{"id":84738,"date":"2024-07-08T09:50:11","date_gmt":"2024-07-08T13:50:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/?p=84738"},"modified":"2024-07-08T09:50:11","modified_gmt":"2024-07-08T13:50:11","slug":"is-the-onan-story-about-contraception","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/2024\/07\/is-the-onan-story-about-contraception.html","title":{"rendered":"Is the Onan Story About Contraception?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>
<\/a>
Photo Credit: Judah and Tamar\u00a0(anon., Italian, 17th c.)\u00a0[public domain \/\u00a0Wikimedia Commons]<\/figcaption><\/figure>In his article, \u201cRoman Catholic Confusion on Contraception in the Bible<\/a>\u201d (3-15-12), anti-Catholic Reformed Protestant apologist James Swan observed:<\/p>\n
You can\u2019t make this stuff up:<\/p>\n
Genesis 38 is about contraception:<\/p>\nBottom line is that God killed Onan for some reason. The only plausible reason we have from the text itself is contraception. A straightforward reading of the text lends itself readily to that interpretation (though not absolutely of logical necessity).[source<\/a>]<\/p>\n
Genesis 38 is not about contraception:<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the case of Onan, you are right that the common Catholic reliance on this passage as a proof text against contraception or masturbation is a weak one and wrong-headed\u201d [Source:\u00a0Mark Shea. What Does it Mean to Say Jesus has Fulfilled the Old Covenant?<\/a>].<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Swan\u2019s point, as always, is to mock and scorn Catholicism and Catholics. Here he finds two Catholic apologists (the first one, myself, unnamed by him as usual), disagreeing on the interpretation of Genesis 38 and the Onan incident with regard to contraception, and so he thinks this is some sort of argument against Catholicism, as if individuals Catholics don\u2019t have disagreements on exegesis, just as all Christian groups do.<\/p>\n
I contend that Mark Shea is simply wrong, and unacquainted with the relevant facts. First of all, he is in effect accusing a pope in a very high-level papal encyclical on the topic of contraception \u2014 and St. Augustine \u2014 of using \u201cweak one and wrong-headed\u201d reasoning concerning this issue. In Casti Connubii<\/em> <\/a>(On Christian Marriage<\/em>), issued by Pope Pius XI on 31 December 1930 (the precursor to the famous Humanae Vitae<\/em><\/a> of 1968), he wrote:<\/p>\n
55. Small wonder, therefore, if Holy Writ bears witness that the Divine Majesty regards with greatest detestation this horrible crime and at times has punished it with death. As St. Augustine notes, \u201cIntercourse even with one\u2019s legitimate wife is unlawful and wicked where the conception of the offspring is prevented. Onan, the son of Juda, did this and the Lord killed him for it.\u201d<\/p>\n
[Footnote 45: St. August., De coniug. adult., lib. II, n. 12, Gen, XXXVlll, 8-10.]<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
In Catholicism, when the choice in a disagreement comes down to a lay apologist vs. a pope in an encyclical along with St. Augustine, virtually any serious, observant Catholic would yield to the reasoning of the pope and the person widely considered the greatest Church father. I would hope that Mark Shea would do so, if he were shown this. I certainly would, if I took this view and discovered this passage. As it turns out, I was correct, and in line with the Bible, the Church fathers, Protestant tradition all the way up to 1930, and the Catholic Church. I\u2019ve written at least five times about Onan, if anyone wants to better understand my position on this:<\/p>\n
Why Did God Kill Onan?\u00a0(Bible and Contraception)<\/a>\u00a0[2-9-04]<\/p>\n
Dialogue: Why Did God Kill Onan? (Contraception)<\/a>\u00a0[2-13-04]<\/p>\n
Biblical Data Against Contraception: Onan\u2019s Sin and Punishment: a Concise \u201cCatholic\u201d Argument<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0[3-7-14]<\/p>\n
Bible vs. Contraception: Onan\u2019s Sin and Punishment<\/a>\u00a0[National Catholic Register<\/em>, 5-30-17]<\/p>\n
Steve Hays, Onan, Bible Commentary, & Contraception<\/a>\u00a0[1-11-07, 2-28-14; revised & expanded on 12-14-21]<\/p>\n
The Protestant New Bible Dictionary<\/em> (J. D. Douglas, editor, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans Pub. Co., 1962), in the article, \u201cMarriage\u201d, written by the editor, J. D. Douglas, states that \u201cOnan . . . took steps to avoid a full consummation of the union, thus displeasing the Lord, who slew him\u201d (p. 910).\u00a0Douglas appears to contend that Onan was killed for the contraceptive act, not disobedience to the levirate law. The Eerdmans Bible Dictionary<\/em>\u00a0(Allen C. Myers, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 1987; English revision of\u00a0Bijbelse Encyclopedie<\/em>, edited by W. H. Gispen, Kampen, Netherlands: J. H. Kok, revised edition, 1975; translated by Raymond C. Togtman and Ralph W. Vunderink) concurs:<\/p>\n
