Why do most people ignore the Church's teaching on contraception?

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Allegra said:
That’s pretty much it. Though certain factors make it harder for some than others and those factors are becoming a lot more prevalent. For example, having a spouse that is not on board with NFP makes it really hard. Having a family that is unsupportive or even disdainful of having more than the average 1.5 children makes it hard. An economic system that requires two full-time working adults to support a household and offers absolutely no paid maternity leave makes it really hard. The societal pressures of keeping up with the Joneses and providing the highest possible “quality of life” for the allotted 1.5 kids makes it really hard. Legitimate medical issues makes it hard. Decades of college loan payoffs make it really hard. An over-sexed media and society that sells the idea that sexual expression should never be stifled in anyway makes the entire idea of period abstinence difficult That doesn’t mean we have a pass on it though, but it IS hard.
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I agree with all you said. I was going to add OB/GYN’s who are not familiar with NFP or are convinced it doesn’t work.

The media too, even parenting magazines feature at least one ad for contraception. You did mention the media, but I did want to add, that ever since I was a teen about 30+ years ago, I’ve read contraception was responsible. Not using it irresponsible.
 
loumeland said:
Why have most Catholics (several sources say at least 80-90%) disregarded what is, as far as I know, the official church teaching on contraception, which is that every sexual act within the bounds of marriage must be ordered toward procreation?
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Simple answer - because they don’t want to follow it. Having children is not easy. Let’s face it and I will say this bluntly - some people think that contraception is the answer to control being pregnant instead of having to breed like animals.
 
Kelfa28 said:
Why?

Because having children is incredibly hard.

It’s exhausting. Lack of energy, lack of patience, lack of sleep. Pregnancy can cause major health issues.
For me, it’s the increased risk of diabetes and the crippling Depression I’ve suffered from and have yet to recover from over the past 3 years.

I agree with the Church’s teachings but I’m maxed out. I tried using NFP and you can see my signature. I have 3 very young children and the idea of having another frightens me. I cannot go through with it again because I will break.

I don’t trust NFP. I’ve stopped charting and have zero intention to a) use NFP and b) have anymore children ever again.

I cannot take the anxiety, stress and depression both have caused.

There is still the marital debt to consider. Hubby and I are struggling with this big time.

My OB wants me on the pill now because my PCOS is worse and my cycles are so messed up and painful.

I haven’t started it yet…but next appointment I probably will.

Frankly, I’m at a point where I truly don’t blame people for disregarding this teaching.
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Many years ago, in 1963, my OBGYN wanted me to go on the pill after we suffered the lose of a stillborn baby boy. He even wrote me out a prescription, But when I showed it to my newly converted husband, he tore it up and said, 'We don’t need this." We didn’t and I am so thankful for his wisdom. God Bless, Memaw
 
A family member who got married absolutely did not want children.

The couple both agreed. One of them said you can give a dog or cat away if you don’t want to deal with them anymore, but once you have children, you are stuck.
 
My honest opinion is that I do not believe that even abc closes a couple to procreation if it is the Will of Almighty God. Because God is all powerful, a virgin conceived a child, and Elizabeth conceived John the Baptist in her old age. Neither abstinence nor advanced age prevented these two women from conceiving because it was God’s Will that they do so. Maybe a couple desires to plan the birth of their children until after they finish their educations or desires that their children not exceed a number for which they can responsibly provide - I believe that even if they diligently practice some form of bc it will not prevail if it is God’s Will that they conceive. It just seems obvious to me.
 
I think is a combination of everything stated above. I would also add that some.people do it because they think that the ideas of the church are based on mere.ideology that does not correspond to reality or that they are based on lack of knowledge about female.biology. I remember once having a.professor at the university (who was a very well renowned Doctor) saying that she wished that Catholic Priest would be able to get marry and have children so they could finally.start trying figuring out how to.bring down to earth all their ideology. I have encountered numerous people who agree with her and that is why they disregard the teaching. They believe is an area in which the church lacks contact with reality and is making teachings that do not fit into the real world.
 
HCTC said:
My honest opinion is that I do not believe that even abc closes a couple to procreation if it is the Will of Almighty God. Because God is all powerful, a virgin conceived a child, and Elizabeth conceived John the Baptist in her old age. Neither abstinence nor advanced age prevented these two women from conceiving because it was God’s Will that they do so. Maybe a couple desires to plan the birth of their children until after they finish their educations or desires that their children not exceed a number for which they can responsibly provide - I believe that even if they diligently practice some form of bc it will not prevail if it is God’s Will that they conceive. It just seems obvious to me.
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Yes, God is all powerful. Yes, He can and does work miracles. There have been babies born despite their parents efforts to contracept-that’s a fact. There have also been babies born despite their parents efforts to abort them-that’s also a fact.

However, does that mean that only those babies, and not the others were willed by God since they happened to beat the odds?

What would our world look like if God dusted up all of our consequences instead of letting us see the effects of them? Would we repent? Countless children have been aborted due to the pill. Should the Church allow it on the grounds that God can work miracles and save the life of the child if He wants to? If not, then it wasn’t to be? Wouldn’t that be putting Our Lord God to the test, which is what Jesus said not to do?
 
