“And how are the birth-rates doing in Orthodox and formerly Orthodox countries these days? Just curious...”
In the only two I’ve seen rates on, Greece and Russia, not well at all. I doubt that has to do with the absence of a hollow warning of “mortal sin” from some priest. In fact, knowing Greeks, if a priest, let alone some hierarch, told a Greek he or she could not use use birth control on pain of some ecclesiastical penalty, its likely they’d have no kids at all.
It’s always wonderful to see one of these older threads pop back up putting the truth out there for everyone to see.