From: maridai@comm.mot.com (Marida Ignacio)
Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian
Subject: Re: Non-procreative sex (LONG)
Date: 7 Jan 93 06:40:36 GMT
Organization: trunking_fixed

I had been a passive reader of this newsgroup for a while
and I decided to share something about the Roman Catholic
religion's stand on the subject of non-procreative sex and
in particular, the use of *unnatural birth control* devices.
Last year, I was in a similar discussion in another
newsgroup (soc.culture.filipino) but the line of thought
in the discussion was on a different trend.  I am qouting
what I posted where the trend of thought sort of merges
with what this thread has come to or maybe has digressed
which is about the prohibition of the use of *unnatural
birth control* devices.

Start of qoute:
------------
   In article 4792, soc.culture.filipino:
   From: maridai@ecs.comm.mot.com (Marida Ignacio)
   Subject: >>> FREE References for Everyone <<<

   Last Weekend, I went out of my way and exerted a little effort
   to research at the library about somethings that may be interesting
   to anybody.  I vaguely remember that we (in my h.s. lessons) referred
   to this as our reference then.

   VATICAN COUNCIL II - Volumn II
   General Editor, Austin Flannery, O.P.                                

   (D = Document)                                                       

    [stuff deleted]
                                                                        
   2.  D.102  Encyclical Letter on the Regulation of Births             
           Paul VI, Humanae Vitae, 25 July 1968                         
                                                                        
   I remember this very well as being referred to by the nun in our sex 
   education class where we also studied about unnatural birth control gadgets.
   This document mentions what I alluded before as:                     
                                                                        
   {     Marida:                                                        
                             Otherwise, everything is just going        
         to be tooooo darn easy...as:                                   
                                                                        
         Abort, Retry, Ignore, Fail: a <cr>                             
         That goes for divorce too.  Haaayyy...no more challenge.       
   }
                                                                        
   If it were easy to rape wives/women without these devices, it would be MORE
   easier and demeaning to women to be classified as mere objects (SAFER too,
   for that matter) of male lust or satisfaction.                       
                                                                        
   Here is an actual qoute:                                             
                                                                        
   Section 17 (in this document) - Grave Consequences of Artificial Birth
   Control.                                                             
                                                                        
   ...Let them first consider how easily this course of action can lead to the
   way being wide open to marital infidelity and a general lowering of moral
   standards.  Not much experience is needed to be fully aware of human weakness
   and to understand that men - and especially the young, who are so exposed to
   temptation - need (these) INCENTIVES to keep the moral law, and it is an evil
   thing TO MAKE IT EASY FOR THEM (intensions?) to break that law.  Another effect
   that gives cause for alarm is that a man who grows accustomed to the use of
   contraceptive methods may forget the REVERENCE DUE TO A WOMAN (where did
   somebody said that the Church treats women as second class?), and, disregard
   her physical and emotional equilibrium, reduce her to being a mere instrument  
   for the satisfaction of his own desires, no longer considering her as his   
   PARTNER (see?) whom he should surround with care and affection.      
------------ end qoute

I know a lot has read the above Vatican II document.  A lot too
interpretes every word *too literally* from the Scriptures based on such
comments as:

 1)
 |In article <Jan.5.03.23.06.1993.882@geneva.rutgers.edu> pmoloney@maths.tcd.ie (Paul Moloney) writes:
 |
 | >Also, it would preclude any sexual intercourse between a couple where one
 |>or both are infertile. Which, because of the RC rules of marriage, would
 |>mean that an infertile person could never marry, as they could never
 |>consummate the relationship.

 ...
 etc.


In simple terms, I would acknowledge Vatican II Council's concern as:

The whole point is YOUR MOTIVE behind doing sex with a partner or
using unnatural birth control devices:
Is it lust?  Is it abusive?  Is it irresponsible?  A bad example of
Christian moral life?  Would the end result/consequence lead you or
your partner to another complexity?  Would these gadgets promote
high sexual activeness to the youth and innocent and less self-disciplined,
self-controlled or unwise individual?  All the gadgets have an
answer of YES (intentionally or not at a certain point) to the questions 
above, all right!

The main point is conscientiousness, righteousness, motives, consequences
to you or others of the act or use of device and NOT REALLY THE USE OF PILL, 
IUD, CONDOM, ETC.  People tend to be unconscientious nowadays and these
acts and use of devices becomes too abusive and that is the main concern
of the Catholic Church but she is continuing to appeal to science to
find a much more natural and better means that would not result to
addiction, too automatic without conscientiousness, abuse, etc. 

Still not clear?  I can only suggest more deeper reflections......
and prayer for enlightenment.
   
-Marida (maridai@ecs.comm.mot.com)