"Birth Control Is Selfish" ... The Message Society Doesn't Want To Hear

This past weekend graduates of Saint Thomas University were treated to a surprising speech by 21-year-old graduating student Ben Kessler. Some graduates walked out, many jeered, and others spewed profanities in response to his speech.

Just what did he speak of which caused such an outcry? The War in Iraq? Border control? NSA spying? None of the above.

So, what exactly did Mr. Kessler do wrong? He touched society's third rail: contraception. Mr. Kessler had the audacity to call the use of birth control "an act of selfishness."

One would have expected some encouraging applause from the audience, after all St. Thomas is a Catholic institution. The reality is that many of these Catholic students and family members are themselves using contraception, and Mr. Kessler confronted their lifestyle and the use of contraception.

Mr. Kessler dared to speak about this issue and people didn't want to hear his message. What happened to the exchange of ideas universities are famous for? Where were all of the supposed "open minds" at during this speech? Instead of listening to his speech with an open mind, it seems that they were too busy keeping themselves ignorant by jeering and ridiculing him.

Society has a lust affair with birth control to the point of not being able to think outside of the box. We live in a contraception "matrix" where it's impossible to believe that there are any harmful effects on marriage, society, and the health of women.

This "contraception deception" is the primary force behind the attacks against the contra-contraception message.

For the most part, society doesn't want to hear the message. This message is that, in our culture, contraception leads to increases in abortion, teenage sex, affairs (and subsequent divorce), health problems, and statutory rape. These facts are apparent by simply comparing statistics.

Why are people willfully preserving their ignorance? For the past century, people have lived in a society that endorses the practice of a contraceptive lifestyle of easy, commitment free, and on-demand sex without challenging them to question possible adverse effects.

Mr. Kessler could have spoke about the start of a career, the discernment of a vocation, the undertaking of new responsibilities, or many other subjects related to graduation. But hopefully his bold message will help to his classmates to question the force-fed information they have heard all their lives concerning human sexuality and contraception and arrive at a more natural, healthier view of human sexuality.

The contraception debate is long overdue, and it is people like Mr. Kessler who are breaking down the walls of ignorance, selfishness, and deception. Society may be resistant to this message, but over time the truth will prevail.

This topic wasn't appropriate for a commencement speech.

At a Catholic university? It most certainly is. If it made some people feel uncomfortable, too darn bad.

21 posted on 05/25/2006 9:32:34 PM PDT by Antoninus (Ginty for US Senate -- NJ's primary day is June 6 -- www.gintyforsenate.org)

1964 called. It wants it's argument back.

And my, haven't we progressed since then? The US birthrate is down below replacement and we've got millions of Latin Americans streaming across our southern borders. Guess who's going to replace you? My guess is that his name will be Jose and he and my kids will get along great.

22 posted on 05/25/2006 9:34:24 PM PDT by Antoninus (Ginty for US Senate -- NJ's primary day is June 6 -- www.gintyforsenate.org)

but over time the truth will prevail.

And what truth is that? That every woman in the world needs to have litters of children? I realize that many people think Malthus was a fool but would the world really be better off if we had 12 billion people? 20 billion? 50 billion?

The US birthrate is down below replacement and we've got millions of Latin Americans streaming across our southern borders.

I care about their legal status, NOT their ethnicity.

Sorry.

He lost me on that one...

Why? Kids are taught to experiment with sex at a young age (sex ed in schools? I went through it--and if that wasn't the intention, it certainly was the consequence). Furthermore, they are taught to use "protection" when doing so--because, you know, they can't help themselves. Sounds like a set-up for statutory rape to me.

26 posted on 05/25/2006 9:37:18 PM PDT by Antoninus (Ginty for US Senate -- NJ's primary day is June 6 -- www.gintyforsenate.org)

Exactly. I read elsewhere that this guy wants to enter a seminary. He figured he'd start wagging his finger at people to get a little practice for the kind of priest he'd be.

Hmmm....

27 posted on 05/25/2006 9:38:15 PM PDT by Pyro7480 (What do leftists, Islamists, & Jack Chick and his ilk have in common? Hatred of the Catholic Church)

Exactly. I read elsewhere that this guy wants to enter a seminary. He figured he'd start wagging his finger at people to get a little practice for the kind of priest he'd be.

Yes, but you dissent from Catholic teaching on Humanae Vitae, right "deacon"?

28 posted on 05/25/2006 9:38:17 PM PDT by Antoninus (Ginty for US Senate -- NJ's primary day is June 6 -- www.gintyforsenate.org)

Old men having sexual relations with younger women. Contracpetion enables them to get away with it virtually undetected.

