I understand why you can't use the pill, but what's wrong with condoms. I don't think the church can say, "No birth control," until there willing to put groceries on the table for us. My grandmother once told me, "The only reason the church said Catholics can't use birth control was to make more Catholics."

-- Chris Fox (martinaj@sprynet.com), January 07, 2001

Answers

Well your grandmother maybe believed this but that is not the reason. It's because it is against God's natural law. God provided humans with sexuality and provided us with a means to not reproduce by providing infertile times. It is just us humans that have grown to want what we want when we want it and nobody is going to stop me, I'm in control of this, attitude.

-- Br. Rich SFO (repsfo@prodigy.net), January 07, 2001.

Dear Chris Fox,
The current argument in society for the use of condoms is ''safe sex''. Maybe you're just a juvenile, and maybe not. But for your information, sex is never unsafe when it proceeds from love for a licit partner, that is a spouse-- one who by God's grace has maintained themselves uncorrupted and healthy.

You are yourself an offspring of this kind of sex. I'm assuming, as I must, that both of your parents had a moral and legal right to sex, one with the other. What aspect of this good sex was made ''unsafe'' by Our Creator? Why indeed was a condom invented at all, unless ''safe sex'' is equated with human vice? Let us say for argument's sake, a couple does not feel inclined to allow normal reproduction. Feminists today make a lot of noise about ''reproductive rights.''

There are methods of natural prevention, in those cases where our religion permits the avoidance for good reasons. The best is abstinence, it never has failed. You'll say, no-- that's too difficult. I would rather say, no-- your spouse deserves better than that.

Okay; there's periodic abstinence, or sexual union at the period less likely to result in conception. They once called that ''rhythm'', or natural birth control. Many good natured, decent people will laugh, even doctors; if you mention ''rhythm'' as birth control nowadays. I would like to know why, but they do. I do know this: the Pope would not laugh. The Pope would likely ask you, ''What is there wrong with allowing God to give you children? Are you against procreation as He meant it to be?''

He would further explain, there is no ''safe'' sex, and no ''unsafe'' sex. Sex isn't a sickness, it's a blessing given His children by God. Pregnancy is not a disease. It is dangerous, in rare cases, and there are expediencies for some cases, allowing prevention. But condoms are offensive and impure as a remedy for any true problem. Just remember-- God is not mocked or toyed with. All who have gone their way without Him in the matter of sex will someday see their grave error.

-- eugene c. chavez (chavezec@pacbell.net), January 10, 2001.

Dear Chris:

I think it interesting that you think the pill is bad, but not condoms. I think it would be hypocritical of the Church to forbid one mechanical form of birth control over another.

Also, I read an article in the paper about STD's. There are lots of really disgusting diseases you can get that CANNOT BE PREVENTED with a condom. Some are untreatable. I'm not saying you need that warning, but somebody out there might.

Condoms can also leak. I have heard that the "cycle" method is not only the Church-approved, but also the most reliable way (well, short of surgery).

Your grandmother's quote, though rather appealing to my often irreverent sense of humor is a bit mistaken. The Popes who have spoken against birth-control have offered a number of reasons against it, but the main idea is that it demeans life and would lead to disrespect of children and babies, that they would be seen as inconveniences rather than gifts from God.

- Hannah

-- Hannah (archiegoodwin_and_nerowolfe@hotmail.com), January 20, 2001.