Is birth control a sin?

[Guest]

I believe that Seth has a valid question. The trend today is for couples to get married and go on birth control until they are "ready" for them. The couple is usually finishing college or the wife wants to pursue her career until they get to be to a place of financial stability to raise children, which can be problematic because it is so hard to go from a two income household to one income, part of this is the cost of living in parts of america or low paying jobs (both valid) but what about us always wanting to keep up with the Jones and not wanting the sacrificial challenges that we would face.
I think people in the church have heard the verses about children being a blessing, but the reality is that they , more times than not, believe the message of the modern culture that they are a burden, that children hold you back from doing what you want to do in life. Isn't it sad that couples plan out when and how many children they will have as if it is a vacation that they may like to go on some day if they can afford it and they can be sure that the weather is going to be nice when thay are there?

One last parting question. If God's purpose for sex is both reproduction and pleasure, why is it that we have BC two address the first but nothing to hinder the second? No one has invinted the pill that takes the pleasure out of sex that I am aware of.

Grace and peace
jeremiah

[Guest]

I believe that Seth has a valid question. The trend today is for couples to get married and go on birth control until they are "ready" for them. The couple is usually finishing college or the wife wants to pursue her career until they get to be to a place of financial stability to raise children, which can be problematic because it is so hard to go from a two income household to one income, part of this is the cost of living in parts of america or low paying jobs (both valid) but what about us always wanting to keep up with the Jones and not wanting the sacrificial challenges that we would face.
I think people in the church have heard the verses about children being a blessing, but the reality is that they , more times than not, believe the message of the modern culture that they are a burden, that children hold you back from doing what you want to do in life. Isn't it sad that couples plan out when and how many children they will have as if it is a vacation that they may like to go on some day if they can afford it and they can be sure that the weather is going to be nice when thay are there?

I completely agree with your above negative assessment for why many couples decide to delay having children. Your points are incisive in our modern American "Christianity."

I believe many in this debate often create the following false dichotomy of these categories:
- A couple does nothing to plan or prevent pregnancies because they believe in God's kingdom and that children are a blessing
- A couple that practices any form of birth control doesn't really see children as a blessing and is carnally focused.

However, is it possible for a Christian couple to truly believe that children are a blessing, have their focus on God's kingdom as the highest priority, be disinterested in material wealth AND still practice some form of birth control?

[Guest]

schoel- you pose an excellent question.

i suppose the answer is likely yes, although i am not sure what scenario would fit.

if a Godly couple who thinks children are a blessing and also have focusing on the kingdom of God as their highest priority and are not interested in material things BUT for some other reason, perhaps the health of one of the spouses, for example, decide to practice BC, i think this would be okay.

if a person TRULY BELIEVES that children are a blessing, then the proper thing to do would be to try to maximize the blessing, it would seem.

21centpilgrim wrote:

The trend today is for couples to get married and go on birth control until they are "ready" for them. The couple is usually finishing college or the wife wants to pursue her career until they get to be to a place of financial stability to raise children, which can be problematic because it is so hard to go from a two income household to one income, part of this is the cost of living in parts of america or low paying jobs (both valid) but what about us always wanting to keep up with the Jones and not wanting the sacrificial challenges that we would face.

my stepdaughter and her husband had fallen into this line of thinking. they are both christians, but young, in new careers, in a new house, etc. i sent them a CD copy of Steve G's message "A Vision for Children." they had to drive somewhere that was about an hour away; they listened to the CD and that night we got a call from them advising that the BC was off. We were amazed! (But happy). i am confident that God will bless their decision.

TK

[Guest]

However, is it possible for a Christian couple to truly believe that children are a blessing, have their focus on God's kingdom as the highest priority, be disinterested in material wealth AND still practice some form of birth control?

I personally do believe that it is possible. All of us have different talents and I believe parenting is one of those. Some people have no problem raising 16 kids and others can barely survive 1. I think a lot depends on the personality of the child as well in why it is easier or more difficult. A strong willed child takes more energy and time than one that can be more easily disciplined.

[Guest]

hi micah--

i was going to say something like what you said, but i had to stop to consider whether or not children are ALWAYS a blessing, or only a POSSIBLE blessing.

in other words, is the "blessing" of children objective or subjective? if we say subjective, then we get to the problem raised in 21centpilgrim's post above. that is, one might say "children are a blessing if they are convenient for me, if i can afford them, etc etc." i am not sure this is what God has in mind.

thoughts?

TK

[Guest]

Hi TK,

I think children are definitely a blessing, but I don't think that means a parent is forced into producing children until you physically can't produce any. I do believe it comes down to motives. If a parent feels that their patience can only handle one or two children, due to lack of parental experience in their past (one came from a divorced home), child's personality, etc. than I think their motives are pure because they are thinking about the gifts that God has given to them. They may not want more children because it may become a detriment to the whole family (ex. not able to spend enough time with all of them, etc.) If one doesn't want to have children for the mere fact of selfish ambition, than yes in my opinion that would be wrong.

[Guest]

hey micah--

to use the vernacular, "i'm cool with that."

TK

[Guest]

A common phrase found several times in Genesis, both to the animals and to man:

"Be fruitful and multiply".

I suppose God could have said, "Be fruitful and multiply until one of you invents contraceptives, then go at your own pace", but He didn't.

Isn't it odd that even us Christians don't want to trust God, but would rather play God? Do you suppose that you can have more children than God wants you to have?

I wonder if one day we will be in Heaven, embarrassed at how much we let the world influence us and at our own refusal to follow such simple commands.

In His Name,

Gary

Christianity is a great philosophy, and even better when put to practical use.

[Guest]

To throw a bit of a wrench in things.... someone might say, "I am not married because I do not want kids." Would that also be a type of birth control too?

[Guest]

i guess another question is whether God "calls" certain couples to childlessness(for whatever reason), apart from infertility.

TK