birth control and natural method(timing)

[Timothy]

I guess if I keep this up maybe one day the answers will just come to me. But here I go again. I have a friend who also thinks that birth contro(pill)l should be allowed. Why is it not allowed. Also, he doesn't see a difference between taking the pill and the natural calander/timing method(I don't think that is the right name). He thinks the timing method is the same as taking the pill. That if you consciously make an effort not to get pregneunt then you are doing the same as taking the pill. I could only think that is okay because it is natural, but then he responded that when we are on a food tube, is that natural? When we are on a breathing machine is that natural? Please let me know what to repond to him, as I am curious as well. Thanks and God Bless.

[thessalonian]

[quote name='Timothy' date='Apr 25 2005, 10:36 PM'] I guess if I keep this up maybe one day the answers will just come to me. But here I go again. I have a friend who also thinks that birth contro(pill)l should be allowed. Why is it not allowed. Also, he doesn't see a difference between taking the pill and the natural calander/timing method(I don't think that is the right name). He thinks the timing method is the same as taking the pill. That if you consciously make an effort not to get pregneunt then you are doing the same as taking the pill. I could only think that is okay because it is natural, but then he responded that when we are on a food tube, is that natural? When we are on a breathing machine is that natural? Please let me know what to repond to him, as I am curious as well. Thanks and God Bless. [/quote]
First of all with regard to abstinance based methods of which the calander or rythm method is only one form of several (symtno thermal, bradley, etc, you can even find online "calculators" based on signs in the womans body) the scriptures do tell us it is proper to abstain for a time.

1Cor.7
[5] Do not refuse one another except perhaps by agreement for a season, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, lest Satan tempt you through lack of self-control.

Secondly it is the Churches teaching as well that natural methods must not be used as birth control. We are always to be open to life and we are to have "grave reasons" for delaying pregnancy.

Here is an article from the US confernce of Catholic Bishops.
[url="http://www.usccb.org/prolife/issues/nfp/seriousq.htm"]http://www.usccb.org/prolife/issues/nfp/seriousq.htm[/url]

As for contraception, the pill, norplant, etc. have a secodary effect that should ovulation which they are supposed to prevent, take place and the egg gets fertilized, they are likely to prevent it from implanting. Thus causing an abortion.

As a further arguement against it, when a couple gets married they are saying "I am yours and you are mine.". When they are contracepting they say "You cannot have my fertillity.". One needs to read the prophetic writings of Paul VI in Humanae Vitae. It deals with alot of your question.
[url="http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_25071968_humanae-vitae_en.html"]http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/...e-vitae_en.html[/url]

Blessings

[Cure of Ars]

When talking about contraception to the modern world you really need to plow the earth before you plant the seed of Truth. So I first want to give some practical reasons why Natural Family Planning is better than contraceptives. I think when this is done then people will be more open to the teachings of the Church.



[b]Natural Family Planning and Teamwork:[/b]

For marriage to be successful it takes a lot of teamwork. I have found that NFP has helped my wife and I work together. It takes two for NFP to work. The responsibility does not rest on one partner. NFP takes both partners to contribute in significant ways. Another point is that the mutual sacrifice of abstaining during parts of the cycle brings my wife and I closer together.

[b]The Pill and Teamwork:[/b]

The pill does not require teamwork and it does not facilitate teamwork in marriage. The responsibility rests on one partner while the other partner has no accountability. I would also say that the pill fosters using your spouse as an object because without sex being connected to procreation it becomes more about fulfilling ones own needs instead of giving life and love to each other in the relationship.

[b]Natural Family Planning and Trust:[/b]

For a marriage to work it requires a lot of trust. I have found that NFP has improved the trust that my wife and I have. We have to trust each other about not pressuring each other to have sex. A lot of trust is built between my wife and I when she lets me know what her body is doing. NFP also builds trust in regards to confidence that there is fidelity to each other. If she can see that I am able to hold off gratification during certain points of her cycle it also shows that I will be able hold of gratification outside of the relationship. Finally it builds our trust in God and what he wants in our life because we have to submit to his will with NFP.

[b]The Pill and Trust:[/b]

The pill builds little trust. In fact it can undermined trust because it contributes to the fantasy that there is little consequence for sex outside of marriage. Also, if a man has not had practice delaying gratification, because of the pill, it does not build trust that the partner will be able to remain faithful when tempted. Finally the pill does not build trust with God because the trust rests with the pill.

[b]Natural Family Planning and Communication:[/b]

I have found that using NFP there is a lot more communication. There are a lot of conversation about what phase my wife is in and when we want to have more children. There is also the discussion of what does God want us to do. And the sexual union itself is better able to say, “I love you”.

[b]The Pill and communication:[/b]

The pill really does not encourage a lot of communication.

