Goal and Spirit of this Discussion

1. Goal and Spirit of this Discussion • Deal with an extremely difficult and personal topic • Help each other come closer to truth • Share information • Not try to force views on others • Avoid lengthy debates in the large group

2. Church Position • Catechism: 2370 Periodic continence, that is, the methods of birth regulation based on self-observation and the use of infertile periods, is in conformity with the objective criteria of morality.158 These methods respect the bodies of the spouses, encourage tenderness between them, and favor the education of an authentic freedom. In contrast, "every action which, whether in anticipation of the conjugal act, or in its accomplishment, or in the development of its natural consequences, proposes, whether as an end or as a means, to render procreation impossible" is intrinsically evil:159 • Humanae Vitae: (14) Equally to be condemned, as the magisterium of the Church has affirmed on many occasions, is direct sterilization, whether of the man or of the woman, whether permanent or temporary. (15) Similarly excluded is any action which either before, at the moment of, or after sexual intercourse, is specifically intended to prevent procreation—whether as an end or as a means. (16)

3. Brief NFP Background • Based on periodic abstinence during a woman’s fertile phases, usually 7 to 10 days per month • Uses up to 3 physiological indicators—not the same as the old and discredited “rhythm method” • Depending on which study you believe, method effectiveness is between 80% and 99%; everyone agrees it is variable with the couple’s degree of care in following the rules

4. Artificial contraception can: Eliminate inhibitions resulting from fear of pregnancy Allow intercourse to occur more frequently Reduce the number of children and thus the work and responsibility of raising them Contraceptive sex is less satisfying—sex is more special when it is less frequent Periods of abstinance enhance communication and intimacy in non-sexual ways Divorce rate of NFP users is low—only 3.6% according to one study(1) Spouses are less likely to use each other as objects for pleasure The Relationship DebateDoes Artificial Contraception Aid or Hinder a Loving Relationship?

5. Medicine makes many changes in the way the body operates, why not alter fertility? “Natural Law” is an unproven and theoretical argument, not useful to deal with real-world issues such as contraception Tampering with the proper and healthy functioning of any body part is against God’s creative will Contraception separates the natural connection between the unitive and procreative functions of sex Natural Law

6. Onan is slain by God for disobeying the Levirite law by not providing an heir for his brother’s wife Onan is slain for the sin of coitus interruptus--contraception The Biblical EvidenceGenesis 38, the Case of Onan 6 Judah got a wife for Er, his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. 7 But Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the LORD's sight; so the LORD put him to death. 8 Then Judah said to Onan, "Lie with your brother's wife and fulfill your duty to her as a brother-in-law to produce offspring for your brother." 9 But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his; so whenever he lay with his brother's wife, he spilled his semen on the ground to keep from producing offspring for his brother. 10 What he did was wicked in the LORD's sight; so he put him to death also.

7. Childbearing places a heavy burden on the mother’s health Fewer children leads to healtheir women Most methods of artificial contraception are unhealthy to use Some studies show a link between lower breast cancer rates and earlier childbearing age Health Arguments

8. The Earth’s resources are limited Particularly in industrialized countries, each child consumes a high quantity of resources Having fewer children ensures that those that are born will enjoy better living conditions and will not damage the Earth Countries which use contraception heavily such as those in Western Europe are suffering population declines The US only avoids this by importing people from other areas People don’t just consume resources, they also develop new resources and better ways to use the existing ones Contraception is evolutionarily mal-adaptive Population Growth Arguments

9. Contraception ensures that fewer “unwanted” babies will be born The rate of unwed births has gone from 4% in the 1950s to 25% in the 1990s(2) Every Child a Wanted Child

10. Contraception reduces need for abortion Contraception in practice increases the number of abortions Sex takes place much more often People who become pregnant on birth control feel they had a right to enjoy sex without pregnancy Some forms of contraception including the Pill, other hormonal methods, and IUDs actually function in some cases by inducing a very early abortion Contraception and Abortion

11. Contraceptive Sex Separates pleasure of sex from natural consequences of sex Allows more pleasure from sex Frees one from inhibitions about having sex Condoned by our culture Bulimia Separates pleasure of eating from natural consequences of eating Allows more pleasure from eating Frees one from inhibitions about eating Proscribed by our culture and labelled a disease A Counter-exampleWhat is the difference between contraceptive sex and bulimia (aka “binging and purging”?

12. Citations • Rossini, Ellen. “Are You Man Enough to Take the NFP Challenge?” Columbia. Knights of Columbus. July, 2002, Vol. 82, No.7, p.18 • Maley, Barry. “Crime, Violence, and the Australian Family” Center for Independent Studies, Sydney, 1996, p 25.