www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life The Christian East & West The vicious practice of Onanism

WELL said !

--John

I might add that this topic and this particular response illustrate why I find Orthodoxy to be superior to Catholicism at times.

In Catholicism, the issue of contraception is framed within Catholic philosophy of marriage. Volumes of legalistic argument later, the conclusions are (1) artificial contraception is "inherently evil" but (2) self-control as birth control is ok.

In Orthodoxy, the issue is so much simpler and organic and spiritual. The premise is that people should be focused on becoming holy. To become holy, people must become liberated from being controlled by their passions, including from the sex-drive. So, people should be fasting (including from sex) along with praying and almsgiving. As a result, people will naturally see the truth: that sex is for making love and making babies, not just pleasure. And, they will be strengthened by that process to the point of self-control. Hence, artificial birth control is allowed as an exception to the rule of self-control, but self-control (including sexually) is the natural and spiritual result of trying to become holy. The emphasis isn�t on legalism and philosophy; the emphasis is on becoming holy and how to do so.

Of course, both approaches are thwarted when people just want to be selfish and enjoy their selfish pleasures...

--John

How people deal with the issue of birth control reminds me of teenagers: people often only hear what they want to hear. Most Catholics like artificial birth control, so they pretend not to hear their Church's condemnation of it. Most Orthodox like artificial birth control too, so they choose not to hear how it is only allowed by their Church as an exception to the general rule of self-control. Both groups are really choosing to not hear Jesus, who said "Unless you do penance, ye shall likewise perish" and "this kind [of demon] can only be cast out by prayer and fasting."

--John