I’m Confused…

Last updated on: December 3, 2012 at 12:02 pm by Summa Dan

I’m Confused… 2012-12-03T12:02:48-08:00 Summa Dan

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My face.

As a Catholic Christian I am, as most of us are, faced with the bizarre phenomenon of those who are so adamantly supportive of contraception. I say “bizarre phenomenon” because the entire, supposed, purpose of these individuals is to promote health and well-being, yet I’m not sure they understand what they’re saying in their promotion of contraceptives or how it effects the rest of their thought. Take for instance a very common phrase; namely that not using contraception makes you a

“SLAVE TO BIOLOGY.” (insert deep voice and dramatic music here)

Alright, so the fact that someone doesn’t use contraception means that their sex will have the potentiality of reaching its natural end i.e. procreation.

This is true.

And being that this is used as an argument for contraception and against NFP, that should mean that being a
“SLAVE TO BIOLOGY“
is a bad thing. Right?

Okay, so we have the position of those who support contraception. Being a
“SLAVE TO BIOLOGY“
is a bad thing to be avoided at all costs.

but wait…

This makes me wonder about the largest claim about the necessity of contraception, that abstinence doesn’t work. The claim that abstinence doesn’t work is made under the claim that sex is a biological need, that must be fulfilled, like eating or drinking. Which means that in having the absolute necessity to fulfill this need you are a
“SLAVE TO BIOLOGY.”

It is clear though, that these are very, very different types of slavery. DISTIGUIAMUS!!!

The first slavery is one of science. All science can be boiled down to one very simple principle, cause and effect. Procreation being the outcome of sex is simply cause and effect; if animals mate, they make children. And I like this scientific slavery, as I for one sleep better knowing that at no point in the night will I fall up, away from the Earth, and into the spinning blades of my ceiling fan (however there is still the ever present risk of falling down, towards the Earth, and onto my floor).

Our second form of slavery is one of will. This is the slavery of determinism (or at least behaviorism). Slavery no. 2, unlike its scientific predecessor, does not give me comfort, in fact its terrifying as all hell! If we are slaves within our will, then nothing we do matters at all, just part of a great cosmic clockwork. And as one who does not accept determinism, I say nay! While abstaining from sex may be difficult it is not impossible and it is not unhealthy.

We are indeed
“SLAVES TO BIOLOGY,”
in as much as we are slaves to physics. We, however, posses rationality and will.

So, if the argument of those who support contraceptives is that we should not allow a most beautiful act to find its completion, yet we should be wholly bound to abandon our will to our passions, and yet they sill hold that there is something wrong with being a
“SLAVE TO BIOLOGY,”
then I have only one thing to say; “I’m confused…”

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