Do you think the Catholic Church is too rigid in its decision concerning contraceptives and abortions?

Question

The Papal Encyclical Humanae Vitae of Pope Paul VI [1968] brought the position of the Catholic Church concerning contraceptives, sex and abortions. It maintained that sex outside of marriage is sin and that every sexual act must be open to conception. Hence no abortion or morning after pills. Do you think that this position is too rigid for the modern world where people question everything from agronomy to zoology? Do you think that people have a right to do whatever they want with their bodies without looking at the objective consequences for the human race? Is the Church not acting the 'voice of the defenseless' in your opinion. Please let me hear from you . . .

Answer 1

I'm not Catholic, but I admire and agree with the church's stand on abortion. Religion is supposed to represent eternal truth, so it shouldn't change with the whims of society. The casual attitude toward sex in this society today would have been seen as contemptible in previous generations. Sex was created by God to be enjoyed by married couples. Today, it has lost much of its meaning in this culture of "hooking up." Never before have sexually transmitted diseases been so common. The numbers of abortions and out-of-wedlock births have reached epidemic proportions. We have taken something God intended for good and have reduced it to something common and ugly.

Answer 2

Too rigid?

People can question what they like.

I'd be more shocked if the Church found a reason to change its position on a major point in marriage or sexual relations. These are the very roots of communal doctrine.

People have never looked at the "objective consequences" of anything. Why should they do so now?

Of course, the position of the Pope is the position of the Church. Should the Pope change the Church? When?

I have to add that this all only matters if you're Catholic. Catholic means universal, which is supposed to be stable, right?

Answer 3

Regardless of what the Catholic Church teaches, ever person retains the freedom to do whatever they want. If you really want to use birth control or have an abortion, the Church can't (and wouldn't) stop you.

However, it is the Church's role to instruct on moral issues, and the Church is perfectly free and right to make statements about the morality of using birth control, seeking abortions or performing abortion. One assumes that somebody who has chosen to be/become/remain Catholic would pay heed to what the Church instructs on these issues and strive to meet the standards set. For others who are not Catholic, one assumes that they may or may not pay any attention, according to their own personal beliefs.

Furthermore, I think it's important to note that the Church 'puts its money where its mouth is' on these issues. Classes giving instruction for the new, scientifically proven systems of natural family planning are provided through the Church to help couples plan their families responsibly. And no other religious organization has more programs to help women in crisis pregnancies with food, clothing, shelter, moral support, and other forms of assistance.

As for the "AIDS in Africa" argument, the Church is being logical and factual in stating that abstinence before marriage and absolute faithfulness afterwards is the only real way to avoid AIDS. Even the World Health Organization, a pro-condom organization, admits that there is a 90% failure rate in using condoms to prevent HIV transmission. Do the math. If 100 people in Africa use condoms when they have sex with HIV+ people this very night, you can only count on 90 of them not being infected. And if those 90 rely on condoms next week when they have sex with HIV+ people, you can only count on 81 of them coming through it unscathed. You know how to add and subtract, so I'll let you figure out how long it will take for half of them to get HIV. Condoms have been distributed by WHO and Doctors without Boards and many other organizations for the last 20 years, and there's still an AIDS epidemic. It just doesn't work very well with a 10% failure rate, and I for one think the people in Africa (and elsewhere) are important enough that we find another solution. So far, the only proven solution is abstinence before marriage and total faithfulness afterwards, so there's nothing wrong with recommending it. People will ignore that, of course, and they're free to take their own lives (and their partners' lives) into their own hands if they want to, but there's nothing wrong with the Catholic Church promoting the ONLY solution that is proven to work.

Answer 4

I think what everyone needs to remember is that the Catholic Church is over 2000 years old. It does not, never has, and never will move quickly on a decision to change. Also, the Catholic Church has its mission. . . to uphold the teaching of Jesus. In the eyes of the church, contraception is taking God out of the equation when a man and a woman have sex. According to the church, men and woman should be open to the possibility of procreation. Anything contrary to that, is against church teaching.

