I have gotten some response to yesterday's post, and first of all... thanks. I've been quiet recently, I know, but I've also been real busy with a number of projects. I am still waiting for my assignment to come down, which is just a matter of time at this point, so when I have news I can share publicly, I will certainly do so.
I am also sitting on top of a couple of "Comeback Trail" articles which I started and never finished. Number 3 is practically done, so I'll work it over in the next day or so and turn it loose. The next one shouldn't be too far behind.
Anyway, one of the follow-ups I wanted to offer was something that I and no small number of my colleagues have used in a homilies and talks before... it is the four "predictions" of Pope Paul VI which he offers towards the end of Humane Vitae, the papal teaching document which was offered 45 years ago yesterday. He was a prophet of his time, I think, as he had a good understanding of the consequences of the "contraceptive spirit" which he could see, even in the mid-1960's. Without further ado, here they are: (from Humane Vitae #17-18)- Contraception would promote conjugal infidelity.
- Contraception would contribute to a "lowering of morality" by increased temptation and the perception of 'ease' (meaning a seeming lack of consequences) in breaking that law.
- Contraception would lead to diminished reverence (what an awesome word!) for women, where they would be seen as "instruments of satisfaction of his own desires " rather than as a cherished partner to the man.
- Widespread acceptance of contraception would lead to a massive imposition of contraception by unscrupulous governments.
The results some forty-five years later are somewhat self-explanatory, but wow, we are getting front-row seats to #4 here in the states in our own time. Contraception and abortion are now considered health care by many of our duly-elected overlords (not to mention, the unelected bureaucracy). Indeed, the next step for a big government that assumes this kind of power is that it exercise that power coercively.
A few notes on your supposed consequences of contraception:
ReplyDelete1. "Contraception would promote conjugal infidelity." If premarital sex is a form of "conjugal infidelity" to which you are referring, it would seem that the trend was on an upward path well before the innovation of oral birth control (http://www.voxeu.org/article/premarital-sex-economic-model-its-rise-and-de-stigmatisation). Moreover, other studies (which, unfortunately I cannot locate at the moment) have linked the acceleration of that upward path (or at least its timing) to the immediate post-WW2 period (which predates the invention of oral contraception). The event that coincides with this period is improved treatment for gonorrhea.
2. "Contraception would contribute to a "lowering of morality" by increased temptation and ... breaking that law." Falling crime rates in most metro areas over the last 30-40 seem to refute this claim, or at least contraception's role in increasing crime rates.
3. "Contraception would lead to diminished reverence (what an awesome word!) for women". Another, less "awesome" word might be "slut-shaming". It seems to be a bit naive to presume that women don't enjoy sex. Theoretically, though this hypothesis does have *some* theoretical basis. BUT, "While both genders certainly enjoy and depend on the act, natural constraints on female sexuality create scarcity—and value. The high costs of female fertility—in terms of time, mental and physical health, and opportunities forgone—impel women to act as suppliers in the sexual market" (http://theumlaut.com/2013/07/02/the-economics-of-slut-shaming/). In other words, sex s cheap to men and expensive to women, and opposing contraception reinforces the "asymmetric burden" of "immorality" on women vis-a-vis their male partners. Put bluntly, it is sexist.
4. "Widespread acceptance of contraception would lead to a massive imposition of contraception by unscrupulous governments." File this one under "It is impossible to disprove a conspiracy theory" or "Slippery Slope Fallacy."