Comments on: Pre-Cana: Contraception

By: Melia

Melia — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 22:06:55 +0000

As with all Church teachings that go against simple common sense, my question is, “What exactly are they afraid of?” Perhaps that if people “contracept” (love that verb), they will…

a. decimate the army of tithing Catholics who beget more tithing Catholics.

b. prevent God from incarnating the next Einstein or Curie. Or the next Carrot Top.

c. begin to think that they have a mind of their own.

Face it, Catholic Church, contraception dates back to ancient times, and it ain’t going away any time soon.

By: Lisa

Lisa — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 23:58:49 +0000

as long as a kid has two non-gay, married, teenage parents, I don’t see what’s wrong.

By: Gillian

Gillian — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 18:38:07 +0000

Haha, I’m still laughing that “abstinent” is the word of the day. How appropriate.

I know, I get really upset and disheartened when I read stuff like this (and this is only the tip of the iceberg… I might have to do a follow-up post) and realize the Church is probably not going to change its stance in my lifetime.

Ide, I totally agree that people should want to be parents for the right reasons, not because of shame and guilt. It’s wrong to force people into having children when they don’t want them by portraying contraception as a tool of the devil. How is that good for parents or children?

By: Shannon

Shannon — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 18:34:07 +0000

One more thing. In response to Ide’s comment…I actually have an aunt and uncle who refuse to use contraception because of Catholic teaching. They have SEVEN children. Seven oblivious, sheltered, home schooled, ill-prepared-for-real-life-in-the-21st-century children. The only TV they were allowed to watch was Animal Planet, which was shut off because it shows animals copulating. Their oldest (20 years old) moved back home from college because she was too overwhelmed and is now marrying her high school boyfriend (the only boyfriend she’s ever had) because she has no idea what else could possibly be out there for her. Thanks, Catholicism.

By: Shannon

Shannon — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 18:26:19 +0000

This sort of bull is the exact reason I left the Catholic church and will never go back. More power to you for being able to agree to disagree – I’m not patient enough for that. My blood is boiling just reading this crap they drill into people.

By: Kathleen

Kathleen — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 18:12:46 +0000

So, I’m Catholic, yes. But I have a hard time answering these “simple” questions when they obviously are trying to insinuate that my car won’t run on molasses. It’s all so frustrating.

And Ide, though I will agree with you that the majority of Catholics are smart enough to form their own opinion on this matter, I hate to break it to you, but I know far too many people who believe we are all going to burn for disagreeing on this issue.

Oh and Gill… I think it’s kind of perfect that you post this today as the Word of the Day for Monday, January 5, 2009 is…

abstinent \AB-stuh-nuhnt\, adjective:

abstaining, especially from self-indulgence

By: Ide

Ide — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 00:37:53 +0000

Reading this stuff made me seethe. This is the most morally irresponsible text I have ever seen. Yes, please, bully people into having children before they can responsibly do so by telling them that their marriages will fail and they will go to hell if they use contraception.

The major problem I have with this particular lesson (besides the flawed logic that all of the questions are based on) is that it doesn’t take the physical and mental health of the parents or the children into account, and it’s enforced by an army of chaste people who will never know the struggles and heartache that can accompany marriage and parenthood. It makes me sick that the Catholic Church is still pushing this on young families everywhere. It would make me even angrier if people actually took this doctrine to heart, but luckily the vast majority of Catholics are sensible when it comes to this particular teaching.

I am all for people choosing not to use contraception and welcoming all the children they can conceive into their families, as long as they are doing it for the correct reasons. I understand that many people have deep-seated beliefs about contraception but religious bullying is not, in my opinion, a correct reason. Parenthood is such a beautiful thing for a couple to enter into that I really hate seeing it cast in this antagonistic light.

By: Lisa

Lisa — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 23:23:12 +0000

sweet baby god lord Jesus in heaven, I hope I don’t fall in love with someone whose family is hardcore Catholic. Molasses? Hall and …Oats? Pleasure food? Donkeyfucking?

I’m going to keep these lessons in mind next time I have a relationship problem. I’LL JUST GET KNOCKED UP AND IT’LL SOLVE EVERYTHING!

k I’m done.