-=ISSUE #3 - PART 2/3=- Moving on without delay, here is the second part of CY2k! Newsletter Issue #3. =CONTENTS:= -==========================================================================- =[PART 2/3]= I....APOLOGETICS & THEOLOGY -==========================================================================- -[=APOLOGETICS & THEOLOGY=]- A. EVANGELIUM VITAE FOR TODAY'S SOCIETY B. CONTRACEPTION IS ALWAYS WRONG C. CONTRACEPTION IS SELFISH D. CATHOLIC CHURCH CORRECT ON BIRTH CONTROL -==========================================================================- =EVANGELIUM VITAE FOR TODAY'S SOCIETY= by Therese Bergkamp (tbergkamp@yahoo.com) Many have heard of the encyclical for human life known as Humanae Vitae, but the modernized cousin, Evangelium Vitae, is not as well known. Published as a response to the continuing moral decline of society in this world, Evangelium Vitae is a restatement of how we should view the awesome miracle of human life from its tiniest beginnings to its end. In addition, genetic testing, cloning, and other modern issues that our past Church Fathers never encountered. Pope John Paul II also extends a message of hope and gratitude to those fighting for an end to the atrocities of forced sterilization, abortion, euthanasia, and cloning. We humans do not have the right to play God. While we are here on earth, everyone is called to a life of holiness. This means that not only do we need prayer, but actions are required to back up the prayer (and vice versa). On can not claim to love God, and refuse to help the least of his brothers. We are in the midst of a battle: the fight between good and evil. Good will ultimately win, but everyone's help is needed to expedite this and to cut the looses. Evangelium Vitae is a fitting example of what we are to do when confronted with the difficult issues here in our society. ADDITIONAL READING: ENTIRE TEXT OF EVANGELIUM VITAE (THE GOSPEL OF LIFE) http://www.ewtn.com/library/ENCYC/JP2EVANG.HTM -==========================================================================- NOTE: THE FOLLOWING THREE LETTERS WERE INTENDED FOR PUBLICATION IN OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY'S NEWSPAPER, TWO OF WHICH WHERE ACTUALLY PUBLISHED. THEY HAVE BEEN SLIGHTLY EDITED FOR PUBLICATION HERE. THE FIRST ONE WAS A RESPONSE TO A ARTICLE PRAISING THE SOON TO BE AVAILABLE MALE BIRTH CONTROL PILL. -==========================================================================- =ALL CONTRACEPTION IS WRONG= by Ash Lux (catholicyc@hotmail.com) I would like to answer Ms. Foster's question posed on September 25th, "When Will He Be Taking the 'Pill?' I hope never. I pray no on ever will. The use of contraceptives are always wrong. Put aside any possible reasons to use them like school, financial, and population, because "a good end never justifies the use of an evil means," and let us examine the reason contraception is wrong. Contraception is a deliberate attempt at preventing pregnancy. That is, the natural law puprpose of sex is procreation. This does not mean, however, sex should not be enjoyed, but please is an additional blessing from God. Almost any two creatures can make another through sex, but only humans can make a unique individual with a soul. In other words, contraception intentionally removes God from sexual intercourse because God is required to make a soul. In 1968, Pope Paul VI issued the encyclical letter Humanae Vitae (Latin: "On Human Life"). He prophesiesed the grave consequences of birth control, some of which are "increased marital infidelity and a lowering of moral standards, increased lack of respect for women and the danger of empowering public authorities to regulate the lives of others." These warning have clearly become reality! If you have a reason to use contraception, consider the moral alternative, natural family planning (different from the rhythm method). NFP assumes a women has an unregular cycle whereas the rhythm method assumes a regular cycle. You might have been asking yourself, "why is natural family planning moral and birth control not?" The answer is while bother are attempts to prevent pregnancy, it is the means used to accomplish the end. Natural Family planning involves both couples from abstaining from sex, which is not wrong. If it were, all virgins would remain in sin until having sexual intercourse, and even after sex, a person must continue to have sex literally all the time. This being impossible, abstaining is never immoral or wrong. On the other side of the spectrum, contraception is a deliberate attempt to keep