Why is birth control considerd a sin?

[carol_marie]

There are many Catholics who support the Church’s teaching on birth control, but are still mistaken on this point. The Church is not against artificial birth control because it is artificial, but rather because it is contraceptive. A couple can still commit a sin by using the withdrawal method, for example. The withdrawal method does not employ any artificial means, but is still considered an unacceptable form of birth control because it is contraceptive. In other words, the couple is still attempting to block life from being conceived, but in this case, it is by natural means rather than artifical means.

So, there are both natural and artificial birth control methods that exist that are considered sinful by the Church. Natural Family Planning is the only morally acceptable form of birth control because it is not contraceptive.

Great post Joya! I had never considered this.

 

[TallyCatholic]

So, there are both natural and artificial birth control methods that exist that are considered sinful by the Church. Natural Family Planning is the only morally acceptable form of birth control because it is not contraceptive.

Very good point Joya, but let us reiterate something for everyone. The church teaches and we vow during our wedding to be open to life always, and accept children as God wills us. What this means is as long as there are “serious reasons” (and this term is so debatable, let’s not get into it) for a married couple to not have children at this time, they should be open to life.

Bottom line is everyone thinks that NFP is just “catholic birth control” but in reality the church only allows us to use NFP when we have “serious reasons” to avoid children at this point in time. Otherwise if you are more than capable of having children and supporting them, then the Church wants you to be open to life at all times.

I think I am fumbling about with the terminology and making this point harder than it really is so I hope I got this point across.

 

[I_question_God]

Very good point Joya, but let us reiterate something for everyone. The church teaches and we vow during our wedding to be open to life always, and accept children as God wills us. What this means is as long as there are “serious reasons” (and this term is so debatable, let’s not get into it) for a married couple to not have children at this time, they should be open to life.

Bottom line is everyone thinks that NFP is just “catholic birth control” but in reality the church only allows us to use NFP when we have “serious reasons” to avoid children at this point in time. Otherwise if you are more than capable of having children and supporting them, then the Church wants you to be open to life at all times.

I think I am fumbling about with the terminology and making this point harder than it really is so I hope I got this point across.

really? so okay see I didnt know this. I dont think my sister in law does either.

 

[lukefan]

Birth control was a big stumbling block for me during my reconversion (cradle Catholic) to the Church after being gone for a few years. My biggest problem was a priest who told me if in my own conscience I thought birth control was right, then it was alright with God. That priest is still in the area and I would love to discuss this advice he gave me some 20 years ago. He was a new priest and I just wonder if he has seen the error in his teaching. We have used NFP for 10 years since my youngest was born. But if God wills us to have another child, so be it.

During my reconversion (which is ongoing) one thing I learned is that the Church is my authority. I don’t get to decide about matters of Faith and don’t get to choose what rules I want to follow. I have to trust in the Church as my authority.

 

[TallyCatholic]

really? so okay see I didnt know this. I dont think my sister in law does either.

Our Chatechism describes it like this. I’ll try and bold the parts of exteme importance as I mentioned earlier.

2367 Called to give life, spouses share in the creative power and fatherhood of God. “**Married couples should regard it as their proper mission to transmit human life **and to educate their children; **they should realize that they are thereby cooperating with the love of God the Creator and are, in a certain sense, its interpreters. **They will fulfill this duty with a sense of human and Christian responsibility.”

2368 A particular aspect of this responsibility concerns the regulation of procreation.** For just reasons**, spouses may wish to space the births of their children.** It is their duty to make certain that their desire is not motivated by selfishness but is in conformity with the generosity appropriate to responsible parenthood**. Moreover, they should conform their behavior to the objective criteria of morality:

2369 “By safeguarding both these essential aspects, the unitive and the procreative, the conjugal act preserves in its fullness the sense of true mutual love and its orientation toward man’s exalted vocation to parenthood.”

2370 Periodic continence, that is, the methods of birth regulation based on self-observation and the use of infertile periods, is in conformity with the objective criteria of morality. These methods respect the bodies of the spouses, encourage tenderness between them, and favor the education of an authentic freedom. In contrast, "every action which, whether in anticipation of the conjugal act, or in its accomplishment, or in the development of its natural consequences, proposes, whether as an end or as a means, to render procreation impossible" is intrinsically evil

Thus the innate language that expresses the total reciprocal self-giving of husband and wife is overlaid, through contraception by an objectively contradictory language, namely, that of not giving oneself totally to the other. This leads not only to a positive refusal to be open to life but also to a falsification of the inner truth of conjugal love, which is called upon to give itself in personal totality. . . . The difference, both anthropological and moral, between contraception and recourse to the rhythm of the cycle . . . involves in the final analysis two irreconcilable concepts of the human person and of human sexuality.

I hope that helps. If you’ve never read the catechism it is a great wealth of information. Its not relaly book but kind of like an encyclopedia, so its a massive book but when studied is an incredible book. You can find the Catechism online with the link below and can do word searches. This is everything we believe. So if you ever have a question obviously its easier to just ask this forum, but you can look it up in the catechism as well.

scborromeo.org/ccc/ccc_toc.htm

God Bless!

 

[Joya]

Very good point Joya, but let us reiterate something for everyone. The church teaches and we vow during our wedding to be open to life always, and accept children as God wills us. What this means is as long as there are “serious reasons” (and this term is so debatable, let’s not get into it) for a married couple to not have children at this time, they should be open to life.

Bottom line is everyone thinks that NFP is just “catholic birth control” but in reality the church only allows us to use NFP when we have “serious reasons” to avoid children at this point in time. Otherwise if you are more than capable of having children and supporting them, then the Church wants you to be open to life at all times.