Older men have always had sex with younger women... Huge difference between that and "statutory rape." The allusion... Heck, that's no allusion: He made the statement, that contraception leads to, or at least contributes to, statutory rape is like saying that ski-masks lead to bank robery!

Mark

29 posted on 05/25/2006 9:39:51 PM PDT by MarkL (When Kaylee says "No power in the `verse can stop me," it's cute. When River says it, it's scary!)

If it made some people feel uncomfortable, too darn bad.

There's a way to do it that would have been positive.

He could have spoken of the virtues of large families, the opportunities that giving life to children brings.

Preachin' and naysayin' no doubt came across as condescending and arrogant.

Maybe you think that works.

It doesn't.

30 posted on 05/25/2006 9:40:20 PM PDT by sinkspur ( Don Cheech. Vito Corleone would like to meet you......Vito Corleone.....)

I care about their legal status, NOT their ethnicity.

My post dealt with neither their legal status nor their ethnicity, but WHY they're coming here. It's because there are jobs galore at the bottom of society as a result of our rapidly aging population. This problem would have been lessened if not completely eliminated if not for abortion and the widespread use of artificial contraception.

31 posted on 05/25/2006 9:41:50 PM PDT by Antoninus (Ginty for US Senate -- NJ's primary day is June 6 -- www.gintyforsenate.org)

Yes, but you dissent from Catholic teaching on Humanae Vitae, right "deacon"?

No. I think Humanae Vitae is flawed in its reasoning, but accept the teaching.

But, there is a way to teach being open to life without coming across as a church lady.

If Kessler does become a priest, hopefully he'll mature and realize that.

32 posted on 05/25/2006 9:42:53 PM PDT by sinkspur ( Don Cheech. Vito Corleone would like to meet you......Vito Corleone.....)

This problem would have been lessened if not completely eliminated if not for abortion and the widespread use of artificial contraception.

Hopefully you realize that telling a woman "Play your cards righty and your child could grow up to pick lettuce!" is not an argument against contraception.

graduates of Saint Thomas University

Mr. Kessler's message is meant mainly for Catholics, and subconsciously may be a mating call for the Catholic wife he didn't meet before graduation. Successful organizations always have an ingrained desire to expand. Encouraging like members to have kids is a proven winner. Unless he makes the same speech in places like inner-city welfare agency waiting rooms he's just promoting his organization's expansion. The speech wasn't meant for everyone.

He could have spoken of the virtues of large families, the opportunities that giving life to children brings.

I'm sorry, I didn't realize that you were there and heard the whole speech.

Preachin' and naysayin' no doubt came across as condescending and arrogant. Maybe you think that works. It doesn't.

It doesn't work on the me-generation, good-time, rock-n-roller, if-it-feels-good-do-it types. But it does work on lots of other people--myself included. It was talks like this that helped pull me out of the cesspool many years ago.

Some of us need the truth applied with a 2 x 4.

35 posted on 05/25/2006 9:45:37 PM PDT by Antoninus (Ginty for US Senate -- NJ's primary day is June 6 -- www.gintyforsenate.org)

If Kessler does become a priest, hopefully he'll mature and realize that.

The above came across as "condescending and arrogant."

36 posted on 05/25/2006 9:47:32 PM PDT by Pyro7480 (What do leftists, Islamists, & Jack Chick and his ilk have in common? Hatred of the Catholic Church)

But, there is a way to teach being open to life without coming across as a church lady. If Kessler does become a priest, hopefully he'll mature and realize that.

Hopefully, he'll do the opposite. The most effective and holy priests I've ever seen were the ones who preached the Truth with neither fear nor pretense. Almost all the namby-pamby ones ended up having feet, legs, and torsos of clay.

37 posted on 05/25/2006 9:48:01 PM PDT by Antoninus (Ginty for US Senate -- NJ's primary day is June 6 -- www.gintyforsenate.org)

You might not like it, but very few indeed, will favor any legislation that restricts or impairs the right of couples to choose the size of their own families by restricting access to contraception, putting aside abortion, but even there, a decisive majority is not in favor of making abortion illegal in the first trimester, and that will not change. Something like 80% of Catholics in the US use conception these days. That is obvious from the family size numbers.

Hopefully you realize that telling a woman "Play your cards righty and your child could grow up to pick lettuce!" is not an argument against contraception.

How about "Life is good. Sterility is bad." Does that work for you?

40 posted on 05/25/2006 9:48:50 PM PDT by Antoninus (Ginty for US Senate -- NJ's primary day is June 6 -- www.gintyforsenate.org)

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