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Salient. An Organ of Student Opinion at Victoria College, Wellington, N.Z. Vol. 17, No. 15. July 29, 1953

Reasons For The Church's Teaching

Reasons For The Church's Teaching

There are three mains reasons why the Catholic Church forbids birth control. First, it cheats marriage and sexual congress of their primary end which is the generation of offspring. Birth control is therefore against the life of possible men and women, and contrary to the good of the human race, for the conservation of which the genital organs were primarily instituted by nature. Instead the secondary ends of marriage, the growth of mutual love between husband and wife, and the allaying of natural concupiscence, are plated first. But Dr. Weaver pointed out that even these ends are not allayed by birth control. For where can there be mutual love when a man is using his wife "no more than as a prpostitute" (Aquinas) wanting no more from her than what a prostitute offers? The dignity of a woman is debased and neither party has any respect for the other. And seeking satisfaction at any cost does not allay concupiscence. Without the consequence of offspring and the responsibility of looking after children with no fear of unpleasant results concupiscence is not allayed but increased. Therefore birth control frustrates both the primary and secondary ends of marriage.

Secondly it is against conjugal faith in entering a marriage contract the husband gives his wife sole and perpetual right of his genital organs for acts which of their nature are apt to produce offspring, and on her part the wife gives these rights to her husband. But birth control hinders the creation of new life, so that the marriage contract, although deadly serious is not fulfilled. The essential purpose of birth control is the destruction of the human race by the prevention of offspring and this is against nature when indulged in by married people.

Thirdly, when birth control is used frequently it kills human love and consumes the health 01 the parties. A woman becomes as a prostitute and man a prey to his appetites.