How Does Contraception Differ from Abortion?
| Samuel Amaral: When did Abortion become contraception ? Did I transition in another dimension without noticing ? · 13 minutes ag |
The question posed by Mr. Amaral is a good one, and it may be of larger interest. I knew nothing of the answer myself until a little over thirteen years ago when the question came up in the course of the Pre-Cana preparation that my prospective bride and I went through prior to our marriage.
On the face of it, if its etmyology is any guide, the word contraception ought to mean "against conception" -- i.e., the word should be used solely to refer to devices, such as condoms, which prevent conception from taking place.
In practice, however, the word contraception has come to be used much more broadly -- not just for devices that prevent an encounter between egg and seed but also for devices that prevent the product of their encounter, a fertilized egg, from being implanted in the uterus. The morning-after pill does the latter (medical explanation here). It is an abortifacient. It kills an unborn child, already conceived, by preventing its implantation in the uterus. Intra-uterine devices (IUDs) have the same effect. They are abortifacient. They induce abortion.
Ordinary birth-control pills are designed to prevent ovulation. When they do so, they are genuine contraceptives. They prevent conception. If and when, however, they are ineffective in this particular, they can prevent a fertilized egg from implanting in the uterus -- i.e., they can produce an abortion (medical explanation here).
The Obama administration recognizes that the Catholic clergy have done next to nothing to explain to Catholics the teaching of the Church regarding any of this, and they are deliberately and cleverly taking advantage of the confusion that has been sown -- by forcing Catholic hospitals and other institutions to provide for those who work for them those abortifacients that masquerade as contraceptive devices.
In doing so, I believe that Barack Obama, Kathleen Sebelius, Nancy Pelosi, and the like have done the Catholic Church and its adherents a great favor -- first, by forcing the bishops, nuns, and priests to address a question they have for nearly fifty years assiduously avoided discussing; and, second, by bringing home to them the degree to which the public provision of medical care, which they have vigorously promoted for nearly forty years, empowers the government to persecute the faithful.
I doubt that most of the bishops currently in office will discover a new-found appreciation for the principles of limited government and for their implications. It is hard to teach an old progressive new tricks. I suspect, however, that many younger priests and seminarians will have occasion to rethink the foolish stands taken by their elders.
It is a sad business, but it is true. Persecution can be and often is good for the Church. In its absence, the Church Militant has a way of turning into the Church Flatulent.
- Comment (59)
- · Quote
- · UnfollowFollow (5)
Comments:
Jun '10
Re: How Does Contraception Differ from Abortion?
Excellent and thoughtful post. And the last sentence must be nominated for line of the week.
Feb '12
Re: How Does Contraception Differ from Abortion?
Good post. It made me wonder why birth control pills should be covered by insurance, but not condoms.
Sounds anti-woman to me :)
Or are* all* contraceptives covered by insurance?
May '10
Re: How Does Contraception Differ from Abortion?
If I had been present at the debate last night, I might have pulled a Joe Wilson—yelling "You lie!" at the top of my lungs when Ron Paul, using his authority as an Ob/gyn, explained in condescending tones that the morning after is contraception. "It's the same thing, hormonally"--as if it's absurd to treat it as something different from contraception, when of course the difference is plainly that the first is designed to prevent conception, the second to kill an already-conceived child.
About the Church, I think you're right and not-right, Prof. Rahe. You're right when it comes to Catholics generally and to the bishops generally. But the recent popes, and the countless Catholics and Catholic movements who are devoted to them have been beyond-all-deserving great on these questions.
We've been given not just sound moral teaching, but deep and beautiful meditations on the nature and meaning of human sexuality and marriage. Beautiful beyond all telling. Those who find it are ravished by it, and go on to share. Witness Mama Toad. Tuesday evening I myself am giving a (small) lecture on sexuality in the Christian vision.
Edited on February 23, 2012 at 5:56pmJun '10
Re: How Does Contraception Differ from Abortion?
A good explanation of why abortion is not necessarily prevented by widely-available contraception, but often, abortion is the direct consequence of the lifestyle that requires widely-available contraception:
Fr. Barron comments on Abortion: Shocking Numbers out of New York
Re: How Does Contraception Differ from Abortion?
etoiledunord: A good explanation of why abortion is not necessarily prevented by widely-available contraception, but often, abortion is the direct consequence of the lifestyle that requires widely-available contraception:
Fr. Barron comments on Abortion: Shocking Numbers out of New York · 17 minutes ago
Thanks for the link.
Jun '10
Re: How Does Contraception Differ from Abortion?