God out of His work. Contraception only encourages the idea of getting what we want, when we want it, without facing consequences. Pope Paul VI's prophesy was true. Contraception would cause infedelity, lower moral standards, lack of respect for women, and the legalization of other "anti-life" laws. There are other advantages of natural family planning other than it being morally acceptable. It is inexpensive, safe, effective (99%), and results in healthier marriages -- psychologically, physically, and spiritually. All this for observing and recording changes in the woman's body. ADDITIONAL READING: ENTIRE ENGLISH TEXT OF HUMANAE VITAE (ON HUMAN LIFE) http://www.ewtn.com/library/ENCYC/P6HUMANA.HTM HUMANAE VITAE: UNDERSTANDING THE ENCYCLICAL http://www.ewtn.com/library/CURIA/LORHMVT.HTM THE HISTORY OF CONTRACEPTION TEACHINGS http://www.ewtn.com/library/ANSWERS/HISTCONT.HTM PASTORAL LETTER ON CONTRACEPTION http://www.ewtn.com/library/BISHOPS/FLAVIN.HTM THE PILL: HOW DOES IT WORK? IS IT SAFE? http://www.ewtn.com/library/MARRIAGE/CCLQPL.TXT -==========================================================================- =CONTRACEPTION IS SELFISH= by Ash Lux (catholicyc@hotmail.com) It is truth both Natural Family Planning and contraception is a form of birth control. The difference lies between the means used to achieve the end. The means with NFP is avoidance of certain times of the month and the end is to avoid pregnancy. The means with contraception is having sex and physically leaving God out of sexual intercourse to avoid pregnancy. A common misconception is contraception is wrong because it is unnatural. This is not the reason. The reason has absolutely nothing to do with whether it is a natural or unnatural act. A common misconception about NFP is it is only for women with normal cycles. In reality, NFP assumes the women has an unnatural cyle. It is not wrong to abstain from sex, but using NFP for a pure selfish reason is always wrong. This is actually an additional reason contraception is immoral, it is a very selfish act. The history of contraception goes back to 1900 BC with scrolls found in Egypt detailing practices in the Roman Empire. They include wool absorbing sperm, potions, and condoms made out of natural materials. All of Christianity has always believe contraception is immoral up until 1930 when the Angelican Church allowed practice in certain cases. Isn’t it about time everyone returns to the ancient beliefs held by the early Christians? Let us bring back that basic truth, and live by it. ADDITIONAL READING: SEE ABOVE ARTICLE "ALL CONTRACEPTION IS WRONG." -==========================================================================- =CATHOLIC CHURCH CORRECT ON BIRTH CONTROL= by Rev. Mr. Dick Berberet, Deacon I compliment Ashley Lux for his courage in presenting the teachings of the Catholic Church about artificial birth control in his letter printed on Sept. 26. He is entirely correct in stating the position of the Catholic Church, that the use of contraceptives is always wrong. The Church also teaches that the one moral acceptable method for married couples (comments are intended in the context of marriage where sexual intercourse is a moral good) to use in delaying pregnancy is natural family planning (NFP). That some people misunderstand the reason for this teaching is evident in the letter of Lynn Murnane printed on Sept. 28. Ms. Murnane asked whether, according to teachings of the Catholic Church, it is ever acceptable to have sex and be pretty certain that a child will not be conceived. The Church teaches that there is a twofold meaning for the act of intercourse -- sharing love and giving of life. Therefore it is not sinful for a couple to have intercourse during times when the wife is infertile, as is done in using NFP, because sharing of love can still occur. However, before making the decision to delay a pregnancy, a couple must consider whether they have serious reasons for doing so, which may include medical or financial concerns. And, as explained to me by a married couple who has taught the method for more than 20 years, use of NFP is also quite effective when used in helping couples to achieve pregnancy, helping them known when sexual intercourse has the highest possibility of resulting in a new life. **SPECIAL THANKS TO DEACON DICK FOR PROVIDING THIS ARTICLE!** ADDITIONAL READING: SEE ABOVE ARTICLE "ALL CONTRACEPTION IS WRONG." -==========================================================================- CONTACT: catholicyc@hotmail.com PHONE: (405)744-1464 **END OF PART 2/3**