The Christian scriptures support family planning techniques such as contraception and abortion.

For the purposes of this debate, "God" shall mean the Christian deity. Also, this debate is about the Christian faith, not morality because, as we know, not everything that is written in the Bible is morally sound. So, to the debate: Many Christians, especially Catholics, believe that contraception and abortion are immoral acts - as Cardinal George Pell told a group of World Youth Day delegates: "abortion is a worse moral scandal than priests sexually abusing young people" (1); but this debate is not about morals, so what does the Bible say about family planning? Christians often point to the following verse as evidence that family planning is a sin: "But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his. So whenever he went in to his brother's wife he would spill his mess on the floor so as not to give offspring to his brother. And what he did was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and He put him to death also." Genesis 38:9 However, God was not angry because Onan pulled out on his vinegar strokes rather than go off inside her - the ancient method of contraception - it was because he refused to continue his brother's family line, and here are the verses that prove that: "Then Judah said to Onan, 'Have sex with your brother's wife and fulfil your duty to her as a brother-in-law to raise up offspring for your brother.'" Genesis 38:8 "The first son she bears shall carry on the name of the dead brother so that his name will not be erased from Israel." Deuteronomy 25:6 Furthermore, God even approves of killing foetuses in certain circumstances: "Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him." Numbers 31:15-17 You see, because some of the women God murdered would have been pregnant, their unborn children would have died with them. Furthermore, God also aborts the foetuses of people he doesn't like very much: "Even if they rear children, I will bereave them of every one. Woe to them when I turn away from them! But Ephraim will bring out his children for slaughter. Give them, O Lord-- what will You give? Give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts." Hosea 9:12-14 "Yea, though they bring forth, yet will I slay even the beloved fruit of their womb." Hosea 9:16 "Samaria shall become desolate; for she hath rebelled against her God: they shall fall by the sword: their infants shall be dashed in pieces, and their women with child shall be ripped up." Hosea 13:16 "The priest shall say unto the woman, The Lord make thee a curse and an oath among thy people, when the Lord doth make thy thigh to rot, and thy belly to swell. And this water that causeth the curse shall go into thy bowels, to make thy belly to swell, and thy thigh to rot: And the woman shall say, Amen, amen. And when he hath made her to drink the water, then it shall come to pass, that, if she be defiled, and have done trespass against her husband, that the water that causeth the curse shall enter into her, and become bitter, and her belly shall swell, and her thigh shall rot: and the woman shall be a curse among her people. And if the woman be not defiled, but be clean; then she shall be free, and shall conceive seed." Numbers 5:21-21, 27-28 In addition, God also murders newborn babies: "Because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die." 2 Samuel 12:14 Also, God commands that women who have sex outside marriage, some of whom may be pregnant, to be burned to death: "Tamar thy daughter in law hath played the harlot; and also, behold, she is with child by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt." Genesis 38:24 So, we can see that, although some of the Bible's teachings may be considered barbaric and immoral in these enlightened times, the Christian scriptures do support family planning techniques such as contraception and abortion. Thank you. (1) http://www.salon.com...