Contraceptives and Abortion Research Paper for Tredfor: The Call of the Kingdom of God and Christian Responses

C33 Submitted to: Fr. Maxell Lowell C. Aranilla Submitted by: Africa, Alyssa Chia, Irene Eloriaga, Elisha Estrella, Jan Garcia, Corky Lim, Nicolle Monzones, Miguel Nocon, Karen Chaesei Tatiana, Francisco March 1, 2012

I. Introduction ABORTION Nowadays the taboos various cultures have had in the past are now easily being spoken of. We live in an era where information is just a click away, and anything forbidden or unspoken can be readily searched in the Internet. Chastity was, in our

culture, one of the most important virtues, but it now seems like an impossible dream, something striving to be alive. The modernization of society has been the subject of numerous conflicting stands regarding controversial issues like pre-marital sex, the use of contraception, and eventually, abortion. The world has become more liberal than before, and this mentality threatens the very foundations and teachings of the Catholic Church. The Philippines is pre-dominantly Roman Catholic, as a result of the colonization of the Spaniards, thus Filipinos have been brought up with Catholic tradition, yet the ever changing society has challenged these same teachings. As numbers of families increase, so do the rate of women who commit abortion. Most of them come from the lower classes and are forced to commit such act, due to the fact that they can no longer sustain more children. With living expenses going up, and the Philippine economy going down, there are many who choose the painful way of abortion. It has caused great controversy in the Philippines, most specially from the Catholic Church. CONTRACEPTION Contraception is nothing new. It has been around before the time of Christ, and it wasnt until 1930 that any Christian denomination even ever allowed the idea. At that time, the Anglican Church decided to allow contraception in some circumstances. They soon gave in on the issue altogether, and before long virtually all Protestant denominations followed suit. Still, the Catholic Church stands strong on the teaching of historic Christianity. But why? Why doesnt the Church get with the times? The modern world has trouble understanding the Churchs stand on contraception because, for one, the world does not know the purpose of sexual intercourse. For starters, God invented sex. Since he is its author, he has the authority to determine its purpose and meaning. God has revealed that the purposes of sex are procreation and union (babies and bonding). The act of life-giving love between a husband and wife is also meant to be a mirror of the love Christ has for his Church his people. If we consider the relationship between Christ and his Church, where does contraception fit into the picture? What is contraceptive about Christs love? Evidence that contraception is in conflict with Gods laws comes from a variety of sources that will be examined in this paper. II. Background ABORTION According to The Catholic Encyclopedia, abortion was derived from the Latin word abrori which means to perish. Abortion occurs when the fetus dies within the mothers womb or when the underdeveloped fetus is taken out of the womb. Abortion could also mean the failure of successful delivery of an already viable child. From this we are able to derive two types of abortion: intentional and accidental. Intentional abortion is usually caused by economic reasons and the decision of the mother herself while accidental may be caused by several other factors. Accidental abortion may be due to diseases caught by the mother which thus becomes fatal to the embryo; it can also be due

to failure to develop because it remained in one of the ovaries or fallopian tubes. Another possible cause would be in cases where the umbilical chord gets wrapped around the fetus resulting to death. Abortion has been most common in the Philippines more on the reasons that rest on economic unrest. Most of the Filipina women who commit abortion do so as a result of unwanted or unplanned pregnancy. Backstreet abortions are also rampant, which are more commonly known as abortions conducted by the locally coined term of faith healers. A large portion of those who commit abortion are poor families that already have a lot of children. These women commit the dangerous act of abortion since they feel that they can no longer financially sustain a child in these trying times. Job opportunities are already scarce, and unemployment has reached saddening heights which have pushed most women to resort to abortion (Crimmins, 2007). One of the most popular places in the Philippines where one can get an abortion is in the Quiapo area. A large number of women have committed abortion, and more of them also die because of the illegal procedures which are considered unsafe (Conde, 2005). There are a great number of women who resort to induced abortion which is described as an abortion performed by the pregnant woman herself outside the recognized medical system, according to Healthmash.com. This becomes an even more dangerous threat not only to the life of the mother but to the unborn baby as well, since it does not undergo the safety of medical supervision. It is a rather dangerous alternative than the legalized means of abortion in countries like the United States. The practice of induced labor in itself is illegal even in countries that legalize the act of abortion. This is mainly because induced abortion can have lasting negative implications on the body of the mother, and the fetus that she carries. According to the Guttmacher Institute, in 2006 six in every ten Filipino women have had unintended pregnancies, one third of these women end their pregnancies through abortion. Seventy-two percent (72%) of these women reasoned out the economic costs of having a child, fifty-four percent (54%) claimed they have enough children, fiftyseven percent (57%) said that it was just to soon to have another child. Abortion has become very rampant in the Philippines, and most who commit this act are those who can no longer sustain their family financially. Most women result to abortion due to unplanned and unwanted pregnancy but they do not know the many negative implications of it. PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF ABORTION As abortion is a life changing event, it follows that there are serious implications of this on a persons well-being. It is said that these after effects may indeed dictate how a woman chooses to view love, sex and marriage in the future. Aside from this, there is also something known as PAS. This stands for Post- Abortion Syndrome. PAS is prolonged emotional diffuculties for a period after the abortion. This happens because as some women typically feel relief at the moment the abortion has gone through, there is also some sadness and guilt as well. It is not uncommon for women who have aborted to

