Stop Breeding Like Rabbits? The Pope Misses the Point on Contraception

[trotsky]

http://time.com/3674155/pope-francis-contraception-catholic-rabbits-comment/

On his flight back to Rome on Monday, Pope Francis offered the press corps some friendly advice on family planning. During his recent travels in the Philippines, he said, he met a mother who risked her life to bear seven children. Chiding her “irresponsibility,” he said the Catholic Church’s prohibition on modern contraception does not mean large families are a must. “Some think, excuse me if I use the word, that in order to be good Catholics, we have to be like rabbits,” he said, “But no.”

Now, I can’t argue with the Pope on matters of doctrine — that’s his specialty. But in the Philippines, the Church’s stance on “artificial” contraception is also a national political issue. And its opposition to the use of things like birth control pills and condoms is a matter of public health and human rights. From that perspective, his decree is deeply problematic.

...

Opposition from the Church, particularly the influential Catholic Bishops Conference, kept the country’s family planning bill on the shelves for more than a decade. Yet the Holy See is at odds with the stated preferences of Filipinos. Research suggests that most support voluntary family planning, and surveys show an unmet need, meaning a large number of women would like to control the number and timing of their pregnancies, but can’t. That gap is highest (about 25%) among poor women, who, for instance, might be less able to afford, or educated on the use of, pills or condoms.

The anti-prophylactic rhetoric is also at odds with what we know about family planning in terms of public health. As social policy, abstinence does not work. Multiple studies show that without access to affordable, modern methods of contraception, the number of unplanned or unwanted pregnancies rises, as do rates of sexually transmitted infections and unsafe abortions.

More confirmation that the PR pope is all words, no substance.

[JDDavis]

1. Probably true of most Catholic clerics who

went to private Catholic schools and colleges to learn Latin, Greek, perhaps some Aramaic, or whatever, mixed with Catholic doctrinal lessons from the middle ages.

These guys probably never went on a date in their lives; most probably certainly never had a girlfriend, never wrestled with the temptations of late adolescence and early adulthood in the modern world of heterosexual relationships.

I won't speculate any further, but we all know from the study of psychology that repression of sexual identity or orientation often happens with those attracted to a life in the Catholic clergy, and sometimes, (perhaps not really that often but sometimes), leads to terrible results and more than just a few victims worldwide.

[trotsky]

2. Yup.

"Just don't have sex." Without a clue of why that is ridiculous advice.

[PeaceNikki]

3. tl;dr version: stop fucking each other

[Curmudgeoness]

4. I think he has a lot of explaining to do on this one.

The Bible tells women to submit to their husbands, who undoubtly will want sex. And the only reason for marriage is to procreate. Add in the prohibition to birth control and you have more issues to resolve.

I also take great exception to the admonish of the woman in this case. Why wasn't he telling her husband that he was the one in the wrong for not keeping it in his pants? Why was it the woman who Pope Wonderful singled out?

You should not have to ask me why I have issues with religion.

[wavesofeuphoria]

5. I've been told and I'm sure there are stats

to back it up that "most" catholic women use birth control. I've been assure here that the "liberal" catholic women do!

So, are those women going to go to hell for violating church doctrine?

Is the pope aware of this? Has he publicly admonished those women for using birth control?

I really wish he would. Loud and clear. Shake it up. Maybe those women would stand up and speak up for the rest of us who aren't catholic but are oppressed by these teachings anyway.

The real issue though as always is ... women should have equality, body autonomy, and control of her reproductive health. Clearly the catholic doctrine does not support that. And here we've seen how much "air time" the pope gets. I comprehend and know the immense damage done to women due to this doctrine. Imagine a world where women had equality, body autonomy, and control of her reproductive health. There is nothing "special" about those rights. Men should have them too.

[trotsky]

6. Yes I'm sure most do as well.

Certainly in developed nations. It's not even accessible in some areas - again thanks to the RCC.

But that's where this gets to be so maddening. If this key doctrine is kind of a "wink and nod" type of thing, then why not abolish it? In the parts of the world where birth control could make a huge positive difference, the RCC rabidly opposes it.

[wavesofeuphoria]

7. Exactly!!

Enough already.

You can't really and effective address poverty without addressing birth control.

It is maddening! (good word)

And draining.

[PeaceNikki]

8. Someone here spins that truth in a way I'd never seen

But there it was:

The super rich people are pumping out babies and that I'm trying to oppress the poor by suggesting that lack of access to reproductive services contributes to poverty. He/she is trying to turn this into me bullying the poor by trying to stop them from having kids.

The data shows the opposite, but whatever, I'm just an oppressive hater or something because I want women to have access, without stigma or dogmatic pressure, to decide how and when they will be parents.

Here's where it went down: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026105568#post84

[wavesofeuphoria]

10. That was weird!

It's a basic fact: The ability of women to control their reproductive lives is essential for their personal health, their economic well-being, and a little something called equality.


I CANNOT believe I am still ... still ... fighting this battle. It's 2015 for fuck sakes.

[PeaceNikki]

11. Yeah, I am with you. Insane.

[onager]

13. Damn, that was weird.

Especially that list enumerating "Birthing Habits of the Rich & Famous." Or whatever it was.

And Wonderpopery all over the thread, in general.

My elderly, conservative, devout-Baptist Mom - of all people - is currently fighting this crap in the rural South. Somewhat reluctantly, I'd guess.

She was asked to counsel one of her former pre-school students. The girl is 16, with one kid already and another on the way. (For curious lurkers who specialize in demographics - this is a white girl from a lower middle-class, religious Southern family.)

Mom didn't suggest Moar Jesus or increased prayer - she told the girl to go to the clinic and get birth control.

The girl responded: "I don't like to use birth control."



Even I don't know what to say to that...

Public Notice - I'm not posting much because I am still in Escrow Hell. 5 tons of paperwork to do every night and at least 4 trips a day to no-goddam Lowe's, fixing things around the place before I sell it. Tomorrow I go to the dentist, which will be somewhat of a relief...

[trotsky]

14. Not an uncommon line of attack.

A DUer was once accused of "proposing genocide" against the poor when they suggested that the Catholic takeover of hospitals (and subsequent denial of any services - to Catholics AND non-Catholics alike - that contradict church teachings) was a bad thing.

[edhopper]

9. As far as how I act and what I, and my wife decide to do..

Hey Frank, if you don't eat meat, don't chastise me on how should have my steak.

[AlbertCat]

12. if you don't eat meat, don't chastise me on (I) how should have my steak.

Bingo.

Hey Frank.... the folks you hang out with don't have sex ( except even they do....unfortunately) but those of us who haven't dropped out of the real world to devote ourselves completely to ancient superstitions and rituals WANT to have sex. It's a great thing for adults to do. Don't expect men to give it up, and stop expecting women to be the ones responsible for what happens all the damn time. IOW.... see if you can peer out from your sheltered bizarre papal world and see how normal lives go.... and lift this stupid ban on responsible contraception.