Why is the Roman Catholic Church against birth control??

[Angry Dragon]

[Jim__]

1. One place to start is wikipedia.

A very quick check led to this - from wikipedia:

The Catholic Church is morally opposed to artificial contraception and orgasmic acts outside of the context of marital intercourse. This belief dates back to the first centuries of Christianity.[2] Such acts are considered intrinsically disordered because of the belief that all licit sexual acts must be both unitive (express love), and procreative (open to procreation). The only form of birth control permitted is abstinence. Modern scientific methods of "periodic abstinence" such as natural family planning (NFP) were counted as a form of abstinence by Pope Paul VI in his 1968 encyclical Humanae Vitae.[3] The following is the condemnation of contraception:

Therefore We base Our words on the first principles of a human and Christian doctrine of marriage when We are obliged once more to declare that the direct interruption of the generative process already begun and, above all, all direct abortion, even for therapeutic reasons, are to be absolutely excluded as lawful means of regulating the number of children. Equally to be condemned, as the magisterium of the Church has affirmed on many occasions, is direct sterilization, whether of the man or of the woman, whether permanent or temporary. Similarly excluded is any action which either before, at the moment of, or after sexual intercourse, is specifically intended to prevent procreation—whether as an end or as a means.

A number of other documents provide more insight into the Church's position on contraception. The commission appointed to study the question in the years leading up to Humanae Vitae issued two reports, a majority report explaining why the Church could change its teaching on contraception, and a minority report which explains the reasons for upholding the traditional Christian view on contraception.[4] In 1997, the Vatican released a document entitled "Vademecum for Confessors" (2:4) which states "[t]he Church has always taught the intrinsic evil of contraception."[5] Furthermore, many Church Fathers condemned the use of contraception.[6][7]

[justiceischeap]

2. I'm no wikipedia link, but I'd argue it's because

they needed to populate the earth. Same reason why the bible is against a man "wasting his seed." Survival of the fittest is probably where is began.

[Boojatta]

6. "all licit sexual acts must be both unitive (express love), and procreative (open to procreation)"

They could omit the love part, and they would still oppose any effort, other than abstinence, to avoid reproduction.

However, no explanation is given there. It's simply a bald assertion dressed up in pretentious language.

licit --> we aren't against it

There are two parts:
First: For every sexual act, if we aren't against it, then it expresses love.

Second: For every sexual act, if we aren't against it, then it isn't conducted in a manner designed to prevent reproduction.

I think that the two parts contradict each other. A sexual act can be conducted in an affectionate manner, but is it truly an act of love if it creates responsibilities for two people that are beyond their capacity to manage?

To be accurate, they should say:
"all licit sexual acts must be both unitive (with an affectionate touch) and recklessly irresponsible (conducted without regard for the reproductive consequences). There is no room for the kind of love of one's partner that would make one take precautions against producing an excessive number of offspring. We demand of you a large crop of kids that we can use as cannon fodder, to keep wages down, and for various other purposes.

[muriel_volestrangler]

3. What's the official RC line on a pregnant woman having sex with her husband?

Is that officially a sin too?

[DawnBrooks]

4. don't you watch monty python?

[link:

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[rug]

5. Humanae Vitae

http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_25071968_humanae-vitae_en.html