Onan\u2019s tactic of withdrawing before ejaculation . . . costs him his life. (p. 653)<\/p>\n
[W]henever Onan and Tamar had intercourse he would spill his sperm on the ground to prevent her from conceiving; for this the Lord slew him. (p. 781)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
In its article on \u201cLevirate Law,\u201d we are also informed that \u201cthe brother had the option of refusing to take his sister-in-law in levirate marriage\u201d (p. 652). The logic is apparent: if refusal alone was not grounds to be killed by God or by capital punishment, then there must have been something in the way Onan refused which was the cause. Genesis 38:9 undeniably establishes that Onan utilized the \u201cwithdrawal method\u201d: probably the form of contraception most used throughout history. God clearly didn\u2019t approve of it and judged him as a result.<\/p>\n
Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament<\/a><\/em> (Lutheran) also concurs in its view on this passage:<\/p>\n
This act not only betrayed a want of affection to his brother, combined with a despicable covetousness for his possession and inheritance, but was also a sin against the divine institution of marriage and its object, and was therefore punished by Jehovah with sudden death.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
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Since all Protestants thought contraception was an impermissible sin and evil until 1930, when the Anglicans first permitted it in \u201chard cases\u201d only, it\u2019s easy to find them supporting my interpretation as well. Hence, John Calvin, commenting on the Onan passage<\/a>, wrote:<\/p>\n
And the thing which he did displeased the LORD. Less neatly the Jews speak about this matter. I will contend myself with briefly mentioning this, as far as the sense of shame allows to discuss it. It is a horrible thing to pour out seed besides the intercourse of man and woman. Deliberately avoiding the intercourse, so that the seed drops on the ground, is double horrible. For this means that one quenches the hope of his family, and kills the son, which could be expected, before he is born. This wickedness is now as severely as is possible condemned by the Spirit, through Moses, that Onan, as it were, through a violent and untimely birth, tore away the seed of his brother out the womb, and as cruel as shamefully has thrown on the earth. Moreover he thus has, as much as was in his power, tried to destroy a part of the human race. When a woman in some way drives away the seed out the womb, through aids, then this is rightly seen as an unforgivable crime. Onan was guilty of a similar crime, by defiling the earth with his seed, so that Tamar would not receive a future inheritor.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Martin Luther used even stronger language in condemning Onan and interpreting the passage as a condemnation of the contraceptive mentality:<\/p>\n
Onan must have been a malicious and incorrigible scoundrel. This is a most disgraceful sin. It is far more atrocious than incest and adultery. We call it unchastity, yes, a Sodomitic sin. For Onan goes in to her; that is, he lies with her and copulates, and when it comes to the point of insemination, spills the semen, lest the woman conceive. Surely at such a time the order of nature established by God in procreation should be followed . . . He was inflamed with the basest spite and hatred . . . Consequently, he deserved to be killed by God. He committed an evil deed. Therefore God punished him . . . That worthless fellow . . . preferred polluting himself with a most disgraceful sin to raising up offspring for his brother. (Lectures on Genesis: Chapters 38-44<\/em>; 1544; in\u00a0Luther\u2019s Works<\/em>, Vol. 7, 20-21)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
For more about Luther\u2019s views on this topic, see: Luther and Calvin Opposed Contraception and \u201cFewer Children is Better\u201d Thinking<\/a> (2-21-04; published at National Catholic Register<\/em>, 9-13-17). For an overview of the early Church on this issue, see: Contraception: Early Church Teaching<\/a> (William Klimon) [1998], and \u201cWhat the Early Church Believed: Contraception and Sterilization\u201d<\/a> (Catholic Answers).<\/p>\n
As Jesus said to the Pharisees: \u201cIf you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, \u2018We see,\u2019 your guilt remains\u201d (Jn 9:41, RSV).<\/p>\n
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***\n*<\/p>\nPhoto Credit<\/strong>: Judah and Tamar<\/em>\u00a0(anon., Italian, 17th c.)<\/span>\u00a0[public domain \/\u00a0Wikimedia Commons<\/a>]<\/p>\n
