominations’ beliefs and none of them say anything about it.
I appreciate all these answers. As a single woman, using (or not using) contraception is obviously not something I’m faced with right (seeing as no husband = no sex) but it was one of the doctrines of Catholicism that I was confused about. I’m just not used to speaking on contraception in terms of morality. However, you all have given me a new perspective on it.

Ain’t it gorgeous?

I am a convert. But 25 years before I came into the Church, DH and I intuited the correctness of the Catholic position, even though we had not articulated it in a rational way . . . We began “living like Catholics” [should but often don’t]" early on in our marriage and never looked back.

 

[martino]

ladylinguist:

I didn’t know that, actually. I’m currently attending a non-denomination church (but seriously considering a conversion to Catholicism), and I’ve never heard any mention of contraception in any church I’ve ever attended. In fact, I’ve read up on several denominations’ beliefs and none of them say anything about it.
I appreciate all these answers. As a single woman, using (or not using) contraception is obviously not something I’m faced with right (seeing as no husband = no sex) but it was one of the doctrines of Catholicism that I was confused about. I’m just not used to speaking on contraception in terms of morality. However, you all have given me a new perspective on it.

i would recommend a book called Rome Sweet Home, it is the conversion story of a protestant couple and for them it was contraception that first tipped them towards Catholicism, its very interesting. Author is Scott and Kimberly Hahn

 

[manualman]

The original biblical foundation goes back to the sin of Onan in the Old Testament. Sadly, I’m too much the typical catholic and can’t quote it or even remember what book it’s in! A concordance ought to make quick work of it for you.

Recall that SIN is not defined as an act that is on an arbitrary ‘thous shalt not’ list. It is defined as an action which damages our relationship with God and with one another.

Contraceptives change marital sex from an act that is supposed to be totally self-giving into an act that is, at best, inclined toward self-gratifying. There is a big difference between sex that is self-giving and one that is merely a mutual taking.

 

[RCCDefender]

manualman:

The original biblical foundation goes back to the sin of Onan in the Old Testament. Sadly, I’m too much the typical catholic and can’t quote it or even remember what book it’s in! A concordance ought to make quick work of it for you.

Recall that SIN is not defined as an act that is on an arbitrary ‘thous shalt not’ list. It is defined as an action which damages our relationship with God and with one another.

Contraceptives change marital sex from an act that is supposed to be totally self-giving into an act that is, at best, inclined toward self-gratifying. There is a big difference between sex that is self-giving and one that is merely a mutual taking.

The sin of Onan is in Genesis 38. LadyLinguist I would recomend a visit to omsoul.com. There you can look for a doctor who stresses the practice of NFP, and you can find NFP instructors in your area. I found this though others here at CA and am so happy with my NFP doctor!!

 

[mlchance]

ladylinguist:

I was just wondering if someone could please explain to me why this is a moral issue and not a personal one?

All moral issues are personal.

ladylinguist:

How are contraceptives unbiblical?

Find me a single positive recommendation regarding artificial contraception in the Bible. Betcha can’t do it.

– Mark L. Chance.

 

[ladylinguist]

mlchance:

All moral issues are personal.

Find me a single positive recommendation regarding artificial contraception in the Bible. Betcha can’t do it.

– Mark L. Chance.

Point well taken. Of course, I admit it never even occured to me to look in the Bible for a reference to contraception. In every church I’ve ever been from contraception was considered nobody’s business save that of the couple in question. And, yes, all moral issues are personal. I should have asked why it wasn’t a private decision. The idea that it’s something the church would get involved in is new to me, as are many things dealing with Catholicism.

 

[Island_Oak]

mlchance:

All moral issues are personal.

Find me a single positive recommendation regarding artificial contraception in the Bible. Betcha can’t do it.

– Mark L. Chance.

Then again you also won’t find any positive recommendations in the bible about NFP–much less about blood transfusions, organ transplants, cardiac pacemakers, insulin injections and other assorted scientific/medical advancements that did not exist when the bible was written.