experience anxiety, hopelessness, sadness, insomnia, and other traits characteristic of depression and anxiety disorders. Most especially, this occurs in teenage mothers who have had to abort in secret and cannot come to anyone to discuss their feelings. A way to prevent this from happening is to undergo pre-abortion counseling. This is critical for all woman who are thinking to lose a baby. It would be helpful for them understand thoroughly the decision they choose to make, as well as the consequences of their actions. Some form of counseling would provide guidance that is much needed in times such as these. This is most needed by teenage girls as they often go into abortions without having full knowledge of what this could do to them in the future. In a study of teenage abortion patients, half suffered a worsening of psychological functioning within 7 months after the abortion. The immediate impact appeared to be greatest on the patients who were under 17 years of age. Symptoms included: depression, social regression, withdrawal, obsession with need to become pregnant again, and hasty marriages. Many women are traumatized by their abortions. Some try to commit suicide. Majority feels shame, anger, and guilt regardless of whether the abortion was their choice or they felt forced into it. Often, they feel they deserve punishment for their abortion so they tolerate abusive relationships or use alcohol, drugs, have eating disorders, or even physically abuse themselves. Many who appear to have a normal life actually spend hours in private crying because of they feel such despair and abandonment. Many women recognize that they have been misled about the abortion procedure itself and by assurances that abortion is the right choice so they can get on with their life. They often find that they cannot get on with their life, instead experiencing the effects of posttraumatic stress disorder. Students stop studying or drop out. Career women lose incentive or change jobs. Relationships with men and with other family members are often destroyed or seriously compromised. One women observed, The destruction of a precious, sweet child totally destroys the beauty of the sexual union that created it. ("Psychological Impact of Abortion on Women." Illinois Right to Life Committee. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Feb. 2012. http://www.illinoisrighttolife.org/2003) Temporary feelings of relief are frequently followed by a period psychiatrists identify as emotional "paralysis," or post-abortion "numbness." This means that the women cannot identify with their feelings and are often lost and confused. Studies within the first few weeks after the abortion have found that between 40 and 60 percent of women questioned their decisions to abort their babies. Within 8 weeks after their abortions, 55% expressed guilt, 44% complained of nervous disorders, 36% had experienced sleep disturbances, 31% had regrets about their decision. In one study of 500 aborted women, researchers found that 50 percent expressed negative feelings, and up to 10 percent were classified as having developed psychiatric complications. Another issue that these women deal with is on repressed feelings. Repressed feelings occur when thoughts, decisions or memories become too painful to remember, so the person involuntarily blocks them out in order to deal with reality. The fact that a person represses something means that she does not usually have a good coping system. It is easy to try to change the past by forgetting, but this does not lead to any good.

