A birth control anniversary: 7-25-08

STANDING AGAINST RELIGIOUS VIOLENCE

The president of Malaysia has done what political leaders who are Muslims should be doing everywhere -- denouncing violence and extremism committed in the name of religion. No doubt he and some people from other faiths might disagree about who is being violent to whom, but this is the kind of general principle that people in the West would like to see from Muslims more often.

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HUMANAE VITAE IS 40

On this date 40 years ago, Pope Paul VI (depicted here) published an encyclical called Humanae Vitae in which he condemned artificial methods of birth control.

In many ways, it was a surprising paper, especially given the fact the Pontifical Commission appointed five years earlier to study the subject had recommended that the church approve contraception in certain circumstances.

But the pope said no. In turn, many Catholics, especially in the United States, ignored him. In some ways, this encyclical undercut the authority of the church in the eyes of the faithful, many of whom viewed the ban on contraception as a discredited idea.

The most lucid critic of this action that I've read is Garry WIlls, the Catholic author of many books. The one in which he deals with Humanae Vitae is Papal Sin: Structures of Deceit.

Once the encyclical was issued, Wills reports, "Catholics responded with an unparalled refusal to submit. Polls registered an instant noncompliance with the encyclical. At a previously scheduled Catholic festival of devout young Germans at Essen, a resolution that those attending could not obey the encyclical passed through a crowd of four thousand with only ninety opposing votes. A simultaneous poll among German Catholics at large found that 68 percent of them thought the Pope was wrong on contraception. Similar findings rolled in from around the world."

Since then, of course, bishops and priests have been in the unenviable position of having to defend a position that many of them disagree with. And, of course, many Catholics have continued to ignore the ban on artifcial contraception.

But as Wills points out in his book, once a religious structure, such as the Vatican, makes an error, it seems next to impossible for anyone in authority to admit it and reverse it. This applies to faith communities well beyond Catholicism, but Wills' book describes in painful detail how all of this has worked in Catholicism.

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P.S.: The other day here on the blog, I wrote about the St. Bernard Project just outside New Orleans -- an effort to help St. Bernard Parish recover from the flood after Hurricane Katrina. Well, NPR's "All Things Considered" did a piece about that subject yesterday. To hear it, click here and look for the link to the Katrina story.

To read my latest Kansas City Star work, click here. (My column tomorrow was written from New Mexico and tries to explore the experience of both the presence and the absence of God.)

Comments

[Joe Barone]

Humanae Vitae reminds us all again of the concept that in some permutations of religion (not just Roman Catholicism) one man is believed to have the right to issue binding long-term commands on behalf of God. And in modern Roman Catholicism it is always a supposedly celibate man. I grew up as a Catholic and I marvel at how long I accepted the doctrine of the infallibility of the pope without even thinking about it.

On the other hand, in Protestantism it seems as if it is every man (sometimes every person) for himself. And sometimes that leads to particular human beings (bishops, strong leaders like James Dobson and Jerry Falwell, or the particular opinion molders in your own congregation) taking over and demanding full power too.

For me personally the most sensible way to deal with this is to view all leadership in light of the two great commandments. Even if you see Jesus as no more than a great Jewish teacher, you can still believe there is eternal wisdom at the heart of his Bible (the Old Testament)and in the love he teaches.

[Dolores Lear]

"In the beginning", God created Adam. and using Adam's Rib, supernaturally reproduced Female/Eve, by High Tech Science, not Heterosexual Body Birth. They were Brother/Sister Clones. They were a New Colony, not just two Humans that Evolved.

The Colony reproduced Inbred Body Birth Children, Cain, Abel, Seth, and Daughters, and the Humans at Nod. All Humans since, have been born by the Original Sin of Heterosexual Body Birth.

Humans Know Brothers/Sisters, Cousins, should not marry, and have children. Humans Know today, how to Clone Male and Female Clones, but do not have the High Tech Womb as yet.

Humans have used their sexual reproductive members, for pleasure sex, which reproduced many unwanted children. Human Inequality, Inhumanity, and Killing resulted.

Females use all types of birth control, sponges, and all types of protection, plus the male withdrawing before ejaculation, to prevent child birth.