Summary<\/em>: Anti-Catholic apologist James Swan fails to show that Catholicism is confused regarding whether the Onan story is related to contraception. Even Luther & Calvin agree with us.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In his article, \u201cRoman Catholic Confusion on Contraception in the Bible\u201d (3-15-12), anti-Catholic Reformed Protestant apologist James Swan observed: You can\u2019t make this stuff up: Genesis 38 is about contraception: Bottom line is that God killed Onan for some reason. The only plausible reason we have from the text itself is contraception. A straightforward reading […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2331,"featured_media":84750,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[231,81],"tags":[19140,575,19134,19137,19131,1692],"class_list":["post-84738","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-anti-catholicism","category-life-issues","tag-calvin-contraception","tag-contraception","tag-humane-vitae","tag-luther-contraception","tag-onan-contraception","tag-procreation"],"yoast_head":"\nIs the Onan Story About Contraception?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Anti-Catholic apologist James Swan fails to show that Catholicism is confused regarding whether the Onan story is related to contraception. 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Dave\u2019s apologetics and writing apostolate was the subject of a feature article in the May 2002 issue of \\\"Envoy Magazine.\\\" He served as the staff moderator at the Internet discussion forum for The Coming Home Network, from 2007-2010. Dave has been interviewed on many nationally syndicated Catholic radio shows, including \\\"Catholic Answers Live\\\" (twice), \\\"Faith and Family Live\\\" (Steve Wood), \\\"Kresta in the Afternoon,\\\" \\\"Son Rise Morning Show,\\\" \\\"Catholic Connection\\\" (Teresa Tomeo), and \\\"The Catholics Next Door.\\\" His large and popular website, \\\"Biblical Evidence for Catholicism,\\\" was online from March 1997 to March 2007, and received the 1998 Catholic Website of the Year award from \\\"Envoy Magazine.\\\" His blog of the same name (now transferred to Patheos), begun in February 2004, contains more than 1,500 papers, at least 500 debates or dialogues, and over 50 distinct \\\"index\\\" web pages. Unsolicited correspondence has indicated many hundreds of conversions (or returns) to the Catholic faith as a result, by God's grace, of these writings. Dave's conversion story was published in the bestselling book \\\"Surprised by Truth\\\" (edited by Patrick Madrid; San Diego: Basilica Press, 1994). Sophia Institute Press has published six of his books: \\\"A Biblical Defense of Catholicism\\\" (Foreword by Fr. John A. Hardon, S. J., 1996 \/ 2003), \\\"The Catholic Verses\\\" (2004), \\\"The One-Minute Apologist\\\" (2007), \\\"Bible Proofs for Catholic Truths\\\" (2009), \\\"The Quotable Newman\\\" (editor: 2012), and \\\"Proving the Catholic Faith is Biblical\\\" (2015). He is co-author (with Dr. Paul Thigpen) of the inserts for \\\"The New Catholic Answer Bible\\\" (Our Sunday Visitor: 2005), and editor for \\\"The Wisdom of Mr. Chesterton: The Very Best Quotes, Quips, and Cracks from the Pen of G. K. Chesterton\\\" (Saint Benedict Press \/ TAN Books: 2009). \\\"100 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura\\\" was published by Catholic Answers in May 2012. His \\\"Quotable Wesley\\\" compilation was published by (Protestant \/ Wesleyan publisher) Beacon Hill Press in April 2014. Several of his 49 books are bestsellers in their field. Dave maintains a popular personal Facebook page, a Facebook author page, and has a Twitter account as well. He offers almost all of his books in e-book form on his own Biblical Catholicism site (http:\/\/biblicalcatholicism.com\/), at a permanent deep discount: only $2.99 for ePub, mobi, and AZW, and $1.99 for PDF. His writing has been enthusiastically endorsed or recommended by many leading Catholic apologists, authors, and priests, including Dr. Scott Hahn, Fr. Peter M. J. Stravinskas, Marcus Grodi, Patrick Madrid, Steve Ray, Tim Staples, Devin Rose, Mike Aquilina, Al Kresta, Karl Keating, Fr. Dwight Longenecker, Brandon Vogt, Marcellino D'Ambrosio, and Fr. John A. Hardon, S. J. Dave has been happily married to his wife Judy since October 1984. They have three sons and a daughter, and reside in southeast Michigan (metro Detroit).\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/biblicalcatholicism.com\/\",\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dave.armstrong.798\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@LuxVeritatisApologetics\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/author\/davearmstrong\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Is the Onan Story About Contraception?","description":"Anti-Catholic apologist James Swan fails to show that Catholicism is confused regarding whether the Onan story is related to contraception. 