CONTRACEPTIVES

Background Contraceptives are devices, drugs, or methods for preventing pregnancy, either by preventing the fertilization of the female egg by the male sperm or by preventing implantation of the fertilized egg. Use of these products and procedures has been around for millennia. Scrolls found in Egypt, dating to 1900 B.C., describe ancient methods of birth control that were later practiced in the Roman empire during the apostolic age. Wool that absorbed sperm, poisons that fumigated the uterus, potions, and other methods were used to prevent conception. In some centuries, even condoms were used (though made out of animal skin rather than latex). The concept of contraception has existed for as long as people have been capable of giving birth to offspring. Contraceptives are that which have come a long way as a result. It is believed that the ancient Greeks were one of the first populations to have come to the realization that men and women could come together in order to bring about a pregnancy. From the very beginning, therefore, substances such as lemon juice, olive oil, as well as honey, have been used as contraceptives. Due to the fact that these substances were quite acidic in nature, they may have actually been effective to a point as forms of contraception. The first to be "commercially" created was that which is comprised of cocoa butter as well as quinine sulphate. This was produced by Walter Rendell. These were not found to be the best options, however, as they must have been inserted as close to the time of intercourse as is possible, that which is often difficult to garner with great accuracy. Another for of contraception, that of vaginal douches, have been employed as far back as the 1600s, that which is also not as effective as once thought. During the time of the Middle Ages, women from Serbia were also found to place their fingers within the bath water of an infant. They believed that the number of fingers submerged would equal the number of years they'd remain sterile. In addition to this, women of India used various pills as well as potions that stemmed from plants and seeds, for instance. These allowed for them to efficiently produce their own believed contraceptives. Abortion has also been used as a means of contraception, though a hotly debated issue to this day. For the most part, however, dating as far back as the 10th century, abortion was often seen as only necessary if the mother's-to-be life was at risk or if the pregnancy came about due to rape. Another of the types of contraceptives includes that of family planning contraception. This entails the garnering of emergency contraception. For instance, in the event that an accident occurs, individuals may seek out family planning contraception in order to adequately prevent the fertilization from going forward. Therefore, family planning contraception has been taken in as yet another option to consider. Family planning contraception exists as that additional way to go about things in times when an immediate solution is needed. Female condoms date back to the early 1900s in relation to commercial availability. African women were seen to have created some from okra pods that had been hollowed out, while Roman women employed that of the bladders of goats. Contraception, by

means of injection, was first created in the mid-1900s. This occurred due to the discovery made by Dr. Junkman. He had actually come to the realization that the combination of progestrogen and alcohol would lead an effect as that which arises from contraceptives. That being said, it is evident that numerous people, though having different cultures, backgrounds, and eras have continuously been putting efforts into effectively eradicating the chances of conception before and during intercourse through contraception. In the Philippines, it is just a matter of Catholicism as the dominant religion. Recent surveys show that Catholics take 85% of the population. It is suffice to say that although there is increasing awareness and usage with regard to contraceptive use and family planning methods, the Church continues to practice its authority against the governments policies regarding the issue. Back in 1968, contraceptive prevalence was only 15.4. In 2008 it increased to 50.7. There is definitely a growing number in the percentage of women (or their sexual partners) who are practicing forms of contraception. II. Issue HUMANAE VITAE AND THE RH BILL On the 25th of July, 1968, Pope Paul VI released the Humanae Vitae, or translated in laymans term as Of Human Life. It is an encyclical reaffirming the traditional Catholic teaching on birth control and abortion. Issues surround this document, because copies of the initial document were leaked before its release. The leaked documents the general consensus of a commission focusing on the moral and doctrinal aspects of birth control. The commissions report to the Pope contains recommendations to reformulate the Churchs teachings. These reformulations center on promoting the use of some form of birth control as a means of family planning other than periodic abstinence. Instead of the presupposed controversial recommendation of the papal commission, the encyclical echoed the ban on contraceptive methods (which include hormonal contraceptive pulls, intrauterine devices, and barrier methods) that either interfered or hindered a bodys natural processes so that conception was prevented. The ban was based on the Catholic Churchs teachings that sexual intercourse be limited for the express purpose of procreation between married partners. 'Every matrimonial act must remain open to the transmission of life. To destroy even only partially the significance of inter-course and its end is contradictory to the plan of God and to his will. Similarly excluded is any action, which either before, at the moment of, or after sexual intercourse, is specifically intended to prevent procreation -whether as an end or a means" (Humanae Vitae, paragraph 14). Similar to the Humanae Vitae, Pope Pius XI also released an encyclical called Casti Connubii pertaining to a chaste wedlock, that contextualized contraception in marriage and non-marriage as an offense against the law of God and of nature and thus, also a grave sin.

