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February 10th, 2012
02:30 PM ET
My Take: Why I’m a Catholic for contraception
By Karalen L. Morthole, Special to CNN I have been a Catholic my whole life. Baptized as a baby and confirmed in the seventh grade, I attended weekly catechism classes and received a Jesuit education. Never once did the opinion of the church on a person's use of contraceptives surface. In high school, I was prescribed birth control to balance my hormones. I suffered from terrible mood swings that had negative effects on my relationship with my family and got me into trouble with teachers. I also experienced menstrual cramps so painful as to be debilitating; sometimes, they left me unable to move. My mother, a devout Catholic, had no problem with my taking birth control, because she recognized the dramatic effects this simple medication had on my life. Birth control gave me a new, healthy and balanced way to live. As a 22-year-old woman, I am able to think more rationally because of birth control. Teachers at the Jesuit high school I attended urged students to protect themselves when they became sexually active, to use condoms to stamp out the risk of contracting a viral sexually transmitted disease that would affect the rest of their lives. Some would criticize my teachers for that, but I thank them. My peers and I were taught by caring and realistic teachers with experience making decisions to promote their own health. Some had seen the horrors of sexually transmitted diseases. CNN's Belief Blog – all the faith angles to the day's top stories Birth control, condoms and emergency contraception have all served their purpose in my life, because each work in different preventative ways. Birth control has aided my mental health, giving me a clearer head; condoms have protected me from contracting diseases from sexual partners. Emergency contraceptives were there when I was uncertain about whether I’d become pregnant and needed reassurance. I’m not ready to raise a child on my own. Even though the official Catholic Church teaches against contraceptives, I do not feel immoral using them. They’ve allowed me to live my life without the fear of unwanted pregnancies or deadly diseases. My religion has played a large part of my life, laying the groundwork for my personal relationship with God. It has taught me how to respect others, be a human with integrity and help those in need. Catholicism is a beautiful religion that supports family values and tolerance of others and leads us to serve others, a teaching I’ve adapted into my everyday living. The Catholic Church does an exceptional job standing up for those who live in poverty and suffer injustices. But on contraception, the Catholic bishops have taken a stance that violates the basic rights that affect millions of Catholics across the country and shows a lack of concern for women's health. It is disheartening that the Catholic bishops were so opposed to the Obama administration's decision to require religious institutions like hospitals and colleges to provide their faculty, staff and students with access to reproductive health care, which includes birth control, emergency contraceptives and condoms. Even after the White House announced a revised policy Friday that exempts religious institutions from having to pay for the contraception coverage, at least one bishop voiced disgust. The U.S. bishops said in a statement Friday that it's "too soon to tell whether and how much improvement (there's been) on core concerns." The bishops have gone so far as to threaten to cease health care coverage to the faculty and staff at my college if it’s forced to comply with the Affordable Health Care Act. Even though the church will not support women's health needs and denies them opportunities to care for their physical and mental health, it does apparently condone other uses for condoms. In 2010, Pope Benedict XVI endorsed the use of condoms for male prostitutes, saying condoms “can be a first step in the direction of a moralization, a first assumption of responsibility,” and could help “in the intention of reducing the risk of infection.” In my view, any sexual activity that spreads deadly diseases is sinful because it shows complete disregard for human health and human life. The Catholic Church believes that condoms negatively impact the sexual lives of men and women, preventing reproduction and the creation of life. I believe that condoms are, in fact, pro-life. They help women and men act responsibly in regards to the spread of HIV/AIDS. Condoms also prevent unintended pregnancies that could result in abortions, another issue that the Catholic Church has strong views about. As a Catholic, I stand with President Obama's decision to require religious institutions to provide access to contraceptives. I believe that birth control can be used by religious people without having a negative effect on someone’s faith. Catholics value human life. I believe that includes acknowledging the rights of women to take care of our bodies. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Karalen L. Morthole. |
  About this blog
The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.  |
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Editor's Note: Karalen L. Morthole is a senior majoring in political science at Catholic University of America.
