Transcript Humanae Vitae

Humanae Vitae
Taken from Dr. Janet Smith’s talk “Contraception: Why Not?”
Read the Encyclical of Humane
Vite
• http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/encyclicals/docum
ents/hf_p-vi_enc_25071968_humanae-vitae_en.html
Sterility - clarification
• Sterile people can get married
• Unless they enter into marriage with deception
• Impotent people cannot
• If the impediment of impotence is doubtful, whether by a doubt
about the law or a doubt about a fact, a marriage must not be
impeded nor, while the doubt remains, declared null
• Unable to consummate the marriage
The lead up
• Until 1930, EVERY single Christian Church taught that
contraception was wrong
• The Anglican Church was the first to allow contraception in
1930
• From 1930-1960 there was almost no debate in the Catholic
Church
• In the 1960’s the pill became available
The lead up
• What the people of the 60’s thought was going to happen
because of contraception
• Would stop the world from being overpopulated
• Would make for better marriages (removes “fear” of getting
pregnant so less tension)
• Could now have sex before marriage since pregnancy could be
blocked
• That would naturally lead to better marriages also (you wouldn’t buy
a car without test driving it would you?)
• Wouldn’t get married out of desperation for sex
• There would be FAR fewer abortions
The controversy
• Contraception rapidly became a commonplace occurrence,
even for Catholics
• Some Theologians (and even priests) said that the Church was
going to change her stance on contraception and start
allowing it
• She didn’t!
• Humanae Vitae was released in 1968 holding to consistent
teaching of the Church
• Dissent happened
Predictions of Humanae Vitae
• General lowering of morality in society
• General disregard for the physical and psychological well-being
of females by males
• Pornography, sexual abuse, etc.
• Governments would use family planning programs for coercive
purposes once contraception became widely available
• China, UN, Africa
• Begin to treat our bodies as though they were machines
• Can “buy” a designer baby
The aftermath - morality
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•
•
•
Look around!
Look at what’s on TV
Look at what’s on the internet
Look at what you can see driving down the street
The aftermath - divorce
• Divorce rates
•
•
•
•
Slowly crept up all century to 25% in 1965
From 1965-1975 it shot up to 50%
That is a HUGE increase in a VERY short period of time
What happened?
• Stanford Sociologist Robert Michael
• The increase directly correlates to contraception
• Once everybody who wanted to contracept had the pill, the levels
leveled out.
• His reasons?
• No children to keep you bonded
• More adultery
• Women at work made it easier for them to leave their husbands
The aftermath – abortion
• Unwanted pregnancies before 1960 (i.e. before contraception
was readily available)
• 6% white, 22% black
• Unwanted pregnancies in 1992
• 22% white, 68% black
• 1.5 million abortions per year
• 50% of women claim they are aborting because of failed
contraception.
• Supreme Court – Planned Parenthood v. Casey
• “For two decades, couples have based their intimate relationships
on the availability of abortion should contraceptives fail.”
NFP vs. Contraception
• If they are the same, why not just use NFP?
• Two men want to support their family
• One gets a job, the other robs a bank
• The ends do NOT justify the means
• Abstinence vs. free reign over the other’s body
• Viewing the other as a commodity
• “I love everything about you except for your fertility”
• The tendency to exploit each other as means for sexual
gratification can result.
With use of NFP one is using good reason to space the
birth of children but the final decision is left to God. If
a child is conceived he or she is happily welcomed.
• It is not an abortifacient.
Assignment: Due Nov. 24:
• Read the Encyclical Humanae Vitae:
• Google it or use the address below to find it.
• http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/encyclicals/
documents/hf_p-vi_enc_25071968_humanaevitae_en.html
• Write a reaction paper that will address the following
points:
• Explain five major insights that will help you maintain a
more genuine loving marriage.
• Why is the use of contraceptives proven to be
destructive rather than productive in forming loving and
enduring marriages.