Locally, the Catholic Churchs stand on contraceptives paralyzes a lot of local bodies, particularly the government. Even with the separation between the church and the state, the predominant say of the church in matters within the country manage to sway a lot in terms of the law-making body. Case in point is the Reproductive Health Bill, spearheaded and principally authored by Edcel Lagman. The bill seeks to make known and accessible to everyone methods and and information on birth control (contraceptives) as well as maternal care. The State upholds and promotes responsible parenthood, informed choice, birth spacing and respect for life in conformity with internationally recognized human rights standards.(RH Bill, Section 2) While the bill is intended primarily towards using contraceptives as an alternative family planning method other than periodic abstinence that the church proposes, it touches upon sensitive topics like concerning educating young children as early as grade 5 and management of post-abortion complications. Because of this, the chuch has taken it into themselves to lobby powerfully against this bill to be approved by Congress. A recent 2011 pastoral letter from Bishop Nereo P. Odchimar, D.D., President of the Catholic Bishops Conference in the Philippines (CBCP) enumerating the core principles commonly shared by every believer of God: (1) Human life is the most sacred physical gift with which God, the author of life, endows a human being. Placing artificial obstacles to prevent human life from being formed and being born most certainly contradicts this fundamental truth of human life. In the light of the widespread influence of the post-modern spirit in our world, we consider this position as nothing less than prophetic. As religious leaders we must proclaim this truth fearlessly in season and out of season. (2) It is parents, cooperating with God, who bring children into the world. It is also they who have the primary inalienable right and responsibility to nurture them, care for them, and educate them that they might grow as mature persons according to the will of the Creator. The letter goes on in length from the issues they specifically oppose in the bill such as unrealistic claims that it will lower abortion rates or prevent the spread of HIV and sexually trasmitted disesas, to their clear objections such as the very anti-life nature of the bill, to a reminder for the principles the Church has been upholding consistently throughout time, which is a belief not only from the CBCP but also of the universal Catholic Church. III. Churchs Stand 3.1. Abortion

In the Philippines, abortion is considered illegal under Article II of the 1987 Philippine Constitution under Section 12. The State recognizes the sanctity of family life and shall protect and strengthen the family as a basic autonomous social institution. It shall equally protect the life of the mother and the life of the unborn from conception.

The act is criminalized by the Revised Penal Code of the Philippines, which was enacted in 1930 and remains in effect today. Articles 256, 258 and 259 of the Code mandate imprisonment for the woman who undergoes the abortion, as well as for any person who assists in the procedure, even if they be the woman's parents, a physician or midwife,. Under the Philippine Constitution, there are sanctions of punishment for those who commit this crime. The mother of the unborn baby who commits abortion is not the only one who will get penalized under the law, but so are the people who help her in doing so. Not only is it considered illegal by the Philippine Constitution, but also in the stand and view of the Catholic Church. According to the Gospel of Life {Evangelium Vitae}by Pope John Paul II, Man's life comes from God; it is his gift, his image and imprint, a sharing in his breath of life. God therefore is the sole Lord of this life: man cannot do with it as he wills. God makes this clear to Noah after the Flood: For your own lifeblood, too, I will demand an accounting for human life (Gen. 9:5). The biblical text is concerned to emphasize how the sacredness of life has its foundation in God and in his creative activity: For God made man in his own image (Gen. 9:6). Human life and death are thus in the hands of God, in his power: In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind, exclaims Job (12:10). The Lord brings to death and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up (1 Sam. 2:6). He alone can say: It is I who bring death and life (Dt 32:39). Human life finds itself most vulnerable when it enters the world and when it leaves the realm of time to embark upon eternity. The word of God frequently repeats the call to show care and respect, above all where life is undermined by sickness and old age. Although there are no direct and explicit calls to protect human life at its very beginning, specifically life not yet born, and life nearing its end, this can be easily explained by the fact that the mere possibility of harming, attacking, or actually denying life in these circumstances is completely foreign to the religious and cultural way of thinking of the People of God. Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you (Jer 1:5) : The life of every individual, from its very beginning, is part of God's plan. This means that man is considered not to have the right to end life, whether in the form of abortion or anything else. Pope John Paul II also said, I declare that direct abortion, that is, abortion willed as an end or as a means, always constitutes a grave moral disorder, since it is the deliberate killing of an innocent human being. This doctrine is based upon the natural law and upon the written word of God, is transmitted by the Churchs tradition and taught by the ordinary and universal magisterium. No circumstance, no purpose, no law whatsoever can ever make licit an act which is intrinsically illicit, since it is contrary to the law of God which is written in every human heart, knowable by reason itself, and proclaimed by the Church" (Evangelium Vitae 62). Originates from the Fifth Commandment The 5th commandment attests you shall not kill. According to www.vatican.va, the right to life is inviolable and thus cannot be taken away by any human being to another. From the moment of conception life begins and attains an inviolable right of not

only life but protection. Abortion in any way, shape or form, as an end or means is and will always be in direct violation of moral law for God from the very beginning has entrusted to man the responsibility to keep sacred the life of man from the moment of conception and because of this the church penalizes any person who completes an abortion through excommunication. From this the church stands on the fact that states who allow abortion removes from its people equality and protection under the law.