My thorns, now flies.
Buzzing around my gruesome head and face.
My wasted body……finally brought down. Breathe still in me, just a whisper.
Nurtured and cleansed. Bandaged and cared for.
Now I am risen to say my final farewell.
Do not worship me.
Do not mourn for me.
Do not build churches for me or profit from me.
I am a man, born of a woman from the seed of my father.
I am as you are. A man and a human being.
Learn from the sacrifices I have made. Learn from the hypocrisy.
Bury me in good company. Remember me as a friend.
Farewell.
I wish I was never born. I'm a bad 'ol bear.
Did you write that? It is very powerful. There are some who see Jesus as a persecuted rabbi of his own time, a man who always thought of himself as firstly a Jew. They believe that the epistles were written first, before the Gospels, and that the proselytizing by Paul to the diaspora Jews and non-Jews was the first stage of creating a universal church. After that, the Gospels were written to make the message more generally available. The historic details of the Gospels were not up to standards of journalistic reportage in recent centuries, but heroic tales amounting to a mythology (according to these thinkers). Therefore, many believe that we have misunderstood this "wonder rabbi' for centuries, although his message is still valid. It is His message I care about, not the doctrines of a very flawed Church.
Yes I did. Tis I, the Central Scrutinizer. I had to change my name to fit the poem. Thanks for you comments. I found them very interesting! CS
I have never met an intelligent atheist. Their religion is the worst. The religion of atheism.
Well you are a wee silly little troll aren't ya then lad. I do hope your TP not to rough on ya son.
That's "rectal ribbon" to you, sweetie. Stock up on yer Preparation H.
Jesus, "I wish I was never born."
It's "I wish I were never born" or "I wish I had never been born." And just how do YOU know this to be what Jesus would say?
Atheism isn't a religion, honey. Now who's showing brilliance?
Prayer changes things
Prayer changes lives
Pray without ceasing in 2012
Waste your time and accomplish nothing.
If we pray without ceasing, we're going to die of dehydration or something. Why do you want everyone to commit suicide with prayer?
believing in fairy tales is not healthy, nor is it productive.
<--- Laughing and pointing at you and any other adult clowns with imaginary friends.
I have never met an intelligent person who claims that Atheism is a religion. It's not.
I’m just a pill.
Yes, I’m only a pill.
And I am sitting here on Capital Hill.
Well, it’s a long, long journey
To the Catholic Committee.
It’s a long, long wait
For the priests to convert.
But I know I’ll be a law someday
At least I hope and pray that I will,
But today I ms still just a pill.
LOL!
This is full of win and awesomesauce.
You guys rock. CS
Haven't any of you Catholics been to college? No birth control? Yeah right.
I think the RCC has just opened the door WIDE open for the outflux of modern humans.
Yep, I've got four degrees, three of them graduate, including a Harvard PhD. And you?
Sure ya do. And I've got a crown and a certificate that says I'm the Queen of Narnia.
They all just pulled out.
William you totally missed the point. I am talking about fuk'n.
Worst s.e.x. memories....
"oops"
Greatest teenage memories.....
"Are you on the pill?"
"Yes........"'
"Thank you God!"
"....sometimes."
"Please God, No!"
Momofthree & Gerald (more succinctly) both said "IF you are not following our rules THEN you are not Roman Catholic" Bingo! You got it. You may well be Christian but you are not Roman Catholic. Then the ultimate threat: stop taking the Eucharist (and go to confession .. and let the priest absolve you of sin) ... OK realize it NOW .. you are NOT Catholic. Accept that - you are NOT Roman Catholic. Now read the Nicene Creed (tenets of Christianity) ... it says nothing about a Eucharist, confession, penance, transubstantiation, birth control, marriage, extreme unction, venial sin or mortal sin, rosaries, medallions, lighting candles, holy water or infallibility... YOU ARE FREE .. let go of it. You are saved in Christ Jesus and you are free of their R.C. baloney. You are are TRUE Christian .. the Apostles creed is pretty much the Nicene creed. Let go of the bogus doctrine. It is not to be found in any bible (I have read it cover to cover several times .. Catholic doctrine is NOT taught in the red letters .. or by the Apostles. So YES - you are not Roman Catholic. You are simply Christian (and that is what Jesus and His Apostles were too. That is THEIR church .. and a great on at that.
