Why do Catholics allow natural contraception?

Question

Am I right in think that Catholics are ok with natural forms of contraception but not barier methods? If so, then why? Contraception is contraception. It means preventing pregnancy. It means having sex for pleasure and not for creating a live. I find this bizzar - does any one else?

amdg. So does every other form of contraception. There is no such thing as a 100% success rate of ant contaception.

Answer 1

Don't look for logic or consistency in religion. You'll be disappointed every time.

Answer 2

I realize this is lengthy but I'm trying to explain this well for you. Well the church teaches that sex is for more than creating off spring. Sex is allowed to be fun, but must always be respectful of one another. Sex is first off for the couple to bond and become one. Catholic teaching talks about how though although sex is to allow the couple to become more closely bonded, it is about life too. Catholics are supposed to be open to life when they have sex. Now the two reasons I have just stated are why you cannot use any contraception. When you use contraception you are saying no to truly giving your self completely to your partner and you are saying no to life. Natural Family planning is permitted because you are still giving yourself completely to one another and you are still accepting the possibility of life. Although a woman in theory cannot conceive at certain times the belief is that if it is Gods will it is going to happen. You can learn more about this subject by reading about Theology of the Body. Now although yes God did give each of us free will that does not mean all that has been done in this world reflects the wants and desires of God. Free will allows us to do right or wrong we get the power to decide what we want to do. Contraception says no to life where God wants life. We don't have the right to play God.

Answer 3

Abstaining during a time when the wife is infertile is not like artificial contraception. When a couple artifically contracepts they are deliberately frustrating the body's reproductive functions and being hostile to life.

God designed a womans body so that there are times when she CANNOT get pregnant. If a couple has sex during an infertile time (i.e practices natural family planning) they are not sinning. After all, it is God who made infertile times in a womans cycle.

That's why NFP and rhythm are morally acceptable.

It also has to do with the attitude. Couples praciting NFP are not against having a baby. Sometimes (rarely) you do conceive even with perfect use of the method. That baby is always welcomed as a gift from God.

The Catholic Church does stress, however, that periodic abstinence or NFP should only be used when a couple has a SERIOUS reason to postpone a pregnancy. Serious reasons would be like the mother is in very poor health, the family is totally strapped for money or the father is abusive and so having a child would mean exposing them to certain abuse.

Answer 4

To the Catholic church, natural forms of contraception are either A) not doing it at all, or B) only having sex when a woman is less likely to be fertile. Both of these are about WHEN a couple has sex; neither does anything to actively block the natural progression of ovulation, ejaculation, sperm-meets-egg-and-implants, etc. The natural way works with nature while barrier/drug methods prevent a natural act from happening.

Does that help clear it up? I know, it can be a bit odd.

Answer 5

With due respect to the Catholic Church and practitioners, it (the rhythm method) has been found to be more of a problem for families that really try it and causes some psychological issues believe it or not. From the Catholic standpoint, one MUST be open to the POSSIBILITY of life, you can have the sex, but you have to be open to the possibility that you could become pregnant. Sex is linked to life rather than for pleasure, although now they say that it can be for pleasure between a husband and wife IF and ONLY IF it's open to the possibility of conception.

In my opinion, it sounds like a sneaky way of making sure the numbers of the "fold" increase, similar to the outright declarations in Sparta that women have babies for the state.

I have respect for Catholics and this is not intended to be disrespectful, but it's a topic that is discussed in wider scholarly, educated circles.

_()_

Answer 6

According to Catholic doctrine, natural "contraception" like the rhythm method (which isn't contraception and has a dramatically high failure rate) still allows the possibility for pregnancy. Which is obviously true, since so many people get pregnant doing it. Anyway, that's why they consider it acceptable.

Answer 7

Yes, I do! When God created man and women he wanted them to enjoy each others company and many people after they have children enjoy an active sex life.
! Corinthians 7:2 Because of the previlence of fornication let each man have his own wife. and each women have her own husband. And not be depriveing each other of sex.
The bible is plain on this it is not just for procreation.
1Timothy 3: Says a minister should be a husband of one wife.
Bible says to stay away from those forbidding you to marry.
That is what is unnatural is for someone to not have a wife and sex. That is a gift from God.
However, to keep having children when you cannot support them financially or emotionally to me is a sin. How can you be a good parent to 7 children? that is to much and I don't think God would want that. Everything is to be used within reason. To have a dog and a cat and maybe a horse if you can afford it , is your business. But what if you had 25 dogs just as many cats and a herd of horses.
The bible even cautioned the kings not to multiply horses for themselves. They had unlimited funds.
Everything can be in excess that is why the bible cautioned us about moderation in all things. common sense tells us that if your children don't have the proper food and clothes and you work so much you hardly ever see them to have more to me would be a sin. We are not baby factorys.
The world is over populated and to replace ourselves is all that is required two would be a good family.
I do not believe in abortion, to me that is murder but to take a pill that prevents pregnancy seems to be a wise approach.

Answer 8

The catholic church-not catholics, believe that abstention is the only godly method of birth control. If you actually give this idea some serious thought-they do have a point. This teaches discipline and control-a worthy virtue. This is one place I have to agree with the Vatican. When the pope is right-he is right on! When he is not-he doesn't even have a clue.

Answer 9

Natural contraception uses systems set up by God to allow 'recreational' sex, or sex for the purpose of strengthening relationships. Artificial contraception carries a secondary message that mankind controls his own fate, which in effect sets us up as our own god. This is not acceptable in view of the fact that the position of God is already filled. It all comes down to Pride versus true humility.

Answer 10

Any natural form of birth control (Natural Family Planning or the Rhythm method) still allow for the possibility of having a child.

Answer 11

It is a bit of a compromise. But if they didn't allow for something, then people would use other means.

That, and the Church doesn't allow for orgasm by anything other than full marital intercourse. (Except by accident. ;-) The options are truly limited.

There had to be some give somewhere. They chose to make it periodic abstinence v. artificial means.