I think I am fumbling about with the terminology and making this point harder than it really is so I hope I got this point across.

I appreciate your further clarification on my point. You were not fumbling; you explained another very important aspect of the Church’s teaching on family planning very well! Thanks.

 

[TheGarg]

Isn’t that up to God to decide? When the world has all the people it needs, God will stop sending us children.

After all, God has never yet sent us anyone by accident, has He? We were all created on purpose, and for a purpose, by God.

i disagree with the notion that God created all babies…God doesn not force people to have sex, in a sinful manner, He would not go against his own Word. having sex is a free will thing. God may know were are gonna do it, but he doesn’t force us to do it, especially in a sinful way.

I do agree, that even though a baby is concieved in a sinful way, that God will have a purpose for that baby though.

 

[deb1]

i disagree with the notion that God created all babies…God doesn not force people to have sex, in a sinful manner, He would not go against his own Word. having sex is a free will thing. God may know were are gonna do it, but he doesn’t force us to do it, especially in a sinful way.

I do agree, that even though a baby is concieved in a sinful way, that God will have a purpose for that baby though.

God creates all babies. I think that you are perhaps thinking that if a child is created out of wedlock, that somehow justifies having sex outside of marriage. It doesn’t but that doesn’t mean God didn’t create the child.

Your line of reasoning could be used to justify abortion of illegitimate babies.

Sex outside of marriage is a sin but a baby is still a precious life in God’s sight.

 

[Mommyof02green]

Basic Information on Natural Family Planning

How does the pill work?

 

[TallyCatholic]

****i disagree with the notion that God created all babies…God doesn not force people to have sex, in a sinful manner,He would not go against his own Word. having sex is a free will thing. God may know were are gonna do it, but he doesn’t force us to do it, especially in a sinful way.

I do agree, that even though a baby is concieved in a sinful way, that God will have a purpose for that baby though.

Just because God didn’t “force” someone into a sinful behavior doesn’t mean he can’t “create” something out of that sinful behavior. Why do you think that God cannot create a life out of a sinful behavior?

You’re right in the sense that sex is an act of free will and total self giving, and that God does not intend for sex to be used in a sinful manner, but just because someone is not acting in the way God intended in no way takes away his creative power.

I think its all the more reason that God IS creating a life out of this act. God will take a sinful act and turn it around into a beautiful testiment to his beauty. As a reminder to us that we are all His and He loves us no matter what! All Children are a gift from Him even though we may not even deserve the gift!

I may be misunderstanding you when you say you don’t believe God created all babies. Are you saying that only certain people were created by God and others are not? Isn’t that saying that God then has no control over biology? It seems kind of a contradictory statement.

Please forgive me if I am misunderstanding what you said though. God Bless!

 

[Brendan]

i disagree with the notion that God created all babies…

So where does the baby get a soul? Do humans have the power to actually CREATE a spiritual soul?

Can God be forced to create a soul for the baby (if so, would that not mean that God is not All Powerful)

Or would it mean that God, as an act of deliberate Will, CHOOSES to create a soul and thus begin a new life.

 

[deb1]

So where does the baby get a soul? Do humans have the power to actually CREATE a spiritual soul?

Can God be forced to create a soul for the baby (if so, would that not mean that God is not All Powerful)

Or would it mean that God, as an act of deliberate Will, CHOOSES to create a soul and thus begin a new life.

I think that TheGarg simply worded his/her post badly. I’ve done it mayself a few times.

 

[jmcrae]

If an unmarried couple produces a child, it’s because God said “yes” to their unspoken prayer of physical union for a child. (Yes, the sex act is actually a prayer for a child. And God often answers “yes” to that prayer - even when there is birth control being used.)

The reason God also answers that prayer when the sexual relationship is outside of His will is that, even when we sin, God wants to bless us with good things.

Children are always a blessing, regardless of the circumstances of their conception. I have known so many “unwanted” children who turned out to be the primary care giver of their parents. Had those children not been born, their parents would be stuck away in heartless institutions, being fed and washed, but not being loved.

Even in cases where that didn’t happen, I have never heard of anyone regretting that she gave birth, even when the circumstances were particularly awful - and I have seen some pretty awful situations.

 

[TallyCatholic]

(Yes, the sex act is actually a prayer for a child. And God often answers “yes” to that prayer - even when there is birth control being used.)

This is a very interesting way of looking at sex. I have never really considered this fact. Is this one of your own thoughts or did you get it from somewhere? I like it.

Even in cases where that didn’t happen, I have never heard of anyone regretting that she gave birth, even when the circumstances were particularly awful - and I have seen some pretty awful situations.

Unfortunately I have read many articles where women have said this. Whether or not they believe it in their heart is a differnet manner, but unforutnately in today’s society many women wish they didn’t have kids because they would rather have had business success, or the life. Its a sad reality. But you are right, those stories are not as common.

God Bless

 

[gallo]

Also Jesus said to “Do to others as you would have them do tou you”. To intentionally use artificial bc would be saying that a person would rather their parents have used bc when they were conceived.
NFP helps the husband feel part of his wife’s cycle in many instances so it just doesn’t become “her problem” (which if we look at it may be just as much a sin as art. bc).
Just to note, my wife has had some cylce problems and read a book called Fertility Cylces & Nutrition by Marilyn M. Shannon. She found a vitamin out of this called Optivite, which has helped her immensly. This may be noteworthy for future refference. However, some women may not be affected by it because of differing hormonal balances and genetic makeup.