 

[mercygate]

ladylinguist:

Point well taken. Of course, I admit it never even occured to me to look in the Bible for a reference to contraception. In every church I’ve ever been from contraception was considered nobody’s business save that of the couple in question. And, yes, all moral issues are personal. I should have asked why it wasn’t a private decision. The idea that it’s something the church would get involved in is new to me, as are many things dealing with Catholicism.

This is a very common view, even among Catholics. When I was an Anglican, a Catholic couple came to our church to test the waters, and when I asked why they were thinking of leaving the Catholic Church, they answered: “I don’t think the Church has any business telling me what I can do in my bedroom.” To which I replied with wide-eyed innocence: “Of course it does.”

The point being – well, you have seen the depth of the issue in other posts on this thread. “What goes on in my bedroom” is not just a private thing, it truly does touch the awesome power of God – it is the second most sacred place on earth after the altar where Christ comes down, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity upon the altar of every Catholic Church in the world!

 

[Verbum_Caro]

mercygate:

it is the second most sacred place on earth after the altar where Christ comes down, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity upon the altar of every Catholic Church in the world!

Awesome Mercygate, just awesome.

Ladylinguist,**

Welcome to the forums! I hope you have a great experience here.

I just want to add this quote I found from C.S. Lewis’ The Abolition of Man

“As regards contraceptives, there is a paradoxical, negative sense in which all possible future generations are the patients or subjects of a power wielded by those already alive. By contraception simply, they are denied existence; by contraception used as a means of selective breeding, they are, without their concurring voice, made to be what one generation, for its own reasons, may choose to prefer. From this point of view, what we call Man’s power over Nature turns out to be a power exercised by some men over other men with Nature as its instrument.”

(The Abolition of Man, 68-69)

I took this from the *Cor ad Cor Loquitor * website at http://socrates58.blogspot.com/2004/02/why-did-god-kill-onan-luther-calvin.html.

This whole section is about contraception and Luther/Calvin/ etc. I thought you may be interested. The website has some funny quirks with its font (it might just be my browser) but you can read it.

Again, welcome to the forums!!

God bless you,
VC

 

[itsjustdave1988]

ladylinguist:

I’m somewhat new to these threads, and in the time I’ve been on here I’ve noticed a lot of them deal with contraception. I was just wondering if someone could please explain to me why this is a moral issue and not a personal one? How are contraceptives unbiblical?

God speaks to us through His revelation. He reveals His Will through nature and through his supernatural revelation. They both complement each other and tell us what it is God wills for us.

God created our sperm/egg for a purpose. That purpose, according to Genesis, is to “be fruitful and multiply.” He had a purpose in mind when he created sperm/egg within us, as any student of biology can tell you. Our natural gifts are to be used in accord with His purpose.

The nature of the sex act is such that it is to be marital, unitive, and procreative. Any human acts which intrinsically alters the natural intent of the sex act is contrary to God’s will. Keep in mind that non-procreative sex is not immoral, but human acts which render sex non-procreative is immoral because we deliberately act contrary to the God given nature of the sex act.

As for Biblical support, Onan spilled his seed and was punished for his sin.

 

[1ke]

ladylinguist:

I’m somewhat new to these threads, and in the time I’ve been on here I’ve noticed a lot of them deal with contraception. I was just wondering if someone could please explain to me why this is a moral issue and not a personal one? How are contraceptives unbiblical?

Because it is a violation of the Commandment that is typically summarized as Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery but is actually broader than than, encompassing all sexual sin.

I would suggest two books for you, since you are not Catholic:

The Bible And Birth Control by Charles Provan
Open Embrace: A Protestant Couple Rethinks Contraception

 

[mercygate]

1ke:

Because it is a violation of the Commandment that is typically summarized as Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery but is actually broader than than, encompassing all sexual sin.

I would suggest two books for you, since you are not Catholic:

The Bible And Birth Control by Charles Provan
Open Embrace: A Protestant Couple Rethinks Contraception

Ooooh! Ooooh! John F. Kippley’s Birth Control and the Marriage Covenant

Also, Christopher West: Good News about Sex and Marriage