Comments on: More Religion and Contraception http://www.nowrench.com/crimson/2007/02/21/more-religion-and-contraception/ Life Uncalibrated Mon, 28 May 2012 11:04:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: crimsonc http://www.nowrench.com/crimson/2007/02/21/more-religion-and-contraception/#comment-6 crimsonc Wed, 28 Feb 2007 07:04:13 +0000 http://crimson.nowrench.com/2007/02/21/more-religion-and-contraception/#comment-6 I was using evangelical in what has become the current American use of the word, which is to refer (somewhat incorrectly) to the right-wing Christian movement in this country. The term evangelical is almost never used to refer to mainstream Lutheran and Presbyterians in America, as opposed to Europe. Although there are Lutheran groups with the word evangelical in their name, which don't actually fit the modern conception of Evangelical. Irregardless, I agree that a majority of 'mainstream' Christian religions in America are in favor of birth control. And actually, I'll have to admit that it seems that more of the right-wing fundamentalist churches are ambivalent on at least some form of contraception in marriage (although many only advocate NFP) than I originally thought. And then there are movements like Quiverful, which are fiercely against birth control. I've been doing too much reading of conservative Christian statements on teaching birth control in schools which lead to the false assumption that they were anti birth-control in general. Given that it appears that his church does not prohibit birth control, it does rather make the end of the post rather irrelevant to this particular situation from a religious institution point-of-context. The question still stands about whether actions that hurt his family are part of god's will, but I'm glad that that is question he is attempting to answer on his on. I was using evangelical in what has become the current American use of the word, which is to refer (somewhat incorrectly) to the right-wing Christian movement in this country. The term evangelical is almost never used to refer to mainstream Lutheran and Presbyterians in America, as opposed to Europe. Although there are Lutheran groups with the word evangelical in their name, which don’t actually fit the modern conception of Evangelical.

Irregardless, I agree that a majority of ‘mainstream’ Christian religions in America are in favor of birth control. And actually, I’ll have to admit that it seems that more of the right-wing fundamentalist churches are ambivalent on at least some form of contraception in marriage (although many only advocate NFP) than I originally thought. And then there are movements like Quiverful, which are fiercely against birth control.

I’ve been doing too much reading of conservative Christian statements on teaching birth control in schools which lead to the false assumption that they were anti birth-control in general.

Given that it appears that his church does not prohibit birth control, it does rather make the end of the post rather irrelevant to this particular situation from a religious institution point-of-context. The question still stands about whether actions that hurt his family are part of god’s will, but I’m glad that that is question he is attempting to answer on his on.

]]> By: Jessica http://www.nowrench.com/crimson/2007/02/21/more-religion-and-contraception/#comment-5 Jessica Wed, 28 Feb 2007 00:47:47 +0000 http://crimson.nowrench.com/2007/02/21/more-religion-and-contraception/#comment-5 You said "since evangelical Christianity is pretty black and white when it comes to things like contraception, I really don’t see how he expects anyone to find a resolution to this problem." I don't think this is actually true. Catholics are the only ones that I know of who have a policy on this. I think Lutherans and Presbyterians are slightly more toward the "no birth control" side... but pretty much everyone else in the evangelical community leaped for joy when the pill was introduced. It became the assumed thing... most couples now plan to wait for 3-5 years before having kids. The only way to do that with raging hormones and sex drives going 90 to nothin is to have contraception and plenty of it. I think your statement though, is just the opposite of the problem- it has been pretty one-dimensional. There has been no debate. Catholic policy was seen as kooky, most Catholics don't actually follow it, and everybody else was choosing from the myriad options at the drug store (i.e., Elaine and her sponge on Seinfeld). Only recently has there been strong debate, and that's why so many young evangelical Christians who heartily want to live by the Bible have been asking questions about the use of contraceptives. They never heard anything about it and are now debating it for themselves. You said “since evangelical Christianity is pretty black and white when it comes to things like contraception, I really don’t see how he expects anyone to find a resolution to this problem.”

I don’t think this is actually true. Catholics are the only ones that I know of who have a policy on this. I think Lutherans and Presbyterians are slightly more toward the “no birth control” side… but pretty much everyone else in the evangelical community leaped for joy when the pill was introduced. It became the assumed thing… most couples now plan to wait for 3-5 years before having kids. The only way to do that with raging hormones and sex drives going 90 to nothin is to have contraception and plenty of it.

I think your statement though, is just the opposite of the problem- it has been pretty one-dimensional. There has been no debate. Catholic policy was seen as kooky, most Catholics don’t actually follow it, and everybody else was choosing from the myriad options at the drug store (i.e., Elaine and her sponge on Seinfeld). Only recently has there been strong debate, and that’s why so many young evangelical Christians who heartily want to live by the Bible have been asking questions about the use of contraceptives. They never heard anything about it and are now debating it for themselves.

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