[b]Natural Family Planning and Respect:[/b]

I have found the NFP has made it so I respect my wife more. I have learned a lot about how her body works and it is an amazing thing. If you respect the body you’re going to respect the person.

[b]The Pill and Respect:[/b]

I think the Pill is a lot like pornography in a way. What is wrong with pornography is that it takes something beautiful and separates it from the gift and turns it into an object to be use. The pill in the same way takes something beautiful and separates it from the gift of life so that the person can be used as an object for personal gratification. This does not build respect but instead destroys it.

[b]Natural family planning and the gift of Children:[/b]

With NFP sex is not removed from the context of children and it is always open to the powers of the human body and the gift of children.

[b]The Pill and Children:[/b]

The pill is used in the context that children are unacceptable burdens and that sex and procreation need to be radically separated to protect from producing children.

[b]Natural Family Planning and Fertility:[/b]

With NFP fertility is respected because you need to work with the body.

[b]The Pill and Fertility:[/b]

With the pill fertility is treated like an illness that needs to be medicated.

[b]Natural Family Planning and Health:[/b]

NFP is healthy because it works with, not against, the natural cycles of the human body. It also works. A “study, published in the June 1998 issue of the Journal of Reproductive Medicine, found the technique had an impressive 96% effectiveness rate in preventing pregnancy, comparing favorably to condoms and diaphragms…”

[url="http://my.webmd.com/content/article/14/1689_51303.htm?lastselectedguid={5FE84E90-BC77-4056-A91C-9531713CA348}"]http://my.webmd.com/content/article/14/168...C-9531713CA348}[/url]

[b]The Pill and Health:[/b]

The pill has serious side effects, which include “...nausea, high blood pressure, blood clots, decreased libido, liver tumors, breast cancer and abortion.”

[b]Natural Family Planning and the Domestication of Men:[/b]

Men naturally have a strong sex drive. With the strong sex drive, the amount of sex in a relationship can turn into a power struggle. With NFP this is not the case because I have to listen to her body and it is what determines when we can have sex (when united to God's will). Not my sex drive, but my wife natural cycle and God's will. I have to submit to my wife in this way and it has lead to me respecting my wife more. It also leads to more self-mastery because I do have to abstain. This in turn makes it so that I can give sex as an act of love instead of an act of selfishness.

[b]The Pill and the Domestication of Men:[/b]

The pill makes it so that a man’s sex drive is what is in control. Sex is not about giving but fulfilling one’s own sex drive. There is no opportunity and motivation to abstain. It causes power struggles between men and women who do not have the same sex drive cycle. Instead of men laying down their lives for their wives, like Christ did for the Church, they become slaves to their own sex drive.


[b]Natural Family Planning and a Time and Season for all Things:[/b]

The Bible says for everything there is a time and season and I think in many ways this is what gives things their power. If Christmas happened once a week instead of once a year it would become a burden instead of a gift. There is a saying that absence makes the heart grow fonder. This is also true with abstinence.

[b]The Pill and a Time and Season for all Things:[/b]

With the pill there is no time or season and because of this sex become boring, stale and even a burden.

[b]Natural Family Planning and Spiritual Growth:[/b]

My wife and I use of NFP has helped us spiritually because we are better able to conform to God’s plan for us and open to his will.

[b]The Pill and Spiritual Growth:[/b]

The use of the pill by Catholics hurts spiritual growth. It is hard to totally embrace the Bride of Christ when the Church’s stance on contraception is rejected.

[b]Natural Family Planning and the Environment:[/b]

NFP is natural and has no adverse affects on the environment.

[b]The Pill and the Environment:[/b]

The pill has shown to be damaging to the environment.

[url="http://www.healthfinder.gov/news/newsstory.asp?docID=522249"]Estrogen in Contraceptives Threatens Fish Populations[/url]


[b]Natural Family Planning and Money:[/b]

NFP is really inexpensive once one learns how to do it. All you really need is a thermometer and a chart. The poorest of the poor can affectively use this method in any environment.

[b]The Pill and Money:[/b]

The pill costs money and you need to have constant access to it. It is not feasible in every environment.



If you are interested in learning more about Natural Family Planning I recommend the book, The Art of Natural Family Planning.

[url="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0926412132/102-4673421-9184949?v=glance"]http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detai...184949?v=glance[/url]

This is how my wife and I learned to use NFP.

If anything I said in the post does not conform to Christ and his Church then do not listen to me but the Church.

Edited May 7, 2005 by Cure of Ars

[phatcatholic]

CURE!! you're back!! i missed ya bro!!

[Cure of Ars]

[quote name='phatcatholic' date='May 6 2005, 11:17 PM'] CURE!! you're back!! i missed ya bro!! [/quote]
Sorry for being a chump.


It's good to be back.