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.
Then I guess I can forget about St. Peter, St. Paul, and all of the Evangelists because without them I wouldn't even know about Jesus.
I also need the Holy Spirit's help to get into heaven.
Catholic bump.
Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. No one cometh to the father but by HIM. The Holy Spirit never points to himself. Paul and others always point to Christ. Yes, their examples are important but it's only God through Jesus who saves you.
Some where/when we will be astonished at the magnitude of effect this unique relationship wrought in and through The Mother of Our Lord. It is not surprising that people pray to Mary for her intercession with life's vagaries on their behalf. But Salvation is by one and only Jesus; the imparting of immortality upon your spirit is something ONLY Jesus can accomplish. And if it were up to you to retain that grace from God, you or anyone else would fail to assure it when the Evil one came after you.
BUMP!!!
"Some where/when we will be astonished at the magnitude of effect this unique relationship wrought in and through The Mother of Our Lord. It is not surprising that people pray to Mary for her intercession with life's vagaries on their behalf. But Salvation is by one and only Jesus; the imparting of immortality upon your spirit is something ONLY Jesus can accomplish. And if it were up to you to retain that grace from God, you or anyone else would fail to assure it when the Evil one came after you.
I would say that you and I are kindred spirits, "MHGinTN"!
Thanks for the "ping"!!
Nancee
I was 'reborn' in 1972. The Evil one has yet to let up in efforts to rob me of the joy of that Salvation, or to cause me to stumble and thus divert the attention of one about to be reborn, or to 'punish me' for rejecting the company of the dead in spirit. Thanks be to Jesus that His promise will not and cannot be broken, namely to never leave me or foresake me. I've made Him mighty uncomfortable with me at times, but He is the stronger, a truth for which I am eternally grateful and Satan eternally the loser. Ain't life a hoot though?
** I think that the stance against birth control by the catholic church(is is still official?) is a BIG plus and evidence of wisdom.... oral 'contraception' is chemical abortion (I was an embryologist and researcher prior to my doctoral studies)and not only do the protestants allow it, they silently promote it.**
Yes, it is still true for the Catholic Church. Contaception is not accepted.
I am heartened, however, by the number of Protestants that are changing their minds and deciding NOY to contr-conception.
2322 From its conception, the child has the right to life. Direct abortion, that is, abortion willed as an end or as a means, is a "criminal" practice (GS 27 § 3), gravely contrary to the moral law. The Church imposes the canonical penalty of excommunication for this crime against human life. |
2274 Since it must be treated from conception as a person, the embryo must be defended in its integrity, cared for, and healed, as far as possible, like any other human being.
Prenatal diagnosis is morally licit, "if it respects the life and integrity of the embryo and the human fetus and is directed toward its safe guarding or healing as an individual. . . . It is gravely opposed to the moral law when this is done with the thought of possibly inducing an abortion, depending upon the results: a diagnosis must not be the equivalent of a death sentence." |
2319 Every human life, from the moment of conception until death, is sacred because the human person has been willed for its own sake in the image and likeness of the living and holy God. |
2323 Because it should be treated as a person from conception, the embryo must be defended in its integrity, cared for, and healed like every other human being. |
2270 Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception. From the first moment of his existence, a human being must be recognized as having the rights of a person - among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life.
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1711 Endowed with a spiritual soul, with intellect and with free will, the human person is from his very conception ordered to God and destined for eternal beatitude. He pursues his perfection in "seeking and loving what is true and good" (GS 15 § 2). |
L
2399 The regulation of births represents one of the aspects of responsible fatherhood and motherhood. Legitimate intentions on the part of the spouses do not justify recourse to morally unacceptable means (for example, direct sterilization or contraception). |
2370 Periodic continence, that is, the methods of birth regulation based on self-observation and the use of infertile periods, is in conformity with the objective criteria of morality. These methods respect the bodies of the spouses, encourage tenderness between them, and favor the education of an authentic freedom. In contrast, "every action which, whether in anticipation of the conjugal act, or in its accomplishment, or in the development of its natural consequences, proposes, whether as an end or as a means, to render procreation impossible" is intrinsically evil:
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**"God MEANT for you to be born!**
God means for EVERY conceived child to be born.
**Intercessory prayer. That's it.**
Just like we ask friends to pray for us!
Praying for your husband and your pastor to come back to the Church. There are many classes sponsored by churches for that purpose.
Our church does one every year entitled, "Catholics Can Come Home Again."
Who knows, you could even be in an RCIA class. You do seem to understand a lot of the Catholic concepts.
Like I said, we think alike, or so it seems! And yes, "Life is a hoot."
Nancee
P.S. Did you happen to read my earlier reponse to your post regarding that 3400 sq. ft home in Tennessee?
I bet you even ask people (friends and relatives, and maybe even acquaitances) to pray for you too! Imagine that!
I did today. Someone I had met for only the second time, and I asked her to pray for me as I took flyers to five schools before they closed this afternoon.
And she said she would!!
Then I wished her a Merry Christmas!
At the next school (public) I wished someone a Merry Christmas -- and they returned the greeting! Wow! The world might be changing!
And because of prayer!??!!
** I'm an Episcopalian, but I truly believe the person of Mary is like no other human being who has ever lived ... she of all people had God indwelling her, drawing life support from her for His incarnation from the moment of implantation.**
Thank you and blessings for the weekend and the week before Christmas!
**Some where/when we will be astonished at the magnitude of effect this unique relationship wrought in and through The Mother of Our Lord.**
I believe it is starting to happen. That's why there is so much antagonism on the "Mary" threads.
At least this one is about pro-life!
:-)
Absolutely, and the Church teaches this.
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