Artificial Birth Control: What's So Bad About it?Here I will try to briefly touch on the reasons that the Catholic Church teaches that artificial birth control is wrong. God created us good, right? It says so, after all, in the Bible. Our bodies are an amazingly complex masterpiece in which everything has a purpose. We just don't always see it right away. The appendix is a good example. For decades doctors saw it as a useless organ and more than useless in that it would inflame in some people, causing infection and necessitating surgery to prevent death. Recently that belief was brought into question, as the appendix's role has been recognized as serving as a sort of storage area for good bacteria.Our reproductive system serves a purpose as well. It makes possible the continuation of the species homo sapiens. But for humans, unlike the animals, its function is much greater than that alone. It is the origin and foundation of the family, which is the foundation of society as a whole. It is within a committed relationship of love between a husband and a wife that children are best brought up, nurtured and prepared for their own place in society. In fact as Pope John Paul II noted, "As the family goes, so goes society." The family is the school of virtue. Healthy and virtuous families make for a healthy and just society. The Church teaches that there are two ends of the sexual act between a man and a woman: a unitive and a procreative end. The act of sexual intercourse increases the emotional bond between two people because of hormones secreted by the brain. It makes separation all the more painful. Which, by the way is another good reason to avoid premarital sex. Literally, hearts break when relationships fail. The procreative end refers to the begetting of offspring. Through the traditional Judeo-Christian lens, children have always been seen as a blessing. When God created mankind He told them to be fruitful and multiply. When a couple comes together in a free act of intercourse they know that there exists the possibility for a child. They become, in a sense co-creators with God. They cooperate with Him in their fertility. That is why the marital act is so sacred and holy, reserved only for married persons. It is within the context of a committed relationship between a man and a woman that a new soul whose destiny is eternal life with God might be created. Artificial birth control essentially says "no" both to God and to one's spouse. What was supposed to be an act of total self giving becomes a selfish act where one or both of the spouses holds something back from the other - and from God. It becomes a sterile act of mutual masturbation. This is why it is becoming increasingly more difficult for contracepting heterosexual persons to see anything wrong with homosexual sex. Both are sterile acts, their sole purpose being pleasure. When a couple marries within the Catholic Church they take several vows, one being that they will lovingly accept children from God. Now I have yet to witness a Catholic couple saying "no" to that vow. But yet I read in study after study that Catholic couples differ little from their Protestant and non-Christian neighbors in their use of contraception. Many practice artificial birth control, and you will often hear some say that they are "done" having children. I wonder, "Is God done?" If St. Catherine of Sienna's parents had stopped at 23 children they would have deprived the Church of an incredibly great saint. By no means am I saying that all parents should be striving to have 24 children. Just that as married persons we need to be more open to the possibility that God may want another child (or more) from us. And be mindful of the vows we made before God on our wedding day. In writing this I was going to put a picture on the page, so I did a Google search of images of contraception. I was disgusted by what I saw. One photo in particular expressed the irony and inane stupidity of contraception. An attractive man and woman were pictured sitting up in bed with the smiling woman holding up a condom to the man who happily looked at her. It was a ridiculous picture. Artificial birth control in effect erects a barrier between persons. It makes one look upon another not as beloved but as an object of pleasure. It is ultimately utilitarian, the seeing of others as means to our own ends. Sure, most people who contracept are not consciously aware of this, but that is because they have not experienced the difference that is the free gift of themselves without any reservations. In conclusion, I realize that this was an all too brief look at why the Church regards artificial birth control as objectively immoral. It leaves out the obvious ramifications that have resulted from the popularity of contraception on Western culture: STD's, abortion, divorce, pornography, and the acceptance of sexual deviancy. It also did not consider the method of family planning that, when used legitimately, the Church condones: natural family planning, or NFP. There are many resources available on the web where you can learn more about this. One More Soul.com is a great place to begin. Now, if your ideas on artificial birth control are at the opposite pole from the teachings of the Catholic Church, I don't exactly expect you to stand up and cheer for reading this, excitedly waiting for the chance to share the info with your spouse or boyfriend/girlfriend. That's because it will mean a totally different way of life for you. Often there is much fear here. Take heart. It is only by a special grace of God that people clearly see the truth and have the strength to immediately follow it. You must ask and put yourself in a position to receive the grace to live this teaching. This is done through prayer and the sacraments, especially the sacraments of Eucharist and Confession. We must actively work at aligning our will with God's will for us, casting off the old, sinful habits and allowing God to transform us. The resulting peace, joy and happiness that we gain will make us wonder why we ever hesitated.God bless you!
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