Posted on 12/08/2006 4:44:04 PM PST by Salvation
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Open to Life: Asking Protestants to Ponder Mary |
Like many pro-life writers, I spend my fair share of time interacting with the evangelical Protestant community. I find them zealous when it comes to combating abortion. In fact, their zeal is what usually tips me off about Christmas's approach. The first candle is barely lit on the Advent wreath when our evangelical brethren begin publishing a barrage of articles, reflections and sermons on the theme, "What if Mary had aborted Jesus?"
The question, of course, is rhetorical. One could not imagine Mother Mary aborting Baby Jesus. Such an action would have changed the course of salvation history for the worse, in that salvation would have become impossible without Christ to bridge the gap between God and man.
Thus our evangelical brethren mean no disrespect toward the Blessed Mother. They are simply pointing out the obvious: Mary was in a position not unlike that of many young single mothers, yet in choosing life, her actions greatly benefited mankind. Hence one should acknowledge that there is always the opportunity for an opening to God's grace whenever a woman finds herself with child.
Although the above argument originates from evangelical Protestants, I can accept it as a Catholic. Yet the majority of Evangelicals who I know - including those within the pro-life movement - promote contraception as permissible to Christians. Dr. Tim LaHaye, for example, is a founder of the US Moral Majority and the co-author of the popular evangelical apocalyptic Left Behind series. He is also a well-known example of an Evangelical who promotes contraception among married couples while claiming to be a pro-life Christian.
Nevertheless, whenever I encounter Evangelicals within the pro-life movement, I try to correct their erroneous view of contraception. These are often the same Evangelicals whom I watch debate abortion with mainline Protestants. I have seen them pop the "Would Mary have aborted Jesus?" argument during these intra-Protestant debates. With Christmas approaching, I knew they would be sharing reflections on our pro-life internet forum that ask the same question.
This got me thinking as we debated the morality of contraception: "What would have happened if Mary had contracepted Jesus?" The answer was obvious: the same as what evangelical Protestants propose would have happened if Mary had aborted Jesus. There would have been no Christmas morning. And without Christmas there would have been no Easter, no crucifixion and resurrection, and no salvation history. [Editor's note: The point here is not to contend that a "barrier method" would have prevented Mary conceiving Christ, but that fundamentally, contraception says "no" to God.]
In light of the similar outcome, I thought the Evangelicals with whom I debate would see the folly of their pro-contraception position. With one exception, however, my question was met first with stunned silence and then with outrage from our evangelical brethren. How dare I suggest that contraception was forbidden to Christians. "Where does the Bible condemn contraception?"
I found this last question strange, given that during a simultaneous debate with their mainline Protestant counterparts, the same evangelicals were asking: "Where does the Bible promote abortion?" Of course this was after the mainliners had pointed out that nowhere in the King James translation does one find the word "abortion".
As an aside, this taught me a valuable lesson about Protestants. When they oppose a practice as ungodly, they ask "Where does the Bible teach this practice?" When they favor a similar practice, the question changes to, "Where does the Bible condemn this practice?" Thus the Evangelical can say, "the Bible does not condemn contraception" while the Anglican states, "the Bible makes no mention of abortion."
Some Things Really Are Abominable
To be fair to Evangelicals and to mainline Protestants, they are both wrong. Holy Scripture clearly and explicitly condemns these abominable practices against the culture of life. While you never read the words "contraception" and "abortion" in the Bible, the early Church fathers understood these practices to be sorcery and witchcraft, which are mentioned.
The noted Jesuit catechist Fr. John A. Hardon, in his essay "Contraception: Fatal to the Faith and to Eternal Life," wrote:
In the Roman Empire of the first century of the Christian era, contraception was universally approved and practiced by the people.... In the language of the day, contraceptive practice was referred to as "using magic" and "using drugs." It was in this sense that the first century Teaching of the Twelve Apostles [Didiche] warns Christians in four successive precepts: "You shall not use magic." "You shall not use drugs." "You shall not procure abortion." "You shall not destroy an unborn child."
"The sequence of those prohibitions is significant," Father Hardon continues. "We know from the record of those times that women would first try some magical rites or use sorcery to avoid conception. If this failed, they would take one or another of then known seventeen medically approved contraceptives. If a woman still became pregnant, she would try to abort. And if even this failed, she and her male partner could always resort to infanticide, which was approved by Roman law."
