If you believe the purpose of sex must be procreation, isn't the Vatican's "natural family planning" wrong?

Question

It has the same purpose as birth control, but is just less effective.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_family_planning

Answer 1

I suppose, IF one believes that. That, however, is not Catholic teaching.

Answer 2

The tradition of the Catholic Church teaches that sex is for both procreative and unitive purposes. Natural family planning is licit because even though a couple is using their natural periods of fertility and infertility to help plan their family size, they are not separating the procreative from the unitive purpose of sex. They are not chemically sterilizing themselves through pills or shots, nor are they putting a barrier between them.

FYI, the effectiveness rates for NFP are *higher* than any barrier method for postponing pregnancy and are in the same effectiveness range as the birth control pill. http://ccli.org/nfp/basics/effectiveness-p03.php

Hope that helps.

Answer 3

I don't see anywhere in the Bible where it says the ONLY reason for sex is having children. Read the "Song of Solomon" sometime.

Sex is about pleasure; intimacy AND procreation.

Answer 4

Although I must believe that the main reason for sex is procreation, there's no denying how it also improves our mental and physical health. Have you ever been around someone who hasn't had any in a while?

Yes, the Vatican is, as usual, wrong.

Answer 5

"By its very nature the institution of marriage and married love is ordered to the procreation and education of the offspring and it is in them that it finds its crowning glory." - CatechismThe Church, however, allows natural family planning methods, which does not interfere with the goal of procreation. There are many natural methods, which are more effective than contraceptives.
Historically, Christians have always condemned contraceptive sex. Both forms mentioned in the Bible, coitus interruptus and sterilization, are condemned without exception (Gen. 38:9–10, Deut. 23:1). The Fathers recognized that the purpose of sexual intercourse in natural law is procreation; contraceptive sex, which deliberately blocks that purpose, is a violation of natural law.

Every church in Christendom condemned contraception until 1930. Soon all Protestant denominations had adopted the secularist position on contraception. Today, not one stands with the Catholic Church to maintain the ancient Christian faith on this issue.


Letter of Barnabas
Moreover, he [Moses] has rightly detested the weasel [Lev. 11:29]. For he means, "Thou shall not be like to those whom we hear of as committing wickedness with the mouth with the body through uncleanness [orally consummated sex]; nor shall thou be joined to those impure women who commit iniquity with the mouth with the body through uncleanness" (Letter of Barnabas 10:8 [A.D. 74]).

Clement of Alexandria

Because of its divine institution for the propagation of man, the seed is not to be vainly ejaculated, nor is it to be damaged, nor is it to be wasted (The Instructor of Children2:10:91:2 [A.D. 191]).

Hippolytus

[Christian women with male concubines], on account of their prominent ancestry and great property, the so-called faithful want no children from slaves or lowborn commoners, they use drugs of sterility or bind themselves tightly in order to expel a fetus which has already been engendered (Refutation of All Heresies 9:12 [A.D. 225]).

Lactantius

[Some] complain of the scantiness of their means, and allege that they have not enough for bringing up more children, as though, in truth, their means were in [their] power . . .or God did not daily make the rich poor and the poor rich. Wherefore, if any one on any account of poverty shall be unable to bring up children, it is better to abstain from relations with his wife (Divine Institutes 6:20 [A.D. 307]).

May the Lord's peace be with you!

Answer 6

The Vatican has one screwy image of a family. You have a celibate father and a virgin mother. I guess that's their un-natural idea of birth control. Can any children result from such a union? Is that their way of begetting spiritual children? Are you talking about the rhythm method? That's pretty faulty isn't it? How can they rule against birth control, and sit on their throne like something pure and holy with their unnatural joke of an image they call a family?

Answer 7

Really, it's all Vernespicuo de Midi's fault. He was one of the first scribes to screw up the passage "be fruity and don't multiply so much."

Answer 8

Oh that. It was a biblical translation error that has carried on through the generations. Sex is suposed to be for recration.

Answer 9

NFP is not artificial that is the difference. I know many couples who use NFP and it works for them very well

Answer 10

The FSM allows noodling anytime, anywhere, anyhow, with anyone. Convert and be saved. Ramen.