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Formerly a campus missionary, as a Protestant, Dave was received into the Catholic Church in February 1991, by the late, well-known catechist and theologian, Fr. John A. Hardon, S. J. Dave\u2019s articles have appeared in many influential Catholic periodicals, including \"This Rock\" (now called \"Catholic Answers Magazine\"), \"Envoy Magazine\" (Patrick Madrid), \"The Catholic Answer,\" \"The Coming Home Journal,\" \"Gilbert Magazine\" (American Chesterton Society), and \"The Latin Mass.\" He also writes a featured column for every issue of \"The Michigan Catholic\": published by the archdiocese of Detroit, and was editor for most of the apologetics tracts published by the St. Paul Street Evangelization apostolate. Dave\u2019s apologetics and writing apostolate was the subject of a feature article in the May 2002 issue of \"Envoy Magazine.\" He served as the staff moderator at the Internet discussion forum for The Coming Home Network, from 2007-2010. Dave has been interviewed on many nationally syndicated Catholic radio shows, including \"Catholic Answers Live\" (twice), \"Faith and Family Live\" (Steve Wood), \"Kresta in the Afternoon,\" \"Son Rise Morning Show,\" \"Catholic Connection\" (Teresa Tomeo), and \"The Catholics Next Door.\" His large and popular website, \"Biblical Evidence for Catholicism,\" was online from March 1997 to March 2007, and received the 1998 Catholic Website of the Year award from \"Envoy Magazine.\" His blog of the same name (now transferred to Patheos), begun in February 2004, contains more than 1,500 papers, at least 500 debates or dialogues, and over 50 distinct \"index\" web pages. Unsolicited correspondence has indicated many hundreds of conversions (or returns) to the Catholic faith as a result, by God's grace, of these writings. Dave's conversion story was published in the bestselling book \"Surprised by Truth\" (edited by Patrick Madrid; San Diego: Basilica Press, 1994). Sophia Institute Press has published six of his books: \"A Biblical Defense of Catholicism\" (Foreword by Fr. John A. Hardon, S. J., 1996 \/ 2003), \"The Catholic Verses\" (2004), \"The One-Minute Apologist\" (2007), \"Bible Proofs for Catholic Truths\" (2009), \"The Quotable Newman\" (editor: 2012), and \"Proving the Catholic Faith is Biblical\" (2015). He is co-author (with Dr. Paul Thigpen) of the inserts for \"The New Catholic Answer Bible\" (Our Sunday Visitor: 2005), and editor for \"The Wisdom of Mr. Chesterton: The Very Best Quotes, Quips, and Cracks from the Pen of G. K. Chesterton\" (Saint Benedict Press \/ TAN Books: 2009). \"100 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura\" was published by Catholic Answers in May 2012. His \"Quotable Wesley\" compilation was published by (Protestant \/ Wesleyan publisher) Beacon Hill Press in April 2014. Several of his 49 books are bestsellers in their field. Dave maintains a popular personal Facebook page, a Facebook author page, and has a Twitter account as well. He offers almost all of his books in e-book form on his own Biblical Catholicism site (http:\/\/biblicalcatholicism.com\/), at a permanent deep discount: only $2.99 for ePub, mobi, and AZW, and $1.99 for PDF. His writing has been enthusiastically endorsed or recommended by many leading Catholic apologists, authors, and priests, including Dr. Scott Hahn, Fr. Peter M. J. Stravinskas, Marcus Grodi, Patrick Madrid, Steve Ray, Tim Staples, Devin Rose, Mike Aquilina, Al Kresta, Karl Keating, Fr. Dwight Longenecker, Brandon Vogt, Marcellino D'Ambrosio, and Fr. John A. Hardon, S. J. Dave has been happily married to his wife Judy since October 1984. They have three sons and a daughter, and reside in southeast Michigan (metro Detroit).","sameAs":["https:\/\/biblicalcatholicism.com\/","https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dave.armstrong.798","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@LuxVeritatisApologetics"],"url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/author\/davearmstrong"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/84738","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2331"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=84738"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/84738\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/84750"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=84738"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=84738"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=84738"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}