Transcript Contraception - Catholic Resources

Contraception
Its Significance within
Judaism, Christianity, and Islam
Natasha Wallace, SCTR 19: Religions of the Book
June 4, 2007
Judaism
 Sexual intercourse is considered to be an
important part of marriage within Judaism.
 Views on contraception vary with each branch,
depending on how Jewish law is interpreted.
 Orthodox Judaism – allows contraception under certain
circumstances. Example: the mother’s life would be
endangered by pregnancy. Condoms and diaphragms not
used as methods because they block the path of semen.
 Conservative Judaism – more lenient; allows birth
control, but encourages adherence to Jewish Tradition.
 Reform Judaism, other liberal branches – accept
contraception according to couple’s personal ethics.
Contraception and the HB
 Arguments against contraception are commonly
based on several accounts in Genesis:
 Genesis 1:22; 8:17 – “Be fruitful and multiply”
 Genesis 38 – Onan uses the withdrawal method of
contraception while having intercourse with his brother’s
widow, and is killed by God as a result.
 These passages are used to assert that wasting the
seed is sinful, going against God’s command to
populate the earth.
Christianity
 Like Judaism, Christianity’s various branches
differ in their opinions on contraception.
 Catholic Church – opposed to any form of artificial
contraception; natural family planning is encouraged
among married couples.
 Eastern Orthodoxy – permits use of contraception if not
an abortifacient, and if children are not excluded from the
marriage entirely; couple consults their priest beforehand.
 Protestantism – vast diversity of views on birth control,
from conservative to liberal.
Contraception and the NT
 Contraception is never directly addressed in the
New Testament, but procreation is a gift from God.
 Mark 10:13-16 – Children are said to be closest to the
Kingdom of God.
 Luke 1:5-80 – The miraculous conceptions of Jesus and
John the Baptist.
 1 Timothy 2:15 – Paul says parenthood is an important
part of devotion, acknowledges God’s power to create life.
 Revelation 9:21 – Condemnation of "magic potions" may
refer to early contraceptives and chemical abortions.
Islam
 No ‘official’ view on contraception within the
Islamic community.
 Opinions vary within both Sunni and Shi’a
branches.
 Some Islamic countries embrace family planning
as a method of preventing overpopulation and
establishing a stable economy.
Contraception and the Qur’an
 Surahs 6:151; 17:31 – ‘Do not kill your children
for fear of want.’
 Can be interpreted to suggest that all Muslims should
trust in God to provide them with what they need, instead
of preventing pregnancy.
 Surahs 3:6; 16:70-78; 22:5; 31:33-34
 God creates and sustains life.
 Surah 39:5-7
 Showing ingratitude to God’s creation brings retribution.
Contraception in the Hadiths
 The withdrawal method (‘azl’) is mentioned
repeatedly in numerous Hadiths, often depicting
the prophet Muhammad expressing his approval.
 Hadiths according to Jabir, Abu Sa’id, ‘Umar Ibn
Khattab, and other early members of the Muslim
community.
Contraception/Infanticide
in the Ancient World
 No knowledge of the interaction between sperm and egg
 Semen thought to produce human independently once
incubated within the womb.
 Infanticide denounced repeatedly in HB, NT, and Qur’an,
respectively, possibly influencing view that wasting “seed”
kills potential whole children, not just half of the “equation.”
Main Questions
 Do the Hadiths contradict the Qur’an’s emphasis
on children and the family?
 Do religious leaders in impoverished nations have
an obligation to encourage the use of condoms in
order to prevent diseases, or help control the
population?
 Should these ancient Qur’anic and Biblical beliefs
be disregarded, reinterpreted for modern
relationships, or followed as literal commands from
God?
 How does our understanding of biology now affect
how we look at scriptural views of reproduction?
Articles
 Reform Jewish activists unite with Christian organizations to
protest the FDA’s obstruction of the Plan B pill (10/26/05)
 An alliance between Christian and Jewish organizations attempting to
prevent unwanted pregnancies and abortions.
 Emergency contraception denied at a pharmaceutical chain in
Atlanta (3/8/07)
 Critics of the pill argue that it “encourages promiscuity and unprotected
sex.”
 Vatican debates use of contraception in AIDS infected counties
(5/4/06)
 Church and health officials questioning whether preaching abstinence
will help prevent the spread of HIV and AIDS in Africa.
 Islamic scholars debate over the use of contraception to control
populations (5/6/05)
 Pakistani officials are in favor of developing more family planning
programs within their country, though conservative Islamic leaders are
in opposition.
Works Cited
 Adams, Jason T. “Birth Control, Contraception, Christian Sexuality”. Omsoul.com.
One More Soul. 5 April 2007 http://www.omsoul.com/pamphlet146.The-Bible-vsContraception.html
 Akbar, Khalid Farooq. “Family Planning and Islam: A Review”. Muslim-canada.org.
The Canadian Society of Muslims. 15 April 2007 http://muslimcanada.org/family.htm#control
 “Religion and Ethics – Contraception”. Bbc.co.uk. 3 June 2007. British Broadcasting
Company. 20 March 2007
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/islamethics/contraception.shtml
 Rich, Tracey R. “Kosher Sex: Jewish Attitudes Toward Sexuality”. Jewfaq.com. 15
April 2007. Judaism 101. 30 March 2007 http://www.jewfaq.org/sex.htm#BirthControl
 “The Ancient Roots of Judeo-Christian Sexual Prohibitions”. Cybercollege.com.
CyberCollege. 2 June 2007. http://www.cybercollege.com/history.htm