How many Catholics actually follow the Church's teachings on contraceptives?

Question

If so, have you found ways to have intercourse without getting pregnant that are in line with the Church's teachings?

Answer 1

Natural Family Planning is in line with Catholic teaching and it works.

Answer 2

2

Answer 3

What is called Natural Family Planning (NFP) is used if couples wish to have intercourse and not become pregnant. I suspect that in well-developed countries where children are seen primarily as burdens, the Church's teachings on contraception are more likely to be discarded. The symbolism of destroying the sperm (what the man give to the woman) or causing the woman to become infertile is incompatible with true love. True love is acceptance, not rejection.

Answer 4

I know the Catholic church often teaches the "rhythm method" as a way to avoid pregnancy. But I don't believe at its heart that THIS method is truly in keeping with the Catholic Church's "sex for procreation only" policy.

IN any case, I would say there are VERY few Catholics these days who stick with these principles. Basically, we simply can NOT comply with this these days. The dangers are too steep.

Answer 5

I think a great many Catholics use contraceptives. If you're having intercourse on the "rhythm" method, you're just asking for an unplanned pregnancy.

Answer 6

Count the priests and nuns and multiply by 50% since it's not likely that more than 50% of them actually practice cellibacy anyhow. Add about 5% of the registered church's population and you'll have a good estimate.

Answer 7

I do. Me and my Wife use natural family planning but not the rhythm method it's kind off complicated and not that successful in my oppinion.

Answer 8

i use the rythem method with my boyf which doenst go against the churchs ideals...by planning when your most likely to concieve and working around it has seemed to work for the last 12 months

Answer 9

The church allows the rhythm method.

Answer 10

Unfortunately today too many of them do not follow the Church's teachings on contraception because their commitment to their faith is not strong enough. It is way too easy to do what you want to do instead of what you are taught is right to do, because human nature is weak, and, all too often, succumbs to pressures from society and friends.
The Church is clear on it's teaching that contraception is evil because it causes the breakdown of morals in our society. If it is too easy to have sex without getting pregnant, then of course many will fall into sin as victims of their own weak natures. Jesus told us clearly, "If you love me, keep my commandments.". All of God's Commandments are important if we are to live our lives the way God wants us to. We are not commanded by Him to disobey whatever commandments we don't like and only obey the ones we like. He never said, "If you love me, keep SOME of my commandments." One of the commandments is "Thou shalt not commit adultery." That includes also fornication which is sex without being married. (In almost all other languages the translation is "fornicare" or another linguistic similarity which always also includes adultery) So you cannot ever be in line with the Church's teaching if you have intercourse outside of marriage. The only way the Church can sanction intercourse without the possibility of pregnancy is if you are married in the Church to your sex partner; but even then, artifical contraception is still a sin. There are other methods of preventing pregnancy that the Church condones within the confines of marriage without using any artificial contraceptives.

The reason artificial contraception is banned by the Church is
because it prevents natural procreation by married couples, and it tempts many unmarried couples to fall deep into the sin of fornication. Pope John Paul II said the introduction of artificial contraception into society has cause the dawn of the "Culture of Death". Once we are desensitized to the seemingly harmless way of not having to worry about pregnancy, we begin to abandon our morals which are taught to us in the commandments that God gave us, including sex outside of marriage being a sin. Once we are desensitized to that, then it is much easier to justify abortion which is essentially the murder of an innocent child of God. Then being desensitized to the evil of abortion, usually in the name of "MY right, MY choice" Your right, your choice to do what? Offend your God, who offered His life on a cross for your Salvation, by being sexually immoral? Or is it your right and your choice to commit murder? And also, Euthanasia is becoming more and more accepted by people who claim to be Christians. In the name of compassion and mercy we are playing God by deciding when a person should die. These things are very dangerous because it will and has already lead to the total disrespect of human life in all of its stages, and to the degrading of our own bodies, and the idea that if it feels good or it is "my right" that it is not a sin. It all started when contraception became accepted by mainstream society.

So, my dear, please pray on this and do not consider any more on how to fool God just so you can do whatever you want. God know the heart and it is impossible to hide anything from Him.