PNG, the Church and contraception

Friday, February 14th, 2014

As soon as issues related to poverty, population growth and sexual behaviour arise, contraception is also called into question. At the moment this is also the case of Papua New Guinea.

There is indeed a form of “voluntary” or natural contraception when people decide to avoid procreation by orienting their sexual behaviour; and a form of “artificial” contraception when all the acts necessary for procreation are put in place, but it is prevented by other means.

Abortion at any stage, of course is a different, though not totally unrelated matter.

Normally most of the people, several government and no-government organizations and agencies, even some Churches see artificial contraception as legitimate, practical and beneficial for population control and other purposes.

It may not be the best and most effective way to achieve certain goals, but it certainly has some effects.

The Catholic Church is hostile to artificial contraception

The Catholic Church is normally perceived as “cold” or even hostile to artificial contraception; and in fact it is. It is not the idea of a correct and honest family planning or population control, when necessary, in question, but the means and the justification to all this.

Artificial methods of contraception are perceived as not extremely dignifying for humans, and a clear decision against procreation and life; which is indeed inscribed in the purpose of sexual intercourse.

It is also silently accepted now that the “condom” strategy for the eradication of HIV/AIDS is far from producing the expected results and countries that have taken a more integrated and diversified approach are gathering a better harvest.

There is also the impression that since poor and uneducated villagers are believed to be hard to teach any lesson, the artificial contraception strategy is forced down their throats; which is indeed a lack of respect for human beings and a violation of human rights.

What governments choose to promote

Governments implement the death penalty to give the public an impression that they are serious about crime.

They also promote contraception – even in poorly populated countries such as Papua New Guinea – but not sport facilities, entertainment, health services… Not as much as they could and they should.

Artificial contraception is widespread, probably unavoidable in many cases, and hardly anybody is refraining from it because of the stand of the Catholic Church.

But this serves to remind us that as humans we can eventually aim higher and come to realise that no shortcut of sort can lead us to the goal of an educated, value oriented and spiritually filled society.

Something more significant than the western consumerist culture and way of life we instead tend to embrace nowadays!

Article supplied by Fr Giorgio Licini, Papua New Guinea

Image: guardian.co.uk