1ke’s summation covers the bulk of it, but I think it bypasses the fundamental reality that most people see sexual congress as a right and children as a choice.

In other words, I should have a right to sex when ever I want, but children only when I chose. We have lost the fundamental understanding that God inexorably linked the two for a reason.

I think people have also lost a sense of sacrifice for the good of others. We (myself included) want all the good things without any sacrifice or discomfort. If there is an easier way, we often rationalize the easier path. We can deal with the repercussions later, right? I tend to think that thought process will make for very uncomfortable conversations come the judgment.

So, yes NFP can be hard. Yes, raising children can be hard. I am days away from the birth of our 7th child and we live on 1 income, so I understand its a struggle, but God told us that life would be hard when our first parents were thrown out of the Garden of Eden. Life was never meant to be a cake walk.
 
HCTC said:
My honest opinion is that I do not believe that even abc closes a couple to procreation if it is the Will of Almighty God. Because God is all powerful, a virgin conceived a child, and Elizabeth conceived John the Baptist in her old age. Neither abstinence nor advanced age prevented these two women from conceiving because it was God’s Will that they do so. Maybe a couple desires to plan the birth of their children until after they finish their educations or desires that their children not exceed a number for which they can responsibly provide - I believe that even if they diligently practice some form of bc it will not prevail if it is God’s Will that they conceive. It just seems obvious to me.
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This, this is something that many people miss when arguing against contraception. One cannot ever prevent God from accomplishing his will. But one can tempt God by being irresponsible and assuming that God will take care of things.
 
Crusaderbear said:
7.28 BILLION humans on the earth today.
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This is a very interesting argument, especially in light of Pope Francis I’s Laudato Si, which elevates environmental and sociological issues to the category of morality.

This is a good debate.
 
Evania said:
Yes, God is all powerful. Yes, He can and does work miracles. There have been babies born despite their parents efforts to contracept-that’s a fact. There have also been babies born despite their parents efforts to abort them-that’s also a fact.

However, does that mean that only those babies, and not the others were willed by God since they happened to beat the odds?

What would our world look like if God dusted up all of our consequences instead of letting us see the effects of them? Would we repent? Countless children have been aborted due to the pill. Should the Church allow it on the grounds that God can work miracles and save the life of the child if He wants to? If not, then it wasn’t to be? Wouldn’t that be putting Our Lord God to the test, which is what Jesus said not to do?
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A child is a gift from God, and rejecting that gift is an insult to God. Once conception occurs, God’s Will is evident. Many children have been conceived inspite of birth control measures of all sorts. I believe it is wrong to use abortion as birth control.
 
Usige said:
1ke’s summation covers the bulk of it, but I think it bypasses the fundamental reality that most people see sexual congress as a right and children as a choice.

In other words, I should have a right to sex when ever I want, but children only when I chose. We have lost the fundamental understanding that God inexorably linked the two for a reason.

I think people have also lost a sense of sacrifice for the good of others. We (myself included) want all the good things without any sacrifice or discomfort. If there is an easier way, we often rationalize the easier path. We can deal with the repercussions later, right? I tend to think that thought process will make for very uncomfortable conversations come the judgment.

So, yes NFP can be hard. Yes, raising children can be hard. I am days away from the birth of our 7th child and we live on 1 income, so I understand its a struggle, but God told us that life would be hard when our first parents were thrown out of the Garden of Eden. Life was never meant to be a cake walk.
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I agree…

Btw, congratulations on the upcoming birth of your baby! I’ll be praying for a healthy delivery!

Blessings!
 
Although there are as many rationalizations for this sin as there are people who commit it, it all comes down to a weakness of teaching (to know the Church law) or of faith (to believe that the Church teaches truth).

ICXC NIKA
 
1ke said:
And let me add, because chastity is difficult no matter one’s state in life. Secular society has reached the point where the idea of abstaining in marriage for serious reasons is seen as crazy instead of admirable.
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I agree with this

our culture is completely obsessed with sex and believe that people should have it whenever they want, regardless of any other consequences.

and it’s even worse for males, who are apparently defined by their brutish appetites and apparently they are are just “hard-wired that way” and need it all the time.

I do not believe this at all, I think we need a resurgence on the virtue of self-control.
 
I think it’s because we are raised as Catholics to be “good people”

rather than to be SAINTS.

In other words, striving to learn and follow God’s will even (or perhaps especially) when it requires sacrifice, in order to become the holiest people we can become before we die.

We want to be nice people with a nice life and don’t understand that suffering and sacrifice is what chisels us like sculptures out of stone.

We want our kids to have a nice comfortable life rather than understanding that large families are “saint making machines” since they force everyone to learn and practice virtues.

We don’t really trust God with everything.

Believe me, I’ve struggled with this one too and I had a great deal of difficulty with bearing and raising my 5, but I wouldn’t never turn to the pill and risk flushing my babies down the toilet unknowingly. 😦
 
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