I said yesterday that one of the principles about the birth control debate, the one that I hold most strongly to, is that it is written in the law of nature. God has already put it there. If the Bible was completely silent on the issue of children, I would still contend that God generally meant for us to reproduce consistently, throughout our child-bearing years. (I might even contend that He meant for us to marry at an earlier age.)
Arguments are made that medical technology has allowed us to make wise decisions in limiting our children. That even though we basically are created to bear children, because there are means of preventing them, we can and should do so. From a Christian’s standpoint, I celebrate the medicinal advancement of life; the improvement, sustenance and prolonging qualities.
Birth control doesn’t fit any of those categories. All medical advancements are not consistent with the sustaining, healing nature of medicine. Birth control is actually the ONLY medical advancement that I can think of used to change the natural function of the body (that is, the functions that work as they are meant to work).
What’s even more amazing is, despite this fact, most people who choose NOT to use this altering form of medical intervention are considered odd!
Imagine I walked up to you and said, “Hi. I’m Kelly. I used to be Steve. I didn’t feel like being a man anymore so with all the wonderful advancements in medicine, I am going to have my body altered to reflect how I feel.”
Now I know people are already altering their genders. But I hope you still consider it odd. Unnatural. I hope you still consider it God’s design that He created them male and female, and His creation His good. I hope you don’t make those who have decided to stick with their born-gender feel ashamed for doing so. Or poke fun at them, or question that “decision” to remain who they are.
But that is precisely what we do when we question why someone is not using birth control. You are basically saying to a person, “I know God created you a certain way, but how weird that you would actually accept that”.
So as I’ve asked many times before: can we fully accept the common use of birth control and still fully embrace the blessing of accepting all the children God might give a family? If so, why aren’t we seeing these two practices abide each other?
11 comments
Great post! I have not been able to understand how birth control is supposedly “godly”. I have been told that it is “good stewardship”. God made me a woman, He made me to have children. (My oldest son is 7 months and I’m 23 pregnant now with what we are told is probably twins LOL. People think we are nuts, especially when we say “bring it on” haha).
That’s wonderful!
And there are so many factors involved here…not only does our design point to how “normal” it is for most women to bear children, but medically speaking, multiple pregnancies are linked with better health, whereas the practice of birth control raises certain health risks. (Imagine…God actually thought of that.)
Does that mean there aren’t ever problems with pregnancy and child-bearing? Of course not. The problems, though, are the result of the curse of sin and sickness–not having children and being pregnant.
When I hear people talk about the need to stop having children “so your uterus won’t wear out” or whatever other “expert” medical advice given, it’s much like saying that if you develop kidney disease, it must be because your kidneys “work” too much. But no one suggests you take medication to stop their function!
It seems we just have to remind ourselves that pregnancy is not a sickness or a problem or a fallen state of man! It’s normal…even close, frequent pregnancies. If God hadn’t meant for it to be so, he would have not made it so.
Birth control, at best, should be viewed as something a person may choose, but knowing she/he is altering the normal function of the body, and that such a decision should not be considered necessarily normal or healthy.
It should be the exception, not the rule. I’m afraid the oppostie has become true. Now I must have to explain why I’ve chosen such an “odd” thing…when in fact, I HAVEN’T CHOSEN ANYTHING!
Good post. My husband and I were discussing the other night that our culture has said it is best to “wait” for marriage. When really it’s a set up for the hormones!
Another excellent post (particularly along with the last two!). I went back, also, and read the “Human Wisdom” post and it’s follow-up comments. I again think about the woman who “will die” if she has another child. A) No one can predict that accurately, as been proven many times, and B) No one can see the BIG PICTURE, but God. Meaning, if He wants to bring a baby into the world, and it results in the mother losing her life, we as humans cannot question what God has in store for that family – only He knows what’s coming, so to speak. “All things work together for good, for those who love God, who are called according to His purposes.” We are so finite. It doesn’t really seem that difficult to trust in a God who is the author and creator of our lives, and He’s the only One who doesn’t see through a glass darkly. I think it all boils down to faith and trust in our Maker.
I hope this made sense!
Great Post! He created us as He wanted us. If we would accept that it would be wonderful. Babies are a blessing and yet they are looked on as a curse, you even hear it among Christians. What a backwards world.
Thank you again for your stand on issues.
Since I am having trouble commenting I am trying my AIM ID, but I am not sure this is going to work should someone want to get to me. meetmeinthegarden dot com or aintnoplace dot com
Well, I was in the shower, and the Lord prompted me to comment again. 🙂
I would never claim to know what each situation is that constitutes “life-threatening”, so please know that I would never want to abase anyone in that situation, who has with her husband prayerfully considered the ramifications of another pregnancy, and has decided they were done (childbearing).
I do feel badly about those cases where the mother dies (in childbirth), and the headwaggers and naysayers say, “Tsk, tsk. She should’ve listened to the medical community, and now the family will suffer…”, (because, again, we don’t see the big picture like God does.)
I hope I clarified. 🙂
Maybe you can do a post one day about how people believe the world is overpopulated thus it’s ‘wrong’ to have more than one or two kids. I used to believe that. I don’t have the ability to see what the true reality of population growth/ decline is but it rings true with me when I hear people say that the overpopulation thing is a myth. We are so blasted with images of a billion people starving in Africa and cities that are overly congested that we all have this guilt on our shoulders.
This post and the previous one are SO good! Thank you for writing this. I just HAD to link to it on my blog. Hope you don’t mind. These are logical, well-thought out arguments, not emotion-filled appeals.
In Christ, Laura
Yes! I can finally leave comments again!
I love this post. I linked to this one and the last one and if I’d seen it, I would have linked to the one you posted after. Amen, Amen!!!!!
We ask this question consistently to others when they ask us if we are done (we are only expecting our third right now), so imagine what they will say in 5 years!
I heard a commercial for As#ure the other day and plan to post on it sometime next week. Disgraceful
The other day, I went to the doctor, a new one, and she kept asking me if I was on birth control. I kept saying no, then she asked if we were trying to have a baby. And I said no. We aren’t trying. She said that we must be trying, if we’re not preventing, then we have to be trying. Where does that kind of logic come from?? My jaw dropped, guess I won’t be seeing her again.