Avoiding Conceiving : Biblically Right or Wrong?

[The Princess Bride]

I know this is a divided issue - so please share your own thoughts/feelings/approach on it. No criticism allowed ;-).

 

[Sabertooth]

True contraception (blocking the sperm from from fertilizing the egg) is not forbidden in Scripture. Condoms work in this manner.

Destroying a successful zygote intentionally or recklessly is tantamount to murder or negligent homicide. IUDs do the former. The Pill (hormonal contraception) can do the latter (besides having really bad side effects).

Also, in vitro fertilization is not bad in itself, but the present strategy is to introduce multiple zygotes (conceptions) at one time and selectively abort all but the most successful one...

In Romans 12:1, Paul wrote,

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship."

Our gonads are no exception. If you have reproductive medical issues, by all means, deal with them first. If not, then the best thing you can do with your sperm & ova is place them in God's hands. He knows the best number & timing of kids for your family.

 

[jminnesota]

i feel that birth control is good i mean my wife and i want kids someday but for now we would like to build up a good nest egg like before we have kids. we love to make love so for now we use birth control til we feel its time to have kids.

 

[akmom]

The only passage I know that might address contraception is Genesis 38:8-10 (KJV beow).

8 And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother's wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother.

9 And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother's wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest that he should give seed to his brother.

10 And the thing which he did displeased the Lord: wherefore he slew him also.

Most people seem to think that the Lord was displeased because He specifically told Onan to father a child, and Onan disobeyed Him. Some believe this means that thwarting conception is always wrong, not just this one incident of disobedience. I tend to agree with the former. The Bible is very repetitive when it comes to listing sins. Fornication is mentioned dozens of times. So is disobedience. It would surprise me if birth control was considered a sin but only mentioned once, and not even explicitly.

 

[JCFantasy23]

No, I don't believe avoiding conception is wrong.

 

[TAMUmpower]

Lol how could it be. If you cant afford 50 kids then you dont really have a choice do you

 

[jminnesota]

as long as i never get cut its all good to me that would just hurt lol.

 

[katautumn]

I think contraception is responsible. I'll give an example. My sister had an "oops" pregnancy. She is married to a rather unreliable man and she is the primary breadwinner. During her third trimester she developed very high blood pressure and was put on bed rest. She had to take an early maternity leave and during this time her husband quit his job because he didn't like one of his co-workers. Obviously this put far more stress on my sister and she had a complicated labor and delivery.

A few months back, her husband decided to become an over-the-road trucker, and while he's on the road, he blows his entire paycheck on himself. So now she's alone and raising their baby and paying all of the bills. She doesn't leave him, because she's terrified he'd get overnight custody rights and she doesn't feel he's responsible enough to have their baby all weekend unsupervised. So, she sticks it out for the sake of their baby.

She does not want any more children, at least not with him. He refuses to get a vasectomy. She has decided, since no doctor around here will tie her tubes due to her age, to get an IUD. This was a very mature and responsible decision she has made. It's hard enough for her to raise one child practically alone, let alone more than one. While she loves her son more than life itself, she doesn't want any more surprises.

 

[jminnesota]

yea birth control is good that way you have the number of kids you feel you should have and are still able to enjoy having sex with your spouse. otherwise you might have 10 kids and i am sure most would not want to have 10 kids. and most would not want to stop sex all together so birth control helps.