Preventing Conception

[Gabriela]

Have you ever read or listened to the excellent Dr. Janet Smith's talk "Contraception: Why Not?"?

 

Smith is making youtube videos now. Yay! I just ran across one:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKbvEJD-qYE

Edited January 15, 2013 by curiousing

[fides' Jack]

Ha!  "Abstain completely"....  Um, no, NFP is only abstaining when it's convenient for you to do so.

 

NFP should not be used lightly.  In preventing conception, it should only be used for very serious circumstances, since marriage requires that the couple be open to life.

 

For helping to achieve conception, use it all you want! (as long as you're married)

[HisChildForever]

Ha!  "Abstain completely"....  Um, no, NFP is only abstaining when it's convenient for you to do so.

 

NFP should not be used lightly.  In preventing conception, it should only be used for very serious circumstances, since marriage requires that the couple be open to life.

 

For helping to achieve conception, use it all you want! (as long as you're married)

 

A couple that uses NFP [i]is[/i] open to life.

[Basilisa Marie]

A couple that uses NFP is open to life.

 

And while a couple needs to use it for serious reasons,  what constitutes a serious reason for one couple might not be a serious reason for another.  

[GeorgiiMichael]

Also, NFP is entirely about the virtue of discipline. Delaying pregnancy via NFP takes discipline, which by nature of being a virtue brings one closer to God. Contraception on the other hand is about indulging in one's desires.

[Basilisa Marie]

Also, NFP is entirely about the virtue of discipline. Delaying pregnancy via NFP takes discipline, which by nature of being a virtue brings one closer to God. Contraception on the other hand is about indulging in one's desires.

 

When I first read this I thought it said, "Conception...is about indulging in one's desires."  

 

And I was like, dang, he has a point.  

 

But then I read it again and was like, OH. :|

[GeorgiiMichael]

And you realized that I still had a point, albeit not the point you thought I made in the first place. 

[sixpence]

thanks for all the help guys... you did help me understand it a bit better :) good job

 

 

Ha!  "Abstain completely"....  Um, no, NFP is only abstaining when it's convenient for you to do so.

 

NFP should not be used lightly.  In preventing conception, it should only be used for very serious circumstances, since marriage requires that the couple be open to life.

 

For helping to achieve conception, use it all you want! (as long as you're married)

 

 

A couple that uses NFP is open to life.

 

this is what had me so confused to begin with...the whole focus on being "open to life".  To me only having sex during infertile times did not seem very much "open to life" ... it seemed like that would be trying to prevent conception, but being "ok" with it if it did not.... but then I was thinking well... married couple using some barrier methods might feel the same way; they are intentionally trying to avoid having a sperm and egg come in contact, while still being able to have sex and they might still be fine with it if the method fails....

 

but I get the point about not altering the natural function of the body now :)

 

So I take it from this that there is sometimes debate as to when a Catholic can even use NFP to prevent pregnancy?

[Basilisa Marie]

So I take it from this that there is sometimes debate as to when a Catholic can even use NFP to prevent pregnancy?

 

Yes.  :)  Generally serious reasons relate to finances, medical conditions, etc. 

But what actually constitutes an example of a good financial reason to practice NFP varies dramatically from couple to couple.  Some people argue that we should only practice NFP to achieve pregnancy, and "God will provide."  Others decide to wait until someone gets an expected promotion at work.  Ultimately our motivations shouldn't be selfish.  We probably all agree that a couple probably shouldn't be putting off pregnancy if their "serious financial reason" is saving up for a big screen tv.  

[arfink]

So I take it from this that there is sometimes debate as to when a Catholic can even use NFP to prevent pregnancy?

 

Well yes, there is debate about it. But what it comes down to is, (and I think this just makes sense) you ought to have a reason to be abstaining. Serious reasons (to my mind) would include things like not having enough income or other material goods to support more children, or when having more children would be bad for the health of one or both of the parents. There are lots of very good and legitimate reasons to use NFP. I think you'd be very hard-pressed to find married couples who are using NFP strictly because they hate children.

[HisChildForever]

this is what had me so confused to begin with...the whole focus on being "open to life".  To me only having sex during infertile times did not seem very much "open to life" ... it seemed like that would be trying to prevent conception, but being "ok" with it if it did not.... but then I was thinking well... married couple using some barrier methods might feel the same way; they are intentionally trying to avoid having a sperm and egg come in contact, while still being able to have sex and they might still be fine with it if the method fails....

 

 

It really boils down to intent. Yes, a couple who uses contraception could very well be overjoyed at a surprise pregnancy. But the intent to be open to that pregnancy is not there - if it was, they wouldn't be using ABC. It's not just the "after" that counts but the "before" as well.

So I take it from this that there is sometimes debate as to when a Catholic can even use NFP to prevent pregnancy?

 

Some Catholics don't even support NFP, period amen.

[Apotheoun]

Ha!  "Abstain completely"....  Um, no, NFP is only abstaining when it's convenient for you to do so.

 

NFP should not be used lightly.  In preventing conception, it should only be used for very serious circumstances, since marriage requires that the couple be open to life.

 

For helping to achieve conception, use it all you want! (as long as you're married)

 

I agree.  NFP is often used as a form of contraception by Catholics.  The tradition of the Church about abstaining from intercourse in marriage used to be associated only with the liturgical / prayer cycle of fasting (n.b., this was called the "marital fast").  Pope Paul VI gave a concession to the modern world by allowing NFP to space births for economic and other reasons, a practice that the Church Fathers would never have supported.

[fides' Jack]

So I take it from this that there is sometimes debate as to when a Catholic can even use NFP to prevent pregnancy?

 

Yes  :)

 

And, just with politics, there are positions all over the spectrum.  For instance, it's been said in this thread that not having enough money is a serious reason - but I would say that's not a serious reason.  If anything, that seems to show a lack of trust in Divine Providence.  When I've heard of couples using that excuse, they usually make a medium amount of money, and have TVs, and smart phones, and cable or satellite, and fancy cars, and retirement plans.  I know other couples who didn't stop while they're on welfare and making close to minimum wage to support a family of 5 and living paycheck to paycheck.  Given that, I think money is one of the lamest excuses out there (and they're still able to get way more junk than their kids need).  I do think that health is a better reason.

 

I think most of the time, people using NFP to prevent conception are not really open to life, but this is merely a logical assertion; I do not judge individuals, since I can't know the specifics of what they're going through.

 

I agree.  NFP is often used as a form of contraception by Catholics.  The tradition of the Church about abstaining from intercourse in marriage used to be associated only with the liturgical / prayer cycle of fasting (n.b., this was called the "marital fast").  Pope Paul VI gave a concession to the modern world by allowing NFP to space births for economic and other reasons, a practice that the Church Fathers would never have supported.

 

I tend to think of some of these current laws as being allowed because of our "hard hearts", in a similar way to Moses allowing divorce.

[Basilisa Marie]

I think this is one of the many examples of diversity within Catholicism.  No one's "wrong" here - if anything it's clear that one couple's serious reason is another couple's extravagance. :) Fides and Apo are clearly in the "God will provide" camp.  Personally I'm more of a "God helps those who help themselves" person.  Doesn't make my opinion better than theirs, or vice-versa.  :) 

[sixpence]

thanks again for the examples, explanations, and opinions pham :)