Post by RightTurnClyde is an instance of the No True Scotsmen fallacy.
http://www.iep.utm.edu/fallacy/#H6
You know the Nicene Creed was compiled by Catholic Bishops at Nicea in 325 A.D. right? The problem with reading the Bible from cover to cover and then using it to claim Catholicism is unbiblical is that if the Catholic Church had not decided which books would go into the Bible at the Council of Hippo(394A.D.) and Council of Carthage (397 A.D.) there would be no Bible from which to quote against them. I suppose you don't believe in the Trinity either since that word is not in the Bible. But wait, the word Bible is not in the Bible either, so is it possible to believe only what is in the Bible, when the word Bible is in fact not in there? It seems your belief system has a paradox in it. However, you are correct when you cite that many holy things were invented or at least preserved by the Catholic Faith. Three of which are the Apostle's Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Bible iteself. Of course the word Eucharist is not in the Bible because it is a Greek word meaning thanksgiving because we are thankful that Christ left his body for us when he promised that his flesh is real meat and his blood real dringk (John 6). Confession is implied by Jesus in John 20:22 when Jesus told the Apostles if YOU forgive men's sins they are forgiven them. Jesus said Except ye do penance ye shall likewise perish in Luke 13:3. The word Transusbstantiation was coined later to describe the phenomenon that occurs at Mass where bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ. But you are right, the word is not in the Bible, even though the event is. The birth control method of withdrawal is condemned in Genesis Chapter 38:9-10. I could go on, but if you care to learn more about the harmony of the Catholic Faith with the Scriptures, you can easily find each of those subjects with a Google search. http://www.phillipcampbell.net
@Phillip Campbell... well you are not correct. There was no Roman Catholic church at the time of the Council of Nicea. The bishops were largly Greek, Asia Minor and Alexandrian and ONE was from Rome. He was not viewed as a "pope" but as the bishop of Rome (only). The Trinity was not "invented" by a church Council; the Father, the Son and the Spirit are continuously spoke of in the gospels and by many of the prophets and even in Genesis. It is not a Roman Catholic invention (like the Roman Catholic sacraments). There were several schisms after Nicea in which the Orthodox Christians separated from the Roman Catholics. THEN there was a Roman Catholic church (and only THEN) .. The RCC THEN adopted different doctrine than the orthodox Christians. Infallibility was an invention of the Council of Trent by the Jesuits. It is inherently contradictory to Baptism (the only sacrament in the great commission given by Jesus and thus contradictory to the doctrine of Jesus) Your RCC knows this (they can read) and yet they go ahead with it over the centuries. They thus deliberately violate the gospels. (but, of course, you must read the gospels to understand this) and are anti-Christ. (got it?)
Ignatius of Antioch first called the early Christian Church Catholic in 110 AD, long before Nicea. I agree with you that the Trinity is implied all over the Bible, but the actual word “trinity” is NEVER used. My point was that transubstantiation is implied in the Bible, but the actual word is never used. The schism with the Orthodox occurred more than a thousand years after Christ’s death (1054 AD). That is hardly the early Church. Infallibility was defined by Trent but was invented by Jesus when he told Peter, whatever you bind on earth I will bind in heaven. If Jesus meant what he said, how could Peter not be infallible? When Linus was bound on earth to be Peter’s successor in the year 67 AD the infallibility continued. When the Catholic Church declared Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John to be valid for inclusion into the Bible in 394 at the council of Hippo were they not infallible? When they declared the Gospel of the Gnostics and of Thomas to be invalid were they not infallible? Because when these Catholic Bishops created the table of contents to YOUR Bible, they had to have been infallible. Otherwise, how do you know whether or not you have all the right books? The Canon of Scripture was not decided upon by Books a Million. It was decided upon by the Catholic Church.