High Tech Science, has many types of seed reproduction controls, plus operations to tie the male and female tubes, which does not interfere with their pleasure sex.

Most Fallen Human explanations since the Sexual Revolution for pleasure sex, the past 100 years, are that God created the sex organs for reproduction 'and' pleasure.

In the Old Testament, it is recorded that it was a sin, for the Jewish male to waste his seed on the ground. The Catholic Church is also against male ejaculation and contraception, but, came up with the Rhythm Method for Pleasure Sex Birth Control.

The Pleasure Sex Revolution, for 100 years, has resulted in a population explosion from 1 billion in 1900, to 7 billion in 2011.

High Tech Science Reproduction 'can' reproduce Humans with 'All' Flesh Lust Controls. Heterosexual Body Birth has, All Flesh Lust Births. The Result, Pollution and Nuclear Bombs on Land and Sea.

[Just Thinking]

Popes dominating sexual function has been about control from the very beginning. The Popes wanted Catholic numbers to increase; they wanted huge families. So they wanted control over sexual function of adherents. And they also did not want any particular family to become dominant in the Church; so they banned Priests from marrying. It served a dual purpose of relieving the Catholic Church of the costs of supporting a Priest's family. It's all about control and dominance. Nothing else.

The problem with the Catholic Church's total domination of sexual function is this: abused become abusers. The Church demands celibacy for the Priests and they become abusers, where they try to demand control over the sexual functions of children. Abused become abusers.

Make no mistake about it: rape of children or anyone else is a control thing. It is about establishing dominance and control. This is precisely why the Priests in the Catholic Church act out the way that they do. They're lashing out in the same bad manner that they are treated. Homosexual rape was an ancient way that some conquering armies would completely disgrace their opponents and establish total dominance. This is how sick Catholic Priests act out, too.

The servile behavior of Catholics in accepting such nonsense from the Pope is quickly coming to an end. People simply will not accept the Dark Ages mentality of pretty little Popes in ruby red slippers. Ancient garb and incense are no substitute for thinking. The days of extreme servile behavior of people toward religious leadership is quickly ending. That is the same ridiculous, wrongheaded religious 'worship' that has produced the worst holy wars to date, including 9/11. Forced servile bowing to Mecca with derrier toward heaven is also only about control.

[Dolores Lear]

Does Pride in a God, Stand in the Way of Combating Religious Violence?

1John 2-15,16. KJV. "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world."

Lust of the Flesh and Lust of the Eyes, is because of Heterosexual Body Birth Reproduction, that has no control of our Genetics, of those that succeed over their Brothers/Sisters of Life, get 'Pride' that the Father rewards them with More Material 'things', even though many Rich Humans do not accept the Religious Father.

Material 'thing's and Excessive Owned God's Resources is of the Unequal World, not of the Lord God/Father/Our Ancestors, that Created All Life on Earth Equally, 'in the beginning', with Equal Resources for All Life.

Now is the Time, 'not' to Destroy the Planet that our High Tech Science Ancestors Colonized, but Unite In One Equal Human Society. God is not a Higher Spirit 'Being', but are Pure-bred Male and Female Higher High Tech Equal Birth, 'Physical Beings'.

To Know the 'God', of the High Tech Colonization and Perfect Human Bring Reproduction, along with our High tech Science Knowledge, will Free Human from the Original Sin of Heterosexual Mis-bred Body Reproduction.

Fallen Humans, with their High Tech Science, make Nuclear Bombs that will blow up our Home Planet, with Death to End Life as we Know it. This Knowledge will End our Pride in our Human Prowess for Death, instead of for Eternal Physical Life After Birth, like our Ancestors and Jesus.

[ChotoCK]

JT, grow up already. You sound like a broken record. You have NEVER given proof for any of your points with anything other than allegations and lies. Show your so called learned position by quoting something other than your own opinions. 77% of admitted molesters are married with children, perhaps we should do away with marriage that would stop the problem yes? Your pride is shining like the sun.

Bill, I am not at all surprised you would only quote the dissenters, typical for leftist protestants. Perhaps you should do a bit more research on what Humane Vitae actually says, and why not take a look at John Paul II's writings on the family. Stop reading only those that disagree, I know as a protestant its in your nature, but I would expect more from someone supposedly into promoting respect for faiths.