IS CONTRACEPTIVE A SIN
A PRESENTATION AT THE 2017 PARISH BIBLE WEEK OF St. GERALD MAJELA CATHOLIC CHURCH, JAKANDE OJO, LAGOS, ORGANIZED BY HER CATHOLIC BIBLICAL INSTRUCTIONS UNION.
IS CONTRACEPTIVE A SIN?
One would start by asking how did we get to this shameful tragedy? Why should one engage in a discuss like this that seem as if we are debating between PLEASURE and PIETY?
It is observed from the question that the crisis of IT IS NORMAL THING AND EVERYONE IS DOING IT way of life is fast overtaking our Faith. As Fulton Sheen puts it ” the greatest evil committed against mankind is not SIN but the denial of the existence of Sin”
CAUSES.
Before 1930, Christians all over the world rejected contraceptives with the reason that is sinful.
At 7th LAMBERT CONFERENCE in 1930, the Anglican Church and Protestants accepted contraceptives, only the Catholics stood against it and it got blown up in America in 1960.
The Pontifical Council on Family in 1995 said “In the past, even when the Family did not provide specific sexual Education, the general culture was permeated by respect for fundamental values and hence served to protect and maintain them. In the greater part of the Society, both in developed and developing Countries, the decline of Traditional models has left Children deprived of consistent and positive guidiance, while Parents find themselves unprepared to provide adequate answers. This new context is made worse by what we call ECLIPSE OF THE TRUTH about Man which, among other things, exert pressure and reduce sex to something common place.
In this area, the Society and the Mass Media in most of the time provide depersonalized recreational and often pessimistic information. Moreover, this information does not take into account the different stages of formation and development of the Children and young people and It is influenced by the distorted individualistic concept of freedom, in an ambience lacking the basic values of life, human love and the family”.
The government has baptised contraceptives and renamed it birth control leaving the people with the choice of anyone that soothes you adopt. Health personels are trained in this regards and empowered with the tools of pictures, drugs and devices to achieve this aim.
CONTRACEPTIVES
This is a method, practice, drugs or device protecting a woman from becoming pregnant. Another name to it birth control or fertility Control. Below is the role of CONTRACEPTIVE;
1, To prevent an egg from being released every month in a woman.
2, To stop the hormones in charge temporarily or permently from functioning.
3, To create a barrier that the sperm released can not reach the egg.
4, To sterilize the procreation organs in man and woman.
5, To block the fertilized egg from implanting in the uterus.
SIN
Only the light of divine revelation clarifies the reality of Sin and particularly of the sin committed at mankind’s origin. Without the knowledge of revelation gives of God we can not recognize Sin clearly and are tempted to explain it as merely a developmental flaws, a psychological weakness, a mistake, or necessary consequence of an adequate social structure, etc. Only in the knowledge of God’s plan for man can we grasp that sin an ABUSE OF THE FREEDOM THAT GOD GIVES TO CREATED PERSONS so they are capable of loving Him and loving one another. – CCC 387.
Sin is present in human history and any attempt to ignore it or to give this dark reality other names would be futile. To try to understand what sin is, one must first recognize the profound revelation of Man to God, for by only in this relationship is the evil of sin unmasked in its true identify as humanity of Humanity rejection of God and opposition to Him, even as it continues to weigh heavy on human life and history. – CCC 386
Sin is an utterance, a deed, or a desire contrary to the eternal law. It is an offence against God. It rise up against God in disobedience contrary to the obedience of Christ. Sin is an act contrary to reason. It wounds Man’s nature and injures human solidarity. – CCC 1871-72.
In summary, sin is a transgression of law of the divine command; any violation of God’s will, either in purpose or conduct; or moral deficiency in the character; iniquity;as sin of commission or omission.
WHY CATHOLIC CHURCH REJECT CONTRACEPTIVES.
1, ANTI-NATURAL LAW.
The most holy place on Earth is the ALTAR where the Eucharist is consecrated – the second most holy place is the Woman’s body since it is from there that new immortal souls spring forth.
Procreation organs are naturally for procreation and so, to frustrate their activities through interruptus or is a gravely sinful. Experience and reason have proved that this act often results to infection, sickness, sterility, deformity and death. Hormonal contraceptives place users on risk of having breast cancer – Sarah Boseley, Health Editor Vanguard Newspaper 6th December, 2017.
