(Culture of life vs. culture of death)
It does seem misunderstood, the position of the Church against contraceptive devices and abortion. The people and the legislators who push for the RH Bill that is open to such contraceptives and to abortion don’t seem to see our point. The position of the Church is precisely protecting the sacredness of life, even at its very initial stage of conception, plus protecting the potential life or possibility of life from any artificial blockages that hinder the merging of the male sperm and female ovum that normally would result in the conception of a human fetus. This is going against the very course of nature as God intended it at the time of creation. “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth and conquer it” (Gen. 1:28).
Where is the morality here? They keep on talking about problems of overpopulation, poverty, lack of classrooms, health problems of people, etc. But with all those problems, that doesn’t give you the right to terminate actual life or prevent the emergence of potential life. If everybody does so, that will lead to the extinction of the human race. Just open your eyes at places where the contraceptive mentality is rampantly implemented. Mostly you will see old people. That is why Europe in recent or modern times was being described – “the graying of Europe ”. Since the very start the Catholic Church has been opposed to the use of artificial contraceptives, most of which are abortifacient. And more so, from the time of the Encyclical Humanae Vitae (1968) of Pope Paul VI. That is not just, as some legislators tend to suppose, a stand of some conservative members of the Church, but the very official stand and teaching of the Catholic Church, because she stands for life – the first right of man.
We realize of course the temptation towards corruption and bribery, considering that sexual licentiousness has ever been a temptation to man and that produces a market for those devices that serve to hide immoralities or even marital infidelities. Hence you must have heard of money offers under the table, plus it does seem strategy of the bigger nations to control booming population of the third world.
I don't think that the issue about the church's stand against the use of artificial contraceptive is a misunderstood angle, it is just we have a different opinion regarding this matter. The church opposes RH bill no. 5043 because the church is against abortion, but in fact this bill actually prohibits abortion (sec 3 G-4 RH bill 5043). You said that the use of such contraceptive is going against God's intention(Gen 1:28). What part of Gen 1:28 covers potential life? The Bible (Rev 22:18) says "If anyone adds anything to them God will add to him the plagues describe in this book". It is explicitly stated in the Bible (Gen 1:28) the we should be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth and subdue it (not conquer it [please refer to the original manuscript]). This commandment was given to Adam and Eve. The reason for this command is because there's only the two of them at the time. Now that we are already over populated, we have to subdue it.
ReplyDeleteYour fear that the use of contraceptive will lead to human extinction is contrary to the doctrines of the Bible. 1 Thessalonians 4:17 stated "After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever", hence, no extinction will happen.
The Catholic church is the not the only one who wants to preserve life, true Christians share the same belief, however, how can we preserve life when we cannot control it anymore. Over population results to hunger, sickness and the spread of STDs (Aids/HIV). Eventually, the life that we are trying to preserve will also die due to this causes therefore we weren't able to obey God's commandment. And also, over population causes the deterioration of one's morality. You were looking for the morality behind the prevention of the emergence of the potential life but what you don't see is that people now a days are doing unimaginable things to other people just to survive (i.e. kidnapping kids to sell their internal organs, kidnapping kids to sell them to a prostition ring).