What War on Women?

The Catholic Church and It's View on Contraception

Pope John Paul II

This is kind of a random post, but I'm a random kind of person.  I like to write what I feel and that doesn't always sit well with people.  I'm okay with that.  I'm not here to please everyone, or conform to others beliefs.  I have my own and they work well for me, but they don't have to work well for others.  That's why they're mine.  I also like to have conversations with friends.  Friends who can challenge me, make me think about why I feel a certain way, and who make me want to know more.  Those are the best kinds of friends.  The ones who don't agree with you just because, but the ones who challenge you to be better.

I have a good friend that I talk to at least once or twice a week, and we always end up having these intensely thought provoking conversations that I couldn't have with anyone else.  Mostly because some of my other friends are in different stages of their lives than her and they probably don't even care about the issues we talk about.  We both like to stay up to date on politics and whatever is going on in our world and then talk about it.  We don't always agree, but that is what makes our conversations interesting.  One issue I've been following closely is the supposed "War on Women."  More specifically, the Catholic's war on Obama's healthcare mandate that says all Catholic employers and Universities must provide birth control to women, even if it is used for contraception.

There was a Fox News article (I love Fox News, don't judge me!) that came out today about a Catholic University in Ohio that has decided to stop providing health insurance for it's students.  Ever since Sandra Fluke spoke to Congress about contraceptives, the Liberal media has launched an attack against Catholics about their moral and religious beliefs.  My friend and I were talking about the article I posted on my facebook wall which prompted me to do a little google research after we hung up.  I found a really interesting article that said many people judge the Catholic Church and it's community by what they think we believe, not by what we actually believe.

Let me clear something up straight away.  Many believe the Catholic Church wants to hold women back, not give them equal rights, but that is just not true.  No, we do not let women become ordained but there is a reason.  The answer can very easily be found in the New Testament as well as the writing of the Church Fathers.  

While women could publicly pray and prophesy in church (1 Cor. 11:1–16), they could not teach or have authority over a man (1 Tim. 2:11–14), since these were two essential functions of the clergy. Nor could women publicly question or challenge the teaching of the clergy (1 Cor. 14:34–38).  (source)

"...the example recorded in the Sacred Scriptures of Christ choosing his Apostles only from among men; the constant practice of the Church, which has imitated Christ in choosing only men; and her living teaching authority which has consistently held that the exclusion of women from the priesthood is in accordance with God's plan for his Church." (source)

**This article is a great read if you really want to find out the problems with women wanting "equal rights" in the church.**

Interestingly enough, Pope John Paul II was the only Pope in modern history who took a close look at women and their role in the church.

Nevertheless, during Pope John Paul's pontificate, women took over pastoral and administrative duties in priestless parishes, they were appointed chancellors of dioceses around the world, and they began swelling the ranks of "experts" at Vatican synods and symposiums. In 2004, for the first time, the pope appointed two women theologians to the prestigious International Theological Commission and named a Harvard University law professor, Mary Ann Glendon, to be president of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences. source

However, none of this means that the Catholic Church will change it's position on contraceptives, abortion, or sterilization.  Up until 1930 all Protestant denominations agreed contraception was sinful.  However, due to growing social pressure, the Anglican church announced some contraception was allowed in certain circumstances at the Lambeth Conference.  Soon after, they completely caved in and allowed contraception across the board.  Today, the Catholic Church is the only one left that proclaims the historic Christian position on contraceptives.  

There are a few major reasons why Catholic's are against any form of birth control.  You can read the full article here, but I am going to list two of the major points below:

1. Nature:  Contraception is a deliberate violation of God's "natural law."  The natural purpose of sex is to procreate and strengthen the bond of intimacy, respect, and love between husband and wife.
2. Scripture:  Contraception is not a modern invention.  In fact, it's even mentioned in the Bible.  Onan avoided fulfilling his duty (according to ancient Jewish law) to father children for one's dead brother.             

"Judah said to Onan, 'Go in to your brother's wife, and perform the duty of a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother.'  But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his; so when he went in to his brother's wife he spilled the semen on the ground, lest he should give offspring to his brother.  And what he did was displeasing in the sight of the Lord, and he slew him also."  (Gen. 38:8-10) 

The punishment for Onan's actions was death.  His crime was more than simply not fulfilling the duty of a brother-in-law, he violated natural law (as Jewish and Christian commentators have always understood).  

I hope this post adds a little more insight into the Catholic Church and it's feelings on contraception.  You can find more information here and also read some of Pope John Paul II's work below!

Ordinatio Sacerdotalis:  Apostolic Letter of John Paul II to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on Reserving Priestly Ordination to Men Alone.
To Women:  Letter of Pope John Paul II to Women
Mulieris Dignitatem:  Apostolic Letter of the Supreme Pontiff John Paul II on the Dignity and Vocation of Women on the Occasion of the Marian Year