Even I, with my degree in political science, am scientist enough to know the difference. Another reason why Dr. Paul needs to retire.
Edited on February 23, 2012 at 6:33pmRe: How Does Contraception Differ from Abortion?
I speak Ron Paul and I think what he was trying but failing to articulate was that, like a gun, the hormones in birth control pills and morning after pills are the same. It's how they're used that differentiates what they accomplish.
So, he says, guns don't kill people but criminals do. Likewise, hormones don't kill people but immoral people do. Or something like that. I only speak a Paul dialect and am not totally fluent in his native tongue.
May '10
Re: How Does Contraception Differ from Abortion?
Oh, so I'm an abortionist now, because I've used contraception? Terrific! Here's something to chew on, Jesus said in Matthew 19:9
"I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.” One could certainly interpret that to mean that someone who divorces and remarries is committing adultery. Likewise, any children conceived from that second union would be considered bastards. So what's worse, being an abortionist by taking the pill or having bastards? Or, we could just drop the whole thing and stay out of each other's business and allow people the right to practice their religion the way they see fit and trust in God's judgment, not man's.
May '10
Re: How Does Contraception Differ from Abortion?
Mollie Hemingway, Ed.
So, he says, guns don't kill people but criminals do. Likewise, hormones don't kill people but immoral people do. Or something like that. I only speak a Paul dialect and am not totally fluent in his native tongue.
The logic would only work if he were to oppose the use of the morning after pill, just has he opposes murder. Right? I mean, Catholics like Santorum don't oppose the use of hormones for sound medical reasons.
May '10
Re: How Does Contraception Differ from Abortion?
"I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.” One could certainly interpret that to mean that someone who divorces and remarries is committing adultery. Likewise, any children conceived from that second union would be considered bastards. So what's worse, being an abortionist by taking the pill or having bastards? Or, we could just drop the whole thing and stay out of each other's business and allow people the right to practice their religion the way they see fit and trust in God's judgment, not man's. · 9 minutes ago
I don't know whether you're aware the the Catholic Church, in addition to prohibiting birth control and abortion, prohibits divorce.
It also offers the Sacrament of Confession and Reconciliation, which we all need. None of us is perfect.
We're still responsible to engage in moral reasoning, including as it relates to the common good and public policy.
Edited on February 23, 2012 at 6:55pmNov '10
Re: How Does Contraception Differ from Abortion?
Paul A. Rahe
Ordinary birth-control pills are designed to prevent ovulation. When they do so, they are genuine contraceptives. They prevent conception. If and when, however, they are ineffective in this particular, they can prevent a fertilized egg from implanting in the uterus -- i.e., they can produce an abortion (medical explanation here).
This is a common belief, but it has little supporting evidence. The entire contraceptive effect of birth control pills can be accounted for by preventing ovulation. Refer to http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11747872
Sep '10
Re: How Does Contraception Differ from Abortion?
Paul A. Rahe
The Obama administration recognizes that the Catholic clergy have done next to nothing to explain to Catholics the teaching of the Church regarding any of this,
Most Catholic couples must attend a natural family planning session. I suspect that some of this is covered there. My wife and I did not since we were married in the church years after our civil ceremony and had already had our kids at that point.
However, I always bristle a bit when I hear these comments, somewhat true though they may be. The Church could certainly do more (can't we all), but I think most Catholics understand the Church's view on contraceptives and abortion. Why is that, if they never do anything to explain it?
To put it in perspective, I suspect that the Church's view on birth control is about as well or better understood than the food pyramid (recently abandoned though it is). And every school kid and cub scout has had conpulsory exposure to that.
Jan '11
Re: How Does Contraception Differ from Abortion?
"the Catholic clergy have done next to nothing to explain to Catholics the teaching of the Church regarding any of this"
... except, of course ...
"in the course of the Pre-Cana preparation that my prospective bride and I went through prior to our marriage."
Which is where and when that teaching is supposed to take place.Every Catholic who intends to be married is supposed to attend such a training, and the Catholic laws concerning marriage are explained and discussed there.
Re: How Does Contraception Differ from Abortion?
Not JMR
Paul A. Rahe
Ordinary birth-control pills are designed to prevent ovulation. When they do so, they are genuine contraceptives. They prevent conception. If and when, however, they are ineffective in this particular, they can prevent a fertilized egg from implanting in the uterus -- i.e., they can produce an abortion (medical explanation here).
This is a common belief, but it has little supporting evidence. The entire contraceptive effect of birth control pills can be accounted for by preventing ovulation. Refer to http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11747872 · 46 minutes ago
I cannot decipher the paragraph to which you refer. It is written in technical jargon. Are you saying that birth control pills always prevent ovulation or that Medline, which I linked, is wrong when it says,"They also change the lining of the uterus (womb) to prevent pregnancy from developing."
