contraception

cor_unam,

What I've found in other discussions, primarily, is that since there is nothing explicit in Scriptures against contraception (especially in modern forms), then it's morally acceptable.

Of course, this makes little to no sense, and it is indeed a loophole for people to follow through with selfishness in their sex lives.

 

What does this mean?

Does it mean you only have sex with your husband/wife(don't who you are, covering the bases) when you want to reproduce, and no other time?

 

What does this mean?

Does it mean you only have sex with your husband/wife(don't who you are, covering the bases) when you want to reproduce, and no other time?</font>[/QUOTE]Katie,

Do some research on Natural Family Planning (good research, not a five minute Internet search), and do some serious thinking on what it teaches.

It does not involve only having sex when you want to reproduce. It involves, when having sex, being open to the Lord's gift of children to married couples. This involves abstainance during a woman's fertile period, and simply being open to reproduction (however unlikely) without contraceptives for the rest of the month.

It means not telling God, "I'm not going to have children," instead of saying and killing the procreative element of sex altogether instead of having a natural, sexual relationship.

 

Of course by now you've realized that going with extra-Biblical sources and the teachings of men "makes little to no sense" from our perspective.

 

Clint,

Where is abortion spoken of in the Bible?

 

Abortion is murder, plain and simple. If God wants a woman to get prgnant, He can certainly circomnavigate any form of contraception, even down to cases of tubal ligation.

The closest I've seen to abortion being mentioned in the Bible is in Amos 1:13 where God promises wrath against Ammon because they "ripped open the pregnant women of Gilead."

 

Another parallel to abortion in the scriptures is in Exodus 1 where Pharaoh orders that the male Jewish babies be thrown into the Nile. It's kind of an after the fact abortion technique.

 

Clint,

I know many people and many denominations that don't agree with you. Abortion is murder...at what stage? Where is this Biblically defined so that we can know for sure? You do realize that some contraceptive pills prevent a FERTILIED EGG from joining with the lining of the womb...abortion, if you believe the soul is present that early.

But of course, none of this is Biblically defined. You believe it's murder. The ELCA church, in some cases, will pay for the abortions of it's ministers/their wives.

Where do you draw the line? Where is the Scriptural basis?

 

Again, God can go right past that. Do you think God is not bigger than a pill?

 

Likewise, when I jump out of airplanes, I intend to be open to the Lord's gift of finally joining my ancestors in Heaven; and will consequently not use a parachute.

If we believe that God wants us to take no precautions because of God's absolute control over life and death, why take any precautions at all? Why abstain during the fertile period?

Joshua

 

"The ELCA church, in some cases, will pay for the abortions of it's ministers/their wives."

Wow! I don't even know what the ELCA church is, and I find this appalling!

 

This analogy doesn't work. Teasing death and bringing life are the exact opposite. Contraceptives are not for precaution, but rather to prevent having children. If you are using contraceptives as precaution, I question: are you married when you're having this sex? If not, I think you would know of any dangers or lack there of, and therefore contraceptives aren't needed.

Again, this analogy doesn't work at all, Reverend.

 

Again, God can go right past that. Do you think God is not bigger than a pill?</font>[/QUOTE]Clint,

God is capable of anything. God overcomes sin in our lives. Does that make contraception NOT a sin, though? Your argument here does not prove it.

 

ELCA = Evangelical Lutheran Church of America.

I don't mean to speak negatively of the Church; this is just something they can/have done. And it's not for any case; of course, it's for the sensative cases that any Christian who approves of circumstantial abortion approves of.

If an ECLA wishes to challenge me on this, by all means, do. I don't want to speak incorrectly of them. To my knowledge, though, this has happened before.

 

I just wanted to jump in and say that I think that only the ELCA thinks abortion is ok. The rest of the Lutheran churches condemn it as murder.

 

Back to the whole contraception thing…I know Protestants believe in sola scriptura, so I’ll start off with a bible verse that condemns contraception.

”Onan, however, knew that the descendants would not be counted as his; so whenever he had relations with his brother's widow, he wasted his seed on the ground, to avoid contributing offspring for his brother. What he did greatly offended the LORD, and the LORD took his life too.”
Gen. 38, 9-10

It wasn’t the adultery that God was angered over as much as it was Onan’s act of sex for his personal desires and ignoring the consequences. Even the Protestant's main man Martin Luther, considered it a sin "worse than adultery or incest" (Commentary on Genesis)

Sex is meant for two things, both of which are part of the sacrament of marriage. It is meant to bring the man and wife as one and to procreate...it’s just lucky that it also happens to feel (really) good. God gave us the gift of sex to “Be fruitful, multiply and fill the earth." Contraception (and abortion) go directly against this…it’s to turn sex into something selfish. I see it as being similar to suicide...life is the most precious gift God gives us – that is why it’s wrong to end life. Sex is another great gift we were given, and contraception goes directly against this.

 

Onan's act wasn't adultery. He was commanded to go unto his brother's wife, by Judah, & "bring forth a son". This was the custom in the Ancient Near East, & was later incorporated into Mosaic law(Deut 25:5-10). Onan knew the child would have been Er's so he decided to spill it on the ground. The act of spilling his seed was the offense. The act of marrying Tamar was a command.

 

The question, then, is what is the difference between spilling seed and using contraceptives? I'm hard-pressed to find one.

 

I'm not going to offer on that, I was just pointing out that Onan wasn't an adulterer.