Another question in this category: Why should the Catholic Church provide something they do not approve of?

Question

If others believe in their use why do they not provide them? How is it our responsibility to go against our beliefs?
For the record I do not believe in promiscuity or artificial birthcontrol but I do not attempt nor believe in passing laws to make these illegal.

Answer 1

You are on a hard path, because the Catholic Church and its doctrines stand still in the midst of a raging tide of "progressiveness," and "progressives" will attack that which they feel to be "backward" and "irresponsible to society." People blame the Catholic Church for all sorts of political stuff, and they seek to discredit and defame the Church because of its steadfastedness with regard to these political issues.

I would suggest that you read Thomas Merton, if you haven't already. There are some things that he said that made perfect sense to me and that showed evidence of faith and humility that is hard for those who are faithless and arrogant to understand fully. But one thing he said, regarding the Church's stand with regard to birth control, is that a love that fears to create [a child] is not love, and that to think of worldly things (e.g., "Will I be able to feed this child?") before Godly things ("Seek first the kingdom, and all these things will be provided") is a lack of faith that God will take care of his children. You may become more girded in your faith and more able to withstand what is flung your way on account of your being Catholic if you seek guidance from faithful Catholics--dead and still living.

I also marvel at the Catholic Church's writings regarding the theology of liberation...and similar principles apply. While many look to the Church to solve political discord and address economic inequality, the Church is firm: God is not a tool through which people may find earthly liberation from governments and regimes and taxes, but a representation of Christ's body on earth...and therefore what Christ said, the Church upholds. Again, the message is, essentially, "Seek first the kingdom...."

I am not a Catholic. I do know Christ. There are certain things about the Catholic Church that I cannot reconcile and so therefore I am not Catholic. But I have no "problem" with Catholics. And even if I did, oh well. I respect much about the Church, and I encourage anyone seeking God's will through Christ's salvation.

Best to you.

Answer 2

That's like saying the Catholic Church will sit by and watch people suffer and die from AIDS and STDs because they don't believe in proctection of said diseases.

The church needs to get with the times. These days there are few who follow the church's teachings of avoiding promiscuity and premarital sex. It was that way 35 years ago and it isn't going to change anytime soon.

It is the church's responsibility to save lives and tend to the suffering. It is what they preach.

Every Catholic who has died of AIDS would tell you the same thing. But they can't because they're dead.

Maybe if they had just used a condom?

Answer 3

Well, in my opinion, the Catholic Church needs to refine what they approve of - the Catholic Church has a great ability as a centralised body to say 'we now officially believe this and not this' - they've done it before regarding Copernicus, the Church position on Jews and (slowly) evolution... One day, sooner or later, the Catholic Church will be convinced that the benefits to society of family planning outweigh their objections.

When this comes, it will then be up to individual churches whether or not they want to _provide_ birth control. Until that change, it's ridiculous to suggest that the Catholic Church ought to provide condoms. But they also ought not to be surprised at the fact that their extreme position on this topic is alienating mild Catholics by the millions.

Answer 4

I don't think the Catholic Church should provide something they do not approve of to their own believers, but I do believe that a Catholic organization should be required to provide the same thing to their (possibly non-Catholic) employees as other organizations.

For example: if it is a law that the health insurance offered cover birth control, I respect that a Catholic does not believe in birth control, but I do believe in birth control. If I went to work for a Catholic organization and they refused to cover birth control on my health insurance, that would be a major problem for me morally and financially. I respect that they don't believe in it, but in the end, every where I have worked, it is my money that gets taken out of my paycheck that pays for my insurance, therefore it should be my beliefs that govern it.

Answer 5

The Catholic workers in Africa are telling the people that they won't go to heaven if they use condoms. Did you have a chance to read the article at the link I provided?

"Tomorrow's BBC Panorama programme carries an interview with a Catholic woman in Uganda who has chosen to sleep unprotected with her infected husband: "We won't go to heaven if we use condoms," she explains. Asked if the woman made the right choice, the Archbishop of Kampala, Cardinal Emmanuel Wamala, replies: "If it is wrong to use the condom, then she has made the right choice." Even if it costs her her life? "Yes," replies the cardinal. "That is a harsh teaching," the reporter responds."

Answer 6

Is it more important to save lives by whatever means is required, or more important to let people die so as not to contravene our morals?

Where do we draw that line?

Addendum:
What did Jesus say to the Pharisees when they came to him complaining that His disciples were not observing the Sabbath? If Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath, contrary to the Law he as a Jew was supposed to uphold, is this not comparable to helping prevent AIDs by distributing condoms?

Is the Church willing to walk by those who will contract the disease and leave it to us Good Samaritans to do our best to prevent infection?

Which of us is showing the most compassion for those at risk? Whom would you expect to show the greater compassion: non-Christians or the Church?

Answer 7

The Catholic church should provide help for its self

Answer 8

Others do provide them. No one is asking the Church to provide the Condoms, just to stop demonizing the usage of them. The church doesn't support murder, or war either, do they excommunicate you for owning a gun?

Answer 9

If they do not approve of them, they should not provide them. It is as simple as that. People should not be expected to go against their religious conscience.

Answer 10

Because the world is overpopulated and poor people having even more children is destroying the world. And, is a worse threat than terrorism.

The Catholic church is the problem, it is not the solution.