While we understand what you're trying to say, your argument is technically wrong. If you're an American but love Al-Qaeda, you're still American (just not a good one). If you're Roman Catholic, you are, but a sinner as per the Church's teachings. The only way you stop being Catholic is because of excommunion. If you sin, you're still Catholic, but not acting the part.
I disagree with the entire premise of the article. IYou are aware of watch the RCC teaches and blatently ignore it, justifying your actions to yourself. How can you ignore the teachings of the RCC and call yourself a Catholic?
That like saying "Hey, Jesus. Love the redemption thing! Cant I still get in on that while doing the same things I've always done?" Jesus replies but you cut him off with "Alright! Catch you later!"
Did you even get the meaning behind the rich man asking Jesus what he must do in order to achieve heaven? Jesus told him to sell everything he had and follow him.
The 'No true scotsman' actually applies in this case as no one is a perfect Catholic or Christian, but a 'true one' will follow all the tenents of the teaching to the last word. Sadly, none of us are perfect but at least I dont go around claiming I am something when my lifestyle harshly speaks otherwise.
Also, I feel I must add. Healthcare is not a RIGHT. It is a privilege in wealthy countries. No one has the right to force others to pay for their 'privileges'.
Anyway.
You know, Jonathan, that people of good conscience have examined their Catholic faith and themselves and chosen to leave Catholicism. That has, for some time now, been a choice people could make. You seem to be inviting Catholics to engage in this self-examination. Perhaps that is not timely now that so many young Catholics disagree with the teachings of the Catholic hierarchy.
Better yet how can one follow the dogma of the RCC and think they are Christian. The RCC is the epitome of false doctrine. So read Mark 8:[15] And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod (false doctrine - man's doctrine) .. Nos John 10:[25] Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:[26] And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? (where does Jesus mention - or qualify - this with the word pope or require belief in rosaries, candles, eucharist, holy water, stations, litanies, absolution, penance, confirmation, confession? It is an unqualified statement. Nothing more is required than belief (the Apostles creed). Want more? Jacob's well in Jn, the Centurion who said .. he believed, the woman who washed his feet with her hair .. again and again and again .. the faith is very simple. Catholic doctrine is not Christian (it is man-made and false)
Hey, Concerned Lutheran, Jonathan is unable to comprehend the difference between "conscious" and "conscience". You might want to enlighten him before you attempt to make any sort of serious attempt at intelligent discussion.
Jonathan seems to have gone off.
"Gone off"? He was BORN 'off'.
If Jonathon had no health insurance, and became very ill, he would go to the ER. If they refused to treat him, he would file a law suit. He KNOWS health care is a RIGHT.
Nah. Not likely. Jon-Jon doesn't know his azz from a hole in the ground.
Check the Amendments. Those pieces of law define our rights. You will not see healthcare amoung them.
@Jonathan. I LOVE how you think healthcare is not a human right. But public education is? In America, it's of utmost importance that you receive education, but if you're deathly ill... treatment is not a right. You have to PAY for that.
Btw, I'm Canadian, grew up poor. Our Universal healthcare saved my Dad's life twice. He'd be dead right now if we were American. (pre-existing conditions, expensive insurance, etc.) I'm 22 now and a business owner, employing 6 women and giving them generous pay and benefits. If my Father had died when I was young, I wouldn't have the prosperous life I have now. I'd be working min. wage jobs probably.
THANK YOU UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE. I am PROUD to live in a first-world country that believes that the access to healthcare when ill is a RIGHT. NOT JUST A PRIVILEGE FOR RICH PEOPLE.
If she was baptized, she *is* Catholic.
Is she uses contraceptives, then that's sinning as per the Church.