Answer 5

No. It would not be upholding its own rules if it allowed it. Then the world would have nothing to define itself by. This is also the same church that is criticized for its ideology for celibacy. I think that people use every kind of excuse to not use self-control, and I think that sexuality is not taught properly by parents, since parents rule by example most of all. A world full of illegitimate children creates societies of anarchy. "Because it felt good" or "because I felt like it." are not good enough reasons to love someone and then leave them literally holding the bag. The church knows that with God's grace, everyone is capable of great things. There is more to life than hormones.

I think this rule takes everyone's happiness into account, not just the happiness of one being greater than the other.

Answer 6

Yes of course I think it is too strict! I think that is totally wrong that every sexual act should be open to conception. Absolutely terrible. A family in my boyfriend's church is having their 9th -- I repeat 9th kid. It is wrong! That is breeding. They don't use birth control b/c they are "true" Catholics. You have to think of how you can provide for so many kids. The church will not run my life in this aspect. I will have one child and that is it. I'm not mutilating my body and having tons of kids b/c that's what the church wants me to do. If I want to have sex I'm not going to do it every time with the intention of getting pregnant. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong!

Also - think about the expenses of today! Let's have a reality check people. How is it possible to send nine kids to college? How can you give your child the best if you have child after child? That is why I am having ONE! If you have 9 or 10, 12, 14 ... you cannot give your kids a good education or anything. If I had conception in mind every time I had sex I'd have 5 kids by now and a crappy job with hardly any income.

Answer 7

No, people do not have a "right" to kill and use other people for their own gain.

Human sexuality was made to express love not to have a good time. And love is not a selfish thing that should be turned inward, Love if it is turned inward and not shared, or does not procreate will die. Love must bear fruit.

And no matter how you justify it, abortion is still killing, no matter how small the person is a person is a person after all.

These beliefs are from God not any one council or church body or representative. The church and it's representatives here on earth, the Bishops and the Bishop of Rome, only proclaim the messages of God, they don't invent them.

Answer 8

I agree on their decision against abortion. I believe everyone, born or unborn, deserves the right to live if they are innocent and have not committed crime. Hence, unborn babies deserve to be brought into the world, and not killed off. I think if a mother doesn't want her child she should give it up for adoption because their are so many deserving women out their who are infertile, and would make wonderful mothers. As for birth control, I'm not sure how I feel. I guess if the control would prevent another abortion of a baby, then I think people could use it. My point on abortion is who knows what that lost child could have been: the next starring actor/actress in a huge blockbuster film, the next president, the next world-known artist that makes millions off of their masterpieces, or the next musician who's music is always on the Top 10 list. You will never know what your child could accomplish if you never give them a chance.

Answer 9

if you want to follow the Catholic religion, follow it.
don't try to change it , why follow something you do not believe in . If the catholics say abortion is wrong and you think other wise, then you are not a catholic. you wannna be Catholic follow the pope.
if you have the attitude that you do not want to be controlled by religion. why be religious.
all religion's are rather silly. Do you really need a group to tell you how to live your life. cant you do it on your own?

if you really want to find peace in your life. you don't need a Jesus or a Mohammad. all you have to do is live your life with integrity. something the Pope does not have. if the Pope truly had any integrity he would life a life the way Jesus did. instead he lives a life of a CEO of a major corporation and one that evades taxes. talk about being ethical.

Answer 10

yes

they're been touting the no sex outside marriage line for I don't know how long and no one listens to it. It's against human nature. besides which they spread lies about condoms which in countries like Africa were AIDS is endemic is just murder really.

The no abortion thing is just crazy. It's prioritising the life of a non person above the life of an actual living person. Does no one ever consider that someone choosing to have an abortion now may go on to have 2, 3 kids later on - but now wont? It;s especially insulting in cases where the pregnancy causes a threat to the womans life - again why does fetus take priority of over the life of someone who is already alive? Won't the aborted fetus get a one way ticket to heaven anyway? Also in case of rape. No the child if it were born isn't to blame, but that should be the choice of the woman. Not someone who thinks it's realistic to demand that adult men never have sex again.