If Catholics believe birth control is a mortal sin, than what do you do?

[Benedicta00]

What if one spouce is not Catholic and wants to use birth control? What is the Catholic spouce supposed to do?

Pray really hard.

 

[Miss Shelby]

dp

 

[Benedicta00]

For any question "If Catholics believe X is a sin, then what do you do," the answer is don't do X.

Not that Catholics never do X, but that you shouldn't.

I agree with the earlier comments that children are nowhere near as expensive as people make them out to be. It's not like two-kid parents are putting all their money towards the kids' college education and medical bills. They are buying plasma TVs, fancier than needed cars, fancy clothes, dining out a lot, etc. My uncle had seven kids and he was a roofer with a housewife. They bought store brand cereal, etc., but they did just fine.

[/QUOTE]
Good point, ppl with many kids tend to be less in debt, ppl who only have one or two tend to be more in debt.

 

[zhilan]

Pray really hard.

Ok yes, but on the practical side. Like, literally, what do they do? Besides praying. Would they be allowed to us it to preserve the marriage? I've heard that say, for the woman, as long as she's not using it, if her husband insists on using it, then that's ok. Is this true?

 

[RhetorTheo]

zhilan, that is my understanding. If she tells him not to use BC, and he insists, it's not wrong for them to have relations.

 

[vrunca]

zhilan, that is my understanding. If she tells him not to use BC, and he insists, it's not wrong for them to have relations.

I have never heard that before, you would think that if she refuses because of the use of birth control and he insists, then that would be rape wouldn't it?

 

[ToxicReboMan]

Using contraceptives for medical reasons while not married is allowed.

what!? Are you saying that if pre-marital fornication by free-will by both parties is taking place the Church allows the use of contraceptives under certain circumstances?

I have read that even in cases of rape the Church does not condone emergency contraception if conception is known to have taken place.

 

[Aymn27]

concerning Onanism --I'm sorry but I just don't think the argument of him "spilling his seed" holds much water for considering ABC sinful in God's sight. The text is pretty clear that he was to get his brother's wife pregnant - according to the prescribe command. Why are we viewing the spilling of the "seed" as sinful and not the direct contradiction of God's command? Should we also now impregnant our brother's spouse if he dies with no children? Are we bound by the same law?
Interested to hear you guys take on that...

 

[hsilgne]

Ok yes, but on the practical side. Like, literally, what do they do?

Contreception is not an option. I know, it's a tuffy. NFP works, that's for sure. I would urge you to discuss it with your husband, honestly, openly and with great concern and willingness to grow with your husband through this. If you are worried that your marriage is at risk because of this, I suggest council with your priest.

I'm praying for you.

Peace to you in the name of Jesus!

 

[Aymn27]

zhilan, that is my understanding. If she tells him not to use BC, and he insists, it's not wrong for them to have relations.

I would agree with that. She cannot be held responsible for his refusal to practice NFP. What I would suggest (if I were a priest) would be for her to practice NFP - at least her side of it. Abstain on the days you normally would and have sex on the days you normally would be able to - so that your conscience is clear. I'm assuming here he is using a barrier method (aka condom). And pray pray pray!

 

[Miss Shelby]

concerning Onanism --I'm sorry but I just don't think the argument of him "spilling his seed" holds much water for considering ABC sinful in God's sight. The text is pretty clear that he was to get his brother's wife pregnant - according to the prescribe command. Why are we viewing the spilling of the "seed" as sinful and not the direct contradiction of God's command? Should we also now impregnant our brother's spouse if he dies with no children? Are we bound by the same law?
Interested to hear you guys take on that...

The pastor who wrote the article I posted earlier in the thread, though not Catholic, gives a very thorough explanation of Onan and one that I happen to agree with.

BTW, you do know that artificial birth control has been proven to have abortifacient effects, right?

Michelle

 

[Cosmic Charlie]

I don't mean to sound antagonistic, but is the idea of simply trusting in God that scary? My wife and I do it and I'm often amazed at how many of our friends try to push NFP on us, constantly.

I don't want to sound antagonistic either but I'm kind of sick of hearing how I should just have sex and trust God.

This is just irresponsiblity wrapped in a virtue.

The essesnse of freedom is that while we may be free to do anything we want, certain actions result in certain consequences. You can't say you trust God and then walk blindfolded into heavy traffic and expect that God will guide you through it safely. You will get hit. Its gonna happen.

When mammal's have sex without regard of time of menstreal cycle, they get pregant.. Its gonna happen.

Get pregant if you want. I 'm happy for you. Get preganant lots of times. I'm even happier.
But don't take your inability or unwillingness to take responsibilty for your reproductive life and pass it off me as some great virtue or "put God in control" when you and I both know that God's only in control to the extent that you'll get pregant as many times as you have sex during your furtuile time. .

 

[epiclesis]

what!? Are you saying that if pre-marital fornication by free-will by both parties is taking place the Church allows the use of contraceptives under certain circumstances?