Spiritual Adoption Pledge
"I, promise to spiritually adopt
an unborn baby in danger of abortion by praying daily for the life of that child."
"The root principle of birth-control is unsound. It is a glorification of the means and a contempt of the end; it says that the pleasure which is a means to the procreation of children is good, but the children themselves are no good. In other words, to be logical, the philosophy of birth-control would commit us to a world in which trees were always blooming but never giving fruit, a world full of sign-posts that were leading nowhere. In this cosmos every tree would be a barren fig-tree and for that reason would have upon it the curse of God." –Archbishop Fulton Sheen
I nice Athiest pledge:
I pledge to use common sense and mind my own business.
"In other words, to be logical, the philosophy of birth-control would commit us to a world in which trees were always blooming but never giving fruit, a world full of sign-posts that were leading nowhere. In this cosmos every tree would be a barren fig-tree and for that reason would have upon it the curse of God."
This just proves that Catholics are indeed insane. Anyone who thinks that the goal of birth control is to stop all humanity from bearing children has no concept of not only human nature but the natural world at large. Nature finds balance without emotion, if there is not enough food in the area to raise two cubs the lioness will often abandon the runt in favor of the survival of the stronger cub.
"One researcher watched a nest of African black eagles for three days as the larger eaglet alternated between tirelessly stabbing at its sibling and taking food from its solicitous mother's mouth. There was prey to spare, but the mother did not bother feeding the second, abused baby. When the eaglet's poor, tattered body was finally tossed to the ground, the researcher calculated that it had been pecked 1,569 times." – NYTimes "One thing they aren't: Maternal"
So either the natural world is "cursed by God" or this Archbishop spent more time investigating his alter boys than the real world.
@ Life principles
Nobody wants to abort a child, but sometimes it is necessary. Hey I know! How about BIRTH CONTROL, that way abortion is not an issue! Genius!
I would cry with you about the trees if we weren’t cutting them all down. Dum Ass.
The Archbishop seems to have been unaware that most of the time most sex acts don't bring about procreation, and that most people at some time in their lives do intend to have children. He lived in a strange world of celibate men and that distorted his view of natural human behavior. Is the current generation of Bishops in touch with the rest of humanity?
Hey, you might want to pledge to make an effort at being literate. That would entail understanding punctuation, sh!twit.
Until you actually adopt an unwanted child, you are just blowing smoke and lying to Gof.
That's "God."
Dammit.
How about ADOPTING that child? Such a passive, hypocritical thing to do to believe a woman with an unwanted baby and the attendant medical expenses can just be prayed into the acute care an infant needs. I am really sick of "Pro-life" people who do not know how to really support what it means to be "pro" a "life." Prayer isn't going to do it.
All these anti-abortion whack jobs should put up or shut up! Forget praying making children hold pictures of aborted fetuses on streetcorners...If you hadn't noticed, the world isn't really in need of more unwanted babies, but it is in need of ppl to care for these babies. If you are going to try and guilt women into bringing an unwanted baby to term, stop paying millions to lobbyists and open orphanages, or adopt yourself, until you do, shut up!
Since all these loving churches keep getting involved with which laws get passed, it's time a few laws got passed down their throats, like hot loads of manchowder. It's only fair.
That's a great point, actually.
Ok, no read carefully or you might miss my point here:
You have a jug.
You squeeze lemons juice into the jug until it is full of lemon juice.
But it is too sour!
You add sugar to taste.
You add ice cubes to make it cold and refreshing.
You drink it.
Delicious.
Thank you God. Lemonade is good! And it is a gift from you that should be enjoyed.
*now read
Why thank an imaginary friend for something you did yourself?
@Phist
This is intended to be from the point of view of the believer. If they don't understand the reality of the issue, maybe truth can be revealed in the analogy of lemonade. You know, like Jesus would do. We can never take away their fear (i.e. imaginary friend).
You're cheating. You're not supposed to actually like lemons. Lemon derivatives are unholy. You're on my shit list, Halo.
