CONTRACEPTION

We see that Evangelicals are in the minority in their beliefs on abortion (but not concerning contraception) in this country, yet are determined to force their beliefs on everyone else by their allegiance with the conservative right. The conservative right needs the votes of these Evangelicals to continue winning elections. Some would say that this is indeed an unholy alliance since many of the values of the conservative right are in conflict with basic Christian values as taught by Jesus Christ.

Some Christians will also be very surprised to learn that one or more of the contraceptive techniques they might currently be using can in some cases prevent the complete embryo (already fertilized) from successfully implanting. If they wish to be dogmatic per their belief system, then they would technically consider this an abortion. I highly recommend they look at these methods of contraception and educate themselves on how each technique actually works. Although I believe that a woman has the right to decide if she will continue a pregnancy and that abortion is NOT murder per the Bible, it would seem that Christians should educate themselves on contraception and abortion (see the page on abortion) and especially make sure that their youth have this information readily provided to them so that accidental pregnancies need not result. After all, a planned pregnancy is statistically less likely to end in an abortion.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/christianethics/contraception_1.shtml

“For most of the last 2000 years all Christian churches have been against artificial birth control.

In the first centuries of Christianity, contraception (and abortion) were regarded as wrong because they were associated with paganism or with heretics such as the Gnostics, the Manichees and, in the middle ages, the Cathars.”

“This change came slowly – as late as 1908 the Lambeth Conference of the Anglican Church stated that birth control “cannot be spoken of without repugnance,” and denounced it as “demoralising to character and hostile to national welfare.”

But a few years later the Anglicans were the first church to issue a statement in favour of contraception, which they did at the Lambeth Conference in 1930 by a majority of 193 to 67. A group of American Protestants followed in 1931.”

“Indeed, while Judeo-Christian scripture encourages humans to “be fruitful and multiply,” nothing in Scripture explicitly prohibits contraception.

When the first Christian theologians condemned contraception, they did so not on the basis of religion but in a give-and-take with cultural practices and social pressures. Early opposition to contraception was often a reaction to the threat of heretic groups, such as the Gnostics and Manichees. And before the 20th century, theologians assumed that those who practiced contraception were “fornicators” and “prostitutes.”

The purpose of marriage, they believed, was producing offspring. While sex within marriage was not itself considered a sin, pleasure in sex was. The fourth-century Christian theologian Augustine characterized the sexual act between spouses as immoral self-indulgence if the couple tried to prevent conception.”

https://theconversation.com/protestants-and-the-pill-how-us-christians-helped-make-birth-control-mainstream-179536

“Over the decades, Protestant leaders have, in large part, disappeared from pro-birth control arguments.

There are many reasons. Mid-century agricultural technologies reduced fears of overpopulation – which have only recently been reawoken by the climate crisis. Meanwhile, mainline Protestant churches, and their public influence, are shrinking. Conservative leaders eventually grew concerned that birth control would lead to more working women, not fewer. And since the 1970s, evangelicals have grown increasingly opposed to abortion, which was increasingly linked to birth control through the broad term “family planning.”

In other words, since the “population bomb” was no longer ticking, contraception no longer seemed like such an urgent necessity – and some of its other implications troubled conservatives, breaking an almost pan-Protestant alliance.

Meanwhile, liberal Protestants had so embraced contraception that they no longer viewed it as turf that needed defending. Today, 99% of American girls and women between the ages of 15 and 44 who have ever had sex use or have used a contraceptive method. Reproductive rights advocates turned their attention to abortion rights – largely leaving religious views on birth control to their opponents.”

Here we see a great concise history by Professor McClain of how the Catholic Church has viewed contraception:

https://theconversation.com/how-the-catholic-church-came-to-oppose-birth-control-95694

Here is information on various contraception methods, how they work and how effective they are presented by the Wellness Centre at the University of British Columbia in Canada:

https://students.ubc.ca/ubclife/comprehensive-contraception-guide

And here is information from the CDC in the US on various contraception methods. Note the % of failure of the various methods. Some would assume that women seeking abortions are using abortion as some sort of birth control practice but that is not usually true nor should it be. Many of these contraceptive methods have a certain % of failure. When that happens the woman must decide what to do now with the possibility that she is pregnant. This can be very scary indeed for a young girl, especially one who does not have good financial or moral support from her partner or family! Professing Christians need to have some empathy here and not just judgment and condemnation.

https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/contraception/index.htm

Here is a link from our government on Emergency Contraception.  Emergency Contraception does NOT cause abortion. It must be used ASAP after sex and within 5 days for sure:

https://www.womenshealth.gov/a-z-topics/emergency-contraception?from=AtoZ

“Emergency contraception can help keep you from getting pregnant if you had sex without using birth control or if your birth control method did not work. There are two types of FDA-approved emergency contraceptive pills (ECPs). Some ECPs can work when taken within five days of unprotected sex or when your birth control does not work correctly. Some ECPs are available without a prescription.”

“Research shows that emergency contraception pills work mostly by preventing or delaying ovulation (the release of an egg from the ovary). Less commonly, emergency contraception may prevent fertilization of the egg by the sperm if ovulation has already happened.^4,5 If a fertilized egg has already implanted in your uterus (you are pregnant), emergency contraception pills will not stop or harm your pregnancy.⁶”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency_contraception

Emergency contraception (EC) is a birth control measure, used after sexual intercourse to prevent pregnancy.

There are different forms of EC. Emergency contraceptive pills (ECPs), sometimes simply referred to as emergency contraceptives (ECs), or the morning-after pill, are medications intended to disrupt or delay ovulation or fertilization, which are necessary for pregnancy.^[3][4][5]

Intrauterine devices (IUDs) – usually used as a primary contraceptive method – are sometimes used as the most effective form of emergency contraception.^[4][6] However, the use of IUDs for emergency contraception is relatively rare.^[1]