Natural Methods
The use of "natural methods of birth control" remains subject to debate, because it can be used as a means to apply the contraceptive mentality.
From a Catholic perspective, the encyclical letter Humanae Vitae in fact somehow contradicts the encyclical letter Casti Connubii[1] considering as lawful the use of natural methods. It imposes, however, the following conditions:
«If therefore there are well-grounded reasons for spacing births, arising from the physical or psychological condition of husband or wife, or from external circumstances, the Church teaches that married people may then take advantage of the natural cycles immanent in the reproductive system and engage in marital intercourse only during those times that are infertile, thus controlling birth in a way which does not in the least offend the moral principles which We have just explained.»
From a mainly Christian perspective, the Bible forbids sexual intercourse during menstruation (which is a rather infertile time):
«If a woman has a discharge, and the discharge from her body is blood, she shall be set apart seven days; and whoever touches her shall be unclean until evening. (...) But if she is cleansed of her discharge, then she shall count for herself seven days, and after that she shall be clean.» (Lev.15:19, 28) (NKJV)
And: «Also you shall not approach a woman to uncover her nakedness as long as she is in her customary impurity.» (Lev.18:19, also see, Lev.15:24, Ez.18:6, Ez.22:10) (NKJV)
«If a man lies with a woman during her sickness and uncovers her nakedness, he has exposed her flow, and she has uncovered the flow of her blood. Both of them shall be cut off from their people.» (Lev.20:18) (NKJV)
Some think it is only a ceremonial law which would no longer be in force
under the New Covenant, but this cannot be the case since Chapter 18
of Leviticus includes in the same category incest, adultery, homosexuality, zoophilia and human
sacrifice! In fact, these are all crimes against the family.
In any case, what Leviticus says
aims to protect the couple's health because it corresponds
with what we know today as hygiene:
- The blood stream that flows during menstruation contains toxic substances
- There is an increase in germs virulence, therefore a higher risk of infections
- The contact of sperm with the blood stream of the woman can also cause infertility by the production of antisperm antibodies[2].
Natural methods of birth control, as opposed to chemical methods of contraception, do not threaten the lives of children eventually conceived. These methods are based on the observation of the body to determine quite precisely the periods of fertility. The most common is the Billings method (see http://www.woomb.org/bom/index.html).
1. Casti Connubii was promulgated in 1930 by Pope Pius XI in response to the Lambeth Conference in which Anglicans had passed a resolution authorizing the use of artificial contraception in marriage "when there is morally sound reason." This led to a drift of the Protestant world towards the unrestricted acceptance of contraception and abortion, in defiance of the Holy Scripture.
2. The penalty prescribed in Lev.20:18 for sexual intercourse during menstruation: "cut off from their people" could well be making reference to this type of sterility rather than excommunication.
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