Frick!
I'm just not a fan of lemonade. Or christianity. Or religion.
Ok Phist:
You have a Snifter
You have Hippy Poet's prized Glennfiddich 50
You slowly poor the brown necter into the waiting glass
You sniff, you swirl, you drink
Fate has given you this gift
And HP is pi.s.s.ed off.
All is well in the universe.
I am a man. I have two kids and my wife is just slightly older than what doctors say is "safe" for pregnancy. I want to enjoy s.e.x. with my wife. So we use birth control. Is there something confusing about that?
There is nothing confusing about that, it's just the Catholic Church doesn't really care about the "safety" of a pregnancy, they just want to make sure every time you spill some seed theres a chance it'll make another Catholic because they need more parishoners. It isn't cheap paying off all the victims of abuse by the clergy, the number was at $600,000,000 only 5 years ago and growing.
There's nothing confusing about it. I just hate your wife and don't really want you to enjoy sex. See, I'm a prude with a sex obsession. But, as creator of the universe, I kinda figure that's my prerogative.
I see.
I forgot to mention the Clergy also needs you to keep procreating regularly because your kid's only stay attractive for a few years and they constantly have to replace their alter boys...
Once again, CNN can't seem to grasp the fact that this is not an issue about women using birth control. Maybe it would help your "reporters" if you just left out the whole word "contraception" and make a word problem out of it:
Obama wants to MANDATE a Church with millions of members implement and provide "X" over their moral consciences. Obama knows "X" is diametrically opposed to the teachings of the Church, but fueled by his love for the aging women he surrounds himself with, he's decided to just go ahead and INSIST that "X" happen. See how easy that is to understand?
Quit putting stupid, vapid "My Take" nonsense on your site–the issue is NOT that this woman may endorse birth control! The fact that someone feels the need to get an abortion every 6 months does not have any bearing on the Church teaching that abortion is murder. To ask the Church to "accommodate" a word game that amounts to giving employees abortion pills is the issue. OK?
You don't have to take the pills. You don't have to sky dive. You don't have to have a.n.a.l, you don't have to drive a car. And again, you don't have to take the pills, or any other form of birth control.
Post by ling ling contains multiple instances of the Loaded Language fallacy.
http://www.iep.utm.edu/fallacy/#H6
Once again, a nutty right winger can't seem to grasp the fact that this is not an issue about religious rights. Boring wh0re is boring.
ling ling
Go back to the zoo. Didn't you watch the news today ? This issue is resolved. Too bad. Next.
ling, the church deserves to be crushed. Shut the hell up.
Baptism as an infant. Yeah, because you had a choice. That's like taking a baby to Disneyland. Well, obviously Disneyland actually has something to offer, but what good is it? Does the magic water keep the evil spirits away? Or is it a means of giving a catholic priest the ability to sniff out future victims?
That's right, indoctrinate people into this imaginary friend-believing BS at birth.
Yeah–and your kids will have the "freedom" of your religion: Atheism. Do you think you should teach your children not to steal from others? Or hurt animals? Or to change their clothes and take a bath? INDOCTRINATION!! MY kids are totally free–they poop where they want to, do want they want to. See, I'm SUPERIOR to any idiot with a real belief system. MY OPINION trumps everyone else's! It's called relativism, and it's moronic.
ling ling, I don't get where you are coming from sorry.
Athiesim is not a religion.
My kids are not being indoctrinated into anything. I have told them that once they are old enough, educated enough and can think critically, they should explore religion and make their own decisions.
poop? You are an odd one.
Post by ling ling contains instances of the ad hominem fallacy, the circ-umstantial ad hominem fallacy, the Red Herring fallacy, and the Prejudicial Language fallacy.
Phew!
http://www.iep.utm.edu/fallacy/#H6
Damn, what the hell is ling ling on??
