1. What do Christians believe about the use of contraception?

2. What is it?
Contraception - the prevention of pregnancy using artificial methods such as condoms and contraceptive pills or natural methods such as avoiding sex during the woman's known fertile periods
Is the morning-after pill a method of contraception?
Why/why not?

3. Different types

4. Arguments Against Contraception
Contraception is inherently wrong
Contraception is unnatural
Contraception is anti-life
Contraception is a form of abortion
Contraception leads to "immoral behaviour"
Contraception makes it easier for people to have sex outside marriage
Contraception leads to widespread sexual immorality
Contraception allows people (even married people) to have sex purely for enjoyment

5. Contraception is Unnatural
Proponents say:
The natural consequence of having sexual intercourse is conceiving a child
It is wrong to interfere with natural processes
Therefore birth-control is intrinsically wrong
Opponents say:
This is a religious argument and many people aren’t religious
We interfere with natural processes all the time such as a doctor curing an illness

6. Contraception is Anti-Life
Proponents say:
life is a good thing
those who use contraception are engaged in an intentionally "anti-life" act because they intend to prevent a new life coming into being
Opponents say:
Life isn’t always a good thing
Sometimes preventing a life is the right thing to do

7. Contraception is a form of Abortion
Proponents say:
Some birth control techniques can operate by preventing the implantation and development of a fertilised egg
This a mounts to abortion so if abortion is wrong then so is this form of contraception
There is no way for the user to know whether the egg was prevented from fertilising or worked in some other way
Opponents say:
Preventing the fertilisation of an egg and destroying a fertilised egg are totally different

8. Contraception leads to Immoral Behaviour
Proponents say:
the availability of contraceptives leads to promiscuity which then leads to abortion
contraception carries health risks such as STIs
contraception makes it easier for people to have sex outside marriage
contraception leads to a casual attitude to sex and a more promiscuous lifestyle
Opponents say:
many of these are religious arguments and many people aren’t religious
the use of contraception is responsible not irresponsible

9. Arguments for Contraception
Human Rights Benefits
Family Benefits
Health Benefits
Benefits for Women
Demographic Benefits

10. Human Rights Benefits It's essential for "procreative liberty"
if people are not allowed a choice over whether or not to have children, their autonomy and freedom to control their lives is seriously restricted

11. Health Benefits it prevents the conception of unwanted children
and so reduces the number of possible abortions
it enables women whose health would be at risk if they conceived, to continue to have sex
the use of condoms helps prevent sexually transmitted diseases and HIV

12. Family Benefits
it prevents the conception of children that a family cannot support
it enables people to avoid having more children than they want
it improves marriage because
it enables couples to enjoy the unitive function of sexual activity without being anxious about conceiving a child
it enables couples to have fewer children and thus spend more time together and with the children they do have
it reduces the cost of marriage (children are expensive)

13. Benefits for Women it promotes gender equality:
pregnancy and child-rearing affect women much more than men
women should have the right to choose or avoid these activities
any restriction of birth control is therefore sexual discrimination
it enables women to enjoy sexual activity on the same basis as men
any restriction of birth control is therefore a denial of women's right to sexual autonomy
without contraception a woman may find herself having regular pregnancies
this leads her to remain economically dependant on her partner

14. Demographic Benefits
it enables world population to be controlled and thus protects the environment and reduces poverty
many people think this is a dubious benefit, and point out that fairer use of the world's resources would be a better way of reducing poverty and more environmentally friendly behaviour would be a better way of protecting the environment

15. What do Christians think?
Most Christians believe that couples want to limit the size of their family
This could be for financial reasons or to make sure the woman’s health is not at risk
Contraception allows the husband and wife to enjoy a sexual relationship without the worry of an unwanted pregnancy
Using contraception to plan the timing of a pregnancy can help ensure that all children are wanted, loved and provided for

16. What do Catholics think?
The Catholic Church believes that using contraception is evil
Catholics are only permitted to use natural methods of birth control
Contraception is wrong because:
it is against 'natural law'
it breaks the natural connection between the procreative and the unitive purposes of sex
it turns sex into a non-marital act
it gives human beings the power to decide when a new life should begin - that power belongs to God
it leads to widespread immorality
it damages the institution of marriage
it reduces male respect for women

17. Natural Family Planning
Abstention: not having sex
this method is 100% reliable
Rhythm method: having sex at times of the woman's menstrual cycle when she is unable to conceive
this method is calendar based
its reliability is around 85%
Body function methods: these use other functions of the woman's body, such as mucous patterns and temperature patterns, to determine when the chance of conception is low. The couple only have sexual intercourse during the period of low fertility.
these methods are up to 98% reliable

18. The Tablet Survey
Despite the official teaching of the Catholic Church many Catholics do use and/or agree with artificial birth control
The Tablet magazine surveyed 1,500 Mass-goers in England and Wales:
82% of people are familiar with the Church's moral teachings
more than half of year olds still cohabited before marriage
The contraceptive pill is used by 54.5% and nearly 69% had used or would consider using condoms.
The survey also found that more than half think that the teaching should be revised.

19. Controversy in 2005... Pope rejects condoms for Africa
The spread of HIV and Aids in Africa should be tackled through fidelity and abstinence and not by condoms, Pope Benedict XVI has said. Speaking to African bishops at the Vatican, the Pope described HIV/Aids in Africa as a "cruel epidemic".
But he told them: "The traditional teaching of the church has proven to be the only failsafe way to prevent the spread of HIV/Aids."

20. ...and in 2010? Pope says condoms are OK in certain circumstances!
VATICAN CITY — Pope Benedict XVI has opened the door on the previously taboo subject of condoms as a way to fight HIV, saying male prostitutes who use condoms may be beginning to act responsibly. It's a stunning comment for a pontiff who has blamed condoms for making the AIDS crisis worse.

21. Homework Explain Christian teachings about contraception (6)
“Condoms are evil” Discuss this statement. You should include, different, supported points of view and a personal viewpoint. You must refer to Christianity in your answer (12)