Re: How Does Contraception Differ from Abortion?
KC Mulville: "the Catholic clergy have done next to nothing to explain to Catholics the teaching of the Church regarding any of this"
... except, of course ...
"in the course of the Pre-Cana preparation that my prospective bride and I went through prior to our marriage."
Which is where and when that teaching is supposed to take place.Every Catholic who intends to be married is supposed to attend such a training, and the Catholic laws concerning marriage are explained and discussed there. · 2 minutes ago
KC, it only came up because I asked. The details were explained in none of the material we were given. And our bishop was one of the rare good ones. Very few Catholics are aware that IUDs are abortifacients and that the morning-after pill is also. There really is no excuse for the silence of the clergy.
Re: How Does Contraception Differ from Abortion?
Ross Conatser
Most Catholic couples must attend a natural family planning session. I suspect that some of this is covered there. My wife and I did not since we were married in the church years after our civil ceremony and had already had our kids at that point.
However, I always bristle a bit when I hear these comments, somewhat true though they may be. The Church could certainly do more (can't we all), but I think most Catholics understand the Church's view on contraceptives and abortion. Why is that, if they never do anything to explain it?
To put it in perspective, I suspect that the Church's view on birth control is about as well or better understood than the food pyramid (recently abandoned though it is). And every school kid and cub scout has had conpulsory exposure to that. · 36 minutes ago
Ross, you are wrong about the faithful. Yes, they know that the Church opposes contraception and abortion. No, most of them have never been told why.
Sep '10
Re: How Does Contraception Differ from Abortion?
Sorry but Dr Paul is correct. Birth control pills are designed to kill and already-conceived child. When they fail to prevent conception they secondarily prevent the fertilized egg from attaching to the uterine wall and thus killing and already conceived child. Most women who have been on the pill for a period of time have unknowingly chosen to have a chemical abortion. I have never understood how someone can be for the use of birth control pills but against abortions. Morally and logically one should be in favor of both or opposed to both.
Re: How Does Contraception Differ from Abortion?
Ross, there is a history to this. In the late 1960s, I ran the Young Christian Students operation in Oklahoma. At the time, I knew every young priest in the diocese. Most, when asked, opposed the teaching of the Church on contraception (abortion was not yet an issue; that came in 1973). In the Washington, DC archdiocese, a number of young priests ostentatiously denounced the teaching of the Church in this matter. When Archbishop O'Boyle sought their punishment, the Vatican stepped in and cut him off at the knees. The authorities in Rome feared schism.
Thereafter, I never again heard a priest articulate the argument against contraception until, during our Pre-Cana Preparation, I asked -- and the priest I asked, an older man, made the argument but indicated his own disagreement with it. In passing, he raised the issue of arbortifacients. On that he was sound.
I have not heard the argument against contraception since. Nor have I heard from the pulpit the case in favor of chastity -- despite the occasions presented by various passages in the readings. The silence has been deafening, and this at a time when more than 40% of children are born out of wedlock.
Edited on February 24, 2012 at 5:24pmRe: How Does Contraception Differ from Abortion?
liberal jim
Sorry but Dr Paul is correct. Birth control pills are designed to kill and already-conceived child. When they fail to prevent conception they secondarily prevent the fertilized egg from attaching to the uterine wall and thus killing and already conceived child. Most women who have been on the pill for a period of time have unknowingly chosen to have a chemical abortion. I have never understood how someone can be for the use of birth control pills but against abortions. Morally and logically one should be in favor of both or opposed to both. · 16 minutes ago
Unless I am mistaken, you two are largely in agreement.
May '10
Re: How Does Contraception Differ from Abortion?
liberal jim
Sorry but Dr Paul is correct. Birth control pills are designed to kill and already-conceived child. When they fail to prevent conception they secondarily prevent the fertilized egg from attaching to the uterine wall and thus killing and already conceived child. Most women who have been on the pill for a period of time have unknowingly chosen to have a chemical abortion. I have never understood how someone can be for the use of birth control pills but against abortions. Morally and logically one should be in favor of both or opposed to both.
Jim, I agree that the pill can cause abortions. My point is that when it does, it's an abortifacient, not a contraceptive.
I think contraception is immoral, but abortion is worse.
In any case, Dr. Paul's point was that there is nothing wrong with contraception, and it's ridiculous for Santorum or anyone else to make a fuss over the morning after pill, since it's the same as contraception.
I call that a lie.