Posted on 08/14/2008 1:30:42 PM PDT by NYer
.- Citing a desire to let their faith in God guide their sex lives and to trust Him in every aspect of their existence, some Protestants have become practitioners of Natural Family Planning (NFP). Eschewing contraceptives, some are now joining Catholics in fertility classes and returning to traditional Christian teaching.
The Austin American-Statesman reports that the number of NFP practitioners who are Protestants is difficult to quantify. However, Rev. Amy Laura Hall, a Methodist minister and associate professor at Duke Divinity School, says there appears to be growing interest.
She said that, as a Protestant scholar writing about reproductive issues, she frequently fields questions about family planning. Hall explained that some ask how to avoid preoccupation with finances and social advancement and instead welcome children as gifts from God even if children disrupt the parents’ life plans.
Historically, some Protestant perspectives grew from an antipathy towards Catholic and fundamentalist families, she claimed. The Anglican Communion, which includes the Episcopal Church in the U.S., in 1930 changed its teachings which formerly forbade contraception, while Methodist literature after World War II advocated limiting the number of children to an ideally two-child, sex-balanced family.
This history has not prevented all Protestants from considering using NFP.
Phaedra Taylor, 28, told the Austin American-Statesman that she ruled out taking birth control pills after reading claims that the pill can cause abortions by rendering the womb hostile to a newly conceived human life.
"I just wasn't willing to risk it," she said, explaining she wanted her faith to guide her sexual and reproductive decisions after her marriage, before which she had been abstinent. She added that her avoidance of artificial contraception is consistent with her efforts to eat seasonal, locally grown foods and to be a good steward for the Earth.
Her husband David Taylor, 36, who was arts minister at their nondenominational church Hope Chapel, said family planning reveals “a fascinating examination of God's sovereignty and human free will.”
“What does it mean to submit your physical bodies to God's sovereign care? ... God has given us power and freedom to exercise that decision. We can say, 'God, we're going to respect the rhythms you have given us.'”
Both spouses said the NFP method draws them closer, stating they want to wait a few months before trying to conceive.
Megan Tietz, a 31-year-old Oklahoman Baptist and a mother of two, told the Austin American-Statesman “…for me, using hormonal birth control indicates that I don't really trust God with every area of my life.”
“It is an effort on my part to control something that I really believe God can be trusted with," she continued.
However, some Protestants have backed away from their previous support for NFP. Sam and Bethany Torode, authors of “Open Embrace: A Protestant Couple Rethinks Contraception,” said the five years passed since writing their book have “shown that we had a lot to learn about NFP, and that there is a dark side we weren't aware of."
Others see NFP as beneficial.
Katie Fox, 31, is a member of Hope Chapel along with the Taylors. "I feel like it really works in harmony with the way that God designed our bodies to work," she commented. "In contrast with the pill, which works by altering and suppressing our natural systems, NFP works by supporting those systems in harmony with their functions. It goes with the flow, so to speak. There is a wisdom and a rightness to that which I really appreciate."
Fox has a 1-year-old daughter, explaining that NFP worked until she and her husband “got lazy” one month and had marital relations during her fertile period. She said the pregnancy helped remind them that God was ultimately in charge.
According to the Austin American-Statesman, experts say that, when used to avoid a pregnancy, NFP can fail at rates as low as one percent, though that rate rises to 25 percent when the method is not followed perfectly.
Hall said that some Protestant couples face difficulties when talking to their pastors about the spiritual issues of human reproduction with some, in Hall’s words, being told that they’re “crazy or irresponsible to consider not being on the pill.”
David Taylor agreed that pastors have difficulty addressing the issue, saying “My guess is that most churches are not talking about sexuality.”
Ping!
I’m confused. How can this thread be ecumenical?
Nah. Contraceptives fall under the “Whatever” part of theology.
One is quite consciously having sex during the womans infertile period, thereby having sex while being reasonably sure that no child will result.
