Contraception: Key to Societal Dysfunction

Because women are treated as objects with contraceptive use, this directly affects marriages and poisons them with the venom of lust. Pope John Paul II said that the God-given purpose, meaning, and authenticity of the sexual act has been forgotten, disregarded, and disrespected by the deceived 20th century man and woman (qtd. in West 99). “Today because of this mind-set, most men and women give no more thought to tinkering with their fertility than they do to tinkering with their hair” (West 99). When man and wife sense that they must protect each other from themselves so as to not become pregnant, immediately present is a message of hostility from the other. Marriage reflects love and love should bear fruit, however; birth control treats the fruit of such strong love in marriage as a disease to be guarded against instead of a gift as proof of the love that exists (Smith, E-mail). For marriages to be strong there must be a mutual seeking between the spouses for the total good of the other person. There is nothing selfish when love is true (von Hildebrand 30). When contraception is used within marriage, the meaning of love is horrifically insulted, for it is now defined as an act that need not have meaning. It is an act that defies the total self-giving nature of sex. Instead of giving the entire self unconditionally, there is instead a fear of spouse, a fear that the sexual act may-God forbid-produce a child as proof of their love. Unquestionably, marriages suffer because spouses show one another that each cares more for pleasure without consequence rather than love displayed in concern for the other. The result is marital hostility (Kippley 54). Birth control is particularly damaging to marriages in that it directly breaks the promises of the marriage covenant stated at the couple's wedding. What was promised was trust that each spouse would remain faithful "for better for worse" etc. However, because of certain economic or financial fears that would result from a pregnancy, the spouse is proving that he/she does not trust his/her partner to fulfill these vows while undergoing such marital hardships which would actually serve to being the couple closer together (Kippley 59). By this marital insincerity, “contraception turns the "I do" of those vows into an "I do not" ” (West 105).

Resulting from the damages done to marriages, indeed, a man and woman's potential to bear children, to create new life, is incredibly disregarded by the use of contraceptives. Sex is meant for bringing new life; new life is meant to be proof of a man and woman's enduring love for each other. By treating their fertility as a disease, something to fear and be protected against, they are openly rejecting what nature has forever claimed sex to express. This gravely destroys the whole purpose of the sexual act. There is no unity in this, therefore; sex is unbelievably transformed from a true and beautiful gift to a half-hearted and self-seeking gesture. While each individual has the choice to show love through sex, it is superlatively incorrect to attempt to re-define what actually is meant by the sexual act (West 105).

Instead of using harmful contraceptives that sever and demoralize so many deep human necessities, Natural Family Planning (NFP) presents a solution for couples that, with morally acceptable reason, need to space their children by abstaining from sexual activity during a woman's fertile time. The rewards of NFP are abundant in that they construct a trusting and mutual relationship that is sustained by working together instead of protecting oneself from the other through the use of insidious birth control (Kistler). Because NFP promotes self-control and cooperation between couples, they are taught to work together instead of thoughtlessly putting a condom in place and giving in to an exclusively self-regarding impulse. NFP has the couple converse about their fertility and to work together in solving impending concerns about the results of their actions. A study conducted by the Family of the Americas proves that divorce is present in less than 2% of NFP users (qtd. in Galeone) compared to the 30% of marriages ending in divorce resulting from the contraception availability (Galeone). The true meaning of really having sexual freedom lies not in giving in to mere impulse without facing up to the consequences, but actually entails the ability to overcome these urges using discipline and integrity. When this is accomplished, sex is used properly: “at the service of authentic love” (Kistler). In obvious opposition to birth control, NFP-if only more individuals worked with nature-serves to strengthen the overall virtue of society, therefore increasing the reverence of the dignity of the human person. This practical solution presents itself as parallel with Natural Law, what God intended for sex, and one that respects the human person as valuable. Natural Family Planning, though it requires self-discipline and virtue, allows couples to space their children if right intention allows. NFP would rid society of much turmoil against the human person caused by contraception.