3.2.

Contraception

According to the Philippine Law, under Republic Act 4729, only a duly licensed drug store or a pharmaceutical company (and with the prescription of a qualified medical practitioner) may distribute, sell or dispense contraceptives. However, this still varies from the Churchs stand. The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) continues to appeal to advocates of population control who promote republic health projects that violate the very teachings of the Church. Since contraception is discussed in the context of marriage according to the Churchs teachings, which is seen in the light of procreation and loving care for a family, the love of a couple for one another is expected to be extended to that of their children. Therefore, when a couple commits to marriage, they commit to protecting the values of married life instead of suppressing them by practicing the prevention of life through methods such as contraception. The Church views contraception as the intentional prevention of conception or impregnation through the use of various devices, agents, drugs, sexual practices or surgical procedures. It prevents and contradicts the life-giving love that a married couple should practice as well as the act of God. The Church then considers it morally wrong because, and as stated by Fr. Maxell Aranilla, Ph.D. it separates the procreative and the unitive meanings of the marital act. In this way, the Church condemns contraception primarily because it violates the goods of marriage and procreation. The only form of birth regulation allowed by the Church is Natural Family Planning. Since the Church acknowledges responsible parenting, it advocates the need to regulate births to adequately space, rear and educate children without unnecessary strain on health, budget or sanity (Aranilla, 2012). In Natural Family Planning, which is in accordance to the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church regarding sexual behavior, couples manage their fertility as well as infertility. According to the (CBCP) it is highly effective as well as moral. Natural Family Planning (NFP) involves the woman keeping track of her fertility by observing her cervical mucus. The advantage of this is that failure rate is very rare. According to WHO, it goes between 0.3 to 3%. The Church thus, fully supports this method and condemns any other especially those that harm, take or even prevent the life of a human being. As to reasons stated by the government in their efforts to promote the Reproductive Health Bill, the Church sees it as a misconception to believe that the Philippines is overpopulated, or that the same problem

is just getting worse. Moreover, the use of contraceptives is NOT the solution to a problem that does not even exits. Contraceptives exhibit danger and disorder as well as complications to the human body. The Church is highly against it being enlisted as an essential drug. 3.2.1. Violation of Human Dignity Contraception violates the dignity of the human person in several ways. It reduces the sexual act to a merely biological act on the level of animal existence. Humans freely and rightly intervene with the natural procreation of other animals because their existence and their sexuality have a merely instrumental value. Their sexuality is appointed to the spread of the species, and since species are ultimately fated to benefit human beings (being at the top of the food chain), we can manipulate them to our benefit. However, the human sexual act is not controllable in the same way since human life is of intrinsic value. There are strict conditions for the moral performance of the human sexual act, conditions mandated by the vulnerability of the human person and the value of human life. When contraception spread among Christians, the Catholic Church warned about the harm it would inflict on relationships. Rates of marital infidelity would increase because spouses could be unfaithful without fear of pregnancy. Since contraception offers an easy way to escape the natural consequences of the moral law, there would be a general lowering of morality. The Church also feared that the man, growing used to the employment of anti-conceptive practices, may finally lose respect for the woman, and no longer caring for her physical and psychological equilibrium, may come to the point of considering her a mere instrument of selfish enjoyment, and no longer as his respected and beloved companion (Pope Paul VI, 1968). 3.2.2. Violation of the Purpose of Marriage and the Sexual Act The sexual relationship between spouses is one of Gods great gifts to mankind. Pope John Paul II teaches that it enables human beings to overcome their existential loneliness and to overcome their selfishness by participating in a common good and a good of immeasurable value the good of bringing into existence another creature with an immortal soul. The sexual act is morally performed only within marriage where it has the purposes of both to deepen the union of the spouses and to build a family (Vatican, 2002). Sexual acts that violate those purposes or meanings are thereby immoral. Contraception violates both meanings of the conjugal act. The conjugal act is meant to be an act of total self-giving, which includes giving the power of becoming a parent with another. Spouses who use contraceptives are not giving totally of themselves to one another; in violating the babymaking power of the sexual act, they confine their act to being bound solely to mutual pleasure. They are not achieving the union proper to spouses, a union that respects the baby-making power of the sexual act as a proper fulfillment of spousal union. Contraception treats the procreative meaning of the sexual act as though it were an