I have read that even in cases of rape the Church does not condone emergency contraception if conception is known to have taken place.

When I said contraception was allowed when marriage doesn't exist, I was assuming there was no fornication was involved.

One should not be having sex while not married, and it would be adding another sin if they were using contraceptives too. Two wrongs don't make a right.

I highly doubt the Church has ever condoned emergency contraception in any situation... I'm quite sure they would encourage adoption.
Emergency contraception would be an abortificant.

 

[ToxicReboMan]

When I said contraception was allowed when marriage doesn't exist, I was assuming there was no fornication was involved.

Why would someone want to use contraception if there is no intercourse?

 

[geocajun]

Why would someone want to use contraception if there is no intercourse?

a lot of doctors prescribe birth control pills for woman who suffer from hormonal imbalances causing serious pain during the pre-menstrual period.

 

[geocajun]

I highly doubt the Church has ever condoned emergency contraception in any situation... I'm quite sure they would encourage adoption.
Emergency contraception would be an abortificant.

If a woman is raped, and it can be certain that conception has not taken place, then there are certain means such as 'washing' which doctors can do to help the woman 'protect herself' from becomming pregnant. I'm by no means bioethics expert on this subject, but i've read that in certain circumstances post-rape contraceptives can be permitted.

 

[geocajun]

I don't want to sound antagonistic either but I'm kind of sick of hearing how I should just have sex and trust God.

This is just irresponsiblity wrapped in a virtue.

The essesnse of freedom is that while we may be free to do anything we want, certain actions result in certain consequences. You can't say you trust God and then walk blindfolded into heavy traffic and expect that God will guide you through it safely. You will get hit. Its gonna happen.

When mammal's have sex without regard of time of menstreal cycle, they get pregant.. Its gonna happen.

Get pregant if you want. I 'm happy for you. Get preganant lots of times. I'm even happier.
But don't take your inability or unwillingness to take responsibilty for your reproductive life and pass it off me as some great virtue or "put God in control" when you and I both know that God's only in control to the extent that you'll get pregant as many times as you have sex during your furtuile time. .

Hi Charlie

I'll respond to this later - today is my 6th anniversary (marriage) so I don't want to spend it going back and forth on the forum. I'll come back to it tomorrow. I just didn't want you to think I was ignoring you

 

[Cosmic Charlie]

Hi Charlie

I'll respond to this later - today is my 6th anniversary (marriage) so I don't want to spend it going back and forth on the forum. I'll come back to it tomorrow. I just didn't want you to think I was ignoring you

Congratulations. I celabrated my 20th on Valentine's day.

(Dirty little secert - most cynics are hopeless romantics at heart. Which is why I always prefer to call myself jaded)

And before you respond take a deep cleaning breath and notice what I'm NOT saying. This has nothing to do with contracepion directly its about the Benedictine motto: Pray/Work.

And while I'm on the subject of marriage and conjagal love I'll point out something that is really TMI: all my children were born within 10 days of 9 months after Valeintne's day.

Go figure.....

 

[NPH]

Ouch, don't take what i'm about to say as aimed at you Charlie, I was intending on saying this when I read the OP. This is just my personal opinion in regards to myself and not a comment on other people's faith or insinuating a lack thereof

But, for myself, if I cannot trust God to provide me with exactly the number of children he intends for me to have then I don't feel I could trust Him with much of anything.

In the many years I spent away from God and His Church I am truly fortunate to have had 2 children only at just the right time in my life. I make no bones about the fact that during that time I was very active and very cavalier regarding sex and 'protection'. That I only have 2 children with the first being born when I was 28 is, for me, a testament to this.

 

[Cosmic Charlie]

Ouch, don't take what i'm about to say as aimed at you Charlie, I was intending on saying this when I read the OP. This is just my personal opinion in regards to myself and not a comment on other people's faith or insinuating a lack thereof

But, for myself, if I cannot trust God to provide me with exactly the number of children he intends for me to have then I don't feel I could trust Him with much of anything.

In the many years I spent away from God and His Church I am truly fortunate to have had 2 children only at just the right time in my life. I make no bones about the fact that during that time I was very active and very cavalier regarding sex and 'protection'. That I only have 2 children with the first being born when I was 28 is, for me, a testament to this.

You really can't insult me, its literally not possible so don't worry.

But.....

While I understand you point I don't know that I can agree. Do you go to work ? Do you look both ways when you cross the street ? Do you take your kids to the doctor when they are sick ? Do you plan any part of your life at all ?

If you do, why do you ? Shouldn't you trust God to put food on your table, heal your kids, protect you from big disel powered trucks ?

You have responsibilities, you have to live up to them, to me this is the works part of faith and works. You choose not to life up to the works part of you sex live and live by faith alone.

You business and I'd never say you were wrong to do so. (I might think it but I wouldn't say it) But making this lifestyle a universal virtue is just wrong. How can you fault a Christian for taking control or his responsibilities ?