Denmark Scientist reported that women who rely on birth control pills and IUD’s that releases hormones face higher risk of cancer and face small but significant increase in the risk of breast cancer according to a large study published on Wednesday, 6th December with New York Times.
Study has also upheld that condom does not guarantee protection from infection and some case does not stop conception.
2, ANTI-MARRIAGE.
The word matrimony a Latin word MATRI MONUS;
MATRI – of a mother.
MONUS – gift, duty or office.
MATRI MONUS – DUTY, GIFT or OFFICE of MOTHERHOOD.
The matrimonial covenant by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life, is by it’s nature ordered towards the good of the spouses and the procreation and the education of the offspring; this covenant between baptised persons has been raised by Christ the Lord to the dignity of a SACRAMENT. – CCC – 1601, CAN 1055.
Marriage is not a platform for fun seekers. Sex is not for unmarried ones neither are married ones sex machines. A Christian wife is exhorted to possess Faith and Love and Holiness with modesty but her personal sacrifice of bearing Children is esteemed as greatest response to the grace of God in her life. The emphasis on the gift of life and rules and norms for protecting it are essential Catholic moral teaching.
Psalm 126:3-5 and CCC 2373 stresses that that babies are gifts from God not curse while 1Tim. 2:15 challenges women to faithfully handle this task as it determines the salvation of the family.
3, ANTI-DECALOGUE.
The activities of CONTRACEPTION are in one way or another contrary to the Tenets of God, example;
A, When one gives in to CONTRACEPTIVES it becomes idolatry confirm CCC 2113 which is against the first law.
B, WEB OF EVIL.
Adultery, Pornography, Fornication, Prostitution, Lust, Rape, Masturbation etc are actions contradicting the Fifth Commandment.
As St. Augustine would say that the use of the CONTRACEPTIVES among couples makes the man an ADULTERER and the woman a HARLOT because they were seduced to COME TOGETHER but not JOINED TOGETHER in matrimony.
C, ANTI-LIFE.
The case of Onan in Genesis 38:9-10 is an example of killing. CCC 2268 guards against any conspiracy, direct or indirect to terminate life. Abortion is evil as life begins in the womb (CCC 2270). This is the sixth commandment.
D, INDUCES COVETOUSNESS (9th Commandment)
“In truth all men know that they who under the power of this disease (sin of COVETOUSNESS) are wearied even of their fathers old age (wishing him die so they can inherit) and that which is sweet and universally desirable, the having children, they esteem grievious and unwelcome. Many at least with their views have paid money to be childless and mutilated nature not only killing the new born but even acting to prevent their beginning to live” – St. John Chrystostom Mt5: 27-28 AD391.
E, SHORT CUT TO HELL.
St. Paul exhorts the people Galatians against this, among other sinful dispositions (Gal5:19-21). Also, St. John in the book of Revelation 9:20-21 see these actions as the activities of the unrepentant heart who abusing the grace of God.
F, IGNITES SEXUAL REVOLUTION.
When a man is bent to satisfy the desires of the flesh, it is possible that he or she must loose sense of the creator. Moreso, where there is a deviation from the traditional model of life self control and self mastery will diffuse in the air. If sex is defined in the line of pleasure and satisfaction then, we in for self destruction.
At present, language is becoming sexy, feelings sexy which will give rise to a sexy conscience;
I, Some can go naked to express themselves.
ii, Some go out for fulfillment even if it means divorce.
iii, Some can have sex anywhere, anytime they want with or without human being.
Contraception is a gateway to sexual irresponsibility which is responsible for the crisis in the home, deformed career, insecurity, Laziness, abortion, feminism, unplanned Family size, poverty, sickness etc. There is a race of class suicidal!
CONCLUSION.
“Period continence, that is, the method of birth regulation based on self observation and use of fertile period, are inconformity with the objective criteria of morality. These methods respect the bodies of the spouses, encourage tenderness between them and favours the education of an authentic freedom” In contrast “every action which, whether in anticipation of the conjugal act or in its accomplishment, or its development of it’s natural consequence, purposes, whether as an end or as a means to render procreation impossible is intrinsically evil. – CCC 2370.
We are not animals rather human beings we are; creatures of God, who are people of intergrity and intergrality.
All know CONTRACEPTIVES methods are harmful especially to females. – Dr. Fredrick McLann (Gynaecologist).
Emeka J. Ogbu.
Vice Chairman
Parish Laity Council
St. Patrick Catholic Church, Alaba Ojo Lagos.