"Christians were warned not to follow the example of their pagan contemporaries, who walked in darkness and the shadow of death," Father Hardon concludes. "Christians were absolutely forbidden to practice contraception, which leads to abortion, which leads to infanticide."
Not surprising, as Catholics prepare to celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Church of England, to quote one Anglican news source, "has joined one of Britain's royal medical colleges in calling for legal euthanasia of seriously disabled newborn babies...." This is the same Anglican Church that first accepted contraception as permissible to Christians. The rest of Protestantism soon followed. The Anglican Church then accepted abortion under certain extreme circumstances, and for the most part Protestantism has followed.
So where would we be if Mary had practiced contraception? As we prepare for Advent and the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ - as we prepare to celebrate the Gift that came through Mary's openness to life - I ask my evangelical Protestant brethren to ponder this question.
Absolutely. That's what the Immaculate Conception is all about.
Amen.
This phrase DOES NOT EXIST ANYWHERE IN SCRIPTURE, regardless of what translation you are reading from.
This is what the Church believes and professes.
They are and have always been and always will be.
Okay, but she abstained ***from sex***, which was my point. Abstinence as birth control works every time, except this once, this one holy exception.
--St. Jerome already rebutted this question about 1700 years ago.
Musta missed that memo. Mine always arrive late.
Gimme Documentation please...
And isn't this the same Jerome that said the Apocrypha is NOT cannon? (Sorry, cannot seem to spell the deuterocanonical whattayoucallits...). If he is such a great scholar in one sense, can I not use him to clobber you with the other?
Ummm... ok... I'll say it again. Catholics do NOT believe any different. It is the Triune God that answers prayers. Be they submitted by me, you, or any of the saints in Heaven on our behalf, only the Trinity answers the prayers.
There is more to the Faith than just the Bible. The Bible says so itself, but if you wish to limit yourself, well, I'm sorry for you. God Bless all the same.
If what you said is accurate, then your husband and "pastor" were incorrectly catechized. Regardless, your assumptions about what Catholics believe are flat out wrong. If you wish to truly find out what we believe, you can simply look in the Catechism. The whole thing is online for free.
I promise you won't burst into flame or be struck by lightning. :)
Not exactly. St. Jerome did question the authenticity of some Books in the Catholic Bible, but he deferred to the Church in the matter. IIRC, he also stated later in life that he was wrong about questioning their authenticity previously.
Glad to hear what you have to say about the movie and I pray you are correct about bringing protestants (both Catholic and the capital "P" kind), back to the Church.
Thanks! Good to be here!
Don't worry, I know I wont' burst into flames, although I've had a few flame wars here when people's favorite theories or subjects get questioned. It can be fun...smile.
Don't worry, I know I wont' burst into flames, although I've had a few flame wars here when people's favorite theories or subjects get questioned. It can be fun...smile. And I know that our basics are the same--the Triune God, Jesus' sacrifice for our sins, etc. It's when we get away from that that we have problems with our theology. Mxxx
Why do Catholics say they pray to Mary as Jesus' mother, to intercede for us? I've heard that on FR more than once from, especially women, who say that. Mary can't help. Only God through Jesus can.
A couple of reasons why I, as a Catholic, believe and pray to Mary for her intercession.
Firstly, because I need all of the help that I can to get into heaven I ask people that are close to Jesus to pray for me. Mary is the Mother of God, Mary and Jesus shared the same blood. Mary was entrusted by God the Father to care for Jesus, His son. That is a pretty big responsibility and an enormous role that Mary fulfilled perfectly. Jesus listens to his Mothers' petitions.
Secondly, when Mary stops helping, I'll stop praying to her. I have a funny feeling this wont be happening anytime soon.
God Bless!
Well, whatever floats your boat, I guess. You can go directly to Jesus. HE is our intercessor. But, I know Catholics have their own beliefs.
You don't NEED anyone else's help to get into heaven. Putting your faith and trust in Jesus Christ with a sincere heart is ALL you need. Good works and Mary will not help. This is what bothers me about the Catholic faith. NOONE but Jesus--HE is the door to heaven through which you must go, dear frogjerk.
Then you had better get rid of your Bible, since many men wrote the various books and other men determined which books should be included in it. Since you don't need their help, you have long ago thrown your Bible in the trash, haven't you?
-A8
I do and I also ask for help from others.
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