impediment to spousal union. Thus, contraception negates the good of the openness to a new immortal life that is inherent in the sexual act of humans and trivializes the commitment that is implied in the conjugal act. 3.2.3. Natural vs. Artificial Contraceptives The population issue in the Philippines consistently attracts various and usually opposing sectors of the society. One sector that has been very active in the population debate is the Catholic Church, which has long maintained a strong position against artificial contraceptives and in favor of Natural Family Planning (NFP). At the center of this debate, the Philippine Catholic Church views artificial means of contraception as unnatural and immoral. Nevertheless, it must be clear that the Church does greatly approve of the use of artificial things, though they must be subject to moral evaluation. Donum Vitae states that "[contraceptives] are not to be rejected on the grounds that they are artificial. As such, they bear witness to the possibilities of the art of medicine. But they must be given a moral evaluation in reference to the dignity of the human person, who is called to realize his vocation from God to the gift of love and the gift of life" (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith [CDF], 1987). Later the document states, "if technical means facilitate the conjugal act or help it to reach its natural objectives, it can be morally acceptable. If, on the other hand, the procedure were to replace the conjugal act, it is morally illicit." (CDF, 1987). The Church approves of what is artificial when it facilitates nature and disapproves of it when it violates nature. The distinction between facilitating nature and violating nature is key "artificial" forms of contraception violate nature. So do some natural means that have historically been used as contraceptives, such as seaweed and natural sponges; these too fall under the condemnation of the Church. On the other hand, couples using methods of natural family planning are respecting the nature of the conjugal act through their acts of self-denial. They do not violate the babymaking power of the sexual act. They refrain from acts of conjugal intercourse during the fertile periods because they have judged that responsible parenthood requires them to limit their family size. In these instances, their spousal union is deepened and confirmed by their abstaining from sexual pleasure. Their acts of conjugal intercourse during the infertile periods do not violate the procreative meaning because it is not present in a way to be violated. 3.2.4. Common Arguments of the Philippine Catholic Church HIV/AIDS: Is Church policy on contraceptives appropriate in context of HIV/AIDS? The Churchs contraception policy focuses on saving our after-lives. Its priority is not for life on earth, which is merely a passing phase in our existence, but rather for the care of our immortal souls. The Church believes that if its

followers use contraception, they are violating natural law, scripture and church teaching, hence committing sins and condemning their immortal souls to an eternity in hell. Avoiding this is more important than preventing death from HIV/AIDS by condom-use. Further, if people followed Christian principles, they would not contract HIV/AIDS. Abstinence before marriage on the part of both parties and faithfulness within is very effective in terms of limiting the spread of HIV/AIDS, as are Natural Family Planning methods at preventing unwanted pregnancy. Good Catholics who follow doctrine fully are at a very low risk and the Church cannot be held responsible for those who simply pick and choose which articles of faith they wish to obey. Effectiveness: Are Church-approved methods of birth-control effective? Natural methods of contraception can provide the solution to high population growth. This is particularly true in areas where there is a cultural stigma against condom usage and in areas where condom/pill distribution is impractical. There is a disturbing rise in couples in medium term relationships who choose not to use condoms because they consider them unpleasant. For them, natural methods offer an alternative to invasive procedures such as the implant. Natural birth-control helps developing world such as the Philippines avoid dependencies on developed countries. Contraceptive use in developing countries results in reliance on contraceptive products from the developed world, which can often not be distributed to remote areas and need to be stored within a certain temperature range.

III. Conclusion The Church does not hesitate to point out the vast implications of contraception. The love between a husband and wife holds a marriage together. A strong marriage holds the family together. Strong families hold society together, and a civilization will stand or fall upon this. The future of humanity, passes by way of the family (Pope John Paul II, 1981). If it can be shown that contraception compromises intimacy between a husband and wife, invites selfishness into the marital act, and opens a door for greater infidelity, then contraception is a cancer to civilization itself. Ultimately, the Churchs teaching on contraception embraces the deepest of human values, both natural and supernatural. It falsifies and underestimates the Churchs teaching to reduce it to a rejection of the misconception of the meaning of "artificial." The Churchs teaching is surely an exaltation and an exultation of the natural, and we cheat ourselves if we fail to realize this.

IV. Bibliography <please insert your references in alphabetical order already, hanging indent>

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