I use the withdrawal method AMA

[edinburghlass1991]

For 2 yrs now

I hate latex with a passion and we did use condoms and cap for a while

If life begins when an egg is fertilised then why not use condoms?

I get people making a religious choice that children are gifts from God and they choose to not actively prevent. I don't get 'we don't use contraception but will withdraw'.

Was it Monty Python with 'every sperm is sacred'?

I gather you're not then.

I hate latex with a passion and we did use condoms and cap for a while

You get non latex condoms.

Op if you're going to continue with the withdrawal method then at least track your cycle and avoid your fertile week. That's actually the method of birth control the Catholic Church advise anyway. According to them interrupting marital relations to avoid pregnancy is a sin.

Yes married. The Catholic Church is my safe haven I’ve needed it ( ds had asd and other Heath problems ) but it’s faults are terrible ie sex abuse and despite its stance god made us who we are including lgbt I never understand the haters for gods creation

masiy pops
Was it Monty Python with 'every sperm is sacred'? grin
That’s funny my sister is a hard core non believer and she sings that to me

I just don’t like condoms even more so pushing out my ten pounder of a son!

Would love to hear from the OP on theogical reasons for withdrawal.

What have condoms got to do with giving birth?

Iam not as tight and have prolapse. I need to wait for surgery sadly

Huh?

My brother and SIL used the withdrawal method. It resulted in one miscarriage and one cute nephew for me. SIL now has the coil.

We used that method too. It worked perfectly for about 18 months after having DD (though I was BF/expressing BM for 11 month of that, which might’ve helped).

Then it didn’t.

Our much loved happy “surprise” DS is 4mo. I wouldn’t change a thing.

We used it because actually DH and I were pretty relaxed about another pregnancy - although not actively planned it was never going to be a problem as such - we knew we wanted another at some point, see children as an amazing blessing and are married, financially stable and have a decent house with enough bedrooms.

I am confused. Please can you explain how a belief that life begins at fertilisation means that condoms, diaphragm or sterilisation are sinful?

I went to a RC school a few years ago and our sex 'education' was purely 'if you're going to..you know....then do it when you're married and if you don't want to get pregnant then you need to use natural family planning'. It was only a few years ago that I left!
The RC church definitely has some interesting ideas about sex ed

OP, surely you’re aware that Catholicism also explicitly forbids withdrawal along with barrier methods, the pill, sterilisation etc?

The only kind of ‘contraception’ it okays is ‘natural family planning’ because that’s based on abstinence on fertile days ie. you’re preventing conception by not having sex, not having sex but preventing a potential baby — the official Catholic position is that every act of intercourse must be potentially open to conception.

For those who are interested, it’s very little to do with the Bible — Catholicism is far less interested in the Bible than any Protestant denominations — theres a long history of theological positions to do with sexuality, but the key text today is a Papal encyclical called Humanae Vitae from 1968. Basically, sex isn’t supposed to be recreational — it’s all about babies and strengthening the marriage bond. Any form of assisted conception eg IVF is also frowned on.

Interestingly the Church of England officially held exactly the same views on contraception until 1930, and fortunately the vast majority of Catholics ignore it, but that’s the official position.

If you had a health condition that made pregnancy dangerous for you would you still use this method?

@NeverLovedElvis
Sorry to take OP's question and answer it myself but I'll try my best.
The church teaches that sex should be to make babies in a loving marriage. Sex has many purposes but the main one is for babies. The church says that to use methods to prevent pregnancy would be taking away the most important reason to have sex and therefore it's wrong to use contraception

Ping, from what I remember, our Sex Ed (convent school, 1980s) featured a bit on Why Tampons Aren’t Nice, and Praying With Your Husband, and that was pretty much it, apart from ‘keep your knees together till you’re married’.

"which is why barrier methods are preferable"

Use a barrier method like diaphragm or condoms, then.

Why do you think anyone would want to ask you questions about an ineffectual birth control 'method' that often results in surprise babies? Of course, everyone is asking you why you don't use real birth control.

thanks ping
I understand that bit, but I can't understand why some forms of contraception (withdrawal, avoiding sex during fertile times) are allowed under that system. If you deliberately stop before ehaculation then you are clearly having sex with the intention of not making a baby.

@NeverLovedElvis
Well exactly! It doesn't make much sense at all to avoid contraception but then go against the teachings of the church in other ways!

ping hopefully the OP will come back and explain. I really do want to understand this.

I don't really get why contraception is sinful according to Catholicism but the withdrawal method isn't. Surely it's just another way of stopping a potential life? I'm also a (lapsed) catholic op so that isn't a dig at you, I've just never really understood the rationale

Use whatever reliable or unreliable method you want but as others have said the withdrawal method is no compliant with the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church.