Should Evangelicals stop using contraceptives?

July 11, 4:24 PMCharlotte Evangelical ExaminerRichard Bean

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Too often, the moral debate within the family of God centers solely on the topic of traditional abortions. Believers need to expand the discussion to include the morality of contraceptives. You are probably thinking to yourself that this is a Catholic issue, not a Protestant one. Traditionally, Catholics have been the most outspoken critics of contraceptives, but it is time for Evangelicals to step up to the plate. If contraceptives are abortive, their use should be discontinued.

First, it should be clear that this article is not against all contraceptives, but only those which are abortive, or potentially abortive, in nature. In other words, this article is not going to be dealing with condom use or coital interruption as methods of birth control. This article will deal with more common methods, such as "the Pill."

Randy Alcorn does a wonderful job of summarizing the problem of the pill in this short condensation of his book "Does the Birth Control Pill Cause Abortions?"

The conclusions are eye-opening. The fact is that oral contraceptives do in fact cause abortions in cases where it only prevents implantation instead of fertilization. The verdicts on IUDs, Norplant, etc., are no better. All of these cause abortion when they fail to prevent fertilization. Thus, many Christians using these methods of birth control to avoid pregnancy are, in fact, causing early abortions.

We should never be so attached to sex to place pleasure above the abortive risk in using these birth control methods. It is entirely inconsistent to be anti-abortion and at the same time use any of the above birth control methods. It is time that we evangelicals stand alongside Catholics in condemning "the Pill" along with IUDs, Norplant, and other birth control measures which can cause an abortion.

It should be noted, however, that oral contraceptives are doses of hormones, and they have other medical uses in treating various conditions. This use is unrelated to the contraceptive debate because the contraceptive nature of hormone treatement is a side effect as opposed to the intended effect that someone would have if using it for birth control purposes.