That would be having sex for the sake of sex which I believe is some kind of sin according to the Catholic church anyway.
"Natural" sex would be having it whenever one wants and then living with the consequences attendant thereto.
L
Open Embrace: A Protestant Couple Rethinks Contraception (Paperback)
Here's the "dark side" they mentioned in their blog: "Though Open Embrace said that it only involves a short period of abstinence, we didn’t know that during breastfeeding cycles it often involves month-long periods of abstinence and dehabilitating stress. During such times (as well as during menopause and stressful life seasons), strict NFP reaches a point where it is more harmful for a marriage than good. We think that Jesus' words in Luke 11:46 apply: "And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry."
My husband and I have been practicing NFP for ten years. It has worked 100% of the time.
I am in my early 50’s. I’ll just tell you, NFP would wreak havoc on my marital relations. There is no way to estimate timing at this stage of my life! But at this stage of my life it isn’t nearly as important as it was when I and my husband were younger either.
Signed
Tired (and careful) mother of five, grandmother of six.
There is no sin in controlling the size of one’s family for the proper reason. It is sinful however to do so artificially.
You do realize that in some cases the pill allows release of an egg which then can be fertilized following intercourse and that is where the second action of the pill comes in. That second action being making the uterous hostile to implantation therefore causing the bosy to abort the baby - the same net effect as an abortion.
BTTT! This is great!
And that is found where in the Bible exactly?
I've been told repeatedly by Catholics on this forum that having sex without wanting children is the sin.
So which is it?
You do realize that in some cases the pill allows release of an egg which then can be fertilized following intercourse and that is where the second action of the pill comes in.
So taking the Pill is the same as having an abortion. I suppose I can follow that. Is wearing a condom a sin? If so, why?
Isn't that the same thing as this 'NTF' nonsense? I mean they're both designed to prevent sperm from reaching a viable egg. Right?
So why is one a sin (the condom) but the 'rhythym' method isn't? Aren't they both deliberate attempts to prevent sperm from reaching eggs?
L
I give up. How?
I was hoping you could help me.
L
Amen.
I used the signs taught in NFP to spot my fertile days and conceived almost immediately.
I also told the signs to two friends who had been trying for several years, and both of them also conceived almost immediately.
There is a lot of knowledge in these classes, for those who are interested.
True,most of our girls took the classes and just decided to have babies:)We have 15 grandchildren and 1 Grand-Clair and I suspect one in the pot.NFP blesses Families who are looking to get pregnant.
It is natural in the sense that no man made chemicals or barriers are used to prevent conception from occurring. As you noted, even when a couple has sex during the woman's "infertile" period, they can't know with moral certainty that no child will be conceived (although when practiced properly, NFP is much more effective than the pill or condoms). However, on the spiritual level they are still open to life, which they wouldn't be if they were using artificial contraception.
The reason why I view (and according to church teaching) one is a sin and one is not is the openess in the act.
Having intercourse outside of and avoiding intercourse during my wife’s fertile period without any ARTIFICIAL/CHEMICAL still lieaves us open to God’s will.
By using artificail means to avoid pregnancy what I am saying to my wife and God is I am only interested in the carnal pleasure of the flesh.
If you want a more complete and easier to understand explaination I suggest you read some of Christoher West’s work on JPII’s Theology of the Body. It is an excellent resource and explains it much better than I can ever try to.
By the way, I did not always understand the meaning behind no contraception/NFP and unfortunately did not always live my live this way so please do not think I am judgemental of others who do not understand.
Thanks. I'll add that one to my ever growing read list. At this rate, I should finish reading everything on it sometime in 2067.
so please do not think I am judgemental of others who do not understand.
The thought never entered my mind. I thank you for your kind and polite response.
L
Whether you’re using “artificial” or “natural” means, the objective is still to have sex without a pregnancy resulting. And whatever the means, God is still in control and can thwart your objective.
I don’t see the difference.
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