Sam I am going to go with "Opium" for $1000
I forgot I posted this. Didn't think someone would respond with such stupidity. Just the usual morality issue of believing morality has to come from the wang of jesus or else we're all doomed. Get a grip and leave your cult ling.
ling-ling is a ding-dong.
We can't have it both ways folks, Catholics have the right to not provide birth control, but taxpayers also have rights, like not to support the children created because the church prevented access to birth control. It's a win win, the church doesn't provide insurance access to birth control and the church gets to provide the medical care for all those kids.
Middle class tax payers always take it in the shorts. The word "Hypocrite" was devised to define the Roman Catholic Church. One of the truly most evil organizations this planet has ever known.
This is why Christians and other religions hate athiests in a nut shell: Athiests do not have to carry the "I am a big 'ol hypocrite" monkey on their back.
You know what? It feels GREAT not having that monkey on my back. FREEDOM baby. You religious folks should give that gift to your children. Don't indoctrinate them into your ancient superst.i.tious nonsense. Let them ENJOY life! Just a thought.
My Take: Not just “NO”….”HELL NO!”
A recent Guttmacher research report found 98 percent of s.e.xually-active Catholic women said they have used artificial forms of birth control — like the pill or condoms.
Duh.
Only 2 percent of Catholic women rely on the church-endorsed natural family planning (NFP), which used to consist of the rhythm method.
Good luck with that.
Today, Catholics generally teach the Sympto-Thermal Method for determining fertility. It looks at three signs that a woman’s body gives: waking temperature (called “basal body temperature”), cervical mucus secretions and physical change that occurs in the cervix.
Whaaa??
Heaney said the church isn’t opposed to having people plan their lives; rather, the belief is that every time there’s s.e.x, people must leave open the chance that God will intervene with a child.
HELL NO!
And make dam sure you have a toy box like a normal couple!
Prayer takes people away from actually working on real solutions to their problems.
Prayer wears out your clothes prematurely.
Prayer contributes to global warming through excess CO2 emissions.
Prayer fucks up your knees and your neck and your back.
Prayer can cause heart attacks, especially among the elderly.
Prayer reveals how stupid you are to the world.
Prayer exposes your backside to pervert priests.
Prayer makes you think doilies are exciting.
Prayer makes your kids avoid spending time with you.
Prayer prevents you from getting badly needed exercise.
Prayer makes you frothy like Rick Santorum. Just google him to find out.
Prayer dulls your senses.
Prayer makes you post really stupid shit.
Prayer makes you hoard cats.
Prayer makes you smell like shitty kitty litter and leads you on to harder drugs.
Prayer wastes time.
If it feels good do it.
What wastes time is copy and pasting about it 50 times a day for no apparent reason.
"If it feels good do it." -seems to be the only rule Catholics consistently follow, priests included.
I was referring to prayer Dennis, but ok.
I could not disagree with you more. Prayer brings peace to my life.
Goody goody for you. Nobody cares, as long as you keep your mitts off my rights.
Prayer is an important part of my life. It's also personal, and I would never force my beliefs on others. Without freedom of choice, salvation is hollow.
Well, I do like it when my girlfriend is on her knees.
Hey, Loser....you have some real issues, don't you?
Lets not forget, that 2000 years ago, people married at the age of 14 or 15. Today, it is more like 25 to 30. I was raised catholic, but really, lets get with the times people. One can be moral and s e xually active. I have two girls, I encourage them to abstain from s e x. But it is not my expectation that they will be virgins when they marry. In fact, I would not wish that on them.
ditto. I also have two daughters. I will give them the best advise I can. The main thing is safety.
You think that the moral teachings that Jesus left with the early Church is "not with the times"? And that your daughters should commit the sin of fornication before they get married, just because the calendar changed by a few years? How does committing a mortal sin prepare someone to receive a sacrament. This approach sounds "with the times:, but it does not sound very Catholic.
That is a relief. Thanks Phillip!
@phillip
woah woah woah. who let the monkey out of his cage?
intelligent humans, over here.
lower delusional beings, over there. -–>